If you want to improve your performance when cycling, here you will find a program that will allow you to optimize your strength on the bike , develop your cardiovascular capacity and burn some calories in the process.
For this you do not need any overly sophisticated training equipment, you will only require your bike and some cycle computer, GPS watch or simple mobile application with which you can keep track of the distances traveled and the times used in each journey.
We show you what the fundamentals of this month-long training program will be and some practical instructions so that you can carry it out.
A definitive training plan for cyclists
The program is very easy to follow. Let’s see what it consists of:
Measure perceived exertion
For this program, a simple scale known as the Index of Perceived Effort (RPE) will be used that goes from one to ten, where one is very light and ten is the maximum effort. It can be seen as follows:
1 = Low
2 to 3 = Light
4 to 6 = Moderate
7 to 8 = High
9 = Very high
10 = Maximum effort
The program is designed to take 4 weeks and is organized in two two-week blocks. At the end of the four weeks, you should take a week of simple training of just a couple of thirty-minute sessions at the easiest RPE level in order to recover.
Remember that, although the day on which you will have to perform each session is indicated, you are free to adapt your own schedule, and these sessions can be done both outdoors and in the gym.
Considerations before starting training
The first two weeks of training begin on a weekend and consist of a four-minute time at a light cadence, followed by a slightly more intense walk. These are aimed at improving cardiovascular fitness and endurance. At the end of the month and week of easy recovery training, you should feel much stronger and able to cope with more advanced workouts.
In the middle of the week there is a more intense interval training session. You may be able to make it easier through mountain climbs. This more intense session is aimed at increasing your strength and speed and is made up of thirty seconds of hard work and four minutes of recovery. In total you must repeat the sequence of intervals 6-7 times
We present below how your training program will be.
Training plan for cyclists
Weeks 1 and 2
- Saturday: start with a 5-minute warm-up where you must increase the intensity until you reach level 6 of the RPE- Repeat this sequence 6 times. Then try to stay at level 6 for 4 minutes and go down to level 2 to stay there for a minute. Finally, take 5 minutes to cool down your body again.
- Sunday: Take a 45-90 minute ride at RPE level 5.
- Monday: rest
- Tuesday: rest
- Wednesday: start with a 5-minute warm-up where you must increase the intensity until you reach level 6 of the RPE. Then, try doing high intensity interval training around level 9 or 10 for 30 seconds. Later it goes down to level 2 or 3 for 4 minutes. Repeat this sequence 6 times. Finally, take 5 minutes to cool down your body again.
- Thursday: rest
- Friday: rest
Weeks 3 and 4
The last two weeks are based on increasing the number of repetitions. Plus, an extra session is included in the middle of the week to help increase your stamina .
- Saturday: start with a 10-minute warm-up where you must increase the intensity until you reach level 7 of the RPE. Repeat 7 more times. Then try to stay at level 6 for 4 minutes and go down to level 2 to stay there for a minute. Finally, take 5 minutes to calm down.
- Sunday: Take a 60-90 minute walk to RPE level 5.
- Monday: rest
- Tuesday: rest.
- Wednesday: start with a 10-minute warm-up where you must increase the intensity until you reach RPE level 7. Once you’ve gotten there, try to do high intensity training around level 9 or 10 for 30 seconds and then lower to level 2 or 3 for 4 minutes. Repeat this sequence 7 times. Finally, you take 5 minutes of calm.
- Thursday: Take a 45 minute ride at RPE level 5.
- Friday: rest
Record your training results
This stage is very important because it will allow you to determine your performance, for this it is very useful to keep a daily record of your training, both of what you planned and of the results obtained. Having a cycling team will be essential to record your time and distances for each session.
There are many ways to keep a record, so you can locate the way that works best for you, for example you can use a phone or tablet with a simple application like OneNote .
conclusion
If you are going to do these sessions outdoors, take precautions to avoid a possible traffic jam on your training route. At the end of the program you should feel much stronger and be able to take more advanced walks.
References
- Kidd, S. Switch Gears: A 4-Week Plan for Intermediate Cyclists. For Breakingmuscle. [Revised November 2015].
