Winter Strength

Winter is Where the Toughness Happens
— A personal reflection on strength training for multi-sport and off-road cycling

There’s a specific kind of quiet that only winter brings.

It’s the quiet of pre-dawn gym lights flickering on while everyone else is still asleep.
The breath you see in the air when you step outside to warm up.
The soundtrack of plates clinking and barbells dropping—no cheering crowds, no KOM segments, no race playlists.

Just you.
And the work.

Off-season isn’t off. It’s on.

People outside endurance sports hear “off-season” and imagine rest.
Blankets. Hot chocolate. Cozy.

Sure—there’s a little of that.

But for those of us who race gravel, triathlon, or any multi-sport discipline where your engine matters, winter has a different meaning:

Winter is where we build the body that will carry us through the summer.

When the race calendar ends and the medals are tucked away, that’s when the real foundation begins. The dirt and the miles and the climbs expose our weaknesses—winter strength training is where we fix them.

Why strength matters for endurance athletes

(especially gravel cyclists)

Cycling and multi-sport athletes are notorious for avoiding the weight room.
“I’ll get bulky.”
“It’ll ruin my endurance.”
“I don’t have time.”

Truth: strength training makes you more durable.
More resilient.
More efficient.

In gravel and mountain biking, power is currency. Not just on the climbs—but when the bike kicks sideways over washboard, when you’re sprinting out of a corner, or when fatigue hits mile 70 and the trail asks for more than you have left in the tank.

Strength training gives you:

• Force production: push higher watts without feeling like you’re ripping your quads off the bone.

• Stability: hold aero without lower back pain, descend singletrack with confidence.

• Durability: keep injuries away when volume increases.

Strength isn't about looking strong.
It’s about being able to show up—again and again and again.

Winter = Heavy. Slow. Intentional.

This is where athletes get uncomfortable, because winter strength doesn’t feel like a workout.
You’re not sweating through a two-hour interval session.

You’re resting between sets.
You’re lifting heavy.
You’re moving slowly.

But here’s what’s secretly happening:

• Neuromuscular adaptations

• Increased muscle fiber recruitment

• More torque per pedal stroke

You’re building the chassis that can handle the engine you want to build in the spring.

The five lifts program for every endurance athlete:

1. Trap bar deadlift
   Power + posterior chain = better climbing and sprinting.

2. Front squat
   Core + quads + position control. This pays off when you're grinding a long climb seated.

3. Single-leg step-ups
   Mimics the pedal stroke, exposes asymmetries, improves balance.

4. Pull-ups or lat pull-downs
   Strong upper back = stable handlebars, strong posture, better breathing.

5. Anti-rotation core work (Pallof press, chops)
   Because gravel bikes don’t respect straight lines.

This isn’t about doing 100 reps.
It’s about quality.
Intent.
Control.

You can’t fake winter

Winter training isn’t sexy.
No one sees it.

No medals.
No podium photos.
Just the grind.

But then May comes.
The start line energy hits.
The gun goes off.

And you stand up on the pedals,
push into that first climb,
and realize—

you’re stronger than you’ve ever been.

Not because of the race.

Because of the winter.

A final reminder

When you’re alone in the gym this winter and the bar feels heavy, remember:

You are building a version of yourself that will show up on the start line calm, confident, and unshakeable.

No one will see the work.

But they will see the results.

Strength doesn’t just build power.
It builds belief.

See you in the winter trenches.
The dirt will thank you later.

— Audra / Race Relentless™