- Considerations before the start (bike fit, training zones)<\/li>
- When to start training<\/li>
- Planning your training<\/li>
- Recovery<\/li>
- Group rides<\/li>
- Zwift races<\/li>
- Hydration and nutrition for workouts<\/li>
- Hiring a coach<\/li>
- Helpful training guides and books<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Before you start training<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Bike fit<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Before you start training, consider getting a professional bike fit at a reliable bike shop. It is the best investment you can make as a cyclist. It can prevent injuries, pain, and make you more efficient on the bike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you are new to cycling or have not done a professional bike fit, I urge you to get one right away. The “quick fit” that bike stores usually do for free when you buy a bike is not sufficient and won’t give you the same results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you have has a bike fit, it is recommended that you re-do it periodically, as your position on the bike might change overtime as you ride in a more aggressive position, for example. There are two commonly used bike fit methods<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Training zones<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
As a cyclist new to training, you may consider investing in a tool that will allow you to have some measurement of your efforts, such as a heart rate monitor or a power meter. You could also start by using your own perception of how hard your efforts are, which does not require any tools and is referred to as “Rate of Perceived Exertion” (RPE).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The purpose of measuring your efforts is to organize your workouts and training sessions based on “training zones”. These are discussed in more detail below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE)<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Using RPE can be helpful for the new athlete who does not have the tools to measure power. It can also be useful when an athlete has taken significant time off the bike due to injury or illness and needs to get back into training in a more conservative and progressive manner instead of doing workouts at the pre-illness power numbers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rate of Perceived Exertion, or RPE, is one of the methods used to prescribe workouts. It is a subjective scale of 0-10 or 6-20<\/a>, used to measure the intensity of intervals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Heart Rate (HR)<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
It is also possible to train using heart rate (HR) zones. These are calculated using a person’s maximum heart rate (Max HR), which is the upper limit of what your cardiovascular system can handle during physical activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Using the popular formula 220 minus your age is not recommended, because each person’s maximum heart rate is unique, and that formula is rarely accurate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The workouts would then be designed by using a % of Max HR. The downside of using this method is that a person’s HR does not follow the exact trajectory as their effort\/power output. There is a lag in HR increase, and therefore there is great likelihood that the athlete following HR only would fall short of the desired effort measured in watts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Power<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Many workout designs are based on a rider’s power training zones. These training zones can be determined by estimating a rider’s Functional Threshold Power (FTP)<\/a> or Lactate Threshold (LT)<\/a>. There are other ways of estimating training zones, but we won’t get into details here as FTP and LT are the most common.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Graph](\"https:\/\/www.360velo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/cycling-training-zones-360-velo-1024x479.png\")
Sample chart showing work done in different training zones<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Under this scenario, the intervals within a workout are based on a percentage of a rider’s FTP. In other words, a coach may prescribe intervals to be done at specific target watts (% of FTP) for a certain duration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you will be following a power-based training plan on your own, you will likely need to do an FTP test before you start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You will need one of the following combinations to train using power numbers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- A bike with a power meter and a bike computer (e.g., Garmin, Wahoo) for training indoors or outdoors;<\/li>
- A trainer and a bike computer (e.g., Garmin, Wahoo) for training indoors;<\/li>
- A smart trainer and a training platform such as Zwift<\/a> for training indoors.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
When to start a training program<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
There is no one “perfect” or “recommended” time to start training. Even if you have been cycling for just a few weeks, you can benefit from training. Nevertheless, people new to the sport typically achieve initial fitness gains by simply establishing a consistent riding routine – at least initially. Let’s discuss this in more detail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The “new” cyclist<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The majority of people “new” to cycling will see improvements in fitness by going from not riding (or riding infrequently) to consistently riding a bike a few times a week. That is typically the case with any new sport or exercise routine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I say “new” in quotes because someone might already be riding a bike a few times a month, so they are not completely new to cycling. They just haven’t adopted cycling as a weekly routine; a sport they commit to participating in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Establish a routine<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Find 2-3 days and times with the least amount of friction on your calendar and block them as your cycling time. Just like a work meeting or a doctor’s appointment, you keep those times and only cancel if something unexpected or major happens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then ride 30 minutes each time in the first week, progressively increasing it to 60 minutes. These are not meant to be hard rides. Be mindful of how you are feeling and recovering from these rides. Your muscles, ligaments, and tendons need to develop and get used to the new routine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Increases in time on the bike should be slow and progressive. Aim for a 10% increase each week.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Progressively establishing a routine will set you up for success as you master the art of “showing up” for your rides. That will in turn make it easier to transition into training consistently and interval training to advance your fitness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Benefits of training as a new cyclist<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
I started cycling and following a training plan at the same time. I wasn’t completely new to cycling, but up until that point, I would just ride my hybrid bike with flat pedals in the forest preserve trails a few times a month. I also practiced yoga and went to gym classes, so I was active for several days a week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a result, I discovered many advantages of starting to follow a training plan from the beginning, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Learning proper position on the bike and pedaling technique;<\/li>
- Cadence development;<\/li>
- Working at different intensities, which led to rapid fitness gains;<\/li>
- Getting the proper balance between hard work and rest\/recovery;<\/li>
- Support and motivation from coaches and peers.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
At first, I didn’t even know where I wanted to take my cycling. I started without any big plans. I just wanted to have a routine and support from knowledgeable people. Eight months later, I completed my first century (100 miles) in under 5 hours with the help of my team at the time. I never imagined this was possible!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In summary, you don’t need experience, big goals or plans to start training. You reason might be as simple as wanting to improve your fitness by following a routine that will make you stronger\/faster while avoiding injury and burnout. And see where that takes you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Building a solid aerobic base<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
One of the most important things for a new cyclist is to spend enough time in the saddle to build a solid aerobic base. Think of it as the foundation of your training, and also as a springboard to higher fitness and power zones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The way to build a solid aerobic base is to incorporate into your training easy rides that get progressively longer as you gain fitness. These rides are done at no higher than 65%-70% of your maximum heart rate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In summary, there are important physiological adaptations that happen with these types of rides, including improvements in muscle energy production, oxygen distribution, neuromuscular efficiency, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The experienced cyclist<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Let’s look at the scenario where someone has been cycling for a while. Maybe months, or even years without any form of structured training or coaching. Let’s also say that this person meets with a group of riders on the weekends to ride together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Very often, such rider has a good endurance base but suffers to keep up with a fast group or a group with lots of surges in speed. Such rider could also have trouble with longer rides and\/or varying terrain (sharp hills, long climbs, etc.). This is just one example where training can significantly improve performance and enjoyment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Sample](\"https:\/\/www.360velo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/cycling-training-progressive-load-360-velo-1024x569.png\")
![\"Turtle](\"https:\/\/www.360velo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/cycling-training-recovery-rides-360-velo-1024x768.jpg\")
![\"Zwift](\"https:\/\/www.360velo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/360velo-cycling-training-beginners-zwift-race-1024x559.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n