Danny Thomas
2016 Training
January 11, 2016  Tyler’s Taproom
1
About this presentation:
• Many thanks to Joe Friel and Andrew Coggins for the research on
which much of the hard data is based.
• Don’t get hung up on small details. This is a “big picture” look at the
topic. I’m going to oversimplify like hell.
• Ask questions. There’s a lot of information and each slide could
easily represent a separate presentation so I’m going to go fast
unless you ask questions.
• If you have a personal coach, listen to him or her. They know your
particular situation better than I do.
2
Setting up a Personal Training Plan
• Determine where you are (testing or self-assessment)
- Determine your specific weaknesses and strengths
• Decide where you want to be
- Set a Goal (a specific race, category upgrade, etc.)
• Decide how many hours you have to train
• Plot out the training season between where you are and where you
want to be
- Work on major limiter first (with some general work to maintain
strengths)
- Sharpen strengths as you approach Peak
Personalizing the Basic Plan
3
Basic Rules of Training
• No matter what you read in magazines, there are no secret
shortcuts in training (that are legal).
• The upper limit of your ability is ultimately determined by your
genetics. Choose your parents wisely. Training determines how
close you can get to your personal genetic limit.
• Training is all about overload and recovery, both of which are
equally important. When most people think of training, they are
really just thinking about the overload. Overload stresses the
system and breaks it down. ALL of the improvement occurs
during recovery (primarily sleep).
• Too much overload and too little recovery produces a DECLINE in
performance (overtraining).
You only improve when you rest
4
More Basic Rules of Training
• There are multiple systems that you must train. Each type of
overload affects a different system or combination of systems and
therefore produces a different training effect.
• You should train your weakest system and race your strongest one.
• When you go hard, go very hard. When you go easy, go very easy.
If you do what you’ve always done you’ll get what you’ve always
got.
• You peak by periodizing. Avoid peaking too early.
You are limited by your weakest system
5
The Biggest Mistakes in Training
• Always doing what you do best (training your strengths)
• Training too much and resting too little (overtraining)
• Not enough variability (riding the 7’s)
- Going too hard when you go easy (not enough recovery)
- Going too easy when you go hard (not enough intensity)
- Confusing volume with intensity (How many miles did you ride?)
• Not being able to set aside your ego when you train (and/or not
incorporating it when you race)
• Forgetting about the “W” in Power/Weight
• Peaking too early (or not at all)
More does not mean better
6
Before We Start:
Some Basic Definitions You
Should Know
7
AeT, VT, AT, LT
• Confusion of terms resulting from the history of testing:
- Aerobic Threshold (AeT) => Aerobic pathway is just entering higher range.
Typically begins at a heartrate about 20 beats/min below AT. (old was HR=120)
- Ventilatory Threshold (VT) => Between AeT and AT. Urge to breath hard.
- Anaerobic Threshold (AT) => Uncontrollable urge to pant. Aerobic pathway has
hit its steady state maximum. You cannot process any more O2 beyond this point and
all additional power above this is produced anaerobically.
- Lactate Threshold (LT) => Point at which blood lactate increases to 4 mmol/ltr
(bucket analogy)
• Efforts above AT cannot be sustained for more than about 30 minutes. Efforts above LT
cannot be sustained for more than about 1 hour (these are approximations).
• Training below your LT will increase vascularization and improve endurance but does
essentially nothing to help your anaerobic capacity.
• Training above AT will increase both total muscle volume and percentage of fast twitch
muscle but will severely decrease time to overload. This will increase your short-term
power but limit increase in vascularization.
The two energy systems converge at LT / AT
8
The Five Systems You Need to Train
• Metabolic and Storage: Converts and stores various chemicals
into immediately usable forms (food and fat to glucose, glycogen or
CP).
• Oxygen Transfer: Moves O2 from the air to the appropriate cells
(muscles, brain, etc)
• Energy Production: Converts glucose, glycogen and CP into ATP
• Energy Conversion: Converts ATP into muscle contraction
• Neuro-muscular: Interaction between the brain and the muscles.
