Developing a sprint
furrag
Posts: 481
Simple direct question; How long does it take to develop a competitive top-end sprint?
I don't want this to turn into a volume of base miles v intensity thread as that has been done to death on every cycling forum it seems. Looking at Peter Read's 'Black Book', it doesn't introduce sprint workouts until February though, and even then it's once per week.
I want to race next year, but I've done no sprint training, so its unsurprising I have no sprint! I'm a little worried the introduction of these workouts could be a little too late to get me used to the sprint-recover nature of crits, as well as having a finishing kick.
I don't want this to turn into a volume of base miles v intensity thread as that has been done to death on every cycling forum it seems. Looking at Peter Read's 'Black Book', it doesn't introduce sprint workouts until February though, and even then it's once per week.
I want to race next year, but I've done no sprint training, so its unsurprising I have no sprint! I'm a little worried the introduction of these workouts could be a little too late to get me used to the sprint-recover nature of crits, as well as having a finishing kick.
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Comments
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Do random sprints in your road rides, sprint between lampposts or telegraph poles. That should get you used to the idea of a sudden change in the pace. The Black Book is a guide to be honest, each person is totally different in their goals, and when they want to achieve them, so modify the program to suit you.
If you are weak in an area, work on that more than a stronger area, only you know where you are weak.0 -
If you haven't raced before I would worry about your sprint yet.
Work on your interval training so that you can cope with the varied pace and be near the front at the end.
They have beginner races at Hillingdon starting in December, this would be a good place to start. In my experience the best way to practice your sprint is in real situations ie. races or at various landmarks during group training rides. Timing, picking the right gears, the right wheel and finding a gap is just as important as how powerful you are.0 -
Even in a structured training plan - I only have a sprint session once a week.
Anything from 15 to 30 seconds all out - times 6 with several minutes recovery in between is what I do.
3 x30 - 3 mins recovery in between
3 x 15 - 3 mins recovery in between
That is all sandwiched into a longer ride but I usually do it nearer the start than finish to be as fresh as possible.
Some people do it differently and some people will never develop a good sprint as it's not in their genes.0
