Cyclists: How To Train During The Off-Season

What you do in the off-season can suggest the difference between losing and winning. Maintain your fitness just enough to avoid weight gain and youll set yourself up for a slow start. But if you use your time off the bike to gain strength, speed and stamina, youll power out of the gates when the weather warms up.

RUN LIKE ROCKY. Step running simulates the muscle action and power you need to smash steep climbs on your cycle. It also builds heart prowess. Starting at the bottom of three or 4 flights of stairs ( like those at a local high-school stadium ), run up one step at a time as fast as possible while maintaining good formleaning a little forward and lightly landing on and springing off the balls of your feet. Walk back down. Now head back up, taking 2 steps at a time. Then work up to three, if the steps arent too steep. Repeat this sequence for 20 minutes two times a week.

SPLIT IT UP. Studies show that 2 20- to 30-minute workouts burn more fat and calories than one 40-60-minute bout. Whats more, adding a second workout amps up your growth-hormone levels, which helps burn fat and create muscle. For most satisfactory results, spin easy for 20 to 30 minutes before breakfast to rev up your fat-burning furnaces, then do a intense workout later on.

UP YOUR power. High-intensity interval coaching in little doses can keep you pointed and burn more fat. Intensity also elevates endurance because it raises your lactate ceiling. And research shows that high-intensity sprint coaching doubles the time to exhaustion. Do eight to ten 20-second, high-cadence sprints with five minutes of recovery between each about twice a week.

JUMP ROPE. This playground workout scorches 10 to twelve calories a minutemore than most other sorts of exerciseand is one of the swiftest paths to stay fit. Weave two to three minutes into your strength-training exercises for a cardio blast. Bonus : Each hop builds explosive power and calf strength for a firm pedal stroke.

WALK ON SNOW. Snowshoeing detonates 550 calories an hour and builds cardio fitness. Your quads will send off that familiar singe as you head uphill because the lower-body range of motion is very similar to pedaling a bike.

LIGHTEN UP. Too many starchy carbs in the off-season, especially when you are riding less, can set you up for a sludgy spring. Get most of your carbs from fruits and vegetables and save bread and pasta for early in the day, especially when youll be coaching. And go easy on the drink and sweetsyour will power will pay off later .

LIE DOWN. You have heard a strong core creates a painless platform from which to pedal. This straightforward exercise bolsters that base : Lie back on a stability ball so it supports your head, shoulders and upper back. Bend your knees ninety degrees and keep your feet close together. Tighten your glutes and raise your hips so your body forms a straight line from knees to shoulders. Tighten your abs and slowly let your hips drop toward the floor. Repeat, lifting and lowering your hips for a count of 20.

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