- Recruitment: How many muscle fibers are involved (and what type)
- Efficiency: The ability to convert muscle contraction into wins
- The “Crazy Factor”: Pushing the survival instinct (brain training)
You are limited by your weakest system
9
Metabolic and Storage Systems: Converts food
and fat to glucose, glycogen or CP
• ATP is the ONLY fuel usable by the muscles. Period. At any given
moment, there is only enough ATP in the body for about 6 seconds
of all-out effort. Training doesn’t significantly change that.
• CP is the compound most easily converted into ATP. The muscles
and liver store enough CP for about 20 secs of all-out effort.
Training can increase that slightly, but not much. (Creatine MH)
• Glucose is the primary long-term source of ATP. It is created
continuously by digestion and is converted to ATP within the cells
(mitochondria) through a reaction called the Kreb’s cycle. Training
WILL affect the number and efficiency of the mitochondria.
• Glycogen is the stored form of glucose. There is UP TO 2 hours
supply stored in the muscles and liver. Training WILL strongly
influence the amount of glycogen stored in the muscles (initially)
Metabolism primarily determines Endurance
10
Oxygen Transfer System: Moving Maximum O2
• Together the heart, lungs, blood, and network of blood vessels
(vascularization) determine the quantity of O2 available to the cells.
• Training will improve the ability of all of these systems to transport
O2.
• Although the upper limits of the heart and lung capacity are
determined by genetics, significant gains from sedentary levels are
generally possible. The blood and vascularization are less
genetically determined and more strongly influenced by
environment and training.
• The response to training by most of these systems is slow and
requires significant time to make significant improvements.
O2 Transfer primarily determines LT
11
Energy Production: Converts glucose, glycogen
and CP into ATP
• Energy is created by ATP -> ADP after which ADP must be
regenerated to ATP
• CP converts ADP directly to ATP. One-time shot and not much CP.
• Glycogen is easily (and quickly) converted into glucose
• Glucose has two paths through the Krebs cycle, aerobic (using O2)
and anaerobic (does not require O2). The aerobic path produces
36 ATP’s per glucose. The anaerobic path produces 2 ATP’s per
glucose (plus lactic acid).
• Lactic acid is buffered and stored until there is enough oxygen to go
through the aerobic pathway.
There are two separate energy systems LT+ LT-
12
Energy Conversion: Converts ATP into motion
• There are 6 different types of muscle tissue, lumped into two groups;
slow twitch and fast twitch.
• Fast twitch produces maximum power because it has lots of local
glycogen/CP storage (big gas tank) but it has less endurance because it
has less vascularization (poorer blood supply).
• Slow twitch produces less power because it has less local glycogen/CP
storage (small gas tank) but more endurance because it has greater
vascularization (better blood supply).
• How high can you jump?
• Genetics determines your base % of fast vs slow. Training will affect
that % BUT ONLY TO A LIMITED DEGREE (approx. +/- 25%).
An elite marathoner will never become a elite sprinter
13
Basic Types of Training
• Endurance: Long slow distance. Below VT. Limited only by metabolic
system. Defined by O2 Transfer system. Trains metabolic system, neuromuscular system (efficiency). Does not significantly improve O2 transfer,
energy production or energy conversion systems.
• LT: Threshold training. Occurs between VT and AT. Limited by metabolic
system and O2 transfer system. Trains primarily O2 transfer system,
neuro-muscular system (efficiency and crazy factor), and aerobic side of
energy production (enzymes, co-factors, etc). Leads to increase in
volume and percentage of slow twitch muscles (with corresponding
decrease in fast twitch percentage).
• Anaerobic (intervaI training): Above AT (typically alternated with sub-LT
or LSD). Trains everything to some degree except metabolic system
although typically too short to make big gains in O2 system and aerobic
system. Best way to train anaerobic path of energy production system.
Particularly good training neuro-muscular (recruitment and crazy factor)
and lactic acid buffering. Leads to increased volume and percent of fast
twitch (some loss of slow twitch %). Biggest bang for the buck timewise.
