 Rider: Carter Gray Photo: Zachary C. Bako Joel YounkinsHigh Performance Coach The post season isn’t just downtime, it’s a very important phase in a racer’s preparation. How you handle this stretch determines whether next year’s performance builds…or plateaus. This time of year, many racing series are wrapping up or they’re about to.
It’s common in this sport to feel like you’re on a hamster wheel. Travel to the race. Race. Travel home. Unload and clean up. Train. Practice. Prep for the next race. Repeat. Sometimes it feels never-ending, until the post season hits. That’s when the flywheel finally slows down, and you can breathe for a second. It’s a time to reflect on what you just went through and prepare for what’s next. For many racers at different levels, this post-season phase tends to swing one of two ways. They’re either happy and content, completely exhausted, contemplating retirement, and shutting down completely for weeks/months. Or they’re pissed off, motivated, and ready to “come out swinging” next season, training like a madman (or madwoman, if that’s a term). In this blog, I’m going to outline a few key parameters to help you make the most out of your post season, setting you up for a productive off-season and pre-season to follow. Housekeeping Before we dig in, it’s important to understand the different phases of a competitive annual season. We’re still in a sport where many coaches and trainers operate in one constant state of programming all year long. It’s usually either “you’re on the program or you’re not.” And when you’re on it, there’s little variation, other than racing dictating the training schedule. I see athletes at top name training facilities where families spend college-level tuition, yet kids are grouped into workouts with no regard for their competition calendar or individual development. If you haven’t read it yet, go check out my blog Phasic Training for Motocross, it lays the groundwork for understanding this. Mental and Emotional Break When the season comes to a close, I recommend taking one to two weeks completely off. Not just for the body, but for the mind. The season is stressful, and most people only think about the physical side. But the truth is, emotional stress is often the bigger factor. The constant focus, travel, planning, and pressure during race weekends take a major toll. This break is designed to help your mindset recover and to release that constant pressure. Do something fun and unrelated to racing; go fishing, golfing, watch movies, or play video games. Anything that lets your brain relax. Most athletes I coach end up only needing about a week before they start itching to train again. Because we train in proper phases throughout the year, they stay fresh enough that they don’t need long breaks to feel motivated again. Having a Plan In training, you always need to know where you came from and where you’re going. What you do now should be influenced by what you just did and by what you plan to do next. That’s why having an annual plan is critical. Winging it week to week or month to month, as too many programs do, prevents proper adaptation and skill development. The body thrives on smooth transitions and proper progressions. When you understand that, you start training smarter, not just harder. Active Recovery The post season should include a dedicated phase for active recovery. This allows the body to heal from the brutality of the race season. First, address any nagging injuries or dysfunctions. Once those are handled, shift into light training focused on activation and blood flow. Your active training should prioritize low intensity and higher volume work.
After a long season, the body takes a beating. These methods help restore your foundation so you can handle higher loads and intensities later. Respect the Post Season Do not jump straight into high-intensity, or worse, high-intensity/high-volume training. That’s the fastest way to derail your pre-season and peak too early. Your body just endured months of high stress. The last thing it needs right now is more of it. Pushing too soon leads to burnout or injury, no matter how motivated you are to win next season... During this phase, low intensity wins 10 out of 10 times. Lead Into the Off Season A typical post season should last anywhere from three to eight weeks, depending on your race schedule. The longer your season, the longer your post season should be. When structured correctly, your final in-season training phase should naturally flow into your post season training phase. Both your physical (fitness) and technical (riding) work should taper down as the season wraps up. You don’t want to go full throttle all year, then slam on the brakes, the human body does not like abrupt stops either. Instead, aim for smooth transitions. The end of your season should lead into active recovery focused work, which builds momentum (volume and intensity) toward a productive off season. Pro Tip: You can take some time off of the bike, but the body you want to keep a pulse on your physical preparation. Your bike fires back up way faster than the body does after a long layoff. Final Thoughts When I work directly with my racers, this is exactly how we operate. It’s one reason why I have long-term relationships with so many of them. They know they’re not getting an 8–12 week “boot camp” or some “suffer-fest” that sounds hardcore but lacks direction. They understand that no matter what phase we’re in, they’re doing the right amount of work for the right reason. They’re never out of shape, and they’re never wrecked. Everything flows. They go light when it’s time to go light, heavy when it’s time to go heavy, and everything in between builds organically toward the bigger picture progress that lasts.
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