Planning a training week

broshaughnessy
broshaughnessy Posts: 18
What's the basic layout for a training week for you guys? (Not counting recovery rides)

2 interval days + long ride? 3 interval days + long ride? Something else?

Pointers/advice always appreciated

Comments

  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    What anyone else does should be irrelevant to you and in any case would depend on what their own objectives are. And those objectives may well be different to yours. It all depends on what your own objectives are and how much time you have.

    That's probably not the answer you were looking for, although explaining a bit more about yourself and the type of riding you do - and/or some performance goals - would be helpful.
  • Hanners
    Hanners Posts: 260
    The training week will depend on whether it's: a rest week, an intensity week or a volume week and these should all be structured around your season plans/ goals, you need to be looking further ahead than the current week and at your strengths, weaknesses and the training commitments you can give.
  • New cyclist focusing on road racing, would like to eventually be competitive and progress through cats but just looking to get my 10 races and upgrade to cat 4 this season and focus on results next season

    I guess the crux of my question is will I get more benefit from doing more hard interval days or a mix of endurance rides with fewer had interval days
  • jgsi
    jgsi Posts: 5,062
    I'll let others describe a training week...
    Out of interest have you ever ridden at close quarters in the middle of a 40 strong bunch perhaps near to 40mph on a downhill piece of road?
    There is no fitness plan for that.
  • joe2008
    joe2008 Posts: 1,531
    JGSI wrote:
    I'll let others describe a training week...
    Out of interest have you ever ridden at close quarters in the middle of a 40 strong bunch perhaps near to 40mph on a downhill piece of road?
    There is no fitness plan for that.

    :roll:
  • jgsi
    jgsi Posts: 5,062
    joe2008 wrote:
    JGSI wrote:
    I'll let others describe a training week...
    Out of interest have you ever ridden at close quarters in the middle of a 40 strong bunch perhaps near to 40mph on a downhill piece of road?
    There is no fitness plan for that.

    :roll:
    Curious response , mate.
    Any reason?
  • joe2008
    joe2008 Posts: 1,531
    JGSI wrote:
    joe2008 wrote:
    JGSI wrote:
    I'll let others describe a training week...
    Out of interest have you ever ridden at close quarters in the middle of a 40 strong bunch perhaps near to 40mph on a downhill piece of road?
    There is no fitness plan for that.

    :roll:
    Curious response , mate.
    Any reason?

    Curious response to the OP, mate.
  • napoleond
    napoleond Posts: 5,992
    When I write a weeks' training for a coaching client it depends entirely on-
    What the current goal is and how far away we are from it
    What the training of the weeks leading up to the current one have been (e.g. I may have prescribed certain training but they may not have managed it for whatever reason)
    Time available around work/family/other commitments
    How the client feels in themself
    Insta: ATEnduranceCoaching
    ABCC Cycling Coach
  • I guess the crux of my question is will I get more benefit from doing more hard interval days or a mix of endurance rides with fewer hard interval days

    It does, in part, depend on your current fitness and wider physiology. I am small with lower FTP than riders 15-20 kgs heavier than me and have decent anaerobic fitness without having to do massive amounts of specific training, i.e. intervals. Where I am weaker is aerobic fitness unless I really focus on it so sitting on wheels at 25-28mph is not a natural strength unless I train for it. Knowing my physiological profile through testing has let me know that endurance is a better use of training time in a lot of scenarios. To answer your question, a mix of both will cover you but unless you know more in relation to your own strengths/weaknesses it's hard to say which you should spend more time on.
  • stueys
    stueys Posts: 1,332
    There isn't a one size fits all answer, subscribe to something like trainerroad.com for a month (or even better a free trial) and take a look at their plans. You'll get a good idea of what the broad structure looks like.

    The real talent though lies in adjusting your plan to fit around your scheduled events, your own limiters and experience in how much stress your body can take and still adapt well.
  • What's the basic layout for a training week for you guys? (Not counting recovery rides)

    2 interval days + long ride? 3 interval days + long ride? Something else?

    Pointers/advice always appreciated
    Something else.

    It changes depending on the development needs of the rider at the time.