Each workout targets a different system
14
Defining LT by Perceived Exertion (Scale of 1-10)
•E
1-5 Easy (normal breathing, easy conversation (AeT@5)
• VT
6
Hard (conversation affected, moderate breathing)
• LT
7
Very Hard (deep breath, can’t say 5 words w/o a breath)
• AT
8 + Very Very Hard (uncontrollable urge to pant, can’t talk)
• Max
10 (all out, can’t talk, can’t maintain for more than 6-10 secs)
LT is a 7 on a 10 point scale
15
Defining FTP and LTHR
• If you are training with Power Meter:
- FTP (Functional Threshold Power) is the power you produce at LT. It is
defined at a specific blood lactate level (4 mmol/ltr)
- FTP is roughly the maximum average power that you can maintain
for an hour.
• If you are training with a Heart Rate Monitor:
- LTHR (Lactate Threshold Heart Rate) is the max average heart rate
that you can sustain for 30 minutes
LT by FTP and LTHR
16
Classification of Abilities
• Six Aspects of Ability
- Speed
- Speed-Endurance (SE)
- Max Power
- Strength
- Strength-Endurance (ME)
- Endurance (E)
• For Road racing, the two most important abilities are
Speed-Endurance (SE) and Strength-Endurance (ME)
Racers Need Speed-Endurance and Strength-Endurance
17
Training Scale (Modified Coggins/Friel Scales)
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Level
1-4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Description
Active Recovery
Endurance
Tempo
LT (Threshold)
VO2 Max
Anaerobic Cap
Neuromuscular
Pct FTP
Pct LTHR
< 55%
<80%
56-75%
82-88%
76-90%
89-93%
91-105%
94-102%
106-120% 103-105%
121-150%
106%+
max effort
N/A
FTP = 95% of avg watts for 20 min max effort
LTHR= Avg HR for minutes 10-30 of 30 min max effort (workout)
The Zones on a 10 Point Scale
18
Heart Rate Scale (Friel Scale)

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
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


Level
1
2
3
4
5a
5b
5c
Description
Active Recovery
Endurance
Tempo
Sub Threshold
Super Threshold
Aerobic Capacity
Anaerobic Capacity
FYI Only
Pct LTHR
< 81%
82-89%
90-93%
94-99%
100-102%
103-106%
106%+
19
Setting up a Personal Training Plan
• Determine where you are (testing or self-assessment)
- Determine your specific weaknesses and strengths
• Decide where you want to be
- Set a Goal (a specific race, category upgrade, etc.)
• Decide how many hours you have to train
• Plot out the training season between where you are and where you
want to be
- Work on major limiter first (with some general work)
- Sharpen strengths as you approach Peak
Personalizing the Basic Plan
20
Select your Strength
If you’re best at:
then your strengths are:
Short Steep Climbs
Longer Climbs
Group Pulls
Bridging Gaps
Short TT (20K or less)
Medium TT (20-40K)
Long TT (40K or more)
County line Sprints
Strength
Endurance & Strength-Endurance
Speed-Endurance
Speed & Speed-Endurance
Speed-Endurance
Strength-Endurance
Endurance & Strength-Endurance
Max Power
Choose Races Based on Your Strengths
21
Select your Weakness
If you’re not good at:
then you need to train your:
Long or Steep Climbs
Group Pulls
Bridging Gaps
Short TT (20K or less)
Medium TT (20-40K)
Long TT (40K or more)
Sprints
Strength & Strength-Endurance
Speed-Endurance
Speed & Speed-Endurance
Speed-Endurance
Strength-Endurance
Endurance & Strength-Endurance
Max Power
Train based on Your Weaknesses
22
Start by Determining LT
