Off-season maintenance/training

Scaro

Well, I'm not an experienced cyclist, but have doin' excercise for like 8 years and I agree with this post of J-Mat because I think base training is a level, where you and your body (and its personal) finally know the excercise you're doing ( or nearly know at least) then is the time to push harder on your training. Now, my advice for off season is to improve your weekness, do strenght training basicaly, and never let your body goes down to your "base" I think is to low for some one has got over it already.

P.D. Sorry for my english.

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2LAP

Aztec, while I see your point... Why do training if its not going to make you quicker on a bike? Also there is a saying 'slow training is training to go slow'. I'm not sure how training slowly for lots of miles will allow you to acheive a higher level of fitness later. Until someone can describe what specific adaptations occur as a result of BASE training that would alow you to acheive a higher state of fitness I'm not sure that I will get it? I'm still struggling to work out what BASE fitness is

I am indeed infavour of less volume in the off season, but also wouldn't say that I would do normal training! I think that it is important that training is 'goal driven' and 'periodised', therefore simply riding 1000 to 2000 miles in 1 to 3 months to gain BASE is a bit sketchy for me. For new riders endurance I have worked with focus on key components that have been primeraly increasing VO2max and LT, lowering body mass and improving skill so that they are able to train with groups of experianced riders. These goals are unlikly to be acheived in novice or experianced cyclists by riding 1000 to 2000 miles in 1 to 3 months. The higher intensity training required is both more 'fun' and allows these goals to be acheived more quickly. Thats not to say that the riders don't do a range of efforts/intensities (from recovery to maximal).

jitteringjr

Watt is a measure of power that will produce one joule of energy per second; or as it was defined for electricity, "One Watt of power is equal to one ampere of current flow produced by one volt of electric pressure." (James Watt)

One killowatt is 1.341 Horsepower.

Hehe I don't know what BASE is but I do know geeky physics stuff

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J-MAT

2LAP:

Base training is preparatory training, intensity training (LT,AT,VO2)is what goes on top of that.

If you talk to triathletes, they will tell you running and swimming require very little "base" compared to cycling. Racing a bicycle is a unique sport all by itself. Almost every triathlete when asked at the end of a big race or the season, will tell you by far, they will do more hours on the bike and keep the run/swim the same.

A professional's base is so huge that they could lose their speed due to illness or whatever and probably crush the competition in a local crit or road race filled with strong 1/2's.

I would also describe a base as a certain level of fitness you could always fall back on no matter how sick or tired you are or how bad your form is. For a professional, this minimum might mean time trialing 30 miles at 26 mph with a fever. For an amateur or recreational rider, it might be riding 50 flat miles in less than 3 hours.

Regardless, the intensity training you do, must always have some base to build on. The wider the base the taller the peak. Pros have very tall prformance peaks!!!

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2LAP

Hay J-Mat, thanks for the reply. I think I'll skip the BASE training and concentrate on training my LT and VO2 as these determine how fast I will go. BASE and the effects of BASE (e.g. higher untrained fitness) that you describe, must be due to 'real' adaptations in physiology (e.g. capiliarisation, increased tendon and ligament strength, etc.) and psychology (e.g. skill, pacing, etc.) which can be trained 'specificaly' (bringing adaptations faster).

I'll start building a high 'peak' and as I keep pushing that peak the foundations below will grow to support it (obviously baring overtraining or injury). Oh, by the way did a max test the other day raised my max to 66 ml.kg.min; thats up from 55 in 4 months ish.

TTer

Wow, very nice VO2max improvement 2LAP!! What has been the basis of your training recently? I know you like to emphasize intensity over volume, and with that kind of improvement I guess you're working VO2max intervals (approx. 4minute intervals?). What would a typical week for you look like?

2LAP

The last month, I have only done aprox 80-100 miles per week and have been feeling better and better. But I'm starting to comute three times a week to work (20 miles) at a HR that corresponds to LT (LT has always been a weakness for me, low as a % of VO2 max). On the weekends I'll be doing longer rides over the hills (peak district or north wales) and giving it some stick on the hills (they are between 4 minutes and 24 minutes!). Really I'm in a bit of a down phase at the moment.

In the summer when I could ride after work I did...
6 weeks where I did 2 x max sessions a week; (1) was a 4 x 4mins at 190 to 195 bpm (my max is 195) with 10 minute rests and (2) 30 to 60 second maximal sprints up a very steep hill with 5 minute rests.
6 weeks working on LT where I did 2 LT sessions a week; (1) 2 x 8 minutes (building up to 20 minutes or two 10 mile TT's back to back after six weeks) at TT pace and 30 to 60 second maximal sprints up the same hill with 2 minute rests.
In the same weeks I did 2 rides with the girlfriend (i.e. recovery rides) and a 1 hour temp ride (somewhere between LT and TT pace).

Didn't look quite this simple when I was doing it as I also periodised the work to make sure I got enough rest in and tried to ride with others as much as I could. Can't sprint for toffee though, but I'm not sure thats a bad thing as I'll be TTing, hill climbing and pursuiting next year... My big comeback from my last big comeback!!!

Remember though every plan should be individual and if it doesn't seem to be working stick at it a month and check again. When my max is in the 70's then I'll be happy!

TTer

Yes, I realise that, but still, a 20% improvement in VO2max is very impressive. What is your weight and at what power level are those VO2max and LT intervals? I guess you're a pretty decent racer/rider with that VO2max and maybe a little more improvement still to come (70 ml/kg/min VO2max??)

2LAP

Mass is always between 59.5 and 60.5 kg. My max min power (not peak power) was 380 watts aprox and previously about 330 watts (on an electronicaly braked ergometer) off the top of my head. Watts per kg ~6.3 now, 5.5 before. Not done much racing this year due to work, that why I like to ride with others, gives you a chance to 'compete' of sorts. Raced at a high level as a junior (just turned 24).

I'm trying to chase up my LT now (training is a little less intense) and would like a max of over 70 to be truely competetive (should give me a power of closer to 400 watts when at 70). Hoping that further gains come as quickly as the last ('law of diminishing returns!).

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TTer

"max min power" ? Does that mean VO2max power? Over what time interval is that measured, or is that done with an incremental test?

Still, those are some great numbers 2LAP! And you are very light too! What is your height? You must be an amazing climber. I'm about 20KG heavier than you!! I feel a real fat slouch now

Your current abilities are very impressive. What's your 1-hour TT power roughly? Your starting/base power numbers, at 330W, are excellent too. It sounds like you started from a very good 'base'