Specific Training Phase 2

Fellow cyclists and Pedz, it’s the time of the year when we start at BG the specific training. Phase 2. Just add this to your swimming, footing, running, XC skiing, body building, volley ball, football, basket ball, ping pong, roller skate, MTB weekends… Follow below the details on how to train twice a week, with satisfying results.

Training session: ride your bike for 10 minutes to your nearest long enough climb with a percentage slope of about 6 to 8%. Carry out 5 strength efforts (climbs) of 30 seconds each up the hill, recover for the same amount of time between each climb by spinning back down the hill (descent). Once your five efforts and recovery done ride back home with ease.

Frequency: twice a week, Monday and Wednesday or ideally Tuesday and Thursday.

Target: muscular strength and your pedal technique.

Tool: your bike.

Position: during each of your strength effort (climb) remain comfortably seated on your bike without pulling on your handlebar, it’s your thigh and calf that are working, your heart rate should stay low, beneath 70% , your pedal stroke between 35 and 40 rpm.

Sprocket: unchanged during your five strength efforts either (53X21 or 19) or (52X21 or 19) or (50X19 or 17)… according to your chainrings and your capacities.

Recovery: recover by spinning back down the hill, recovery time between each of the five strength efforts is equal to the strength effort duration (meaning 30 seconds the first week, one minute the second week, one minute and a half the third week….) remain seated on your bike, heart rate back to 60% and less, sprocket (39X…) or (36X…) or (34X…) your pedal stroke effortless and above 90 rpm in velocity mode.

For this specific training, workload is increased progressively. Every week add 30 seconds to each of your five strength efforts (climbs) and the same to your recovery time (descents), meaning the duration of each of your five efforts will become 1 minute the second week, one minute and a half the third week, two minutes the forth week, two minutes and a half the fifth week … and so on till you reach five minutes for each strength effort or climb, same for your recovery time between each of your climbs or strength efforts.

Combined with BG week end rides, you will end up after 10 weeks, with a improved endurance, better pedal technique, better sprint abilities, at least 50 watts more in legs (the non pros) and ready for phase 3.

Salute.