• If you are training with Power Meter (FTP):
-
Warm up for 20 minutes (include all levels)
Reset Power Meter
Do a 20 min max effort (start around 200-250 watts and adjust accordingly)
Multiply 20 minute maximum effort average wattage by *0.95
ROUGH Estimates for typical FTP’s:
Cat 1-2
Cat 2-3
Cat 3-4
Cat 4-5
Under 35
350+
300-350
250-300
200-250
35-45
325+
275-325
225-275
190-225
Over 45
300+
250-300
210-250
170-210
Determining FTP
23
Look at your Power to Weight
ROUGH Estimates of Power/Weight (FTP/Kg):
Cat 1-2
Cat 2-3
Cat 3-4
Cat 4-5
4.5+
3.8-4.5
3.2-3.8
2.4-3.2
(Contador or Froome will be 6+)
Power/Weight is a good indicator of strength-endurance (ME)
FTP/Kg is a good indicator of ME
24
LT by LTHR
If you are training with a Heart Rate Monitor (LTHR):
- Warm up for 20 minutes at all levels
- Reset HR monitor
- Do a 30 minute max effort (start around PE of 7/10 and adjust
accordingly)
- Record/Monitor/analyze only last 20 minute average (minutes
10-30)
- Can also be estimated using a Conconi test (about 85% of
people)
LTHR
25
Additional Test with Power Meter
• Testing Max Power and Speed Endurance:
-
Warm up for 20-30 min (include all effort levels)
Slow to essentially standing speed (or standing start)
Reset Power Meter
Accelerate as hard as possible for 0.2 miles (or 30 secs)
Record Max Power and Average Power in Watts
For Experienced Riders Only:
Excellent
Good
Under 35
Max
Avg
950+
650+
800-950
550-650
SE => Ratio Avg/Max
35- 45
Max
875+
750-875
Avg
600+
525-600
Over 45
Max
Avg
800+
550+
675-800 475-550
Fair is 70-75% Good is 75-80% Excellent is 80%+
Testing for Power
26
Setting up a Personal Training Plan
• Determine where you are (testing or self-assessment)
- Determine your specific weaknesses and strengths
• Determine where you want to be
- Set a Goal (a specific race, category upgrade, etc.)
• Determine how many hours you have to train
• Plot out the training season between where you are and where you
want to be
- Work on major limiter first (with some general work)
- Sharpen strengths as you approach Peak
Personalizing the Basic Plan
27
SMART Goals
•
•
•
•
•
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Time Specific
• Examples:
- Increase FTP by 20 watts by September
- Upgrade to Cat 4 this year
- Break 1 hour for the 40K TT before the last race of the 2016 Season
28
Setting up a Personal Training Plan
• Determine where you are (testing or self-assessment)
- Determine your specific weaknesses and strengths
• Decide where you want to be
- Set a Goal (a specific race, category upgrade, etc.)
• Decide how many hours you have to train
• Plot out the training season between where you are and where you
want to be
- Work on major limiter first (with some general work)
- Sharpen strengths as you approach Peak
Personalizing the Basic Plan
29
How many hours should you train?
• Only you can determine but a “typical average” number would be:
-
Cat 1-2
Cat 3
Cat 4
Cat 5
15-20 hrs/week
12-15 hrs/week
6-8 hrs/wk
5-6 hrs/wk
• No week is average. Actual hours for any given week depend on:
- Time of year
- Where you are in your progression (AKA Periodization)
- Goals
Training Time
30
Setting up a Personal Training Plan
• Determine where you are (testing or self-assessment)
- Determine your specific weaknesses and strengths
• Decide where you want to be
- Set a Goal (a specific race, category upgrade, etc.)
