Welcome to the Tailwind Coaching podcast archives. You’ll find all the back editions of the Tailwind Coaching Podcast along with show notes and any downloads that accompany them. Feel free to peruse the archives and share the episodes with your friends. You can also subscribe to the Tailwind Coaching Podcast on iTunes, and if you do, leave a review and tell me what you think.
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In cycling, sprinting is more than just “pedal really hard a bunch of times.” If you've ever watched a professional sprint, you may realize that there's a certain absolute beauty in the type of activity they excel at. While they may be boring on TV, field sprints are perhaps the hardest parts of any race. Yes, a mountaintop finish requires power to weight ratio, the ability to suffer and some amount of tactical prowess, but sprinting well is a combination of massive tactical brainpower as well as leg power. Cycling sprint training is the bridge between getting strong and actually knowing how to execute a proper sprint out on the road.
Today, we'll talk about building leg power, neuromuscular fitness and technique and finesse that you'll need to succeed. You'll learn that a sprinter needs more than the ability to go fast. I'll explain how cycling sprint training should be broken down into the composite parts so that you can effectively train all parts of the system together. If you ignore one part of the equation, you may wonder why you're not getting faster, you may wonder why others are beating you, and you might even end up with an injury.
Click through to the show notes and make your cycling sprint training more effective. Don't forget to check out our podcast show sponsor Stages Cycling: any purchases through this link will contribute a few dollars to supporting the show. You can also rate the podcast on iTunes, share this post and download my free Sprint Training Tune Up plan!
Peaking and tapering are essential to a high quality performance in a race or event. They are often overlooked by your average cyclist and may be the missing piece in your successful training program. Without a well thought out, well executed peak, your body may be too tired to perform or too flat (from lack of stimulus) to successfully execute the necessary work to succeed in your race or event. If you ignore the importance of a proper taper, you'll find yourself struggling to build further fitness or worse, dip a toe into the frigid waters of overtraining. In either case, you'll find yourself disappointed and struggling to piece together what went wrong.
In this episode of the Tailwind Coaching Podcast, you'll learn what peaking and tapering are, why they are an integral part of any training program and how to apply the concepts of successful peaking and tapering to your own training program.
Click through for the show notes and remember that the sponsor for this episode of the Tailwind Coaching Podcast is Stages Cycling. Check out their power meters and help support the show, and don't forget to rate the podcast on iTunes! You can also check out my new resources page and get a head start on reading some of my most popular articles!
Getting dropped is one of the realities faced by each and every cyclist at some point. The feeling of watching the group ride away from you can be demoralizing, but it's also a great learning experience. What caused you to get popped off the back? Did you make a tactical error? Did you crack physiologically and just couldn't stay with the pace? Did you break a chain or cable?
In this short podcast, I'll give you a few tips to help you avoid getting dropped from your next group ride, race or gran fondo group. If you want to learn how to stick with the group, this is the podcast for you!
Click through for the show notes and remember that the sponsor for this episode of the Tailwind Coaching Podcast is Stages Cycling. Check out their power meters and help support the show, and don't forget to rate the podcast on iTunes!
Periodization is one of the ways to ensure your cycling fitness progresses throughout the season. But in my last podcast, “Why Cyclists Don't Need Traditional Base Training” I talked briefly about the concept of reverse periodization. What is reverse periodization, how can it benefit the average cyclist and when should you apply it to your training in order to get the most bang for your training buck?
In this episode of the Tailwind Coaching Podcast, I'll delve into the differences between periodization and reverse periodization. I'll also give you some tips about how to apply reverse periodization concepts to your own training and give some examples of the types of interval efforts you'll typically see in a reverse periodization training plan.
Click through for the show notes and remember that the sponsor for this episode of the Tailwind Coaching Podcast is Stages Cycling. Click that link, check out their excellent power meter offerings and help support the show with your purchase.
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During the winter months, many cyclists take on a steady diet of traditional base training: long, slow zone 2 or “aerobic” training rides. For years, this has been the gospel for cyclists of all types, from the pros down to the greenest cat 5 racers, from endurance riders to crit racers to gran fondo riders. The question is, with all the science coming out touting the benefits of high-intensity interval training, are those long base miles the key to season-long success or are they doing more harm than good?
In today's podcast, I'll explore the concept of traditional base training, how it's supposed to be done, who needs that traditional base training and who doesn't need it. I'll also give you a way to compromise on your traditional base training which can help you maintain your high-end fitness throughout your base period and leave you stronger and fresher during the season.
Click through for the show notes and remember that the sponsor for this episode of the Tailwind Coaching Podcast is Stages Cycling. Check out their power meters and help support the show!
