My favorite tips when I’m trying to get stronger in the off season.

– It’s not really lifting weights, more high rep low weight circuits, use a timer instead of reps (30s – 1m)

– Seems easy enough, but it’s not fun doing things your bad at……work on weak muscles and body parts.  During a race you are usually working your strengths to win the race.  It’s going to make you super sore, but work on those hip flexors, core, back, and arms

– Keep your heart rate up.  Any winter opportunity to breath hard and sweat.

– Treat it like a hard bike workout.  That means recovery and active recovery.  Stretch, compression, rest the legs, eat right, you will get so much more out of it.  Also, active recovery is important, bike commute instead of drive, walk that work errand, evening playing with your kids

Full disclosure, I’m not a personal trainer or even qualified to be writing this type of thing, but it’s stuff I think about during the winter months.  Feel free to post comments on what works for you.