Episode 284: Offseason - Foundation, Skills, and Technique (Part 2 - Key Principles and Approaches)

We continue our three-part series on the off-season, in which we frame the approach to building a foundation of performance, developing skills, and improving technique.

In part 2 of our series, IRONMAN Master Coach Matt Dixon discusses his reimagined approach to the off-season and lays out a blueprint for leveraging the months between Q4 and Q1 in a smart and balanced way.

Matt shares key principles and approaches you can leverage this off-season to improve your swim stroke, terrain management on the bike, balance on the run, and more while emerging faster, stronger, and injury-free.

He lays out the various methods and resources that form the basis of Purple Patch programming, coaching, community, and education, with the goal of helping athletes achieve their best year of racing while integrating sport into their busy lives.

The challenge, of course, is that really focusing on technique and skill acquisition is almost impossible when you're equally training hard, you're in that environment. It's a hard session. You don't have the willpower, focus, and attention to really think about your posture, your form, your skill acquisition, etc. And it becomes even tougher when you've got a looming deadline for a race. When that comes up, all bets are off. All you have hope for is to retain what is already habitual. And that's why these coming months are your golden platform of opportunity. Because you have no deadlines. You have much lower stress training demands, and therefore you have the capacity to focus on your HOW.

Although Matt discusses the approach from a triathlete's perspective (swim, bike, run, strength, and habits), the principles and techniques he covers apply to all endurance athletes and fitness enthusiasts.

Whether striving to reach the podium and finish line or simply aiming to enhance how you perform at work and in life, the principles Matt discusses today apply to anyone seeking to improve their performance.

Episode Timestamps

00:00 - 07:55 - Welcome and Episode Introduction

08:02 - 09:36 - Matt's News-ings

09:51 - 13:30 - Word of the Week

13:37 - 01:01:11 - The Meat and Potatoes - Episode 284: Offseason - Foundation, Skills, and Technique (Part 2 - Key Principles and Approaches)

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