New to structured training

AndyJ88

Merry Christmas!

I have spent the last year and a half cycling a few times a week. Although I have not followed any specific training plan I finally this summer achieved my goal (don't laugh) of a sub 20 minute lap of Richmond Park (19:30).

In the new year I'd like to follow something more structured to see further improvement although I have the constraints of 3x a week weight lifting (cannot be moved) and working away from home (I will have access to a wattbike).

Current thoughts are to capture my MMP followed by FTP over the next week and sign up to trainerroad (I understand trainerroad works with wattbike).

Any recommendations or tips for someone new to a structured training plan?

imposter2.0

'Structure' largely depends on what your goals are. 'Improvement' is not really a specific enough goal for anyone to suggest anything useful, IMO...

bobmcstuff

Trainerroad is good and low volume base would be a reasonable intro to structured training. If you don't like it or find its not working out for you just cancel it.

As above it seems difficult to suggest anything more useful. I assume by improvement you effectively mean improving your threshold power and if you're new to structured training or training in general then pretty much any reasonably designed structured training program will give improvements in that area, IME. I found there's so many to choose from and beyond wanting to be faster I had no specific goals.

Then you can always switch to something else once you've got into it a bit.

jrich

Sounds like with 3 weights sessions you are already very time constrained and signing up to a plan is going to be pretty pointless as you will not be able to commit fully. You don't say how many hours per week you have to train but on anything less than 5 hours I think it's pretty simple - just bury yourself twice a week in a variety of different ways. By that I mean intervals or different lengths/intensities or number of reps.

There's no reason to be embarrassed about your Richmond Park lap goal! - that's the same sort of thing as what every time trialist up and down the county is aiming for. In fact my suggestion for improving your fitness is to join a cycling club that does time trials on a weekly basis throughout summer. I think one club might even do some events around Richmond Park? Anyway, that is a great way to push yourself and to document how your fitness improves. You can also chat to likeminded people at the events - everyone is in the same boat as you, doesn't matter what time you do, everyone is looking for ways to get another few seconds - whether it be training techniques or buying new kit (my preferred option ;-) ) and they will be happy to share their experiences I'm sure.

VamP

General tips for a structured plan would be to make it consistent, with a progressive element of overload and recovery, specific to your goals and with some high intensity sessions.

But that's as specific as you can get with the information you have given. Like others I foresee a clash between your weight lifting and cycling objectives, but that's for you to resolve based on your priorities.

svetty

^ this in a nutshell: It's about goal setting and your priorities. If you dropped one of your weight training sessions and did a structured interval session on the bike instead.........