• Decide how many hours you have to train
• Plot out the training season between where you are and
where you want to be
- Work on major limiter first (with some general work)
- Sharpen strengths as you approach Peak
Personalizing the Basic Plan
31
Basic Training Structure
- Novice Riders
- Experienced Riders
- Under 50 Riders
- Over 50 Riders
The Generics
32
Basic Training Plan – Less than 2 yrs cycling
• Under 30 – 4 days per week:
-
1 day Endurance (3+ hours, all but 10 min <LT. No AT)
1 day LT (75 % of time of longest event, all VT to LT)
1 day Form Training (leg speed, pedal mechanics, efficiency)
1 day specific to you (defined later)
• 30-50 – 4 days per week:
-
1 day Endurance (2+ hrs, all but 15 min <LT. No AT)
1 day LT (75 % of time of longest event, all VT to LT)
1 day Form or Strength Training (leg speed, pedal mechanics, efficiency)
1 day specific to you (defined later)
• Over 50 – 3 days per week:
- 1 day Modified LT (2+ hours, 50-75 % between VT and LT. No AT)
- 1 day LT (No more than1 hr between VT and AT, 12-15 min above LT)
- 1 day specific to you (defined later)
Novice Riders need form and endurance training
33
Race Training for the Novice
• All Novice riders need to emphasize:
-
Pedal mechanics
Leg speed
Endurance (particularly young novices)
Riding skill and etiquette (riding straight and predictably)
• Older Novice riders can include a little Strength-Endurance and
Speed-Endurance from the beginning but should proceed slowly.
• Highest intensity levels should be avoided for AT LEAST 3 months
and 1000 miles, whichever is greater
Novices Need Form and Endurance
34
Basic Training Plan – More than 3 yrs cycling
• Under 30 – 4 days per week:
-
1 day Endurance (3+ hours, all but 15 min <LT. No AT)
1 day LT (75 % of time of longest event, all VT to LT)
1 day AT (8-12 min above AT, no more than 30 min above VT)
1 day specific to you (defined later)
• 30-50 – 4 days per week:
-
1 day Endurance (2+ hrs, all but 20 min <LT. No AT)
1 day LT (75 % of time of longest event, all VT to LT)
1 day AT (10-12 min above AT, no more than 45 min above VT)
1 day specific to you (defined later)
• Over 50 – 3 days per week:
- 1 day Modified LT (2+ hours, 50-75 % between VT and LT. No AT)
- 1 day LT+ (15-30 min above LT, no more than 90 min between VT and AT)
- 1 day specific to you (defined later)
Experienced riders need intensity
35
Periodization
• Rhythm of Effort
• Four Week Blocks
- Under 50:
EASY, HARD, HARDER, HARDEST
- Over 50:
EASY, HARD, EASY, HARDER
• Four Periods: Build 1, Build 2, Race, Recovery
- Novice: Volume first, intensity second (classic pyramid theory)
- Experienced: Intensity throughout (reverse or cyclic periodization)
Periodizing Helps You Peak
36
Basic Endurance Workouts
• E1 Rolling group rides never exceeding Level 7 (LT) with minimum
time above Level 6 (Tempo) or below Level 4 (Recovery)
- No less than 2 hours in length
- Time dependent on training period and longest race (traditionally longer
in early season and at least 130% of longest event)
• E2 Solo Continuous Rides at Levels 4-5 (Recovery-Endurance)
- No less than 3 hours in length
- Time dependent on training period and longest race (traditionally longer
in early season and at least 200% of longest event)
Typical group rides are E1 rides
37
Basic Strength Workouts
• F1 Moderate Hills
- Up to 6% for less than 3 minutes at Level 3-7
- Stay seated at 70 rpm or higher
- Recover for at least 10 minutes
• F2 Long Hills
- Up to 8% for 6 minutes or more at Level 3-7 (Lystra Repeats)
- Mostly seated at 60 rpm or higher
- Recover for at least 10 minutes
• F3 Steep Hill Repeats (Ball Road)
- 8% or greater
- 2 minutes at Level 8
- Recover 3-5 minutes Level 1
Strength (not including weightroom)
38
Basic Speed Workouts
• S1 Spinups
- Spin up gradually (over a minute) to max rpm w/o bouncing
- Hold as long as possible
- Recover 3 minutes, repeat
• S5 Form Sprints (Granny gear sprints)
-
Shift to an easy gear that you can spin out at max effort
Stand and sprint for 10 seconds
Sit and continue for 5 more seconds at max effort
Recover for five minutes, repeat
• S6 Group Sprints
- 15 second all out sprints during a group ride
- 5 minutes or more recovery at Level 5 or lower, repeat
Speed and Form
39
Basic Strength (Muscle) Endurance Workouts
• M1 Tempo
- Ride at Level 6 without recovery at TT cadence
- Aero position as much as possible
- Start at 20 minutes, build to 90 minutes by adding 10-15 minutes/week
• M2 Cruise Intervals
- 3-5 intervals of 6-12 minutes at middle of level 7
- Recover for 3 minutes
• M3 Hill Intervals
- Same as Cruise Intervals except on long 2-4% grade
• M5 Crossovers
- 5-8 Intervals of 4 minutes each
- Start at bottom of Level 7 build to top of Level 7 over two minutes then drop
back to bottom of level 7 over 2 minutes. Repeat.
