As another season of terrific racing has come to a close, many of us are in, or will soon enter the most difficult time of the year; what should be the off-season. Sure there are the select few who skip it completely, myself being a graduate of that school (and that landed me a nice year long injury that I have finally emerged from!). Then there are those who allow time for rest, recovery, recuperation from the season.

Why do so many athletes tend to train through the off-season? Possibly it is fear. We have spent too much time training and making improvements in all disciplines, we are at out fittest, we feel good. The last thing we want to do at the top of that mountain is sit down and stop. Theoretically we can build a case for continuing on, "just going easy", but in all honesty never might there be a better time for a coach than in the off-season.

The off-season is an important time to rest the body that has carried you through the year. Heal some of the old injuries; give the mind a break from the constant push forward. I will guarantee that once you begin again and find yourself deep in the throws of training, you will feel fresher and you will have renewed vitality for your sport.

I suggest athletes take a 4-12 week off-season, depending on what the previous season entailed, how they are feeling, etc. Some athletes like the structure of the season, and that is certainly something that can be carried over to the down time. For example, if you keep a log of your season, keep one of your off-season. Just like you schedule out your weekly workouts during the year, schedule the down time workouts. Do something different. Break out the mountain bike, get to a yoga class. How about even step aerobics or body pump? Do something completely different as it will bring a new challenge to your body and muscles, and even your mind.

It is also a time to revisit your weight training regimen. Have you been doing the same thing for months or even years? How can you change it up? If you typically utilize the machines at the gym, see what you can do to replicate those movements on a stability ball with free weights? Muscles do get accustomed to doing the same things, plateaus can happen alongside that. Take a look at some of the training programs of any elite athlete; they change their programs often to keep themselves challenged. Sure your muscle knows how to perform a bicep curl, but how about performing a bicep curl while sitting or even kneeling on a balance ball? The bicep still gets worked and in addition the core stabilizing muscles are involved.

The off-season is a perfect time to begin practicing yoga. Flexibility is the number one thing we tend to ignore in training. During the downtime when schedules are a little more relaxed, it is a good time to spend some focus learning a style of yoga that speaks to you. Once you return to the season you can develop your own practice at home, stay in a class a few times a week, and somehow incorporate it into your program.

The bottom line here is that fitness is bankable. From year to year we can build upon the previous layers. That build however is dependant on allowing yourself the time to rest. After all, it is not when we are in motion that the muscles are getting stronger. When we are in motion is when muscles are broken down, and it is actually at rest when they are repaired into a stronger muscle. While this doesn't mean go lay on the couch to get stronger, it does mean that allowing yourself significant rest each year will better your chances of reaching your athletic potential.