Tailwind Coaching Resources
I thought it would be helpful to create a resource page that you can always come to for all of your coaching and training needs. I’ll add to it as I learn more, but you’ll notice that in the future I will reference this page quite often. I recommend bookmarking it for your reference and convenience. Enjoy!
Disclosure: Please note that some of the links below are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase. Please understand that I have experience with all of these products, and I recommend them because they are high quality products that can further your training goals, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something. Please do not spend any money on these products unless you feel you need them or that they will help you achieve your training goals.
Quick jump:
Affiliates – Power Training Resources – Beginner Cycling Resources – Cycling Fitness Resources – Cycling Strength Training Resources – Zwift Cycling Training Resources
Affiliate Sites and Sponsors
Here you'll find a listing of the affiliate sites and sponsors that I am associated with. Each of these companies produces products that I stand behind and use on a regular basis, so you can rest assured that I have tried and tested the products they offer. I'm confident in recommending them to you, my listeners, readers and clients because I rely on them in my own athletic pursuits.
Stages Cycling is one of the pioneers of the compact, affordable power meter.
I have more than 3 years experience with Stages power meters. I use them on the majority of my bikes and have come to rely on them for their simplicity of use and robustness. I highly recommend them if you're in the market for a power measuring device.
I've always been a proponent of supporting your local bike shop where available. But your local shop doesn't always have the selection of parts, clothing and equipment you need to make the most of your riding, training, and racing.
Enter Amazon.com.
It's true that you can find almost anything on Amazon, and cycling equipment is no exception. In my Amazon Store, you'll find a selection of the most commonly asked for pieces of cycling equipment around. From Garmin devices to helmets to chamois cream, you'll find many of the essentials necessary for success on the bike.
Wahoo Fitness has created an “ecosystem” of sensors, devices and training tools. This ecosystem allows athletes to capture and measure their workout data with stunning accuracy.
From speed and cadence sensors to heart rate monitors and smart phone software, Wahoo has made measuring physiological parameters a snap.
Power Meter City focuses on ONE area and one area only: bicycle power meters. They don’t deal with other bike parts or components, clothing, coaching (that's MY job) or anything else that can distract them from what they love – power meters!
Their singular focus means they are your power meter specialists – and can offer you the best possible advice and service. From SRM to Rotor, they have something to fit every budget. Check them out and tell them Coach Rob from Tailwind Coaching sent you!
Power Meter Training Resources
Power meters have given cyclists the ability to record huge amounts of data. Unfortunately, most people aren't entirely sure how to use that data efficiently. This collection of articles represents some of my most valuable resources on training with power.
Choosing A Power Meter
If you're looking for a way to measure, record and evaluate your training efforts, you're probably in the market for a power meter. This episode of the Tailwind Coaching Podcast covers the major players in the power meter market, including the pros and cons of each and their best applications. Ultimately, this podcast will help you evaluate your needs and make an educated choice as to which power meter will work the best for you.
W' Power and Effective Workouts
If you're looking for a way to determine how effective your Zone 5, 6 and 7 workouts are, look no further than a metric called W'. Pronounced “W Prime”, it's a measure of your anaerobic work capacity. I'll explain how to use it to analyze your workouts and plan future workouts to get the biggest bang for your buck.
10 Reasons to Use a Power Meter
Thinking about taking the plunge and starting to train with power? Wondering if that big investment will pay dividends? Worried that you're not going to know how to use that fancy piece of tech you'd be bolting to your bike?
Riding and training with a power meter will open up new doors in your quest to build fitness. You'll be able to quantify every pedal stroke and evaluate if your training is really working or if you're simply treading water.
If you're still on the fence, in this podcast, I'll talk you through 10 reasons why a power meter should be your next big investment.
Zwift Cycling Training Resources
Zwift has revolutionized the way we train indoors. With support for rides, races, FTP testing, custom workouts and smart trainer compatibility, it is the most complete indoor training platform available. I've got a collection of great articles to help you get started with Zwift and get the most out of your Zwift training.
