It may seem counterintuitive to revert to base training every year after reaching new heights of performance, but this strategy pays dividends come race season. What is Base Fitness? Base fitness is synonymous with aerobic-base fitness, and this type of fitness is achieved via specific training that spurs particular physiological adaptations. Much like the name…
Family vacations, work trips, even the oh-so dreaded holiday weekend at the in-laws … believe it or not, you can still hold onto your cycling fitness and even be getting faster. Training During Travel As much as we hope that it doesn’t, a training hiatus due to travel longer than a few days can derail…
Importance of Strength Training for Cyclists The demands of being on the bike for extended durations, coupled with constantly turning over the pedals, brings to light the importance of functional strength for cyclists. Functional strength sounds like a bit of a buzzword, but it has real application in the world of endurance sports. Strength training…
Too many dedicated athletes are hard-pressed to take some time off. Most of us even have a skewed view of vacation seeing it less as a break from reality and more as a training disruption. And while the human body is tremendously adaptive and capable of withstanding countless forms of abuse, properly administered rest is…
Professional triathlete and IRONMAN commentator, Matt Lieto, and your podcast hosts recorded a special episode to chop up Grinduro, one of the most interesting races on the calendar that you need to know about, and their preparation for one of the toughest climbs on earth, Mauna Kea. Topics covered in this episode Triathlon and gravel…
Cyclocross riders face the demands of high-level suffering for up to an hour-plus worth of all-out effort — all while enduring the mêlée of heckling crowds like those you might see in the high passes of the grand tours. Optimal Training Plan Progression for Cyclocross Racers We recommend that riders precede the Cyclocross Specialty training…
The 40k TT Specialty training plans include dedicated weekly Time Trial workouts to provide riders with opportunities to ride at their time trial pace, in their time trial position, at roughly time trial durations. These TT-focused workouts are specifically designed to help you achieve your fastest outcome on race day. Examples of Time Trial Workouts in…
Answer: It’s a process, and every rider will come to a different balance that suits them. Every step in the process can yield more power, greater aerodynamics, and/or higher levels of sustainability. Who Knew There Was So Much to Time Trialing!? Going fast in a time trial is a marriage, if a polygamous one, of…
Answer: A lot. Structured training will get you faster, but structured training with a concern for aerodynamic positioning will have the greatest impact on your speed. What is Aerodynamic Drag? Aerodynamic drag, otherwise known as aerodynamic resistance, plays a major role in determining how fast we can push ourselves on our bikes. How much so…
Answer: Typically two weeks of recovery is recommended, but that timeframe could vary depending on your level of fatigue and motivation. Based on the amount of downtime you take, you can restart a Base or Build plan. Decide How Much Downtime You Need If you’ve just completed a Specialty plan and are focused now on…