Training Tips

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Nutrition Video

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Four Training Tips For A Century Ride

GIVE YOURSELF ENOUGH TIME

Matson notices that a lot of century riders, particularly first-timers, don't start training soon enough. The actual time a rider needs to train for 100 miles varies, but 3-4 months is a general timeframe Matson recommends.

He cites an example of a century newbie who rides regularly, has good equipment and goes on 15-30 mile rides.

"I think it takes 3-4 months for them to extend their volume and extend their distance so that not only do they survive, but they feel good," Matson said.

MIX LONG AND SHORT DAYS

Training 4-6 days a week is ideal, and it's more than just riding a lot of miles. Matson suggests one or two days a week for long rides, where you increase the distance and creep toward that 100-mile goal.

The other days, he says, "perform bike-structured intervals that improve pedaling mechanics, build muscle, expand aerobic capacity, and even, at later stages, work the higher end of VO2 max abilities."

HIGH-INTENSITY TRAINING

That last part—work the higher end of your VO2 max—can be done through high-intensity interval workouts. Basically, you go hard for a short period of time, rest by pedaling lightly, go hard, rest, and so on. What exactly your intervals are depends on how far along you are in your training.

"If you're in build one (of your periodization), you probably aren't going to do much high-intensity, or else it will be very short—10 seconds, 12 seconds," Matson said. "And you're going to build up to it. When you're four weeks out from your event, you might be doing 10 efforts that are above your lactate threshold, and they might last four minutes."

High-intensity training is constantly being studied. But the consensus is that it has undeniable positive effects on your endurance—and will help you complete a century ride.

A 100-MILE TRAINING RIDE? WHY NOT?

Many coaches feel that topping out your training rides at 70 or 75 miles will have you prepared for a century. Matson doesn't dispute that, but why stop there?

"If you can do 70 miles in training, you can do 100 miles on event day," Matson said. "On the other hand, why not go into the event knowing you can do the 100 miles by doing it three weeks out? You don't want to do 100 miles one week out, but do it three weeks out, then you can taper your training down."

The reason for considering a full-length training ride is simple: confidence.

"One hundred miles done three weeks out just gives you the knowledge that 'Hey, I can do this,'" Matson said. "It makes it that much easier on event day. You won't be focusing on 'Can I do it?' You will be focusing on how you do it."

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High Intensity Interval Training for Beginners:

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a form of cardio that alternates between high intensity and low intensity. This constant variation of intensity keeps your mind focused on your time and speed, making your workout more engaging and less boring.

HIIT usually involves a very difficult pace for 30-90 seconds followed by a rest for double that time. Once you become more fit, the intensity split will become 50-50. This recovery is called excess post-exercise oxygen consumption or EPOC, which means that there is a substantially large increase of oxygen intake to replenish the oxygen deficiency that you just experienced. This is important because you will actually be burning calories long after the workout is over.

Another benefit is that you increase your VO2 max, or the maximum volume of oxygen that your body can absorb. Meaning that you can last longer during all sorts of exercises. Also, HIIT increases your VO2 max quicker and faster compared to static cardio.

Stationary Bike

1. Warm up for 3-5 minutes: I usually have the resistance at a medium level so if its on a 1-20 scale I keep my warm-up and recovery time at around 10-12. When it comes time to do the intense interval, I bump it up to 15-18. Know that I am very fit and have been doing this for years, so if you are starting from ground zero don't go this intensely unless you want to throw up after your attempt.
2. 30 seconds high intensity, 1 minute low intensity (repeat 4 times)
3. 40 seconds high intensity, 1 minute low intensity (repeat 4 times)
4. 30 seconds high intensity, 1 minute low intensity (repeat 4 times)

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6 reasons to join an indoor class Part 1

By Jennifer Sage
Indoor Cycling Association

As the weather gets colder and days get shorter, cyclists begin thinking about how to continue their training. If you are a cyclist who is even marginally serious about improving—or at least maintaining—your performance, then you should be searching for ways to train indoors this winter.

This is regardless of whether you are a novice cyclist with goals to be able to ride for an hour more comfortably, or an intermediate cyclist looking to do your first (or improve on a past) metric or regular century, or a categoried cyclist planning your competitions. All would benefit from some sort of periodized structured training program over the winter.