Tailwind Coaching's Zwift Workouts
If you're looking for a way to add a little something extra to your training, look no further than my library of Zwift Workouts! These are some of my favorite workouts performed on an indoor trainer. Some of them are also building blocks for my training systems, forming the core of what I plan for my athletes.
If you want to add some stress to your indoor training program or you're just bored of the same old workouts, give these a shot. All you have to do is download them, move them to your Zwift workouts folder and get riding.
The Ultimate Guide to Getting Started with Zwift
Zwift is the training “video game” that has taken the cycling world by storm. The Zwift app allows cyclists from around the world to connect with one another. They can ride alongside each other from all corners of the globe, and the virtual environment allows people of very different fitness levels to ride together. With the right equipment, your indoor training can closely mimic an outdoor ride without the cars, bugs or potential for crashing.
The Ultimate Guide to Indoor Cycling Training with Zwift
Indoor cycling training has been changed forever since the introduction of Zwift. For those of you who are unaware, Zwift is an online platform for “virtual” riding and training. It is set in a variety of places, from the London and Richmond UCI World Championships courses to an island in the south pacific known as “Watopia.” Wherever you end up riding, you'll be thrown together with thousands of other cyclists from around the world. It only takes a few cheap pieces of technology to interface with the program. Once connected, each cyclist can pedal on their own or join friends from around the world in a virtual training environment.
Muscular Endurance Cycling Training with Zwift
Zwift has revolutionized the way we train indoors with a trainer. The emergence of smart trainers has turned Zwift into an immersive virtual riding experience. Muscular endurance (ME) is one of the basic fundamental skills that create a well-rounded cyclist, but it can be boring to accomplish on a trainer. Combining the two together provides you the opportunity to get tons of high-quality training and keep things from getting stale. But before you can go about building a ton of muscular endurance and making your body bulletproof, you have to understand what the goal of a ME interval is.
The Best Training For The Zwift Island Volcano
The virtual training paradise known as Zwift Island (also called “Watopia”) has recently gotten a little bit bigger. On Monday, January 23rd, the Zwift island volcano expansion dropped. An entirely new route has become available, offering yet another training ground option for riders to conquer.
After riding the route several times, I've got a few tips to help you get the most fitness possible out of the volcano loop.
Beginner Cyclist Training Resources
Beginning to train on a bike can be a daunting task. There's a lot to learn about intervals, threshold and skills, and without direction, it can take a long time to figure these things out. This section contains a few resources to help beginners figure out how to start training on their bike.
Beginner Cyclist Training Mistakes
Beginner cyclists often make a lot of mistakes when it comes to training and improving their fitness. But that doesn't mean that seasoned cyclists can't run into these pitfalls, too. If you're new to training, this podcast is a must listen to prevent you from getting stuck in a rut. If you're an advanced cyclist, give it a listen and see if you're making one of these critical training mistakes.
Beginner Group Riding Skills
Group riding can be tough for even the most veteran cyclists. For beginners, it can be downright scary.
Between drafting, making sure you don't half wheel the guy in front of you, taking the right pulls, pointing out obstacles and general etiquette, navigating a group ride can be a minefield. There are tons of ways to do something wrong and that's the last thing someone wants to do in a group ride situation.
I'll demystify the group ride for you and give you some tips and skills that you can apply the next time you go out with a group.
5 Secrets to Build A Functional Cycling Base
Whether you're just beginning your quest to build better fitness or you've been following training plans for years, you can always count on your base training to see you through a season.
The problem is, most people don't build a proper base. They simply ride a bunch of miles and hope that it will keep them from breaking down throughout the season. This simply isn't the case.
In this post/podcast, I'll outline 5 tips to build a bigger, stronger base and get more out of your season.
Cycling Fitness Resources
This section contains some of my most popular and most relevant general cycling fitness articles. You'll find information about intervals, VO2 Max, threshold and generally anything you may need to enchance your training.
Sweet Spot Training
If you're looking to get some big adaptations to your fitness in as little time as possible, consider piling on some sweet spot training. In this post, I'll teach you what sweet spot training is, why it works so well and how you can use it to your benefit.
