Short answer - No. I was thinking about my nephews that are now in middle and high school. They both enjoy sports and I have noted the year-round approach that is so common today for youth athletics. There is no question that the jack of all trades is master of none does apply to sports, but what is the best way to approach the off season for a cyclist? Keep on training? Take a month off? 2 weeks? Try another sport? As with all things, it depends and I believe an individual approach is best. Mental Recovery I believe mental recovery and recharging is the most important step as an athlete heads into the off season. Preparing for a cycling season generally takes about 20 weeks and it i
Managing the long Northern California cycling race season has many challenges - all of them good! The weather we are fortunate to enjoy allows us to ride year round and I believe that is one reason many successful cyclists at the national and world level are from California. It also poses a challenge as it is easy to become perma-fit. There is nothing wrong with being perma-fit as this can be a healthy lifestyle, but I do believe that an athlete will not achieve the highest performance level they have the potential for if they are not able or willing to take some time to rest, recover and let some of this fitness go at times. I believe that is the key to the end of any long season - rest
