Coaching Archives - Page 24 of 33

The (Not So) Off Season (Podcast #27)

For years, magazines and forum denizens have discussed and advocated the concept of the “off season” for competitive cyclists. While the idea of sitting around and drinking beer on the sofa is appealing, it really doesn't do much for your hopes and dreams of competing next season, finishing that century or stomping on your friends during the Saturday shop ride. In fact, it may do just the opposite. You may find yourself digging into a hole you can't train out of next year.

Why is this the case?

The biggest culprit is the fact that amateur cyclists have always seemed to have taken their training cues from the professionals that they idolize. Unfortunately, the difference between pro and amateur is not at all inconsequential. Pros train 40 hours per week and race 90 days per year. Amateurs train 10 hours per week and race 12 days per year. Could there be a maybe be a slight difference between amateurs and pros?

Everyone should be nodding their head right now. Everyone.

Knowing that, should you, an amateur, be following a pro's training plans and take an off season like they do?

Now everyone should be shaking their heads. In today's podcast, I discuss why a pro's offseason will destroy an amateur's hard won fitness gains and how your fitness for next season starts NOW. I'll also talk about a few ways to keep your mental outlook fresh while maintaining some of the fitness you built this season, such as gravel rides, exploration rides, coffee shop rides, skill work indoors, cross training, and more.

As always, questions and comments are welcome. Head on over to the Tailwind Coaching Facebook page and post away, and don't forget to rate the Tailwind Coaching Podcast on iTunes!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 40:57 — 37.5MB)

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Tags: Coaching, off season, podcast|

Cyclocross Dismount (and Re-Mount) Workout

[dc]H[/dc]alf of cyclocross is fitness. The other half is skill, otherwise known as "getting out of your own way." While it's important to be able to ride until your eyes bleed and your face peels off, if you continually botch your run ups, mounts, dismounts and barrier hops, you're guaranteed to be disappointed come race day. So that means it's time to get out there and practice your skills, dammit!

Here's the story behind this workout: You'll perform this ON YOUR CROSS BIKE! No, your road bike is NOT suitable for this workout, period. We're going to teach your body how to get off your bike. Then we'll teach it how to get back ON the bike. Finally, we're going to put it all together so that you can actually do it when it matters the most (hint, that's during a race!)

Here’s the program:

(more…)

Tags: Coaching, cyclocross, training|

Climb Like A Pro – Part 3 (Podcast #23)

Climbing is often the albatross that follows us around on our two-wheeled adventures. Long climbs. Short power climbs. Varying pitch. Everyone has a weakness when it comes to climbing. I've spent the past two episodes of the Tailwind Coaching Podcast defining what “makes” a climber and the importance of leg speed skills in your climbing, hoping to give you the confidence to go out and hit the hills like a pro. This time, I'm going to put the last pieces of the puzzle in place. You'll hear about breathing and rhythm, reading the road, breaking a climb into parts, and finally the discussion will turn to how to tackle a variety of climbs that you may encounter, including:

Short “roller” type climbs
Short “power” climbs
Mid-length climbs
Long “grinding” climbs
The ultra-steep, long climbs

As I promise in this podcast, I'm including a couple of links to previous posts that I've published:

Breathing (part 1) – Physiology

Breathing (part 2) – Putting Skills into Practice

Reading the Road

As always, if you're on iTunes, please leave a rating: it helps the show move up the rankings and allows me to bring this information to more and more people. And if you have any questions, feel free to contact me with questions.

Check out the previous episodes of the “Climb Like A Pro” series:

Climb Like A Pro – Part 1

Climb Like A Pro – Part 2

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 56:12 — 51.5MB)

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Tags: climbing, Coaching, podcast, riding, skills|

Climb Like A Pro – Part 2 (Podcast #22)

In the last podcast, Climb Like A Pro – Part 1, I covered some of the basics of climbing physiology and what makes a good climber. In part two, it's time to tackle some of the more technical aspects of your bike and your technique: namely gearing and leg speed. Along with fitness, perhaps the most important choice you can make in terms of climbing strongly is your gearing choice. Are you on a standard when you should be on a compact? Do you use an 11-23 tooth cassette when a 12-27 is more appropriate? And how does your leg speed, or ability to control that leg speed, factor into those decisions? I'll cover the following in part 2 of the “Climb Like a Pro” series:

Proper crankset gearing
Proper cassette gearing
The importance of leg speed while climbing
Leg speed out of the saddle and efficiency
“Flattening” the terrain

As noted in this podcast, here are links to some in depth information on choosing proper gearing:

Choosing Crankset Gearing

Choosing Cassette Gearing

Be More Efficient: Pedaling Efficiency

As always, take a moment to rate the Tailwind Coaching podcast on iTunes and help me reach more and more people. And if you have any questions, you can either email me or post them to the Tailwind Coaching Facebook Page.

If you want to check out the rest of the “Climb Like A Pro” series, check here:

Climb Like A Pro – Part 1

Climb Like A Pro – Part 3

I'll see you next time: I'm going out for a climb or two…

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 40:18 — 36.9MB)

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Tags: climbing, Coaching, components, drivetrain, podcast, skills|

Climb Like A Pro – Part 1 (Podcast #21)

If you're like most cyclists, you have one part of your ride that you just hate. Some people hate flat roads, some hate headwinds, some even hate group riding. More than any other part of cycling, far and away the most hated thing out there is climbing. I can't tell you how many times I've heard people grumble about climbing or say “I'll see you at the top” at the mere sight of the road rising in front of them. While climbing isn't fun for most of us (and those of us who find it fun are probably brain damaged) everyone out there can learn to be a better climber. Whether the goal is to turn the screws on your local group ride, win your next race or simply suffer less, you can go uphill faster and be fresher at the top, and I'll tell you how.

In the first part podcast (this topic is far too large for just one podcast) we'll discuss:

Some of the things that “make a good climber”
What physiological skills make you faster and stronger in hills
The idea of “switching off” muscle groups and energy systems
Mental aspects of climbing strongly
Different body and hand positions and the pros and cons of each
Standing vs. Sitting
Breathing and why it's important

Additionally, you can find more information on climbing in the following posts:

Climbing – Positioning Yourself For Success

Climbing – Revisiting Position and Physiology

Climbing – Suffer In Silence (psychology of climbing)

Breathing Techniques – Part 1

Breathing Techniques – Part 2

As always, feel free to rate the Tailwind Coaching Podcast on iTunes, and check out the rest of the podcast series here: