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Why Cyclists Don’t Need Traditional Base Training

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!

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Zwift Training – Rolling Climbs

Zwift training is a hot new form of indoor training that has people excited.  In a nutshell, Zwift training allows you to sit on a trainer in your living room and ride in a virtual environment with people from all over the world who are doing the exact same thing.

How cool is that?

In previous videos, I discussed how to include some Fartlek training in your Zwift training sessions and how to use the new workout builder to create a custom workout in Zwift.  In this video, I'm going to explain and demonstrate how to roll a climb.  This kind of skill work is a perfect use of your Zwift training time because it's hard to understand how to execute it properly without being out on the road.  Fortunately, Zwift is the perfect virtual road to demonstrate on.

Check out the video below and then read on for some additional tips to help get a little more out of your Zwift training session.

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High Intensity Interval Training Part 2 – Programming Workouts

Last time on the Tailwind Coaching Podcast, I talked about the science behind high intensity interval training.  In the end of that podcast, I said that I'd be back to talk about how to program high intensity interval training into your schedule and avoid some of the pitfalls that typically plague the HIT protocol.  I also said I'd give you a few different kinds of workouts to try adding to your training sessions.  You'll find those at the end of these show notes; all you have to do is share this podcast with your friends or get yourself signed on to the Tailwind Coaching Newsletter to download them.

So listen to the podcast, check out the show notes below, share with your friends and learn how to put more HIT into your riding!

As a reminder, the sponsor for this episode of the Tailwind Coaching Podcast is Stages Cycling.  Check out their power meters and help support the show!

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Custom Workouts In Zwift

Zwift has taken the indoor training world by storm, offering massive potential for riding with people across the globe, training through built-in workouts and Fartlek training.  The ability to build custom workouts in Zwift has been teased since the platform launched a few months ago.  In the interim, the lack of ability to build and program your own custom workouts has been a major downside of the platform (at least for many cyclists looking for a training solution on the virtual platform.)

Until now.

The programmers behind the popular online social training platform have introduced the ability to build custom workouts in Zwift.  You don't even need to exit the application in order to design any workout you can imagine.  This short how-to video will give you the basics on how to build custom workouts in Zwift and what they look like when you ride them.

Click through for the video, and don't forget to share with your friends!

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Fartlek Training With Zwift

Zwift is the new kid on the block in the realm of socially driven cycling programs.  It allows you to ride your trainer with anyone around the world.  You can feasibly be sitting in your living room in Newfoundland, spinning away and you'll be able to pass someone from Australia doing exactly the same thing.  Some cyclists have embraced it wholeheartedly and some have scoffed at it.  A lot of cyclists have asked how they can do some kind of training with Zwift, and to this point, there have been few answers.

Sure, there are some workouts built into Zwift and you can always do any regular training plan workout while Zwifting (is that a word now?)  But doesn't that take the fun out of training with Zwift?  Isn't the point of a platform like Zwift to create the sense of actually racing through the streets, ascending climbs and bombing descents?  How can you combine training and fun in one simple package?

In the following video, I'm going to show you how to get some in some training with Zwift: Fartlek training.

What is Fartlek training?  How can it be done with Zwift?  Watch the video and check out the info below to find out.

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