VO2 Max Workouts
Zone 5 (or VO2 max level) workouts form the core of a good high intensity interval training program. In fact, Zone 5 efforts are NECESSARY to stimulate your body to adapt and change so you can build fitness. Without these kinds of efforts, the body will stagnate, fitness will plateau and you'll be depressed by your lack of progression.
In this post I'll describe some of the science behind these Zone 5 workouts. I'll also give you a couple of workouts that you can add to your training routine and use to jumpstart your fitness gains.
The Pre Race Warmup
One mistake I consistently see from beginners and veterans alike is going into an event cold. Warming up before a race or event is absolutely necessary for a number of reasons. From injury prevention to simply performing at your best, a proper warmup is very important. Most people actually warmup too hard and too much, though.
In this post, I'll detail a warmup protocol that I've used to great effect in the past and that has worked for a number of athletes and clients in the past.
Rolling A Climb
If you want to keep pace with the skinny climbers on your next ride or you want to put your buddies into difficulty, this tactic will help you do it. It's a way to crush climbs by powering through the summit, and it catches most people unaware.
In this post, I'll teach you how to roll over a climb, when you can use it and how you can train for it.
High Intensity Interval Training – Part 1: The Science
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT or HIT) is a different method of training that trades higher volume training for higher intensity, lower volume training. The trick here is to balance your training and recovery so that you can train effectively and force the body to physiologically adapt to the stress you're putting it under.
In this podcast, I'll discuss the physiological basis behind High Intensity Interval Training, how adaptations occur and what training should look like.
High Intensity Interval Training – Part 2: Programming Workouts
High Intensity Interval Training programs are a little different than your typical training program. Special attention needs to be paid to work volume and especially recovery volume.
In this podcast, I'll detail some of the parameters for adding HIT to your training program and give you a series of workouts to add to your training.
Effective Off-Season Training
If you want to boost your fitness, your success starts during the off-season. Building a solid base of fitness will be the key to stacking on high intensity work during the season and realizing big fitness gains.
Effective off-season training has been evolving in the past few years. In this podcast, I'll detail the tricks and tips to give you an edge to your off season training.
Effective Base Building
With off-season training complete, it's time to move into your base training. In many cases, cyclists think this means long, slow distance miles at Zone 2. This couldn't be further from the truth.
This podcast will discuss how to effectively train during the base period. You'll learn how to build a big, solid base of functional fitness that will set you up for big gains in your build phase!
Effective Build Phase Training
The build phase is all about training event specific fitness so you can reach your goals. Many cyclists go about this in a haphazard fasion that prevents them from realizing their goals.
This podcast will explain the theory behind high intensity interval training in the build phase and how to use it to reach your training goals.
Cycling Strength Training Resources
Strength training is an essential part of every endurance athlete's training. In this section, you'll find a selection of resources detailing the application of strength exercises to endurance sports.
Strength Training For Cyclists – Part 1
Cyclists have, for years, avoided strength training for fear that it would make them bulky and slow. The truth is quite the opposite, however. Strength training can build significant power on the bike, as well as preventing injury and stabilizing the body.
Strength Training For Cyclists – Part 2
Now that you know why strength training is beneficial for cyclists, you have to start integrating it into your training program. This can be much harder than it seems, as managing strength training and cycling can easily lead to overtraining.
Learn how to add strength training to your routine in this podcast. I'll also cover my favorite cycling specific strength and conditioning exercises as well.
The Truth About Cycling Core Strength
This is probably the most listened to and discussed podcast I've produced to date. Inside you'll find a discussion of why core strength and stability is absolutely critical to efficient, powerful cycling. I'll give you an idea of what you can expect when your core stability and strength isn't up to snuff, along with a few ways to help boost your stability.
Finally, I'll talk a little about the concepts of redirection and redistribution, how it affects your body and why your core is the key to improving your cycling fitness. I'll give you some info on my Unbreakable Core Stability program (which has helped loads of people decrease their discomfort on the bike and strengthen their riding) which you can purchase here.