W/kg Myths, Specialty Training, Ultra-Endurance, and More – Ask a Cycling Coach 364

Power-to-weight ratios are a helpful indicator of performance potential, but they can wreak havoc on athlete’s expectations and mental state. Join us for a deep dive into why W/kg may not perfectly represent your potential, as well as discussions on the point of Specialty Phase training and how to use it, how to pace hilly ultra-endurance events and more!

Tune in Thursday at 8:00am Pacific!

Youtube Live Video:

Topics Covered in This Episode

  • Are hard, late-ride efforts bad?
  • Maintaining traction on steep and loose climbs
  • The best cycling kit options to own
  • Why the Specialty Phase of training is important and how to use it
  • What w/kg do you need to be competitive
  • How to beat riders with a higher w/kg than you
  • Pacing Ultra-Endurance events with lots of climbing

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

TrainerRoad Podcast Network

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Subscribe to the Successful Athletes Podcast

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Looking forward to this! Squarely in my wheelhouse!

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Yes that’s why I have been arguing that us amateurs should look at lean weight which correlates with height squared. Really that’s what BMI does too, m/h^2 = 18.5kg/m^2 is the minimum required lean mass for healthy living, ie your skeleton, organs, visceral fat and minimal subcutaneous fat and muscle the rest is excess. If you have a BMI of 25, 18.5 kg/m^2 is that minimally required and 6.5 kg/m^2 is excess muscle and subcutaneous and viceral fat. So divide raw FTP not by mass to compare yourself but by h^2 (or multiply BMI with you W/kg) to compare your FTP for your body size with others

Perfect timing! My Specialty Phase starts in one month.

@IvyAudrain Hi Ivy, re workout adding already assigned workout to calendar.

Scotty workout added to my wife’s TR calendar after she had done her commute. I assigned it as an outside ride and then when we viewed calendar it had added the workout that was already in her calendar for that day. We tried again and it did the same thing.
She isn’t on the forum to post.

Just tried on her phone again and it is now working fine. :man_shrugging:t3::slightly_smiling_face:

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Looking forward to listening to this during my ride tomorrow especially on the pacing discussion (Triple Bypass coming up!)

OPE no problem!
If anything goes wrong again, DM me with her career page so I can check it out.
Glad its working as expected!

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Sounds like @Jonathan and @IvyAudrain can do a how to climbing video for us all with @Nate_Pearson and Lee (Likes Bikes)?

Like the sprint one.

What are the climbs like on the relay race course?

Also everyone, go and Like the YT video so those local-ish to Chad can get their entries in for the Timmerman Hop.

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Here’s a great explanation I think :thinking: of the climbing technique @Nate_Pearson was referring too….

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Is someone typing during the podcast? It’s killing me. Or is it just me?

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I slid into your TrainerRoad ig DMs but you asked for a post here, so I’m complying. Let’s chat about making a race happen in Spokane. Stoked to make this happen with y’all.

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Packfiller Podcast Pat Bulger might jump in as well.

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Love me some Feature Chat @Nate_Pearson !

But when?!? Is it up to one month, or more?! (Goes to check Early Access page)

I have only finished about a fourth so far on my commute, but yay on the length! :tada:

However, chapters are AWOL … :cry:

I was going to recommend the same. Patrick Bulger at Packfiller events.

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it cracks me up when Nate interrupts either Jhon or Amber fearing they will share secret sauce…

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I pinged Pat via Instagram. I’d help with a few hundred dollars for the purse. Or maybe a few nickels. Let’s face it with gas prices and the stock market I ain’t got no money!

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Hey, yes it’s like someone plays the drums in your scull. I think it is mostly @IvyAudrain answering to the live chat questions. I love to hear your perspective just please mute the mic while typing. :blush:

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