How to manage the Off-Season: 

training and nutrition tips.

by Simone Bisello

As the competitive season comes to an end, we take a break from racing, recover our energy, and reflect on our progress and achievements. Now is the time to lay the foundation for the upcoming season, feeling more motivated than ever and ready to test ourselves in next year’s events.

Starting gradually

Restarting doesn’t mean jumping straight back in at full throttle. It’s important to approach training gradually and mindfully to avoid overloading and risking injury. After the final races, some may have opted for complete rest, while others might have preferred to keep training but at reduced intensity and volume. Whatever the approach, the body requires a transitional phase to progressively readjust to activity. Starting slowly is key to achieving optimal fitness without unnecessary risks - always listening to the signals your body sends.

Off-season training

Strength Training

The off-season is the perfect time to focus on aspects that are sometimes overlooked during the competitive season, such as strength training in the gym. This type of work not only helps prevent injuries but, according to various scientific studies, also optimizes performance in specific disciplines - such as cycling, running, or swimming - by improving biomechanical efficiency and the economy of athletic movements.
Resistance training should include both multi-joint exercises, which engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously (like squats, deadlifts, or rows), and specific exercises that replicate the movement dynamics of the practiced sport (for example, lunges, which mimic the leg's push on the pedal during cycling).
The programming should follow a structure divided into three phases:

1. Anatomical adaptation phase (2-3 weeks): use light weights and high repetitions (12-20) to prepare muscles and joints.
2. Hypertrophy phase (3-4 weeks): during this phase, progressively increase the loads while gradually reducing repetitions (8-12). The duration of this phase can vary depending on the specific needs of the athlete.
3. Maximum strength phase (5-8 weeks): Introduce exercises with near-maximal loads, reduce the number of repetitions (4-6), and extend the recovery times between sets. This phase represents the peak of preparation but can also be maintained during the competitive season.

This progression is crucial to prepare the body for more intense loads without risking injury.

Sport-specific training

In sports such as running, cycling, and swimming, the main goal during the off-season is to maintain, consolidate, and enhance general aerobic efficiency - the cornerstone of endurance performance. The focus is on training in Zone 2 (Z2) and improving FAT Max:

• Zone 2 refers to aerobic intensity, typically 60–70% of maximum heart rate (or 55–65% of VO₂ max), where the body predominantly burns fat for fuel.
• FAT Max Oxidation is the intensity at which fat is utilised most efficiently, usually between 65% and 75% of maximum heart rate. This can vary slightly depending on individual metabolic capacity and should ideally be assessed with a trainer.

Initially, training volume and intensity should be kept low—about 50–60% of what was achieved in peak season - to prevent overtraining. As preparation progresses, workload should be gradually increased, and sessions diversified to maximise the benefits of training stimuli.

Increasing training load and specific abilities

From the outset, it’s a good idea to incorporate athletic tests, such as the FTP test (Functional Threshold Power) for cyclists, which measures the maximum power one can sustain for an hour. These tests help calibrate training zones, ensuring workload is optimally tailored to individual needs.
Building aerobic capacity requires a steady increase in training volume, following a step-by-step approach to promote adaptation. At the same time, specific workouts should be introduced to develop key abilities for your discipline.

Our recommendations:

Increase weekly volume progressively

Start from your initial off-season levels and increase weekly volume by 10–15%. Spread this increase across multiple sessions to avoid sudden spikes in workload.

Consolidate your aerobic base

Gradually extend training durations, aiming for 2-hour sessions for running and swimming, and 3–4 hours for cycling. Longer sessions improve capillary and mitochondrial density, enhancing fat transport and oxidation.

