Winter Sports

While taking a break from specific triathlon training, there are many winter activities that will help maintain fitness in preparation for the upcoming race season. Here are three of the best:

CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING Save money, experience the winter back country in all its splendour, and get an incredible workout.

“Cross-country skiing is a very low impact activity, which will help to save those joints for the pounding in the summer, but it is a very muscular activity,” says Lance Watson of Lifesport Coaching. “Classic” skiing more closely resembles the motion of running, and “skating” incorporates some of the big muscle groups that will benefit cycling power.

“As Nordic skiing uses the whole body, the oxygen demand placed upon the body is as great if not greater than any of the three disciplines of triathlon. This means that you can reach greater amounts of oxygen demand and uptake than when you are training swim/bike/ run individually. This increased demand can allow you to raise your VO2max – the body’s ability to absorb and transport oxygen to the muscles.”

CLIMBING STAIRS

Stair climbing is a great workout. The obvious increase in quad strength will help you to bike and run faster, especially when tackling hills. There are many buildings and workplaces where stairclimbing is an option and there are specific machines found in any gym. Says Lesley Patterson, “So much of bike work is about strength and so, in the off season, a really different way to build it, especially if you’re short on time, is to go on the revolving staircase at the gym. This is simply the hardest piece of equipment in the gym and doing intervals on this thing will kill you. It develops amazing core stability, quad, back and glute strength. I do double stepping, running on it, side stepping. But do use due diligence when starting out and be careful not to overdo it. An hour on this thing and you’ll be done for the day.”

STRENGTH TRAINING

There are myriad reasons why resistance training can benefit the triathlete; it not only builds strength in specific areas, it increases power output, and helps prevents injury. Stronger legs can translate into faster bike and run splits, and improved upper body and core strength can assist swim splits.

“Absolute strength should not be the goal of the program,” warns Watson, “but rather an increase in muscular endurance would be of more benefit. This is not to say that an increase in strength is not desired, but given that triathlon is an endurance sport, it would be better to be able to perform a given act for a longer period, rather than being able to perform a massive lift once.”

Proper technique is critical to avoid injury, so ask for professional assistance if required.

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Avoid the temptation to start training too hard, too early. By falling into the common trap of hitting hard training too soon, the winter will seem to drag on forever and there’s a very real danger that you’ll be past your peak fitness by the time you race. As athletes, the risk of physical and motivational burnout is real. If the goal is to race in the spring and summer, the optimal time to start ramping up your training is early January. Until then, rest, try different sports and enjoy the holiday festivities with family. Watching your caloric intake is always a good idea too. But don’t guilt yourself. Recognize that you can get race fit with four or five months of solid training. More isn’t always better.