Cyclist Base Period (Winter, Off-Season) Training, Level 2: 5.45 to 9.5 hrs/wk
12 weeks - $54.95
Total Hours: 93
Total Hours: 93
Cycling Base Training, Level 2 – 12 Weeks
This 12-week plan is designed for an experienced and fit cyclist trying to keep good conditioning in the off-season. The athlete using this plan consistently rides a long ride each week, with or without a group. If you ride with a group, control the intensity as described in the plan. The long ride in the plan ranges between two and three hours. The length of this ride may be weather dependent. The athlete selecting this plan has had problems in the past trying to decide what to do in the off-season to maintain precious cycling fitness achieved during the summer season.
The plan is appropriate base training for road racers and mountain bike racers with goal events in the 2:00 to 3:00 range. It is also appropriate for cyclists that may not race, but want to ride fast in group rides or organized rides. (Century rides or multiday tours.) Before beginning this plan, you know your training zones described in the “Intensity Document.”
The training blocks are in three-week cycles to allow for good recovery. An aerobic time trial is included in the first week of the plan to help you monitor progress. Some of the workouts include a power option for athletes with access to power meters.
Weekly training hours do not vary much throughout the program, but training intensity does. This is perfect for fit cyclists with limited training time or for those living in cold locations in the off-season.
The goals of this plan include:
- Maintain a long ride of 2:00 to 3:00 hours throughout the plan.
- Reduce training in recovery weeks to 5:45 to absorb training.
- Keep training week hours at 8:00 to 9:30.
- Include a structured strength training program now, to improve cycling strength and speed after the 12-week plan is complete.
- Baseline test all-out time trial speed in Week 12 of the plan.
- At the end of the plan be prepared to move to a build or pre-event training block.
Please see the Plan Preview to determine if the first week of the training plan seems manageable to you. If the first week seems manageable and the plan goals are right where you want to head, this plan is perfect for you.
After purchase, your plan will be available in your own private online training log account. You'll enjoy these benefits and more:
Sample workouts:
Day #1
AA
Planned Time: 1:15
Warm up aerobically, running or cycling for 10-20 minutes, then complete 2-3 sets x 15-20 repetitions (reps) of the designated exercises using a light to moderate weight.
Planned Time: 1:15
Warm up aerobically, running or cycling for 10-20 minutes, then complete 2-3 sets x 15-20 repetitions (reps) of the designated exercises using a light to moderate weight.
Day #2
Aerobic Time Trial (ATT)
Planned Time: 1:0
This is best done on a CompuTrainer, on a regular trainer with a power meter on your rear wheel or on a trainer with a rear-wheel computer pick-up. It can also be done on a flat section of road, but know that weather conditions will affect the results. After a warm-up, ride the designated number of miles with your heart rate 9 to 11 beats below lactate threshold heart rate. Record the gears used, conditions, time, average power output (if you have a powermeter) and how you felt in your training journal. Each time you repeat the test, try to make testing conditions the same. As aerobic fitness improves, the time should decrease.
Planned Time: 1:0
This is best done on a CompuTrainer, on a regular trainer with a power meter on your rear wheel or on a trainer with a rear-wheel computer pick-up. It can also be done on a flat section of road, but know that weather conditions will affect the results. After a warm-up, ride the designated number of miles with your heart rate 9 to 11 beats below lactate threshold heart rate. Record the gears used, conditions, time, average power output (if you have a powermeter) and how you felt in your training journal. Each time you repeat the test, try to make testing conditions the same. As aerobic fitness improves, the time should decrease.
Day #3
AA
Planned Time: 1:15
Warm up aerobically, running or cycling for 10-20 minutes, then complete 2-3 sets x 15-20 repetitions (reps) of the designated exercises using a light to moderate weight.
Planned Time: 1:15
Warm up aerobically, running or cycling for 10-20 minutes, then complete 2-3 sets x 15-20 repetitions (reps) of the designated exercises using a light to moderate weight.
Day #4
Isolated Leg
Planned Time: 1:0
This workout helps work the dead spot out of pedal stroke. After a warm-up, with light resistance on an indoor trainer, do 100 percent of the work with one leg while the other leg is or resting on a stool. The bottom of the stroke is similar to the motion of scraping mud off the bottom of your shoe. The top of the stroke can be improved by driving toes forward. In all positions, keep the toes relaxed. Do not allow them to curl-up and clinch the bottom of your shoe. (This can be done outdoors by relaxing one leg while the other leg does most of the work.) After doing a work segment with each leg (start with 20-60 seconds per leg), spin easy with both legs for 1-3 minutes and then go back to single legwork. Begin with a cumulative time of 3 to 5 minutes on each leg and build time, as you become stronger.