You have three options in the winter:

Ride Outside

If you are the type to don every bit of clothing you own and train in freezing temperatures outside, and/or ride with headlights on dark roads after work, I applaud you and wish I were more like you. I'm sure others do too. But for many of us, it is not an option. Some of you are blessed to live in warm climates in winter, but you still may have your after-work training time encroached upon by shorter days.

Indoor Cycling Class

Join your local gym and take indoor cycling classes. (Spinning® is a brand of indoor cycling, so I'll refer to the generic term). This may prove to be a scary proposition for many of you, as many cycling classes have little to do with real cycling or employing proper training principles. However, there is hope, they don't all have to be "aerobics-on-a-bike"!

Trainer

Put your bike on a trainer (or purchase an indoor cycling bicycle), and plant yourself in front of your television, alone or with a few other cyclist friends. This is often referred to as "basement penance", and can be gruelingly boring if you don't have the right tools to motivate you. If you find it boring, you won't do it. However, in the past few years, there have been many companies who have created a wide variety of training videos that can keep you engaged and excited as you train indoors.

Which option is for you? Since I am a wimp on my bicycle in the cold and dark, and know I'm not alone, I'll leave those uber-motivated types who opt for option no. 1 to their own devices. Yes, I am jealous of you, but I'm also a realist.

Option no. 3 deserves its own post. I have some great suggestions for products for cyclists who prefer to train indoors in their own homes, including some brand new concepts for staying motivated. I will cover those in part 3 of this series.

This article will address why you should consider attending indoor cycling classes to train this winter. Part 2 will address how to optimize your experience once you are there and what movements or techniques to avoid.

Here are the advantages of going to an indoor cycling class:

Trainers are Boring and Not Always Practical

Face it, putting your bike on a trainer and riding in your basement or living room can be about as exciting as a root canal. Sure, you can put on your favorite music or watch a movie and just "veg out," but doing this three to four times a week gets old fast. You will soon hit your "ennui threshold" and as a result, your adherence to your training program may soon plummet. Save these days on your trainer for one or two days a week when you need a long Zone 1 or 2 ride and have an engaging movie to watch.

Camaraderie

There is definitely something to be said for the camaraderie in a group fitness class. You can get to know the instructor, and even share your training goals with him or her. If you're lucky and this instructor acts as a coach and not just a drill sergeant barking out orders, then he or she will probably take an active interest in your goals and help you achieve them. Classes are a great place for friends to gather to train together. Friendships can be forged that turn into outdoor riding buddies once the warmer cycling season arrives.

Music and Energy

One of the most common reasons given for attending an indoor cycling class is the music and energy of the class. It is just plain fun! Music plays a huge role in cycling classes, and can set the tone of the workout, can help set your tempo and can even transport you to another place through its emotional quality. Don't like the music your instructor plays? Try a different instructor or bring her a cd of your favorites and see if she'll add a few to her playlist.

Motivation

A good instructor will provide motivation to help riders go beyond their self-perceived limitations. On days where you are meant to go hard, having a coach motivating you will help you achieve your desired intensity levels for those intervals or that threshold ride. Alone on your trainer, it's just not as easy to motivate yourself to go hard.

Most classes are 50-60 minutes. In that time you can get a phenomenal workout, often more than you can push yourself alone on your trainer. This is why it's better to leave the Zone 2 workouts for your trainer, and your higher intensity sessions for a class. That being said, you can always ride at an easier pace than the instructor is asking for if your own workout plan calls for a lower intensity ride.

Form and Technique

Indoor cycling classes are a great place to work on your relaxed riding form. If you do still ride outdoors in the winter, you may be focused on traffic, the road surface, riding in a paceline, or paying attention to your riding buddies, and you may not give your technique enough mental focus.

Indoors, you can spend as much time as possible committing a relaxed upper body to your subconscious. If you have a tendency to let your shoulders ride up towards your ears, indoors is where you can fix it. If your knees tend to fall to the outside as you ride, focus on changing that indoors. You'll see that pedal stroke skills can be enhanced to a certain point as well. I'll explain later the differences in the drive-train between an indoor and an outdoor bike and how it potentially impacts the development of your pedal stroke.

Adherence

Through the camaraderie, energy, and motivation described above, adherence to a training program will be increased. Anything that will improve your adherence is worth doing, isn't it? Having an "appointment" with a specified class on a specific day will greatly increase your chances of doing that activity. It's so much easier to get distracted and put off a workout on your trainer at home. If you are coming home from work and plan to ride on your trainer at the same time as your kids are returning from school, dinner needs to be prepared, chores need to be done, the phone rings off the hook, and mayhem breaks out, you know the first thing to go is your own workout.

