The Cyclists’ training is quite exhausting, as they usually have to do long trips of many kilometers to improve their physical conditions. However, it is also important to improve your sprints, as they will provide that necessary speed throughout the race.
A cycling sprint workout can be done in a number of ways, either on a stationary bike or on a conventional bike. Properness can make a difference during a race; therefore it is very important to prepare as well as possible.
Find out how cyclists should train to improve their sprints .
Cyclist training to improve sprints
Experienced coaches always recommend starting with a training that improves your resistance in order to finish the race as well as possible, but also, it is very important to complement these workouts with a routine of sprint exercises, which will give you the speed that every cyclist needs to.
According to a study published by the journal Frontiers in Physiology , heavy strength training can make a cyclist much stronger , but sprint-specific training is superior for increasing power output during short sprints (Billaut, Kong and Wagner, 2019).
Runners who sprinted on stationary bikes in that study improved 55-meter sprint performance on their own bikes by 4.3%; while those who did strength training saw no improvement in 55-meter sprints.
How a cyclist should train to improve his sprints
According to the aforementioned study, while strength training actually makes you stronger, if more pure sprint dexterity is what you’re after, short sprint training will give you more pedaling power to get to the line faster.
To verify this fact, they made the first comparison between 28 very well-trained endurance cyclists, who had an average age of 29 years. All of them had to follow a basic strength training plan 2 times a week for 4 weeks. The scientists then had half the group do strength training for the next 6 weeks; while the other half did short sprint training.
The strength-training group performed Smith machine squats, leg presses, single-leg hip flexion, and calf raises. The exercises were performed explosively, slowly lowering the weight and aiming for maximum acceleration during the lifting phase of each exercise.
On the other hand, the cyclists in the sprint group trained twice a week on a WattBike . After warming up, they started from a standstill and remained seated, performing 3 sets of sprints of 4-8 seconds at set resistance, to allow them to produce as much power as possible at a maximum cadence of 120 rpm.
Stationary bike effectiveness to improve sprints
At the end of the established period, the group of cyclists who practiced sprints significantly improved their maximum power and their average power for 6-second sprints. On the other hand, the strength training group improved their average power for maximum 5-minute efforts, but achieved small to negligible gains in their power performance for any of the shorter sprints.
The study also shows that a sprint training on an exercise bike can be more effective than on a normal bike, since the training would not be affected by traffic, traffic signs or even other inconveniences that can occur on a cycling track. or in the street.
conclusion
When riding a bike during competition, a sprint workout is just as important as a strength workout, giving you the speed you need to outrun your rivals and get to the finish line faster.
According to this study, to improve your top cycling speed , training on a stationary bike is recommended, as it can be much more effective due to controlled training conditions.
References
- Billaut, F., Kong, Z. and Wagner, D. (2019). Comparison of Short-Sprint and Heavy Strength Training on Cycling Performance. Frontiers in Physiology . doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2019.01132
- Selene, Y. Sprint Training Beats Heavy Lifting for Winning Wattage. For Bicycling [Revised October 2019].
