The Power of Winter Training | Why it’s Important to Train in the Off Season

When the days get shorter, the air turns crisp, and trails start to collect snow, it’s tempting to hang up your bike and hibernate until spring. But here’s the secret most strong riders know: winter isn’t the “off-season”, it’s the building season.

What you do in the colder months sets the tone for how confident, strong, and ready you’ll feel when the trails open up again.

Why Winter Training is Important

1. Build Strength and Stability
Mountain biking demands more than endurance. Core stability, upper body strength, and explosive power all make you a smoother, more controlled rider. Winter is the perfect time to hit the gym, lift weights, and shore up muscles that prevent injury when you’re back on the dirt.

2. Sharpen Skills Indoors
You don’t need perfect weather to work on your technique. Balance drills, mobility work, or even practicing track stands in your garage can improve your control and confidence. The small things add up, so when spring comes, your body remembers.

3. Keep Your Confidence Up
Taking months completely off can make it harder (and scarier) to jump back in. Winter training keeps your momentum going, so when you roll into your first ride of the season, you feel ready, not rusty.

4. Stay Connected to the Community
Winter training doesn’t have to be solo. Joining group workouts, skills clinics, or virtual rides keeps your stoke high and helps you stay accountable. Nothing beats training with other women who get it.

5. Mental Reset
Winter is a natural time to slow down, reflect, and reset goals. Training through the season doesn’t mean pushing nonstop, it’s about being intentional, laying foundations, and building a base for a year of adventure.

Ways to Train This Winter

• Strength Training: Squats, deadlifts, kettlebells, resistance bands—train for power and injury prevention.

• Cardio Cross-Training: Running, skiing, snowshoeing, or indoor cycling to keep your endurance sharp.

• Mobility & Recovery: Yoga, stretching, and foam rolling to increase range of motion and resilience.

• Skills Sessions: Set up a cornering drill in your driveway, work on bunny hops, or join a local skills clinic.

• Accountability Groups: Join a winter challenge or program that keeps you motivated through the cold months. Check out ours here!

Winter training isn’t about grinding harder, it’s about training smarter. It’s about using the “off-season” to set yourself up for your best riding season yet.

So instead of seeing winter as a roadblock, think of it as a launchpad. Build your strength, sharpen your skills, and roll into spring stronger, more confident, and more stoked than ever.

Want to be a part of our off-season winter training community? Our Stronger Together winter program kicks off every November. More details here.

Ready to join us? Check out our event calendar here to see all upcoming events.