It’s finally Fall and for many this means the end of their sports season. Be it biking, running, or any other endurance sport, Fall is typically the time to relax and recover. At least that's what the post season was thought of some years ago. Recently the newer trend has become to keep training during the off-season to maintain your physical fitness. This new school of thought has some good research backing it but can be confusing as what to do. It would be impossible to keep training at the same intensity of your normal season and not become over trained or injured. Many trainers and coaches say that the off-season is typically the time to get your base miles in. This will help build up your aerobic and endurance base on which you will build upon during pre-season training. Cross training is also a great alternative to maintain your fitness and keep your mind stimulated. Although the cross training should be somewhat related or complimentary of your main sport. For example, I race mountain bike XC and during the fall switch to trail running. This builds up my aerobic base and targets similar muscle groups as well as lesser used muscles. This type of complimentary cross training also helps alleviate muscle imbalances that may have resulted from your sport. As the days get colder and weather gets worse I will start indoor bouldering. This sport helps me fine tune my balance and body awareness as well as increase my core and upper body strength. All of these are essential and beneficial for mountain bike XC racing. The best part of cross training is that it keeps my mind stimulated and prevents burnout from your sport. This way when the new season comes up again you will be mentally refreshed and physically ready to give it 100%!
Stay healthy my friends!
-SNaF
Stay healthy my friends!
-SNaF