With your family squarely behind you, and with a fair trade for absenting yourself two early mornings or evenings a week, your indoor cycling class can become just like an appointment you must keep in your office. Studies have shown that when you treat your scheduled classes like any appointment at work and you schedule it and plan your day around it, your adherence to an event will greatly increase.

Part 2 will address the tendency of many indoor cycling classes to have little resemblance to anything you do on a bicycle and be more like "aerobics-on-a-bike". I will give you suggestions for how to seek out the best instructors with knowledge of cycling, and which popular movements or technique should be avoided at all costs.

In a nutshell, if you don't do it on your bicycle outside, don't do it on a bicycle indoors.
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By Jennifer Sage Part2
Indoor Cycling Association

I have good news and I have bad news regarding indoor cycling classes. Let's start with the bad news because I want to end on a positive note.

As a longtime master instructor in the indoor cycling industry for the past 15 years (meaning I've certified and educated a large number of instructors at conferences and workshops), I have found that the really good instructors who are well-versed in exercise science and practice effective, cycling-specific training techniques are unfortunately in the minority.

The fitness world has morphed the original intention of indoor cycling and Spinning® into aerobics classes on bikes, and has resorted to gimmicks and non-stop movements in their quest to keep students interested. But don't despair—there are good instructors out there who are more like coaches.

Let's examine the reason for this.

There is a schism between the "fitness" and "cycling" worlds that doesn't need to exist. Many instructors who cater just to the "fitness" community claim that they don't need to practice cycling-specific techniques because their students aren't cyclists, and aren't interested in performance improvement, but are interested instead in weight loss and having fun. Hence, they bring into the cycling studio techniques and movements they use in other group exercise classes.

Cyclists look at those crazy moves done in a typical "Spinning" class, shake their heads and vow never to step foot in there.

A "cycling-specific" class taught by a cyclist is often looked upon by the fitness crowd as elitist and boring. It doesn't have to be this way. Cycling-specific doesn't have to mean staying seated for 30 minutes or more without changing position, and it is not necessary to do Zone 2 training in a 45-60-minute class—that is what leads some to believe that cycling training is boring.

Cycling-specific simply means honoring the rules of biomechanics and proper cycling technique that have been found to be scientifically sound after decades of research on proper position, pedaling mechanics and optimal power output. There is no sport that has been studied as much as cycling—cycling boasts over 100 years of scientific study!

What is important to realize is that the same type of training that improves a cyclist's performance would be far more beneficial to the non-cycling population as well. The rules of biomechanics do not change between a cyclist and a non-cyclist, and they do not become less true because one moves from an outdoor road bike to an indoor bike. While there are a few differences with an indoor bike, such as a fixed gear drive train with a heavy flywheel, and the fact that most of the bikes do not move in any way (flex or bend), for the most part, you would still ride both bicycles in the same way.

Training using proper cycling techniques indoors would create adaptations in the non-cyclist's body that lead to greater fat burning and increased caloric consumption than they experience in their aerobics-on-a-bike classes. These non-outdoor-cycling indoor cyclists would find they have greater strength and endurance, better fitness, and would ultimately increase their weight loss if they stopped the madness and just rode the bike like a real bike.

How would we know? It all comes down to power output. Anything that would reduce a rider's power output (as all these crazy moves tend to do) reduces the effectiveness of the workout. Additionally, the additional fluff of aerobics-type moves does absolutely nothing to increase fitness, and in fact, may even lead to a decrease in their fitness potential. Many of these popular moves are not only less effective, but they are also quite dangerous.

The following is a list of popular movements or techniques that should be avoided at all costs in any indoor cycling class, whether the rider is a cyclist or not. If your instructor does any of these, simply smile and ride your bike like you're supposed to ride a bike. On the other hand, if the instructor insists the class do any of these, then run, don't walk, towards the nearest door.

I provide a short reason why these are contraindicated, but the detailed physiological, biomechanical, exercise science and cycling explanations can be found in the eBook Keep it Real.

Lifting Weights or Using Bands While Riding

These two training modalities should not be combined. Since you cannot lift the amount of weight that would increase your muscle fiber strength, it is a total waste of time from the weight lifting standpoint and it detracts substantially from your ability to pedal properly. Therefore, neither modality does you any good, and the effectiveness of each are negated. Go to the weight room after class if you want stronger pecs or delts. Unfortunately, adding weight workouts to pedaling has become all the rage lately, as studios try to combine upper body workouts with cardio. Just don't do it!

