220’s Winter Training Advent Calendar (Part 1)
Far heathier than chocolate, 220's Winter Training Advent Calendar offers you a selection of tips each day on how to make your off-season more productive. We kick off with tips from Jodie Swallow, 2010 World Long Distance Champ...
We’re sure you’re all familiar with Advent calendars, where you open a door each day, and get a chocolate. Now at 220, we’d tell you that we don’t really approve of this (albeit said with a mouthful of sweets) and that’s why we’ve put together our Winter Training Advent Calendar. This way, each day you get a selection of training tips to help you maximise your off-season and make sure that, alongside getting a well-deserved break, you maintain your fitness ready for the 2012 season. What better way to start off, then, than with some tips from 2010 Ironman 70.3 World Champion, Jodie Swallow…
1 Use Music to Motivate You
Long runs and cold cycles need a little more in the way of motivation. Invest in not only an iPod but also an iPod cover. The best thing I’ve ever found is a sandwich bag. Everything else will eventually let water in.
2 Wake Up at the Same Time Each Day
Don’t hit the snooze button and lie in because it’ll inevitably spoil your training day. Get up, down a coffee and don’t even think about how dark it I outside.
3 Detox More Reguarly in the Winter
With all the parties, alcohol and stodgy foods around at this time of year, it’s beneficial to pull back and clean out the digestive system for a few days. Keep it simple and do a few fruit-only days to kickstart the system again.
4 Record Live Sport
Winter riding will inevitably mean more turbo training. I would never risk riding on ice for the sake of being cavalier, so when there’s live sport on – whether it be the Commonwealth Games or World Gymnastics Championships – I tape it for turbo workouts.
5 Increase Swim Mileage
Winter is ideal for stepping up swim mileage. Double swim workouts are great for aerobic fitness and it doesn’t all have to be hard. You have the time now to incorporate strength work and technique work without sacrificing race preparation.
6 Do Some Run Races
Incorporate running races on the road or cross-country every two weeks. They act as high-end workouts and also help motivate you to not alter or miss the faster/harder end of training.
7 Work Around Work
Plan your race calendar and yearly layout, then you can use holiday from work in the most productive ways for training camps and/or races.
8 Work On You Core
Get into the gym and do some single leg squats. Keeping the knee in straight plane is paramount. Squats, lunges and deadlifts are my key exercises to help core and bum control.
9 Hit the Turbo
Make sessions short, sweet and big geared. The turbo isn’t an easy option and is the ideal apparatus to get on your bike.
Matt Baird
Editor of Cycling Plus magazine 
