MetriGear
The Training Plan Arrives
So after musing about the numerous different training approaches available for us cyclists to consider I finally decided to take my own advice and get a coach on board. The training plan arrived today and starts in earnest on Monday.
Well, I say it starts on Monday - in reality Rich's advice was "race on Saturday, then do a steady 2-4 hours on Sunday...". Hmmm, I have a sportive on Sunday that I don't think I told him about... oops, sorry Rich! Ok so it's a bad start, but it doesn't officially start until Monday, and to be honest if there's any inclement weather in store for Sunday I'm likely to stay nicely tucked up in bed. Besides which, I'm reliant on a lift, and my lift might bail anyway!
Anyway, the general gist of what's in order for me over the next 6 weeks is something along the lines of:
Hurt yourself on the rollers
Have a day off riding, but hurt yourself doing weights
Steadily increase the self-inflicted pain on the rollers
Have a couple of easy days
Hurt yourself racing
Bore yourself to death staying in zone 1 for a few hours
Repeat
This is interspersed with some really painful sounding weights and rollers days, some really hard club park ride efforts and a self-inflicted Capital-Coast-Capital 130 mile twitter ride. This is gonna be a painful 6 weeks!
Yes, alright - I'm exaggerating, and let's face it I signed up for it all for a reason. And for once I really have some focus to my riding which I'm really looking forward to. At the end of this 6-week session Rich and I will be having a catch-up to see how I've got on, and this is a part of the reason I've gone with a coach. Having to report in to someone is (I'm hoping) going to give me the incentive to actually do what's been suggested, not to mention hopefully being able to see some good improvements in my riding.
But what of the other methods I spoke of in that previous article? Well, power isn't being ignored - it will help both myself and Rich to ensure I'm doing exactly what I'm supposed to rather than having to use the not-perfect-but-it'll-do (can I say 'old-fashioned'?!) method of using heart rate. A power meter of some description is still likely to appear at some stage. On this front, I've recently become more and more intrigued by the iBike Pro. It seems difficult to workout how it works and many seem to slate it, but many of those haven't used it's latest 'Generation III' incarnation. I'm tempted too by it's significant price difference over my other favoured option of a Quarq Cinqo Saturn for my Rotor 3D cranks. It costs 50% less!
Powercranks? Nah, binned that idea - even despite positive endorsements from some big-name pros (Cuddles uses them apparently!). Too expensive for something that basically exaggerates what the rollers do. Oh yeah, and they're ugly (remember who you're dealing with here!).
A turbo? Nah - prefer rollers. MUCH prefer rollers. I've also come to the conclusion that rollers with resistance are still going to be a kicker of a workout, as well as working my core and technique at the same time. Turbo schmurbo.
Cross-training? Yup, sticking with this one - I'll probably run on the days that Rich has advised to take it steady or do light weights or something. Switching things up a bit and chucking in some 'body shock' is no bad thing to my mind, as long as I don't overdo it.
So, a coach for now, and Power Training set to arrive just as soon as I can justify the expense. I'll keep you posted on how things pan out...
Oh, did I mention I fancy doing some TTs too?!
Well, I say it starts on Monday - in reality Rich's advice was "race on Saturday, then do a steady 2-4 hours on Sunday...". Hmmm, I have a sportive on Sunday that I don't think I told him about... oops, sorry Rich! Ok so it's a bad start, but it doesn't officially start until Monday, and to be honest if there's any inclement weather in store for Sunday I'm likely to stay nicely tucked up in bed. Besides which, I'm reliant on a lift, and my lift might bail anyway!
Anyway, the general gist of what's in order for me over the next 6 weeks is something along the lines of:
Hurt yourself on the rollers
Have a day off riding, but hurt yourself doing weights
Steadily increase the self-inflicted pain on the rollers
Have a couple of easy days
Hurt yourself racing
Bore yourself to death staying in zone 1 for a few hours
Repeat
This is interspersed with some really painful sounding weights and rollers days, some really hard club park ride efforts and a self-inflicted Capital-Coast-Capital 130 mile twitter ride. This is gonna be a painful 6 weeks!
Yes, alright - I'm exaggerating, and let's face it I signed up for it all for a reason. And for once I really have some focus to my riding which I'm really looking forward to. At the end of this 6-week session Rich and I will be having a catch-up to see how I've got on, and this is a part of the reason I've gone with a coach. Having to report in to someone is (I'm hoping) going to give me the incentive to actually do what's been suggested, not to mention hopefully being able to see some good improvements in my riding.
