Winter Training Goals

I think it's safe to say that winter is generally not the most fun time to train. It's colder, darker, wetter…altogether less motivating. But we in Australia should be glad we don't get snow in the streets, like our northern-hemisphere cousins (although I understand it gets close in Canberra & Hobart!!).

Since most of us are constrained with our available training time - morning and/or evening - we must just suffer through whatever the prevailing conditions are at the time if we want to get anything done. All this means the winter is often seen as somewhat of a time to just maintain fitness while we longingly wait for better seasons ahead.

It doesn't need to be like this. While we can't change the weather we can change our goals for winter training, and also change the way we go about training to achieve them…you might as well make training productive if you're making the effort to get out there.

Having winter training goals might sound contrary to keeping it simple, as I've written in previously, and to an extent it is. But as I pointed out then, you can have training goals while keeping it simple…I’m talking about relatively simple goals, which can be worked into your sessions with ease.

The goals I’d suggest for winter are ones that will prepare you for the next phase of training as you approach spring. Specifically, here is my list of winter training goals:
* Aerobic development
* Speed & power
* Core strength & stability

At first glance these look like an odd mix of training goals, but let me explain more why each is there.

Aerobic development
This is fundamental to endurance sports for all kinds of physiological reasons. Your aerobic capacity is something you should never stop working on, and does not mean just noodling around, going easy. Your aerobic range of training is wide, where even half marathon running effort or Olympic Distance bike leg effort is mostly aerobic. While I don’t suggest you aim for those effort levels, aerobic development does provide quite a range of intensity to work within, so mix up your training sessions so they’re not just a long, single pace efforts. Focusing on aerobic development is a no brainer.

Speed & power
This is also fundamental to endurance sports performance, but almost at the opposite end of the spectrum to aerobic development. It is fundamental because every performance is underpinned by how fast you can move / what power you can generate, combined with your endurance to maintain it. Be clear that speed & power are a relative measures for your capabilities, and are closely linked with your efficiency, rhythm and coordination of movement at high(er) speed and power, which is a shared goal of speed & power development. Developing this involves only short efforts – from 8sec up to 30sec – done 6-8 times once or twice a week on flat or hills, within an otherwise easy session. Of course, you can take it further…this is just a minimum. Also, although short, these efforts are high stress on your muscles and connective tissues, so approach them very gradually and carefully.

Core strength & stability
This is the capability to hold your body in place during performance, without which you waste an awful lot of energy through excess/uncontrolled body movement. This is both a skill and a trained capability, firstly to identify and recognise your own biomechanical movements, their role / impact on your performance in each respective sport, and develop the skill to control these movements. Then you have the trained capability to maintain control of your movement / form during training and competition, especially under fatigue. So developing your core strength & stability over winter is vital in having a platform to build your fitness on throughout the rest of the year. It only takes 20-30min, 2 to 3 times a week to make great gains.

So these are the three top-level training goals I would include in a winter training program for an athlete with a summer season. Of course, they should be part of a strategically planned program, which can also meet the KISS principles, and prepare you well for a more specific build phase. Above all, make sure training is enjoyable, and not a drag.