untrained/new riders

Team Banana Spokesman

theoretical question....

untrained riders adapt to training really really fast when they first start. big big gains in weeks.

my friend is about to start cycling. he's just waiting till payday before getting the components for his frame. he has a 2 week holliday coming up where hes going to train with me for a bit to get going.

so would it be a massive advantage if he went in at the deep end doing a 2x20 session and proper base training first?

afaik most untrained riders do lots of junk miles when they start. lots of unstructured 'fun' rides. could he (or any untrained rider) get a big advantage to getting some structure/a coach/p.meter asap and how big an advantage?

could he possibly overtake someone who's been training for longer? in power/progress terms?

joeyhalloran

I think your body requires base work to not burn out quickly (why main people say do a large base of work in the winter, so your body can handle intervals in the spring/summer). I guess it depends on his other physical activities. certainly he will benefit from structured training, but perhaps at first that structure is "just ride your bike". However, I would say that 2x20 can be made into a very good training session without being to hard on the body. Riding at a sweetspot level rather than all out for the 20 mins will probably bring gains faster than 'just riding' and perhaps won't burn him out as fast.

The other thing to think about is his enjoyment of his first few weeks...2x20s aren't fun :P

Homer J

You sound worried

Cumulonimbus

Whats his fitness background? I've noticed before people talking about how in the space of 2 months they have gone from being a non-cyclist to someone who can average 22mph and you normally find out after a while that they are runners.

ut_och_cykla

I would take it gently at first - however 'fit' someone is from other sports hours of saddle time and starnge position on bike could wreak havoc. But structure isnt wrong - 2 x 20 minutes at a comfortable maintainable pace should be ok.
But he well even need time just to get used to shifting, braking, riding on the drops etc, taking a waterbottle out without getting fingers in front wheel (been there done that!)
Dont frighten him off!

LJAR

Keep it fun and a bit random for the first few months. If you find competing on the turbo fun, go for it.

Alex_Simmons/RST

I would avoid specific Level 4+ training early on for any rider.

Just riding, and riding more (in a sustainable progressive overload load manner) will be more than enough to stimulate excellent fitness development for a new rider. All you need to do for higher level stimulation is to begin to include hillier training routes as part of the training.

The body needs to adapt to the bike and position and if the fit isn't great, then specific hard efforts are not such a great idea early on. Allow the body to adapt to the bike first.

Interval training is not for the untrained, unfamiliar. It can take some of the enjoyment out if a rider isn't really ready for it.

sampras38

ut_och_cykla wrote:

I would take it gently at first - however 'fit' someone is from other sports hours of saddle time and starnge position on bike could wreak havoc. But structure isnt wrong - 2 x 20 minutes at a comfortable maintainable pace should be ok.
But he well even need time just to get used to shifting, braking, riding on the drops etc, taking a waterbottle out without getting fingers in front wheel (been there done that!)
Dont frighten him off!

A runner friend of mine does exactly this. Tends to run multiple marathons and longer events in the year and turns up to the odd 100+ sportive with little or no bike training and puts in a respectable time. Ex bodybuilder too which makes it even more confusing,,;-)

He did the 190km Wales Dragon with me last year with only about 30 miles bike training but lots of running, although he did say his legs went before his lungs, plus he had a very sore rear end for a few days afterwards..;-)

From memory I think he did it in about 7.30.