OFF-SEASON TRAINING RESET

Published: 29/08/2025, Written by Fin Dearsly

There’s no two ways about it – sport has always been an integral part of Fin Dearsly’s life. And, like any seasoned athlete, he’s experienced the highs and lows that come with it. From rising as a tennis prodigy to facing illness and rediscovering his drive through HYROX, Fin’s seen it all.

Over the years, he’s learned the value of the off-season – not just as downtime, but as a chance to reset, rebuild, and come back stronger. In this article, the Sports Direct training ambassador unpacks his knowledge – from the importance of recovery to how to properly reset, this is your guide to making the most of your off-season.

The season’s over. The tank has been emptied, and goals have been hit. For me personally, the highlight of the year was competing at the World Championships in Chicago. Three races nearly killed me off – but what an experience!

Now that the season has ended there’s a moment to just breathe. And yet, that stillness can feel unfamiliar. When your identity is tied to intensity, how do you make peace with pause? The truth is that this is the opportunity. It’s where fatigue becomes fuel, and downtime becomes the foundation for your next breakthrough.

FROM TENNIS TO 100 MILERS – THE LONG ROAD TO HERE

I’ve spent the better part of my life chasing edges.

At 10, I was deep into national-level tennis, living the structured rhythm of drills, tournaments, and early success. But by 14, my body had other ideas. Injuries piled up. Hips, knees, shoulders - each one a setback that chipped away at certainty. I watched others accelerate while I rehabbed in silence. It wasn’t just physical pain. It was identity loss.

The gym came next. I walked in at 16, more out of frustration than ambition. But slowly, something clicked. Lifting gave me control again. No judges. No opponents. Just effort and output. That control turned into curiosity, and by 20, I was chasing new dragons - ultramarathons. I ran 50- and 100-mile races that tested everything: willpower, pacing, and how long you can stay alone with your thoughts.

Then came HYROX. Hybrid racing hit a nerve. It was strategic, brutal, athletic, and competitive. The fire returned. I spent the better part of the past year preparing to qualify - and in June this year, I stood on the World Champs start line.

Now, I’m choosing something just as hard: stopping.

WHY OFF-SEASON RECOVERY ISN’T OPTIONAL

You don’t build during burnout. And elite-level performance demands that you treat rest not as a reward – but as a weapon.

When you train hard week after week, your muscles suffer micro-tears, your nervous system accumulates stress, and your immune system weakens. Without true rest, your body can’t actually adapt (and grow) – it just survives. A study from UCHealth has shown that periods of reduced training intensity (also known as "deloads" or "active recovery") allow muscle tissue to repair, inflammation to reduce, and hormonal balance to reset. Cortisol drops. Testosterone and growth hormone rebound. Sleep improves. The body begins to absorb the fitness you've earned.

It’s the same for your mind. If you’ve been tapering, racing, and rebuilding on repeat, the mental cost adds up. Motivation wanes. Focus scatters. Even the fittest athletes can fall into a performance plateau – not from lack of work, but from lack of rest. The off-season becomes the only time to step back far enough to see the full picture.

REBUILDING A STRONGER FOUNDATION

Most athletes fear the off-season because they worry they’ll lose fitness. But here’s the science: muscle memory is real. Studies have shown that even after a 10-week break from strength training, previously trained individuals regain strength significantly faster than they built it the first time.

Instead of chasing peak form year-round, the smartest athletes use this time to address weaknesses without the pressure of upcoming competition. For HYROX athletes, that might mean focusing on pure running volume, lifting technique, or aerobic base-building - areas that get squeezed out when you’re constantly tapering and recovering.

In my case, running is the priority. My 5k is solid, but not elite. This off-season, I’m rebuilding from the ground up – fewer intervals, more consistency, and a gradual climb toward 50-60k weeks without injury. Without the need to

peak, I can stay in a higher volume block for longer, letting the gains stack slowly. For others, it might be strength, or even the mental side -rebuilding confidence with heavy sled work or wall balls when no one’s watching.

A THREE-PHASE RESET

The first phase is total rest. For two to three weeks, I don’t track anything. No tempos. No max lifts. Just walking, stretching, foam rolling, and whatever feels good. It’s unstructured for a reason. This is about healing – not optimisation.

Next comes active recovery. Two strength sessions a week, a couple of easy aerobic efforts, and lots of mobility work. No finish lines. Just rhythm and intention. It’s about reconnecting with movement and testing how the body feels when you’re not on the edge of redline.

Then, slowly, the rebuild begins. Volume increases. Intensity returns. But the goal here isn’t to compete - it's to develop. To dig into the weak links and reinforce them while the stakes are low.

PROGRESS IN THE PAUSE

If there’s one truth I’ve learned through every stage – from tennis courts to mountain trails to race arenas – it’s that plateaus rarely break through more effort alone. They crack when you allow space to grow – and growth requires pause.

The off-season is not a fallback. It’s the forward step you’ve been too busy to take. Done right, it will not only restore your body – it will reignite your purpose.

This is where results begin. Not on race day. But in recovery. In the quiet rebuilding. In the decision to stop chasing – and start growing.

All images and videos featured are taken from @findearsly's Instagram