Road cycling is an exciting sport that requires stamina, determination, and a love for the ride. Regardless of your purposes β training for better health, challenging yourself in local competitions, cycling for pleasure, and sightseeing β a proper training schedule is the key to success. This article explains how to put together a basic road cycling training program so you can start riding like a pro right away.
Road Cycling Basics
As much as it is important to get right to the training plan, there are some basics about cycling that we need to bring out.
- Proper bike fit: Proper bike fitting is important in order to increase your comfort while on the bike and also ensure that the bike performs optimally for you. The Journal of Science and Cycling revealed that bike fitting can enhance power delivery by as much as 4%.
- Cadence: Aim for a pedaling rate of 90 -100 revolutions per minute (rpm). This is an optimal cadence that gives ideal efficiency while minimizing fatigue during long cycling sessions.
- Gearing: Just like a car, learn how to use your gears well. Exchanging the gears during climbs, flats, and descents will assist you in keeping a steady cadence.
- Positioning: Train in various riding postures on the handlebars β tops, hoods, and drops to enhance your comfort and reduce drag force.
Setting Goals
Laying down the right goals and objectives is always the core of the training strategy. Consider the following when setting your cycling goals:
- Short-term goals: These might range from riding a specified number of kilometers without stopping or finishing a local charity ride.
- Long-term goals: Maybe you would like to perform a century ride, which means cycling 100 miles or just increasing an average speed on a certain distance.
- Process goals: It is important not only to look at the goal but at how you are getting there in the process. For instance, try to bike ride three to four times a week or focus on mastering the art of climbing via bike.
Weekly Training Plan
There is a detailed guide for weekly training thatβs posted on Hincapie. The short version of it is that beginners should start with 2-3 rides per week for a total of 2-3 hours. This means that after some time you will be able to ride more often and for longer durations because your fitness levels have improved. Remember, consistency is key.
Jakub Kadlec, Performance coach of UCI team ROUVY Specialized, says that we should spare a minimum of three or four days a week for activity. If we do it for two weeks, it becomes a habit. Generally speaking, habits are established in two to three weeks.
The principle of progressive overload states that on average, a weekly increase of the training volume by 5-10% is the best approach without overtraining the body. This means that you need to try and add at least 5-10% more of your weekly riding time or distance. Your weekly training plan can be something like this:
- Monday: Rest day or light cardio
- Tuesday: Endurance ride
- Wednesday: Endurance ride
- Thursday: Rest day
- Friday: Rest day
- Saturday: Tempo
- Sunday: Endurance ride
Rest and Recovery
Rest is just as important as the training itself. These are times when the body is recovering from the stress that exercise places on the body, refueling and repairing damaged tissues. You should sleep for 7-9 hours every night and have one minimum complete rest day during the week. Also, you may use a foam roller or get a massage to help the muscles recover from the traumas they receive during the training.
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Gear and Safety
Just as a reminder, safety comes first at all times. Purchasing the right gear not only makes a ride more enjoyable but also protects a cyclist during a ride. Essential items, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration include:
- A helmet that fits the head perfectly (it should be changed every 3-5 years or if there was an impact).
- Cycling shorts with chamois for long bike riding
- Suits that make the wearer easily visible to motorists and other road users
- Head and tail light for the morning or evening ride.
- Emergency repair kit
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Nutrition and Hydration
Proper fueling is crucial for cycling performance and recovery.Β 2-3 hours before the ride you should consume a meal rich in complex carbohydrates. For rides longer than 90 minutes, aim to consume 100-130 grams of carbohydrates per hour like many of the athletes.
Eat a meal with a 3:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein within 30 minutes of finishing your ride to speed up recovery.
Hydration is equally important. Professors from ACSM recommend drinking around a pint (500 ml) of fluid 2-3 hours before exercise and 150-350 ml every 15-20 minutes during exercise, depending on temperature, sweat rate, or other factors.
Tracking Progress and Adjustments
The level of progress enables a person to continue exercising and probably change their training schedule. Take a training diary (distance, time, pace, perceived effort) and a cycling computer or an application for your smartphone to track your cycling workouts
Conduct periodic self-observations (e.g., time yourself on a particular route each month). Remember that you need to be flexible and adapt to what you have set up. In any training system, flexibility determines the longevity of the program.
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The post How to Create a Road Cycling Training Plan for Beginners appeared first on PezCycling News.
