Cycle Training Periodisation with Performancecoaching.me

Cycle Training Periodisation

Jason Battle – Head Coach at Performancecoaching.me

 

There is a lot of talk and advice featured in cycling magazines and on the internet regarding the need for correctly structured training, but few details on what it is, how it looks or how to go about it, Let’s take a moment to look at a beginners guide to adding structure to your cycling training…

 

What we are going to look at:

·       Periodised Training - What & Why?

·       Training Periods - Timings

·       Training Periods - Goals

·       Training Periods – Training types

 

Before we look at the benefits of correctly structuring your training and the focuses for specific training blocks I want to take a moment to outline the breakdown, structure and names used to describe the training periods…     

 

What do we mean by a Training Period?

·       Macrocycle - Usually 1 year but could be up to 4

·       Training Period - Specific Segment within Macrocycle

·       Mesocycle - 4-8 (usually 6) weeks block with specific fitness goal(s)

·       Microcycle - 1 cycle of training typically 1 week

 

How this all fits together:

  

Now you have an understanding of the structure you may be asking “What’s in it for me?” and of course there has to be a reason, If not why are we taking the time to segment the year like this! There are in fact many reasons, a few are listed below…

 

Benefits of Periodised Training:

·       Builds all elements of fitness in an ordered plan

·       Reduction in injury risk

·       Reach peak at correct time / event

·       Avoid over - under training

·       Motivation & Interest (training adherence)

·       Race Faster! PB’s!

 

The next section deals with the specific training periods, the timings, the aims and the training focuses for each of them  

 

So what are these Training Periods?

(Period timings may vary depending on the athlete & target event(s) but those listed are a good starting point)

·       Basic Preparation - 12 weeks

·       Pre Season - 6 weeks

·       Early Season - 12 weeks

·       Main Competition - 18 weeks

·       Recovery - 4 weeks

 

So what are the Period goals?

·       Basic Preparation - Raising basic fitness, increasing endurance, off bike strength training

·       Pre Season - Conversion of basic fitness to ‘bike’ fitness, increased speed, Increase of on bike training

·       Early Season - Introduction of competitive racing, Benchmark fitness testing.

·       Main Competition - Maintenance of gained fitness, Achievement of major competitive goals.

·       Recovery - Recover after main season

 

So what should the training look like?

·       Basic Preparation - Long lower intensity rides, Strengthening weight work in gym, Core work such as Pilates

·       Pre Season - Increase of intensity within bike training, Introduction of higher intensity intervals, reduction in weight work.

·       Early Season - Event specific sessions, higher intensity rides, interval training.

·       Main Competition - Similar to Early Season combined with correct taper and rest periods for competitive races.

·       Recovery - Complete rest, very easy rides, off bike activities

 

You should now have at least a basic understanding on how a correctly structured training year should be set out, why it will benefit you to do so and what the major goals, aims and training focuses are throughout the year. A qualified and competent cycling coach will be able to help you with greater detail and to maximise your available training time.

 

The Author Jason Battle is Head Coach at Performancecoaching.me and is an ABCC L3 cycling coach.  

 

Perfomancecoaching.me was set up with the aim to offer athlete centric coaching packages and training plans around a core belief of being with you every step of the way, combining online coaching services and field based performance evaluations.

They work with triathletes, cyclists and runners UK wide, providing individually tailored training plans and coaching services to maximise athletes potential and sporting performance. Their bespoke training plans are delivered and monitored online via a performancecoaching.me provided training peaks account and are developed using the latest techniques and methods.

Visit their website or call them for more information on their coaching packages and training plans.

Tel: 01449 616071

Email: info@performancecoaching.me

Website: http://www.performancecoaching.me

Improve your swim with these sessions from Chris Stirling

Staple drills

I have 4 drills that I use during my warm up for every session, they are simple and work on the catch phase and body rotation/hip drive. I often swim 1 length drill, then 1 length easy focusing on the drills aspect. It’s important to concentrate and try to perform the drill as perfectly as possible, we are trying to build better movement patterns and neural connections so the last thing we want is to be struggling. Top tip, get some Zone3 Buoyancy shorts for this part of the swim, you are still swimming naturally but the extra floatation will allow you focus on the important part of your stroke.

The drills are-

Short doggy paddle - Just like at school learning to swim, keep the strokes short and really focus on using the whole forearm as a paddle to pull you forwards, feel the water and use it. The more vertical you keep the forearm, the better propulsion you will find.

Long doggy paddle - As for the short but reach out a little further in front, then keep the elbow high as you pull back, again getting vertical as quickly as possible. Don’t be scared to play around during this drill, try different positions, get a really good feel for what works.

6/1/6 side kick - 1 stroke, roll to side, kick 6 times, 1 stroke, roll to side, kick 6 times and repeat. The main focus here is on hip drive to initiate the roll, good hand entry and an efficient kick from the hips

6/3/6 side kick - As for 6/1/6 but take 3 strokes between the roll. A very good way to build up to 6/1/6 that also works on bi lateral breathing.

Sometimes I just swim 1 round (200m total) up to 4, depending on the session. Take it easy and rest as much as you need, make sure you arrive at your main set fresh and not tired from your warm up!