Planned Time: 1:0
This workout helps work the dead spot out of pedal stroke. After a warm-up, with light resistance on an indoor trainer, do 100 percent of the work with one leg while the other leg is or resting on a stool. The bottom of the stroke is similar to the motion of scraping mud off the bottom of your shoe. The top of the stroke can be improved by driving toes forward. In all positions, keep the toes relaxed. Do not allow them to curl-up and clinch the bottom of your shoe. (This can be done outdoors by relaxing one leg while the other leg does most of the work.) After doing a work segment with each leg (start with 20-60 seconds per leg), spin easy with both legs for 1-3 minutes and then go back to single legwork. Begin with a cumulative time of 3 to 5 minutes on each leg and build time, as you become stronger.
Day #5
Planned Time: 0:0
Relax
Day #6
Endurance - Z3
Planned Time: 2:30
This workout is used for endurance training and the beginning of lactate threshold training. Ride a rolling course in Zones 1 to 3. Stay seated on the hills to build/maintain hip power. Ride a course and use gearing that allows work intensity into 3 zone, but not so hard you dip into Zones 4 and 5.
Planned Time: 2:30
This workout is used for endurance training and the beginning of lactate threshold training. Ride a rolling course in Zones 1 to 3. Stay seated on the hills to build/maintain hip power. Ride a course and use gearing that allows work intensity into 3 zone, but not so hard you dip into Zones 4 and 5.
Day #7
Endurance - 90rpm
Planned Time: 1:0
Ride in Zones 1-2 on a flat to gently rolling course at 90+ rpm. If you're unable to spin 90+ rpm coast and recover until you can.
Planned Time: 1:0
Ride in Zones 1-2 on a flat to gently rolling course at 90+ rpm. If you're unable to spin 90+ rpm coast and recover until you can.
Day #8
AA
Planned Time: 1:15
Warm up aerobically, running or cycling for 10-20 minutes, then complete 2-3 sets x 15-20 repetitions (reps) of the designated exercises using a light to moderate weight.
Planned Time: 1:15
Warm up aerobically, running or cycling for 10-20 minutes, then complete 2-3 sets x 15-20 repetitions (reps) of the designated exercises using a light to moderate weight.
Day #9
HR or Power, Zone 3, Workout #1
Planned Time: 1:0
After a good warm-up in mostly Zone 1-2 intensity, including a few 20-second accelerations, do 6 or 7 repeats that are 3 minutes long, with 1 minute of recovery between each repeat. For each repeat number, specific instructions are: #1, #2, #3: Begin timing the interval as soon as you increase effort. If you are using heart rate as your guide, control your intensity so that you are just reaching low Zone 3 heart rate by the end of the interval. If you are using power, make all three intervals at your Aerobic Time Trial average power, minus 10 watts. (ATT - 10 watts). No extra rest after #3, go right to #4 after your 1-minute rest. #4, #5: Begin timing the interval as soon as you increase effort. If you are using heart rate as your guide, control your intensity so that you are reaching mid-Zone 3 heart rate by the end of the interval. If you are using power, make all three intervals at your Aerobic Time Trial average power. (ATT watts) No extra rest after #5, go right to #6 after your 1-minute rest. #6, #7: Begin timing the interval as soon as you increase effort. If you are using heart rate as your guide, control your intensity so that you are just reaching high Zone 3 heart rate by the end of the interval. If you are using power, make all three intervals at your Aerobic Time Trial average power, plus 5 to 10 watts. (ATT + 5-10 watts). These should not be killer-hard, back-off if 10 extra watts drives to you lactate threshold. Cool down after with easy spinning.
Planned Time: 1:0
After a good warm-up in mostly Zone 1-2 intensity, including a few 20-second accelerations, do 6 or 7 repeats that are 3 minutes long, with 1 minute of recovery between each repeat. For each repeat number, specific instructions are: #1, #2, #3: Begin timing the interval as soon as you increase effort. If you are using heart rate as your guide, control your intensity so that you are just reaching low Zone 3 heart rate by the end of the interval. If you are using power, make all three intervals at your Aerobic Time Trial average power, minus 10 watts. (ATT - 10 watts). No extra rest after #3, go right to #4 after your 1-minute rest. #4, #5: Begin timing the interval as soon as you increase effort. If you are using heart rate as your guide, control your intensity so that you are reaching mid-Zone 3 heart rate by the end of the interval. If you are using power, make all three intervals at your Aerobic Time Trial average power. (ATT watts) No extra rest after #5, go right to #6 after your 1-minute rest. #6, #7: Begin timing the interval as soon as you increase effort. If you are using heart rate as your guide, control your intensity so that you are just reaching high Zone 3 heart rate by the end of the interval. If you are using power, make all three intervals at your Aerobic Time Trial average power, plus 5 to 10 watts. (ATT + 5-10 watts). These should not be killer-hard, back-off if 10 extra watts drives to you lactate threshold. Cool down after with easy spinning.