Integrated Approach to the Off-Season

Integrated Approach to the Off-Season

Introduction

The purpose of this article is to discuss a new way of approaching the off-season that integrates the necessary physical preparations with the mental, emotional and sometimes even the "spiritual" aspects that make-up our Inner Fitness^©. When these are all addressed routinely, it can have a quantum affect on our performance. I would like to introduce a new way of thinking about and working with the great opportunity for change, and improving our performance holistically, that is inherent with this time of the season. If nothing else, my hope is that this gets you thinking about things in a slightly different way, and coming away with at least a few new ideas about how to approach your off-season in a slightly different way.

Broadening the View

Regardless of what discipline we enjoy in endurance athletics, it's that time to either start planning it out or actually implementing our off-season program. This time of the year traditionally consists of a week to several to transition from the competitive phase, followed by several months of base-building and gym work before starting to ramp things up again. Depending on your approach or that of your coach, your typical off-season may be a little bit different from this description, but I imagine it's not too many shades of gray off of it completely. Regardless of the approach, we can likely agree that it is certainly a time to regenerate and start to build back up physically.

However, it is typical to focus only on the physical aspect of training in the off-season above and beyond setting goals. But what about the state of your Inner Fitness^©? What I am referring to here is the quality of your mental and emotional states, and how they show up in your training, racing and every day life? Is this something that you address this time of the year, and if so, how? More and more emphasis is being placed on integrating the mental and physical elements of training these days, and with good reason. Many coaches and athletes alike are finding that there is much more to success in sport than training the physical body alone. Performance and success result from a balanced approach to training that addresses the mental, physical and the emotional aspects of an individual. Too much of a focus on one area often leaves the others in need of some attention and care and their Inner Fitness^© less than optimal.

With a reduction in the volume of racing, recovering and traveling to and from events, the off-season is the perfect time to regenerate mentally and emotionally by developing a PRACTICE to "train" our mental game. It is the optimal time to reflect and plan ahead, and an especially good time to identify and develop strategies for overcoming our performance limiters and make conscious decisions as to what we want to achieve going forward.

The traditional off-season

Traditionally the off-season is seen as a time to take a break from racing and high-intensity training to some degree, in order to build up strength in the gym, technique and skills, as well as to tune-up the aerobic components of our fitness. After a transition period where the athlete takes a break from formal training, they then move into a specific periodization in the gym and in their sports disciplines that take them from this period through the beginning of their competitive phase. For the purpose of clarity, let's outline the typical off-season.

What is the off-season?

A break from racing
Time to rest, recover and regenerate
Time to re-build and/or increase fitness

What is done in the off-season?

Rest, recovery and regeneration
Set goals for the next season
Cross-train
Improve flexibility
Work on technique and skills
Build cardiovascular and muscular fitness

What's missing here? For many, the answer to this question would be a resounding "NOTHING", and they would be right, if approaching it from the current paradigm. That is not to say that the contemporary way of approaching things is inherently flawed in any way, shape or form. However, due to expanded research and developments in sports and energy psychology, training methodology, as well as evolution in contemporary thinking in regards to human performance, we have come a long way in our understanding of what really leads to optimal performance. As a result, we owe it to ourselves or those we work with to avail ourselves to and utilize this "new" and often "better" information at every possible opportunity.

A new paradigm

To quote a famous song by Bob Dylan, my middle name sake none the less, "The times, they are a changing". And thank goodness for that, not because there was anything wrong with the approaches of the past, because we can only do the best that we know at any given point in time. However, because we have so much new, and often better information available to us these days, the possibilities and opportunities for improvement are endless, which is very exciting. So much so, that it becomes our job to discern the good from the dross; the marketing hype, the fads and the myriad forms of junk out there today that can confuse people and often stifle progress rather than usher it along. With that thought in mind, let's take a bit of a different spin on how to approach the off-season in a way that is not only more effective, but more fun as well. After all, if training ceases to be fun, than it becomes quite likely that athletes will quit, which is no good for anyone, including the sports we enjoy.

Instead, what I would like to offer here is an alternative approach that addresses all of the key elements for improving not just physically, but mentally and emotionally as well. I believe firmly that this is critical to continuing to progress year after year, not only as an athlete but also as a person. Making things interesting is imperative to keeping people engaged enough to keep working toward their dreams year after year.

True integration

As previously stated, a truly integrated approach to the off-season, is one that addresses all of the elements that play a significant part in developing an individual's potential to succeed in their chosen sport. To keep it simple, these include the following:

The Physical

A break from competition and periods of high levels of stress
A period of rest, recovery and regeneration
Identifying and beginning to correct postural and muscular imbalances
Improving specific and functional flexibility and range of motion
Improving balance, flexibility, joint and core stability
Increasing muscular, neuro-muscular and cardiovascular fitness

The Mental

Determining what an athlete REALLY wants for themselves
Identifying any limiting beliefs that may keep them from achieving their goals
Creating action steps to put into practice on a daily basis
Facilitating a paradigm shift leading to goal achievement & personal growth

This second list contains the elements that often get left out of the current approaches to "training". Simply taking a break from an extremely disciplined approach to training and racing can be enough to recharge the mental and physical batteries of a good percentage of the population. However, the key elements listed above along with the willingness to work on them consistently is what truly separates the best from the rest and helps create more successful, well-rounded individuals.

Putting it all together

The good news is that armed only with time, humility, and an eagerness to learn, a new and improved approach to the off-season can be developed relatively quickly. This will not only help to improve physically at a whole new level, but mentally and emotionally as well, thus catalyzing performance in quantum leaps while making the process so much more enjoyable. This is quite a return on investment, as too often the element of fun seems to get lost somewhere in the going, leaving many athletes feeling empty, frustrated and alone. By incorporating a holistic, integrated approach to training that addresses all of the needs of the individual, this can be avoided. Then, the very reasons why many began training and racing to begin with, because they enjoyed it, start to show back up in their lives again.

The bottom line is that there is no one right way to do anything. However, the current body of knowledge regarding human performance development is changing all of the time and it is up to the awakened warrior athlete who wants to continue to improve, keep their lives in balance, and continue to have fun, to discern the good from the bad, and apply it diligently to reap the inherent benefits. The results typically speak for themselves.

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