What are you doing this off-season?
The off-season is roughly a 1-2 month period that occurs at the end of a person’s competitive season. It’s an important time to rest, recover, and do something different than what you just did for the last 8-10 months. The off-season is an important time to refresh your mind and motivation by setting goals for the upcoming season and taking concrete steps towards the realization of those goals.

The off-season should be a time to consider the use of new equipment and changes to your bicycle position. It’s also the ideal time to have a physical examination from your primary healthcare provider that evaluates blood/hormonal chemistry and cardiac function, and have a musculoskeletal exam to see how you measure up to your sport readiness.

My favorites off-season activities are to work on improvements with an aero position and consider the inclusion of new equipment. We have been working on a winter project that describes kinematic changes in accommodating long or short cranks. We’ve been utilizing Retül motion analysis and an adjustable Calfee sizer-cycle to see the impact of differing crank lengths on the aerodynamic position. Findings demonstrate an appropriate crank length range, revealing that relatively long cranks alter and interrupt the pedal stroke in aero position.

What are your great goals for the upcoming season? Start the dreaming and start the work. An off-season of planning and preparation is the key to a successful competitive season.