Winter
training…. what Surrey League riders do
results
analysed by riders’ inputs on:
Saturday
Sunday
mid-week (day 1, day 2, day 3 etc)
REPLIES
FROM FIRST CAT RIDERS
Saturday
- duration and intensity
rider
1: 2½-3 hours, level
3 average, with 180-plus heartrate when terrain is hard
rider 2: 2-3 hours, light
rider 3: 40-50 miles, fast
spinning
rider 4: none
rider 5: 1-2 hours, level
2-3
rider 6: 2-3 hours, steady
Sunday
– duration and intensity
rider
1: 4-5 hours, level
2 average, easier than Saturday because this is usually a group ride
rider 2: 4 hours, light
rider 3: 60-100 miles, intensity varies (after
Christmas only)
rider 4: 4 hours, steady
rider 5: 3-4 hours, level
1-2
rider 6: 3-4 hours, steady
mid-week
- day
1 day2 day3 day 4
day5
rider
1: “I do three bike sessions and two other…. I don’t have time for more
than 1 hour/session in winter”
day 1: 1 hour weights
day 2: 1 hour fixed gear
day 3: circuit training
day 4: 1 hour spinning
day 5: weights
rider
2: “I like cross-training, particularly running for the psychological effect of a
change”
day 1: 1 hour upper body weights + 30min aerobic (running)
day 2: leg weights
day 3: rest
day 4: Calshott training session
day 5: 1 hour upper body weights + 30 min run (treadmill)
rider
3: (this routine starts after Christmas)
day 1: gym
day 2: 20-30min spinning
day 3: running sometimes
rider
4
day 1: 2 hours
day 2: 2
hours
rider
5
day 1: 1hr 30min
level 2-3
day 2: 1hr 30min
level 2-3 with hills
day 3: 1-2hr
MTB at
level 2-4
rider
6
day 1: rollers sprints
day 2: 2 hours big gears/ hills
day 3: rollers
any
further comments on your winter training (eg how you judge the intensity of a training
ride)
rider
2: “winter training (cycling runs) starts off in mixed ability groups but
once established we form ability-based groups, so speed and distance are more suited”
REPLIES FROM SECOND CAT RIDERS
Saturday - duration and intensity
rider
1: 2 or 3 hours, steady
pace, moderate intensity level 2
rider 2: 1 hour, zone
3-4 (20mph av)
rider 3: 1½ hours, level 2
rider 4: 4-5 hours, level
2
rider 5: 45-60min, turbo,
could be 85%-95% max heart rate
rider 6: none
rider 7: 3hrs 30min, 60%
intensity
Sunday
– duration and intensity
rider
1: 1 or 2 hours, steady
pace, moderate intensity, level
2
rider 2: 1 or 2 hours, zone
2 (18-20mph)
rider 3: 4-5 hours, level
1/level 2
rider 4: 4-5 hours, level
2
rider 5: 2-3 hours pre-Christmas, up
to level 2, 2-3 hours post-Christmas, level
2 and level 3 (hillier route)
rider 6: 1 hour, 90-100%
intensity
rider 7: 3hr 30min, 70%
intensity
mid-week
- divided
into…… day 1
day2 more
rider
1
day 1: 30min on turbo, level
3
day 2: 1-1½ hours steady, level
2
day 3: 1-1½ hours steady, level
2
rider
2
day 1: 30 min on turbo, intervals
day 2: 1½ hours level 3/level 4 (20mph
av)
rider
3: commute to work, 2x30min
each day at level 1/level 2
rider
4
day 1: 3 hour ride
day 2: weight-training (not legs) or swimming
rider
5
day 1: weights, mostly
squats, legwork and back extensions
day 2: 45min-60min as Saturday
day 3: weights as day 1
day 4: possibly a further gym session
rider
6
day 1: 1hr 30min, 60-70%
intensity
day 2: 1hr, 80-90%
intensity
day 3: 1hr 30min, 60-70%
intensity
rider
7
day 1: 1hr, 70-80%
intensity
day 2: 1hr 30min, 60%
intensity
any further comments on your winter training
(eg how you judge the intensity of a training ride)?
rider
1: “The day after any longer weekend ride I usually do a recovery ride of
30min in an easy gear on the turbo.”
rider 5: “If someone could convince me that I’d be better off
on the turbo alone, I would consider that, but I feel that the gym gives me something else
to think about.
I split my winter gym sessions into: Nov - high
reps, Dec - higher
weights, Jan - high
reps
I’ll be 2nd Cat next year so I need to be fitter than at the start of last
season, hence the idea of building up strength in the gym. There’s time to get the
miles in when we start racing.
I have a family and my time is limited”
REPLIES FROM THIRD CAT RIDERS
please
describe a typical week of the winter period
Saturday
- duration and intensity
rider
1: 2 hours “hard”
rider 3: 1-2 hours, level
2
Sunday – duration and intensity
rider
1: 2 hours “hard”
rider 3: 3 hours, level
2-3
mid-week
- day
1 day2 more
rider
1: day 1: 2.5
hours “hard”
rider 3: day 1: 1hr,
intervals
any further comments on your winter training
(eg how you judge the intensity of a training ride)?
rider
1: “My winter training intensity is dependent purely on how I feel. If I
feel good I ride hard. I love riding my bike fast all year – not very scientific.
I am aware of the flaws in my methods and probably would improve with a more varied
approach.
I tend to use races to get myself up to speed, hence I struggle in early season.
In saying that, I have only been racing for a season and a half and hope to develop my
approach.”
rider 2: shift-based routine
“I do three long, steady rides every eight days as I work shifts… also as I
don’t own a car I cycle to work, shops etc” |
