Sports Science: Do Track Cyclists Really Need an Off Season?

There’s an unofficial cycle in cycling that generally goes like this: base training, preparation phase, competition season, off/transition season. Officially, this would be called a macrocycle, and each component is generally referred to as a mesocycle.

While there are certainly lots of training studies which could be applied to the base and preparation phase of a macrocycle, there is less information on what happens after the competition period, namely the “off-season”.

Historically, the off-season would entail taking time off to rest and recover from the stress and strain of the race season and not exercising. But does the average club, or even elite-level cyclist, benefit from an off-season with no exercise? My answer to this question has two parts.

1. Yes, you should take an off-season, but no, you should not become completely sedentary. First, exercise is a pillar of health and should be part of your daily hygiene. Now, I have nothing against hitting the reset button and being lazy for a week, but after that, find a way to stay active. Whether it’s a new twist on cycling (e.g. bikepacking) or a new activity (e.g. rec center fitness classes), the change in activity provides mental variety and gets your body to move in different patterns. The off-season is an especially good time to work on neglected areas. For example, endurance riders are notorious for avoiding resistance training. The off-season is a perfect time to start this, as the soreness you may experience will not compromise your training quality.

1. My second argument against fully stopping exercising in the off-season is that it affects your fitness. While some adaptations will last months to years if you stop exercising (e.g. your heart size, muscle capillarization), other adaptations will leave rather quickly (e.g. your extra blood)^[1]. There is also data that if you lose a lot of fitness, it will take longer to get back to the same level, and you are at a higher risk of injuries^[2].   

While there is no magic number on how long you should take for your off-season, I’d suggest at the very least 4-6 weeks or up to a few months.

To wrap it up:

1. Back off from your full training schedule and try a different activity that is FUN
2. Keep up some level of fitness on most days of the week
3. Work on neglected areas

Normand Richard
MSc, CSEP-CEP, ACSM-CET.

Richard Physiological Services
Physiologist & Occupational Fitness Consultant

PhD Candidate at Simon Fraser University

Normand has been involved in physiology for more than 10 years. He has research, clinical, occupational, and performance experience, and a professional consulting firm (richardphysiology.com). Outside of work he enjoys track racing for its community, simplicity, and challenge.

References

1.              Coyle EF, Hemmert MK, Coggan AR. Effects of detraining on cardiovascular responses to exercise: role of blood volume. J Appl Physiol. 1986 Jan 1;60(1):95–9.

2.              Clemente FM, Ramirez-Campillo R, Sarmento H. Detrimental Effects of the Off-Season in Soccer Players: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Sports Med. 2021 Apr;51(4):795–814.