4 key training principles for cyclists

Developing a successful training program is a relatively simple process when you combine four key principles: periodization, progressive overload, specificity, and individuality. This article outlines these principles and offers tips to help you maximize the effectiveness of your training.

Periodization is the process of dividing an annual training plan into specific blocks of time, where each block has a particular goal and provides your body with different types of stress. Some training periods are harder and others easier to allow for recovery. Periodization also develops different energy systems during various phases of training. Most importantly, periodization is the best way to promote the effect of training, which consists of changes in the cardiopulmonary and musculoskeletal systems that result in increased speed and endurance on the bike.

A basic premise of periodization is that training should progress from the general to the specific. For example, many annual training programs for competitive cyclists include four stages: endurance, intensity, competition, and recovery. The resistance period is the most general of these stages. During this training phase, cyclists focus on improving aerobic endurance and increasing overall strength. This often includes activities off the bike, such as weight training. As cyclists move into the intensity phase, they spend more time on the bike performing exercises that simulate race conditions, such as high-intensity intervals. Of course, the competition phase involves racing, the most specific training element possible. The main goal of this phase is to peak for races and key events. Once the competitive season ends, cyclists enter the recovery phase where training activities return to being more general (eg, cross-training exercises such as running or swimming that aid recovery). Each of these phases places varying degrees of stress on the body’s energy, cardiopulmonary, and neuromuscular systems, helping to facilitate performance enhancement.

progressive overload is the process of gradually increasing stress on the body’s muscular and cardiopulmonary systems over time to stimulate physiological adaptation. This is achieved through the effective application of the FITT (frequency, intensity, time and type) model. For example, to build your aerobic endurance, you might start with a 20-mile long run and increase the distance by 2 miles each week until you can comfortably run 40 miles. In this case, you have improved your stamina by gradually overcharging over time. In the same way, you can improve your speed on the bike by gradually overloading the intensity. For example, you could do intervals at 85% of your maximum heart rate. You can start with five 3-minute intervals with 4 minutes of easy spinning between each intense effort for a total of 15 minutes of high-intensity riding. You can then add 30 seconds to each interval per week (a total of 2.5 minutes added per week). Four weeks later, he would have increased his high-intensity riding to 25 minutes.

specificity it simply means that your training program should resemble the activity you want to do. While cross training is great after the racing season, the best way to improve your cycling performance is to ride a bike. Similarly, specificity applies to the type of driving you want to emphasize. For example, if you want to go long distances, your training regimen should include lots of long walks. If you want to ride really fast, then your workouts should include a lot of high-intensity training.

Individuality refers to the fact that your training program must be uniquely tailored to your goals, strengths, weaknesses, and life limitations. As you probably know, there are dozens of cycling books and magazines offering hundreds of training programs and exercises. While these are helpful resources, none are designed specifically for you. They don’t take into consideration your unique traits, barriers, and goals. To maximize your cycling performance, you must create a training regimen based on your specific needs and limitations.