How normal people can train like the worlds best endurance athletes.

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Interesting stuff and entertainingly presented.

About half way through that fifteen minute video, I was hopeful he was going to say that I could stay indoors and not bother with the 40/20 interval session I had vaguely planned for this afternoon. Sadly, by the end, that proved not to be the case so it's time to head out into the cold, wind and rain :sad:
 
OP
OP
Ming the Merciless

Ming the Merciless

There is no mercy
Location
Inside my skull
No, you still need to do the very hard sessions but in much less qty than most of us do. Plus when it's meant to be an easy day, it needs to be really easy, even on hills.

The average HR and power of the professional cyclists training was interesting, 65% HR and 191 watts, when they have an FTP around 450 watts or so, and can sustain 300 + watts for several hours..
 
Quite - and I already take it easy the vast majority of the time so no change for me from watching that :sad: Then again, it's reassuring to be validated in the 'carry on as you are doing' sense, so very much a worthwhile video ^_^
 

Bill Gates

Guest
Location
West Sussex
I've had countless run ins with cycling coaches over the years about training methods on various forums going back over 10 years. The big thing then and now is training with power. Training at the sweet spot, FTP 2 x 20. LT training etc. I've actually trained 2 x 20 and so have most of you reading this. It is not something I believe in, and this is as much about instinct as science. Many years ago I formed my own plan from listening to my body. I knew my body better than anyone else, so if someone came along and said to me train this way or that way I might try it but I would know if it was right for me instinctively.

When I trained back in the seventies I learned the hard way that too hard training too often left me tired and demotivated. So I experimented and found that if I trained in a compartmental way then I found success and this is how I'm training and coaching my son.

Train for strength
Train for endurance
Train for cruising speed
Train for absolute speed
and this to be done on different days with recovery days built in between. Then on race day the culmination of all the components come together in a performance. If you try and do a performance too often then it just knocks you back as mentally. You get stale mentally as well as physically.

I've been doing what the guy in the video says over 40 years ago. In my last 2 years of racing I won every 10 mile TT I entered bar one, including club mid week 10s combining with other clubs and open events. My training consisted of once a week working my way through a progressive training routine of sprints. Around March time after just riding lots of miles, I would start 30 second sprints x 5 sets. My aim was to eventually complete 4 x sets which I never ever managed. Initially I would maybe finish 3 sprints at top effort 30 seconds flat out 30 seconds rest and that would progress each week. One minute 30 seconds between sets, The best I could ever manage was 3 complete sets and 1 sprint into the 4th.

Alternatively 5 miles or 10 minute duration long intervals x 4 each leg treated like a 5 mile TT.

The rest of the time just ride your bike.

Edit. I could never understand this penchant for riders to seek out big hills in their early season training rides. I never did unless it was on a club run. I think I must be alone in this
 
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