Introduce specific intensity work

Begin incorporating interval training, alternating periods of intense effort with active recovery. For example:

• Start with 20-40 sessions: 20 seconds of high-intensity effort (80–90% max heart rate) followed by 40 seconds of low-intensity recovery
• Progress to 30-30 sessions and eventually to 40-20 intervals after several weeks

Nutrition in the Off-season

This is the ideal time to evaluate our physical condition. A first step is to weigh ourselves to determine whether we have gained or lost weight and establish nutritional goals. If we’ve gained 3-4 kg, there’s no need to worry, as most of the extra weight could be due to glycogen and water retained in the muscles. Let’s avoid drastic diets or strenuous workouts, which could compromise recovery. If we need to lose weight, a moderate caloric deficit of about 300-500 kcal per day will be sustainable over time and often proves to be the most effective strategy in the long run.
On the other hand, if the weight has decreased, it’s likely due to reduced water retention caused by the inflammation generated by intense training during the season and not due to muscle mass loss.
Once we’ve assessed our physical condition, we can focus on the most effective nutritional strategies to support our training optimally.

Here are our nutritional tips to navigate this transitional phase effectively.

Pay attention to caloric intake during the early stages of training

During the rest phase, the body may have lost some mechanical efficiency. When resuming training, the body may, therefore, burn more calories compared to the same workout performed at the peak of the competitive season.
For this reason, it’s crucial to monitor caloric intake, avoiding, if unnecessary, excessive caloric deficits or surpluses, which could compromise recovery or lead to fat gain. Weighing ourselves once every 7-10 days is helpful to track body changes and adjust nutrition accordingly.

The importance of protein

We should never underestimate the importance of adequate protein intake, especially if our off-season includes a significant amount of strength training. Protein intake should be sufficient to support muscle synthesis: ideally, consuming about 1,5 g of protein per kg of body weight, prioritizing high-biological-value protein sources such as lean meats, fish, eggs, and dairy products. Additionally, protein intake is essential if we’re aiming to lose weight, as it helps preserve muscle mass during fat loss. In these phases, whey or plant-based protein supplements can be very useful and practical, depending on personal preferences.

Optimize your supplementation strategy during training

An optimized supplementation strategy can make a difference during training. This is particularly important in low-intensity training sessions (Zone Z2), aimed at improving the ability to use fats as the primary energy source. For example, in long sessions (over 3 hours, in cycling), it may be helpful to limit carbohydrate intake, not exceeding 60 g/h, at least during the first 3 hours of activity. Moreover, it’s advisable to start carbohydrate supplementation from the second hour of exercise. This approach helps avoid insulin spikes (which inhibit fat oxidation), a phenomenon that could occur especially during the first 30-40 minutes of activity.

Test new solutions

This is the ideal time to test new supplements that we can use during the competitive season. For instance, we can try products such as creatine or BCAAs to see how our body responds to them. This allows us to determine if and how to incorporate them into our supplementation regime.
It’s also essential to consider any specific needs the athlete may have during this period. For example, given the season, some may require immune system support. In these cases, Vitamin D, Vitamin C and Omega-3 supplements can be very helpful.

In summary, the off-season is an opportunity to strategically prepare for the next season by improving nutrition, diversifying dietary choices, and managing supplementation. With proper planning and monitoring, we can face our training optimally and prepare for the challenges ahead.

 

References

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- Beattie K, Kenny IC, Lyons M, Carson BP. The effect of strength training on performance in endurance athletes. Sports Med. 2014 Jun;44(6):845-65. doi: 10.1007/s40279-014-0157-y. PMID: 24532151.
- Joyner M, Coyle E. Endurance exercise performance: the physiology of champions.
- Hoppeler, H. (2018). From Physiological Adaptations to Endurance Performance: It Is Time to Bridge the Gap. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living.
- Holoszy, J. O., et al. (2022). Endurance Training Enhances Mitochondrial and Capillary Density in Skeletal Muscle. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 23(18), 10843. DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810843.
- Jäger, R., et al. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Protein and Exercise. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14(20). DOI: 10.1186/s12970-017-0177-8.
- Podlogar T, Free B, Wallis GA. High rates of fat oxidation are maintained after the sleep low approach despite delayed carbohydrate feeding during exercise. Eur J Sport Sci. 2021 Feb;21(2):213-223. doi: 10.1080/17461391.2020.1730447. Epub 2020 Feb 28. PMID: 32052709.

 

NOTE: the information provided is for general guidance and does not replace professional advice from healthcare providers. Always consult your doctor or a qualified expert before starting a new training or dietary regime.