Conditioning/Training
bwtmc
Posts: 31
Hey guys, I'm Jak, 23, and pretty new to biking...
So im going to get back to training a few times a week, keep my self in shape and what not, but as i want to improve my game on the bike, i would like to know what areas you guys target, and how you go about doin it, so im open to advice that i can take into consideration and put into pace in my new routine........
so fire away people
Jak
So im going to get back to training a few times a week, keep my self in shape and what not, but as i want to improve my game on the bike, i would like to know what areas you guys target, and how you go about doin it, so im open to advice that i can take into consideration and put into pace in my new routine........
so fire away people
Jak
0
Posts
Although you're 20 stone no point targeting climbing quite yet.
Or taget what you enjoy. If you're riding for fun, why do stuff you don't like?
Besides that, I still say, just ride more. There's not much more to it than that unless you're specifically aiming to race, or to do endurance events and such. In which case you'de need to ride more, but faster, or ride for longer.
But you've just said you have an hour where you can do something each morning.
I have a feeling you may need to start again, from the top.
Hope this is clearer.
Ride your bike. Blast it round a route for an hour or something.
Cheers
Jak
The best way to get better at riding your bike is to ride your bike. That's it.
I train my weaknesses. Other people I know try to improve what they're already good at.
What are you trying to achieve? Train for that.
Don't follow someone elses program.
Here is some advice. Ride as fast as you can for the whole ride, door to door, whatever the route or distance.
It's not particularly good advice, but to be fair you didn't say it was!
If you're pushed for time interval training is likely to be the way to go, just depends what you want to achieve, and as people have said, you train your weaknesses. If you're new to riding, just ride your bike, doing interval training with little base fitness is unlikely to yield much success.
These work for me.
It is structured. I find I can sprint and ride fast with no problems. My weakness is endurace for events between 2-3 hours. I've got a good finish if I can get to the end.
Most of my riding is tempo riding, and it allows me to be able to cruise along in a bunch with much less effort (easier breathing, lower HR). I do other sessions, but these are ~50%.
This is what I meant by targeting weaknesses. This is the wrong training for Jack and probably everyones else reading this, but he did demand advice.
I thought 1 hour as fast as you can WAS FTP. I'm not a coach though. And the longer rides are certainly not quite a lot below ftp, surprisingly little.
FTP = functional threshold power. The power you can do for an hour, often measured as the power in the last 20 mins of a 1hr effort. I'm not a coach though. Happy to be corrected.
I do 3-15 min intervals above FTP, as its 1/4 of the duration I can hold FTP for. Why would I do 15 min intervals below FTP?
I've found 'as fast as I can' has had a massive improvement in my endurace, measured by the ability to ride fast for a long time, at a low HR and light breathing. Like I said, it was my weakness. If it's not your weakness it probably won't do you much good.
But the OP just wanted some training advice, and the advice to just ride as fast as you can for the time really isn't that shoddy, especially for someone who doesn't seem to have any goals.