Training Plan for the off season

Blackthorn,

Thanks for checking in! The answer is absolutely our Maintenance plans. They are designed for this exact purpose: to bridge the gap between the start of a formal training plan. Right now, they are also free as our way to support athletes in the COVID-19 crisis to transition more easily between cancelled or postponed events.

David

This depends on your accepted periodization method. Classic prioritization (as originally developed by Tudor Bompa) focuses on speed in the general phase and distance (where applicable) in the specific phase. Reverse periodization, accepted by many other coaches, is the opposite theory that you first work on distance and then introduce speed in the specific phase.

I can make a strong argument for both methods and respect other coaches who choose differently, but we feel that classic periodization is best. The Maintenance plans reflect that method. You’ll find that the Maintenance plans still maintain long, slow distance and foundation. For example, the triathlon Maintenance plan still performs regular 2 hour bike rides and 1.5 hour runs. That’s plenty of long, low intensity to maintain your aerobic base to be ready to jump into any long-distance plan.

Remember, 80/20 training also specifies that the ratio of high to low intensity never changes, regardless of the periodization phase. It’s just a matter of the distribution of Zone 3, 4, and 5 within that 20% that differs in the Maintenance plan.

David

Yes, using Joe Friel’s strength training system (see Chapter 18 of the book Triathlon Science) the Strength Maintenance phase is ideal to pair with the Maintenance plan. Our free strength plugins do OK with this, but our premium 80/20 strength plans follow this phase very well.

David