Strength Endurance (ME)
40
Basic Strength (Muscle) Endurance Workouts
• M6 Threshold
- 20-40 minutes steady within Zone 7 with NO recovery
Strength Endurance – cont’d
41
Basic Speed-Endurance Workouts
• A2 SE Intervals
- 5 intervals, 3-6 min at Level 8
- Recover for same time at Level 3-4
• A3 Pyramid Intervals
- Same as A2 but 1,2,3,4,4,3,2,1 minutes at level 8
- Recover for same time as interval
• A4 Hill Intervals
- Same as SE Intervals except on 6-8% grade
• A5 Lactate Tolerance Intervals
- 6-8 intervals, 90 sec-2 min at Level 9 (total work 12 min or less)
- Recover for 2-3 times work interval (3 min-6 min)
Speed Endurance (SE)
42
Max Power Workouts
• P1 Jumps
- 3-5 sets of 5 jumps each of 10-12 pedal strokes at high cadence at
POWER Level 9 (heart rate not valid indicator)
- Recover for 1 minute between jumps and 5 minutes between sets
• P2 Hill Sprints
- 6-9 sprints at Max Power of 10-20 seconds on a hill with 6-9% grade
- Recover 5 minutes after each sprint
• P3 Sprinters Intervals
- 6-10 intervals of 15 seconds at 30mph+ followed by 15 seconds at peak
speed. Record peak and attempt to increase on each sprint.
- Recover for 5 minutes at Level 1-3 after each sprint
Max Power
43
Training on 5 hours per week
• Novice riders should start out with strictly endurance and form
training. Two sessions of endurance of approximately 2 hours each
and 2 sessions of form and/or speed of 30 minutes each. Once they
have at least a month of base, they can replace one session of
endurance with a session of SE or ME and lengthen the remaining
endurance session to fit the time available.
• Experienced riders should focus on the LT, SE, and ME sessions
and limit the single endurance training to time available. The
endurance session can include some additional SE and ME time
early in the season, but that should be limited once the individual
SE and ME sessions get more intense.
Intensity Trumps Volume
44
Training and Racing Nutrition
• For rides and/or races lasting less than an hour there is no need for
specific nutrition procedures. For rides over an hour, consume 1-1.5
cal/hr/# starting 20 minutes into the ride, ending 30 minutes before the
end. Low GI for endurance, high GI for anaerobic efforts.
• There is no need to over-do vitamins and minerals. One generic
multivitamin a day is sufficient unless you have a problem.
• Every older rider should get a daily supplement containing Iron and B
vitamins (particularly B12). Fish Oil (a blood thinner) can also help
• Daily diet should contain adequate low GI carbohydrates (70% of
calories) during the 24 hours before training/racing and adequate
protein (3-5 grams/kilo/day of essential proteins every day).
• Early season endurance rides are exceptions to above (depletion
training can be done during VERY easy endurance rides).
Low GI Carbs are King for training and endurance
45
Misc: Cramps
• The #1 cause of cramps is muscle fatigue
• The remaining causes are:
-
Dehydration
Electrolyte imbalance (primarily sodium or potassium)
Mineral deficiency (primarily magnesium or calcium)
Illness (some viral infections, not really typical)
Spring Cramps!!!
46
QUESTIONS?