Pushups

If you are sitting at a desk reading this, put your hands on the desk or table infront of you and do a couple of so-called pushups. Need I say more? They do nothing for you pecs and everything to inhibit your pedaling and proper breathing. You can include any kind of upper-body contrived movement in this category, such as twisting or turning or bobbing and weaving.

Crunches

Similar to pushups, they are not effective when sitting upright. The instructor does not know his exercise physiology if he's teaching these. Cyclists do need to work their core, but do so in a pilates or fitball class and not on the bike.

Hovers

Very, very popular. Instructors claim hovers mimic mountain biking and that they work the glutes and hamstrings. In reality, all they do is put your knees, hips and back at risk, because the butt is pushed way back over the saddle, hyperextending the low back, while you are pedaling at 70-90 times a minute. Biomechanically the knee joint is at an unsound angle to apply effective force to the pedal.

Besides, on a mountain bike, when you push the hips back and lower the shoulders, it is because you are going downhill steeply and you don't want fly over the bars. You are also maneuvering the bike underneath you, and you are not pedaling while you do it.

Isolations

Instructors like to turn indoor cycling classes into a core workout by having you hold completely still and suck in the abs. They might ask for you to "isolate" the hips while pedaling. The quads and glutes will soon start burning, but do not interpret that as an effective burn. There is nothing functional about this movement—the burn is from mechanical inefficiency. You won't become more fit by doing this, and your core will not become stronger, but you will look silly and like all the rest, your ability to maintain a consistent pedal stroke is inhibited.

Squats, or Lowering the Hips

Potentially one of the most dangerous of the popular moves. One can only imagine the increased forces in the knee joint as the hips are lowered, and as the pedal drives the tibia upwards into the femur at an odd angle 80 or 90 times a minute. Think improper squats in the weight room driving the knees forward of the toes—at super high speeds.

Proponents love to praise the burn in the quads, but similar to isolations, that burn is due to mechanical inefficiency, not any kind of functional strength building in the muscle. Get out of there fast if your instructor does these.

Excessive High Cadence With No Resistance

Part of the power equation is to have a force against which to push. If there is no (or too low) resistance, then power drops, even if cadence is high. When power is reduced, work is decreased, and so is fitness potential and calories burned. Instead of pedaling like a hamster on crack, bobbing in the saddle at 120-plus rpm, it's far better to turn up the resistance and lower the cadence—preferably below 100 rpm. Do this and your power will increase—a goal of all cyclists, indoors and outdoors.

What is a cyclist to do? Well, the good news is that there are many excellent and motivating instructors out there who do ride a real bike and bring their outdoor experiences indoors.

You may have to do some searching and try different instructors. If you can't find the perfect cyclist-coach combination but you find someone you enjoy who motivates you, the rest is up to you. Remember, indoor cycling is all about taking responsibility for your own training. No one else is forcing you to do anything you don't want to do.

When you first start looking for a class, ask the fitness director which instructors are outdoor cyclists, and let them know you are looking for classes that refrain from aerobics-on-a-bike techniques (known in the industry as "contraindications" in indoor cycling). Inquire whether they require all their instructors to maintain their certifications. While this is not a guarantee of quality, it is at least a first step.

Try out several classes. You may find an instructor who provides a fun and effective workout, but perhaps the intensity is too high all the time or she changes positions a little too often for your tastes or current training needs. Just sit in the saddle, ride your own ride and decide not do those movements.

The following are the potential benefits that can be achieved through proper training indoors in cycling classes. You simply have to train these elements of your cycling fitness the same way you would train them outdoors or on your trainer: intelligently, with the right gear (resistance) and realistic cadences. In general, cadence ranges of 55-85 would indicate a hill, and 75-110 rpm would indicate a flat road. (Note that the cadence suggestions and durations below are approximate ranges for the general population—there are always exceptions based on ability).

