Build Power That Lasts: A Smarter Off-Season Strength Plan for Triathletes
Every October, I start hearing the same thing from my triathlete friends:
“I’ll just keep my fitness ticking over until spring.”
But the truth is, this is the season where the real transformation happens — not by doing more, but by doing what matters most.
That’s what inspired me to rework a simple “10 watts in 10 weeks” cycling program into a full-body strength plan built for triathletes. Because, of course, triathlon isn’t just about pedaling harder. It’s about swimming stronger, running efficiently, and keeping your body resilient for the long haul. The long haul is kind of important, right? If we love being active, it seems like something we'd like to continue doing as long as we can and building strength now and always is a solid foundation to staying strong, healthy and independent well into the future.
Here’s what I came up with for my own off season training, a triathlete-specific full-body strength program that actually fits your real life.
I want to add one personal note before diving into the program outline: I know this might feel a bit dry to read — and honestly, that’s how strength work can feel to a lot of triathletes, too. I get it. I’d rather be running. But here’s the truth: this work pays off. It builds not just strength and speed, but durability — the kind that keeps you healthy, balanced, and able to keep doing what you love for years to come.
If you can find a training partner or two and commit to showing up for each other, the whole process becomes infinitely more enjoyable. You owe it to yourself — and your training crew — to give it a real go.
Phase-Based Strength for Sustainable Power
The original cycling program that inspired this post follows four clear phases:
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Adaptation – Teaching movement patterns, light loads, and mobility.
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Hypertrophy – Building muscle size and endurance.
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Strength – Increasing maximum force production.
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Power – Converting strength into speed through explosive and sport-specific work.
Each phase modifies sets, reps, and rest periods to match its goal — a simple, progressive approach that can yield steady results if followed consistently.
The Core Lower-Body Foundation
The master cycling 10-watt/10 week program forms the basis of the lower body work. That program uses just three key exercises and I've included them in my protocol. Here they are and here's what they do for us:
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Leg Press – Controlled power through the full range of the pedal stroke.
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Squat – Overall lower-body strength and stability.
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Hamstring Curl – Balancing quad dominance, protecting knees, and supporting pedal recovery.
To this, ' add two essential movements and each lower body session incorporates one of them. Here they are and here's why they're great for triathlon:
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Lunges – Single-leg control, hip stability, and run-specific balance.
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Deadlifts – Posterior-chain strength and total-body stability that carry over to both bike and run.
Full-Body Integration for Triathletes
Triathletes can’t stop at the legs. The upper body drives swim power and posture; the core connects it all.
Here’s a minimalist addition that rounds out the plan:
It’s deliberately simple. You don’t need endless accessory work (until and unless your physiotherapist prescribes it, of course!) — you need targeted movements that make your body work as a strong and co-ordinated system.
Programming Notes
Each phase will vary in load, sets, and reps:
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Adaptation (3 weeks): Ideally, three sessions per week but I usually only manage two sessions per week. 2–4 sets of 8-10 reps, light weight, focus on technique.
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Hypertrophy (2 weeks): Hypertrophy 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps, moderate load and ideally four sessions a week. Hypertrophy is arguably the most challenging phase. Hypertrophy - muscle growth - takes a lot of work as well as proper nutritional support. This is the phase that requires the highest volume of work so be prepared to budget some extra time in this phase. If you do the work for two to three weeks, you should see the results. Then, it's time to move on to work on building strength.
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Strength (3 weeks): 4–5 sets of 4–6 reps, heavy load, full recovery between sets, ideally done three timess per week. .
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Power (2 weeks): 3–4 sets of 3–5 reps, moderate weight, move fast and controlled.
The four phases at a glance:
For those of us who like a visual summary of the whole program, this chart lays it out:
Another key to achieving carrying strength and power gains from the gym to the bike is to pair the strength and power phases with bike workouts that mirror the gym focus — sprint intervals, low-cadence torque work, or short bursts of high-power output. This helps connect gym strength to real cycling performance through neuromuscular adaptation.
Efficiency Matters
Not everyone has endless time to train, especially in the off-season. My goal in the gym is always in and out in 45 minutes. Supersetting upper and lower body movements makes that possible and keeps the workout moving efficiently. Dedicated strength training coaches might argue that not allowing a fully dedicated rest interval between sets can compromise optimal muscle recovery but triathlon is a constant balancing act between training commitments and real life.
Example Superset Pairing:
- Squat + Bench Press
- Leg Curl + Lat Pulldown
- Lunge + Lateral Raise
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Deadlift + Plank Variation
If you have more time or prefer to focus deeply on form, you can split your sessions — upper one day, lower another. That’s often easier in a busy gym where equipment availability can slow you down.
After completing the Power phase, you’ve essentially moved through a full 10-week progression designed to build muscle, develop strength, and convert that strength into usable power on the bike.
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Variety Is the Spice of Life
This structure is just one example of how to approach a progressive strength phase. It’s roughly the format I follow myself, but you’ll find plenty of variations out there — and that’s the point. There isn’t one perfect prescription for sets, reps, or weight. What matters most is that you’re doing something progressive and ideally something different from what you’ve done before.
As one of my run coaches used to say, “The only way to run faster is to run faster.” The same logic applies here: the only way to get stronger is to lift heavier, lift more, or move with greater intent.
For Masters Athletes: Maintain the Edge
For masters athletes already near their capacity, the goal isn’t necessarily another 10 watts — it’s maintaining that edge. Strength work helps offset natural age-related decline in muscle mass and neural activation, keeping you efficient, powerful, and resilient.
Consistency is the key metric here, not load. Use good form, progress gradually, and remember: the real win is showing up week after week, year after year.
Takeaway
So as you wind down your race calendar and look toward next season, don’t think of this as downtime — think of it as foundation time.
The work you do now — in the gym, in recovery, and in intention — shapes everything that comes next.
You don’t need to do more. You just need to do what matters most.
If you’d like the full 10-week framework and my notes on load, maintenance, and complementary workouts, you can read the full version on my site [link].
I told you it wouldn’t be the most thrilling read, but you made it to the end — and that says a lot. Strength training might not be glamorous, but the payoff is real. The potential to elevate your performance, protect your longevity, and keep you strong season after season is right here. Only you can make that happen.
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