Bradley Wiggins new training philosophy?

Remarkable
Remarkable Posts: 187
edited June 2012 in Training, fitness and health
http://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/arti ... phy-34204/

So I've been wondering.......does anybody have a background in swimming that could maybe shed some light on it? Have cyclists been to narrow minded with the general view towards training? Quite Intriguing... :)

Comments

  • P_Tucker
    P_Tucker Posts: 1,878
    Historically, this sort of nonsense gets trotted out to explain away "unbelievable" performances. Based on Team Skys recent displays in the Dauphine, I doubt much has changed.
  • ShutUpLegs
    ShutUpLegs Posts: 3,522
    Combine this with the Bradley Wiggins weight loss plan
  • t.m.h.n.e.t
    t.m.h.n.e.t Posts: 2,265
    Swimmers don't really take a break,they are always working at something if it isn't technique it's speed or drills. Cyclists tend to back off for a few months in the off season iirc. Tim Kerrison was a performance analyst for British Swimming :shock:

    The article has nothing to do with Wiggo donning speedos and paddling around in a pool for hours. Also put more effort into core fitness and upper body strength according to one variant of the article.
  • Alex_Simmons/RST
    Alex_Simmons/RST Posts: 4,161
    The main issues are:

    - one doesn't take extended breaks from training (unless they are really needed, e.g. injury)
    - racing is not always the best training
    - peaking happens but one's peak is not necessarily all that much higher than regular fitness level (provided one maintains fitness / doesn't have extended breaks).

    these are not novel concepts, but many cyclists from lower categories to Pros still make basic and fundamental mistakes in their training plans and execution.

    Pros however don't always have the luxury of choosing when to race, that's generally reserved for the few at the top. The rest have a job to do. Indeed, a Pro's training regime is often sub-optimal in many respects because of this, and can be a poor guide to consider emulating (despite many people's fascination with them).
    RST Sport : Coaching - Training Plans - Powermeters -- My blog -- AeroCoach Australia
  • OfficerDigby
    OfficerDigby Posts: 110
    Some other interview...

    http://www.cyclesportmag.com/news-and-c ... -the-tour/
  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    For those that want to do the whole "I don't believe it, how could anyone improve on time-honoured cycling training methods, he must be a doper" thing, there's already a thread where anything Wiggins does or says that might at some point in time have been done or said by Armstrong (lose weight, improve performance, scratch his arse) is trotted out as evidence
    Sadly Bernie hasn't actually produced a graph yet to prove it beyond all doubt.
  • Remarkable
    Remarkable Posts: 187
    So when you think about it really...its nothing new. Its kind of the same scenario for riders like Marianne Vos who have been racing at a high level on the road during the summer and at the same level for cyclocross during winter..
  • phreak
    phreak Posts: 2,953
    For me I think the big traditional difference was that racing in swimming is generally just a sprint so doesn't take that much out of you, so the ratio of training/competing is heavily weighted towards training.

    In cycling by contrast not only are the races very tough and long, but there are also quite a few days per year spent racing, often between 50-100 days a year.

    It sounds like Wiggins is racing much less, therefore putting more emphasis on training than racing, meaning he's not in the red so much so doesn't have peaks and troughs.

    That's how I'm reading it anyway.

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