• Aerobic endurance: Best enhanced with sessions longer than one hour
• Tempo workouts: Moderate 90-100 rpm in Zone 3 -- the zen of indoor cycling!
• Muscular endurance: Climbs focusing on repeatedly contracting against a resistance gradually maintaining the climb for longer and longer periods, 65-85 rpm.
• Force development: Higher resistance climbs of 55-65 rpm (50 rpm advisable only for cyclists who have already established excellent strength)
• Lactate threshold improvement: Probably one of the best ways to utilize your indoor cycling classes is to train your lactate threshold through longer Zone 4 intervals. Sparingly, that is.
• Anaerobic endurance: High intensity interval training of 1-3 minutes.
• Aerobic capacity/VO2 max: "Sufferfest" anaerobic Zone 5 intervals of 3-8 minutes
• Anaerobic Capacity: Very high intensity Zone 5 intervals of about 15-60 seconds.
• Neuromuscular/Leg Speed: While the neuromuscular adaptations are limited due to the fact that most bikes have a heavy flywheel pulling the pedals around, you can still train your leg speed if you make sure to stay ahead of the flywheel and to have sufficient resistance. Cap your leg speed drills indoors on a bike with a flywheel at 110 rpm, perhaps up to 120 rpm for skilled cyclists. Work on spin-ups and accelerations against a resistance.
• Explosive Power (Sprinting): Be very careful with these. Most instructors and students do not know a true sprint. Duration is less than 30 seconds and resistance is high. Do not do these except in the spring as you approach your cycling season.
• Technique: Classes are a fantastic place to work on pedal stroke drills, keeping the knees in, and upper body relaxation while riding.
• Mind-Body Focus: Visualize your favorite rides outside. Establish your mental strength and tenacity indoors, so you can transfer it to your rides outdoors. Indoors is a wonderful venue to work on your mind-body focus, and is facilitated with the right (usually instrumental) music that can transform you to another place.
• Recovery Rides: An indoor cycling class is a great place to spin your legs easily the day after a hard workout. Keep the intensity low

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A Word About Hand Positions

Some indoor cycling programs will dictate where and when you should put your hands on the handlebars. Ignore these requirements for the most part and put your hands where you are most comfortable, changing them often and keeping in mind the reasons you put them where you do on your bike outside.

For example, when you stand up, you most likely move them to the outsides of the bars for stability and leverage. Do the same indoors—it's uncomfortable and ineffective to keep them on the tops of the bars in a standing position. Refrain from holding the hands in the center of the bars at any time, or holding them in any type of prayer position.

There is a lot of real estate on the bars on indoor bicycles, for the simple reason that the bikes are designed for riders of many different sizes. When seated, if you are tall with long arms, you may be able to comfortably slide your hands forward on the bars, almost to the bar ends. On the other hand, if you have short arms or a short trunk, then you wouldn't want to slide your hands near the bar ends while seated—it would be like riding a bike that is two sizes too big for you and would cause stress in the neck and shoulders.

Instead, put your hand on the handlebars so that you maintain a 90-degree angle at the shoulder joint. Stretching forward greatly increases that angle. When standing with a lot of resistance (climbing), move the hands to the bar ends as if on the hoods of your own brake levers.

The aero position is not recommended for anyone on any type of indoor cycling bicycle, triathlete or not, and regardless of whether the instructor says to do so or not. These bikes are not your expensive, perfectly-fit road bikes. They are also not the same geometry of a triathlon or time trial bike, so an aero position will potentially do more damage than good. If you are a triathlete and need to practice the aero position, do it on your trainer at home.

A Word About Intensity

Indoor cycling classes often tend to be pedal-to-the-metal in every class, every week of the year. I recommend working all aspects of your cycling fitness, including the range of intensity parameters that are outlined in the list above. Periodize your program, starting with easier workouts in the early winter and then gradually increasing intensity throughout the winter months. Alternate harder days with easier days, and higher cadence, lower gear workouts with higher resistance climbing workouts.

When it's time to go hard, classes are a fantastic place to give it your all, perhaps even more so than alone on your trainer. But if your own training program calls for an easier workout than the instructor has planned, stick to your own plan and try not to get caught up in the energy of the class and go harder than you are supposed to. Wearing a heart rate monitor can help you stay honest with your planned workout.

In summary, when deciding whether to do a movement in an indoor cycling class, ask yourself if it would inhibit power output and performance outdoors, or your ability to ride your bike properly. If so, then it will do the same indoors and you should not do it. If it would likely injure or cause discomfort in a cyclist on a road bike, then it will likely injure or cause discomfort indoors too. It's that simple. Embrace the wonderful benefits of indoor cycling classes and remember to Keep it real.

Just ride the bike!