Main Sets-

Technique is of course super important for swimming but if we want to get faster, we have to swim faster and work harder to force the training adaptions. We all know that start line feeling, the adrenaline and washing machine effect, all the drills in the world aren’t going to save us here! Try out some of these for your main sets, they all have had me wishing for the end and suffering to various degrees during the winter and spring but going into the race season feeling confident and strong.

I have been lucky to work with an amazing coach over the winter and have turbo charged my swimming. A simple gem of advice has really helped ready me for each main set, no matter how daunting. Before you get in, repeat the mantra ‘Today is going to be a good day’, smile and believe!

Round 1 -

(6 x 100, max effort, 30secs rest between reps), 100 easy back crawl, repeat 3 times (2000m inc back crawl), You could try 2 rounds the first time, it’s a real tough one, mentally and physically!

Round 2

20x100, hard, 10secs rest between reps, try to hold the same time for each repeat, pacing this one can be tricky, slightly too hard and your pace will drop, but each effort should be hard…seeing stars at the end of this one!

Round 3

3x(6x100) as-

1^st and 2^nd 100’s 9/10 effort

3^rd 100, 6/10 effort (tempo)

Last 3 100’s 8/10 effort

10 seconds rest between repeats, 100 easy back crawl between sets.

A race specific, lactic acid bath of a main set, stay in the moment, focus on each rep and don’t let your thoughts wonder into the future, it isn't pretty.

Enjoy, ‘Today is going to be a good day….’ J

Preparing for your first open water swim

Preparing to swim in open water for the first time

Open water swimming is very different from swimming in a pool and there are definitely a few things you should consider before turning up on race day. Properly preparing for the swim will ensure you can put in the best performance possible, whatever your ambitions.

Below are a few guidelines and pointers to help you in your training and on race day:

Think about your equipment

Wearing a wetsuit is a completely different sensation to swimming without one. For some it can be weird at first but with the added buoyancy and tailored design, wetsuits will help you on the swim and will help you achieve a faster swim time.

Here are a few key points to remember:

Putting your wetsuit on in the right way is absolutely essential to ensure you are comfortable. Below is a Zone3 guide to putting on your wetsuit

Wetsuits are designed to be a tight fit; they are snug to the body so that you have less drag through the water. Getting used to this feeling is essential before race day as knowing what your wetsuit feels like and being used to this sensation will make you feel a lot more comfortable on the day. Practice in your suit as much as possible before race day so you are comfortable with your equipment.

Relax! Whether it is putting the suit on before the race, swimming in it during or taking the suit off in transition, the best thing you can do is relax! 

If the water is cold you may want to wear some more protective accessories such a neoprene caps, socks or gloves to help keep your extremities warm. The below are example offered by Zone3 which have received a high level of praise due to their design:

Goggle choices are generally personal preference; however, the majority of open water swimmers will opt to wear a goggle with a soft silicone seal and a large lens as opposed to a traditional swimming goggle.  The soft silicone seal will cushion the impact of any stray hands and feet that may connect with you in the race, whilst the larger lenses give a wider range of peripheral vision to help you spot and avoid other swimmers flailing limbs before they connect with you. Here is a short video explanation some features of an open water swimming goggle or mask:

Learn how to sight and practice this technique

A crucial aspect to open-water swimming is learning how to sight so you can navigate yourself around the swim course. In a pool, you have the luxury of lane ropes or tile markings to keep you on track, but in open water you need to be much more savvy about which direction you're swimming in. What you want to avoid is going off course and swimming further than you need which will only use extra energy. Learning to sight efficiently is really important.

For an idea into how to sight effectively check out the video above 

Don’t Panic in the water

One of the worst things to do as an inexperienced open-water swimmer is to panic during the swim. This applies in training and on race day.

It may well be that your visibility is restricted, that the water is cold or that there are hundreds of other athletes swimming with you. However, these changes should not be feared and with the correct mind-set are things that can be overcome and enjoyed.

A key aspect here is to focus on your breathing and keeping it steady like you would when swimming in your local pool. The minute you start to panic, your breathing pattern will change The same goes for your stroke and keeping your stroke smooth and remember to keep on catching the water with each underwater pull.

If you are panicking on race-day just take your time and if possible simply swim to the side of the course where you can find some clear water and have a bit of space to yourself. Float or tread water for a while until you’ve got your breath back, and are ready to continue. Breathing here is crucial.

Adapt your swimming technique slightly for the open water

When swimming in open water there are a few things to take into consideration when looking at your technique

- You’ll need to stroke with a slightly higher stroke rate than in the pool, to keep forward momentum in choppy water.

- You may have a strong side wash in windy conditions. If so it is really helpful to learn how to breathe away from the direction of the waves to reduce the amount of water you swallow.

- Incorporate sighting into your swimming. As explained above this is crucial in open water.

Plan your training sessions

A common theme for athletes of all levels is trying to find a good training swim program to follow, especially with so much information now available. It is crucial to have a focus when you go into the pool/lake so that you can get the most from your sessions and see improvements.

Zone3 sponsored athlete and current Abu Dhabi champion, Tyler Butterfield, outlines 3 really simple session that can be easily tailored to suit you. Perfect for complete beginners up to the best Ironman athletes in the world, this session can be made shorter or longer but still with the same outcome.

Click here to view Tyler’s Butterfields training plan