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You’ve trained hard and peaked for your top priority race — so what do you do now?
This is an important question, because what you do with your training after your peak race can have a significant effect on any futures races (even if that next race is next season).
The Transition Phase
We call this time immediately after your peak race the Transition Phase or Transition Period, in which you transition from one training block, or training plan, to the next. Simply put, this is a time when you take a break from serious, focused training.
You don’t become a couch potato, but instead stay active without actively training for paddle sports. Think of this as a time for rest and active recovery (with “active” being a key word here). No key workouts. No structured paddle training. No volume goals. Have fun, stay active, and recover.
How long should the transition period be?
First, we recommend that you always take a transition period after peaking for a race (or for a clump of A-priority races). Even if you don’t feel like you need it. If you’ve gone through a full training plan and have peaked for a race, you need it, both physically and mentally.
| Time ’til next race | Length of transition period |
| Less than 7 weeks | 2-3 days |
| 7-12 weeks | 5-7 days |
| 13-16 weeks | 6-10 days |
| > 16 weeks | 10-21 days |
| Next season | 4 weeks (if you had particularly stressful season, you could even go up to 6 weeks) |
Keep in mind that these durations are simply suggestions — you’ll need to listen to your mind and body and be the best judge as to the exact length of the your Transition Phase. Junior athletes, slow-to-recover athletes, and masters athletes may need to drift toward longer transition periods of active recovery.
Don’t skip the transition phase
Without a transition period, you’re setting yourself up for both mental and physical burnout. Yes, you will lose some sport-specific fitness during this time, but that is normal and good. It’s sets you up to come back mentally and physically fresh to build upon the training you’ve already done.
Remember that this time is about FUN, not FITNESS. It’s okay to paddle during transition periods, but make it fun. Go surfing. Teach a friend to paddle. Explore.
You’ll be glad you did, and you’ll thank yourself for it when the next training cycle rolls around.
Sign up now to get access to your paddle training plan for outrigger canoe, stand up paddelboard, or surfski! One low price…many plans to choose from. From short course to ultra distance, we have a plan for you!
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