But what of the other methods I spoke of in that previous article? Well, power isn't being ignored - it will help both myself and Rich to ensure I'm doing exactly what I'm supposed to rather than having to use the not-perfect-but-it'll-do (can I say 'old-fashioned'?!) method of using heart rate. A power meter of some description is still likely to appear at some stage. On this front, I've recently become more and more intrigued by the iBike Pro. It seems difficult to workout how it works and many seem to slate it, but many of those haven't used it's latest 'Generation III' incarnation. I'm tempted too by it's significant price difference over my other favoured option of a Quarq Cinqo Saturn for my Rotor 3D cranks. It costs 50% less!
Powercranks? Nah, binned that idea - even despite positive endorsements from some big-name pros (Cuddles uses them apparently!). Too expensive for something that basically exaggerates what the rollers do. Oh yeah, and they're ugly (remember who you're dealing with here!).
A turbo? Nah - prefer rollers. MUCH prefer rollers. I've also come to the conclusion that rollers with resistance are still going to be a kicker of a workout, as well as working my core and technique at the same time. Turbo schmurbo.
Cross-training? Yup, sticking with this one - I'll probably run on the days that Rich has advised to take it steady or do light weights or something. Switching things up a bit and chucking in some 'body shock' is no bad thing to my mind, as long as I don't overdo it.
So, a coach for now, and Power Training set to arrive just as soon as I can justify the expense. I'll keep you posted on how things pan out...
Oh, did I mention I fancy doing some TTs too?!
0 Comments
Training - Which Approach To Take?!
Power? Heart Rate? ‘Feel’? Tabata protocols? Intervals? Sufferfests? Rollers? Turbo trainer? Computrainer? Powercranks? PowerBreathe? Cross-training? Diet? Don’t diet? Carb load? Don’t carb load? The list goes on... But if I read every bit of advice on ‘how best to train’ I’d never have any time for anything else - so what really is best, and does ‘best’ mean different things to different people?
Confession time: I’ve never really paid much attention to anything that goes on with my cycling other than the distances I’m doing and the pace I’m doing them at. I know my heart rate has improved because I can feel it has. I know my speed has improved because it’s visible. I know my stamina (and, as such, distance) has improved because I can beast myself for 130 miles and still go and have a few Guinness with a mate later that evening. Whether or not I should actually have those Guinness is a completely different story... I’ve always just ’trained’ (and I use the term loosely, as it’s more ‘just riding’) on feel - when I want to ride, I do. When I don’t want to ride, I don’t. When I want to ride hard and fast, I do. You get the picture.
So why change that? Well, I haven’t. Yet. But I think I need to. I’m just at a loss at which approach to take.
Power appeals to me more out of intrigue than anything else - I’d just like to know what I push out! The issue here is that I’m a Mac user, and most power software is PC-based. Yuk. There are some new folk on the scene who have developed an ANT+ device for the iPhone with a web-based interface to track and record your rides. All good, but I think I’d rather just use my Garmin and keep my iPhone for, well, phone use... But that’s not to write off power as an option. Booting my Mac into a Windoze virtual machine to use something like WKO+ isn’t the end of the world, I’d just rather not need to! And then of course there’s the SRM / Powertap / Quarq Cinqo / Ergomo / MetriGear choice to make, which is a minefield all in it’s own right!
The problem with power for me is that I’m not really a numbers person, or at least I haven’t been historically - is it really that difficult to change though? I’m sure it isn’t... but I reckon it might a) bore me b) give me something to worry about, and c) potentially take away my enjoyment... or, will it enhance it? Who knows. Maybe I need to get in touch with CyclePowerMeters.com and hire a Powertap for a while to see how I get on.
I spend a fair amount of time on the rollers during these dark winter evenings, but knowing which workout to do is enough of a challenge without the boredom of indoor training as well. Tabata protocols are hard, but don’t last long - ideal for minimising time spent training indoors then, and reportedly give quite remarkable results for what is ultimately 30mins warm-up and warm-down time with a 3min hard stint in the middle (well, really hard, if done properly). Sufferfest videos make indoor training much more bearable too, but pretty much pin you to a 1 hour stint. This isn’t a problem as such, but if I don’t have time for a full hour or (as is often the case) I get bored before the hour is up I then feel guilty that I’ve not completed a full session (although clearly not guilty enough to not complete it!). But let’s not forget other options like intervals and 2x20s, both of which are really useful, and both of which are also pretty painful when done right. So there’s no shortage of options, but which do you choose to do and when?!
