Cycle training plans
Cycle training plans
Hi could anyone recommend a SIMPLE/EASY to understand beginners training schedule? I plan to train 3 times a week and at present feel I'm really slow. I would like to improve both my speed and effort. I have just started cycling again after a break of a couple of years. Just got a Boardman sports bike and am 50 yrs old. Never had a sports/road bike before, always had a hybrid. Any advice would be appreciated, thanks.
Re: Cycle training plans
Hi Katser!
I'm slightly surprised that no-one has answered this yet. I've occasionally looked at training plans without doing much with them. The recommendations seem to be a mix of LSD -- not what you might think but Long Steady Distance -- and interval work. LSD means riding at a very comfortable pace, where you can easily carry on a conversation. This builds endurance. Intervals mean riding flat out for, say, 30 seconds, then continuing at a recovery pace for a few minutes, then repeat ad lib. After a while you can lengthen the periods gradually. With any training you should warm up first and then warm down at the end, and don't forget some stretches afterwards.
There is lots of stuff out there on the web. This section of Total Women's Cycling, Training and nutrition has some interesting training articles as well as lots of recipes. Having skimmed through it just now I realise I should work a harder on my own speed. When I was young I used to be able to keep up with my husband but now I'm 64 he leaves me for dead - he's two years older and much stronger.
Do be careful not to overdo things at the beginning. It is easy to injure yourself in your enthusiasm.
Have fun!
I'm slightly surprised that no-one has answered this yet. I've occasionally looked at training plans without doing much with them. The recommendations seem to be a mix of LSD -- not what you might think but Long Steady Distance -- and interval work. LSD means riding at a very comfortable pace, where you can easily carry on a conversation. This builds endurance. Intervals mean riding flat out for, say, 30 seconds, then continuing at a recovery pace for a few minutes, then repeat ad lib. After a while you can lengthen the periods gradually. With any training you should warm up first and then warm down at the end, and don't forget some stretches afterwards.
There is lots of stuff out there on the web. This section of Total Women's Cycling, Training and nutrition has some interesting training articles as well as lots of recipes. Having skimmed through it just now I realise I should work a harder on my own speed. When I was young I used to be able to keep up with my husband but now I'm 64 he leaves me for dead - he's two years older and much stronger.
Do be careful not to overdo things at the beginning. It is easy to injure yourself in your enthusiasm.
Have fun!
Re: Cycle training plans
First of all, do you really need a training plan? The best way to improve is just by riding. Commute if you can, ride your bike to do the shopping, run errands, etc. Pretend you donæt have any other means of transport a couple of days per week.
If a training plan in important to you, before you decide on a training plan, what are your goals? Do you have a particular ride you want to train for? A distance to achieve? A hill to climb? A club to ride with? A time-for-commute goal? How do you define your goal (e.g. reduce commute time to 45 minutes, be able to ride 30 miles, achieve average speed, etc.)
If you feel you need a plan, it probably needs some measureable objectives.
If you feel you are slow, maybe the best thing is to pick a route; something that is a bit of a challenge and ride it. Then ride the same route at least once per week so you can see improvement. Otherwise, as Lollycat says. Hill climbing is very good for fitness; you can find a hilly route, or just find a hil and ride up it and back down.
Some people find it useful to pick an objective, like a favourtie cafe, and visit as a sort of reward (refuelling is needed, anyway
), after a long ride or soemthing.
If a training plan in important to you, before you decide on a training plan, what are your goals? Do you have a particular ride you want to train for? A distance to achieve? A hill to climb? A club to ride with? A time-for-commute goal? How do you define your goal (e.g. reduce commute time to 45 minutes, be able to ride 30 miles, achieve average speed, etc.)
If you feel you need a plan, it probably needs some measureable objectives.
If you feel you are slow, maybe the best thing is to pick a route; something that is a bit of a challenge and ride it. Then ride the same route at least once per week so you can see improvement. Otherwise, as Lollycat says. Hill climbing is very good for fitness; you can find a hilly route, or just find a hil and ride up it and back down.
Some people find it useful to pick an objective, like a favourtie cafe, and visit as a sort of reward (refuelling is needed, anyway
), after a long ride or soemthing.“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
Re: Cycle training plans
Katser
first bit of advice is learn to ride the bike, by this I mean learn your new bike, so you are comfortable with it. Secondly build up slowly so if you are currently used to doing 10 miles on your hybrid start with that assess how you feel when you get back, set your own goals from that.
Getting fit and speed will come from doing regular exercise, but keep it fun, perhaps looks toward sportif or Audax as challenge or just join a local CTC group or have a target you want to achieve be in 30 miles 50 miles or a hundred. It is your Target and once achieved you can move to the next.
Unless you are wanting to become a sprint champion the best training plan is enjoying the ride.
Learn to spin, that is use a comfortable cadence for your self. Most novices tend to pedal too big a gear, which is slower and harder work. Use your a bike computer and try dropping a couple of gear you will see your speed goes up but it feels easier. YOU can go further and faster. work out your optimum cadence and try and keep to that by using the gears
Keep a record of your rides, you will see how your fitness improves.
first bit of advice is learn to ride the bike, by this I mean learn your new bike, so you are comfortable with it. Secondly build up slowly so if you are currently used to doing 10 miles on your hybrid start with that assess how you feel when you get back, set your own goals from that.
Getting fit and speed will come from doing regular exercise, but keep it fun, perhaps looks toward sportif or Audax as challenge or just join a local CTC group or have a target you want to achieve be in 30 miles 50 miles or a hundred. It is your Target and once achieved you can move to the next.
Unless you are wanting to become a sprint champion the best training plan is enjoying the ride.
Learn to spin, that is use a comfortable cadence for your self. Most novices tend to pedal too big a gear, which is slower and harder work. Use your a bike computer and try dropping a couple of gear you will see your speed goes up but it feels easier. YOU can go further and faster. work out your optimum cadence and try and keep to that by using the gears
Keep a record of your rides, you will see how your fitness improves.
NUKe
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Re: Cycle training plans
Hi Guys, thank you so much for your replies. I did another 30 mile cycle on Sun (which was really hilly and tough) and managed to do it with less of a struggle than the week before. I am planning to use my Dawes hybrid in the winter months to commute to work either one or two days a week (overall distance about 20 miles) in the hope that this will increase my fitness. I collect my Dawes from the bike shop tomorrow, it is 15 yrs old and I have had it 'reconditioned' by having a new lighter fork and new handle bars to hopefully, overall, lighten the bike. I found the difference between riding my Boardman sports bike and the Hybrid to be HUGE!!!! This is why I have tried to lessen the weight on hybrid and I hope it works, will let you know after tomorrow (very excited!!!!). I also purchased a cycling DVD (women's cycling DVD) to do some indoors training (my husband is buying me a turbo trainer for my birthday in 2 days time). Hopefully, with all this combined, I might start to get fitter (and hopefully a little lighter!!! Thanks again for the advice, happy cycling and I hope the weather continues to be nice enough for outdoor rides.
Re: Cycle training plans
IMHO, cycle commuting is an ideal way to increase fitness because it saves having to set aside time for exercise and also it's easier to motivate yourself.
Ideally, you want a hill or two on the route but if not you could include a few "sprint" sections to get your heart rate up. (Obviously the usual warnings apply about not over doing it when starting from a low fitness level.)
Ideally, you want a hill or two on the route but if not you could include a few "sprint" sections to get your heart rate up. (Obviously the usual warnings apply about not over doing it when starting from a low fitness level.)