giant rock
Likes Bikes
Just researching a little as to wether a training programme is all worth it or not. I'm talking about one that a coach will design for you to make you a better, fitter and faster rider?????
Training programmes
- Thread starter giant rock
- Start date
dr_rob
Likes Dirt
Nope. Getting the correct position on the bike is one, if not the most important part of cycling. (Well, apart from looking Euro - see relevant thread)
Get the saddle to the right height, stem the correct length and the right amount of drop for you and you'll feel much more comfortable, and you'll be more efficient on the bike, and therefore ride more.
As for coaching, this has been covered here ad nauseum, do a search. There are loads of free and fee-for-service websites out there, plus books galore. If there was a one-size-fits-all approach, we'd all be Olympians, right?
At my level, I just get out on the bike when I can, and I have cut out big nights on the beer/wine and eliminated as much McFood from my diet as possible.
giant rock
Likes Bikes
I have been riding for almost a year now. The bike is positioned correctly for me etc. I have thought that I was a good rider until I started riding with a new group and have found that I am not as good as I thought that I was. Now I am more motivated than ever to get out their be faster, stronger and loose some weight all at once and still have little knowledge with the bike ie when do you go to the big ring????? Plus I would like to do some road racing but I now know that I wuld come dead last and would be to slow sticking on a speed around 27-30km's and going backward on hills.... Thinking of looking into joe Friel books..... Must say that I love riding with the new group as they ahve really motivated me more than I have been before
hey mate
awesome that you want to get into a routine...to be honest, I tried to get into Friels book a year or two ago...I got a few snippets of good info from it, but it is VERY in depth, and I found it hard to take a snippet of information, without it linking to something else (eg, he would describe exercises for the gym, but then there would also be different strength phases at the gym, independent of training phases on the bike-it all gets very complicated)..Before you know it youre riding 6 days a week, going to the gym, tapering, peaking blah blah blah...
This might be good for some, but is way too time consuming (eg maintaining a training diary) for me...I'm not trying to be an olympian...
I also found that when researching training programs, there are a lot of conflicting theories (eg long slow duration, versus short intense sessions) In the end, I put together a "program" with tidbits from Friels book (mainly on lactate threshold and VO2 training) and using some of the sessions described by Mark Fenners articles in Enduro mag. I still managed to put together a 16 week varied program with all the key training phases, but I only spent a day doing it. It keeps me entertained on the bike, which means I'm riding more. Whether or not it works i'll tell you after the Highland Fling.
I guess what I'm saying is, you can spend as much or as little time as you want developing a program...If you want to go pro, study Friels book. If you want to get fit, beat your mates, and improve your times, I reckon you can spend alot less time developing a program, and it will still be beneficial and fun...As mentioned earlier, regardless of training specificity, for most of us, simply getting out and riding will do a world of good..
goos luck with it