The rollers Vs turbo trainer argument continues to be debated amongst those who train indoors, and for what it’s worth I know I should be including turbo use in my indoor training as the rollers just don’t offer enough resistance. The issue here is the need for not only the turbo itself, but also the spare rear wheel with cassette and trainer tyre - suddenly you’re looking at a good couple of hundred quid for something that I hate using with a passion! They are possibly more boring than boredom itself, not to mention the fact that they feel horrible... I much prefer the more natural feel of the rollers and the fact that you really have to concentrate on your technique to ride them well. Using them last winter not only sorted out an issue with waggly knees but also gave me a significant speed increase on the flat. Great, but my hillclimbing now needs work, and the rollers just can’t help me there.
And what of alternatives such as Powercranks? Sure, they look hideous, but the reported benefits are massive. I have to say these really appeal to me - they don’t give you the numbers that you can pore over and analyse, but as I’ve already said that’s generally not the approach I take (or at least have taken in the past). I just really like their more basic ‘just do it’ approach and the fact that they will (reportedly) improve your riding every time you use them, and given that I only have one bike these days I would be using them every time I ride. Couple these with roller use and I reckon you’d have the smoothest, most controlled pedalling technique of everyone you ride with! Couple Powercranks with power training and you’re sure to see some big benefits, but your bank account will take quite a knock!
The most cost-effective training method is probably some cross-training - running, pilates, gym work and swimming are the kind of things that spring to mind, and in most cases a small outlay on a pair of trainers and maybe some gym kit is all you’d need. Running in the winter may need a slightly bigger spend to get some warmer gear, but even then you’ll be able to use a lot of your cycling kit. I’ve done exactly this and got myself some running kit. To date it’s been used twice, maybe three times... hmmm. Whilst I do enjoy the variation brought on by running (and actually so far I’ve quite enjoyed the running itself on the few times I’ve been) it all just feels like time off of the bike, which somehow feels wrong. Ignore that and it’s actually probably not going to hinder your cycling (at worst) and may even improve it, certainly in the case of something like pilates or yoga. The risk is injury which then forces you off of the bike, but that’s not to be ignored with bike use anyway.
At the end of the day much of this comes down to cost - power meters and the Powercranks will most likely rid you of around £1000 depending on the option you take. Rollers are likely to be in the region of £150+, but the bike will need no modifications to run them. A turbo can be had for around £100 and up, but it’s sensible to have a spare rear wheel with trainer tyre on (or in an ideal world, an old bike permanently setup on the turbo!). If you want a computrainer option for the turbo then budget for at least £500. Cross-training is clearly the most friendly on your bank account, but it’s valuable time off of the bike which may put some off. Decisions decisions...
I think it’s fair to say the best investment would probably be a coach, but I bet they’d recommend using a power meter anyway!
Bike Tart is still making his mind up...
Share
Confession time: I’ve never really paid much attention to anything that goes on with my cycling other than the distances I’m doing and the pace I’m doing them at. I know my heart rate has improved because I can feel it has. I know my speed has improved because it’s visible. I know my stamina (and, as such, distance) has improved because I can beast myself for 130 miles and still go and have a few Guinness with a mate later that evening. Whether or not I should actually have those Guinness is a completely different story... I’ve always just ’trained’ (and I use the term loosely, as it’s more ‘just riding’) on feel - when I want to ride, I do. When I don’t want to ride, I don’t. When I want to ride hard and fast, I do. You get the picture.
So why change that? Well, I haven’t. Yet. But I think I need to. I’m just at a loss at which approach to take.
Power appeals to me more out of intrigue than anything else - I’d just like to know what I push out! The issue here is that I’m a Mac user, and most power software is PC-based. Yuk. There are some new folk on the scene who have developed an ANT+ device for the iPhone with a web-based interface to track and record your rides. All good, but I think I’d rather just use my Garmin and keep my iPhone for, well, phone use... But that’s not to write off power as an option. Booting my Mac into a Windoze virtual machine to use something like WKO+ isn’t the end of the world, I’d just rather not need to! And then of course there’s the SRM / Powertap / Quarq Cinqo / Ergomo / MetriGear choice to make, which is a minefield all in it’s own right!
The problem with power for me is that I’m not really a numbers person, or at least I haven’t been historically - is it really that difficult to change though? I’m sure it isn’t... but I reckon it might a) bore me b) give me something to worry about, and c) potentially take away my enjoyment... or, will it enhance it? Who knows. Maybe I need to get in touch with CyclePowerMeters.com and hire a Powertap for a while to see how I get on.
I spend a fair amount of time on the rollers during these dark winter evenings, but knowing which workout to do is enough of a challenge without the boredom of indoor training as well. Tabata protocols are hard, but don’t last long - ideal for minimising time spent training indoors then, and reportedly give quite remarkable results for what is ultimately 30mins warm-up and warm-down time with a 3min hard stint in the middle (well, really hard, if done properly). Sufferfest videos make indoor training much more bearable too, but pretty much pin you to a 1 hour stint. This isn’t a problem as such, but if I don’t have time for a full hour or (as is often the case) I get bored before the hour is up I then feel guilty that I’ve not completed a full session (although clearly not guilty enough to not complete it!). But let’s not forget other options like intervals and 2x20s, both of which are really useful, and both of which are also pretty painful when done right. So there’s no shortage of options, but which do you choose to do and when?!
The rollers Vs turbo trainer argument continues to be debated amongst those who train indoors, and for what it’s worth I know I should be including turbo use in my indoor training as the rollers just don’t offer enough resistance. The issue here is the need for not only the turbo itself, but also the spare rear wheel with cassette and trainer tyre - suddenly you’re looking at a good couple of hundred quid for something that I hate using with a passion! They are possibly more boring than boredom itself, not to mention the fact that they feel horrible... I much prefer the more natural feel of the rollers and the fact that you really have to concentrate on your technique to ride them well. Using them last winter not only sorted out an issue with waggly knees but also gave me a significant speed increase on the flat. Great, but my hillclimbing now needs work, and the rollers just can’t help me there.
And what of alternatives such as Powercranks? Sure, they look hideous, but the reported benefits are massive. I have to say these really appeal to me - they don’t give you the numbers that you can pore over and analyse, but as I’ve already said that’s generally not the approach I take (or at least have taken in the past). I just really like their more basic ‘just do it’ approach and the fact that they will (reportedly) improve your riding every time you use them, and given that I only have one bike these days I would be using them every time I ride. Couple these with roller use and I reckon you’d have the smoothest, most controlled pedalling technique of everyone you ride with! Couple Powercranks with power training and you’re sure to see some big benefits, but your bank account will take quite a knock!
The most cost-effective training method is probably some cross-training - running, pilates, gym work and swimming are the kind of things that spring to mind, and in most cases a small outlay on a pair of trainers and maybe some gym kit is all you’d need. Running in the winter may need a slightly bigger spend to get some warmer gear, but even then you’ll be able to use a lot of your cycling kit. I’ve done exactly this and got myself some running kit. To date it’s been used twice, maybe three times... hmmm. Whilst I do enjoy the variation brought on by running (and actually so far I’ve quite enjoyed the running itself on the few times I’ve been) it all just feels like time off of the bike, which somehow feels wrong. Ignore that and it’s actually probably not going to hinder your cycling (at worst) and may even improve it, certainly in the case of something like pilates or yoga. The risk is injury which then forces you off of the bike, but that’s not to be ignored with bike use anyway.
At the end of the day much of this comes down to cost - power meters and the Powercranks will most likely rid you of around £1000 depending on the option you take. Rollers are likely to be in the region of £150+, but the bike will need no modifications to run them. A turbo can be had for around £100 and up, but it’s sensible to have a spare rear wheel with trainer tyre on (or in an ideal world, an old bike permanently setup on the turbo!). If you want a computrainer option for the turbo then budget for at least £500. Cross-training is clearly the most friendly on your bank account, but it’s valuable time off of the bike which may put some off. Decisions decisions...
I think it’s fair to say the best investment would probably be a coach, but I bet they’d recommend using a power meter anyway!
Bike Tart is still making his mind up...
Share