Here you can find all the back editions of the Tailwind Coaching Cycling Podcast. Feel free to peruse these archives or head over to iTunes to find and rate the show. Each rating helps to move the Tailwind Coaching Podcast up through the ratings, improving it's reach. The more people I can reach, the more people can get these free tips on riding stronger and faster, and having more fun doing it.
If you enjoy the podcast and want to say thanks, consider doing your Amazon shopping through my affiliate link. It costs nothing to you and helps support the Tailwind Coaching Podcast.
Shop at Amazon.com and support the Tailwind Coaching Podcast
Setting SMART Goals (Podcast #31)
Picture this: It's the dead of winter, there's snow on the ground, freezing rain and wind in the air. You're stuck inside on the trainer, doing intervals and skills. Motivation is hard to come by at this time, and you're a little bit aimless in your training. How do you break out of the slump?
You hunker down with a pen and paper (either virtual or physical) and start setting some goals, that's how.
I talked about planning your season in our last edition of the Tailwind Coaching Podcast, but I only glossed over one of the most important aspects: setting your goals. To be frank, you can't even really plan your season without setting goals to build your season around, so you may have picked a few goals already. But the question I have for you is….are they SMART goals?
In this edition of the Tailwind Coaching Podcast, I'll explain the concept of SMART goal setting, and cover the following:
- How many goals are appropriate to set for a season
- The SMART paradigm of goal setting and what each letter stands for
- The difference between goals and objectives
If you like what you hear, go over to the Tailwind Coaching Podcast on iTunes and rate it 5 stars. Don't forget to post any questions to the Tailwind Coaching Facebook page.
And don't forget: Tour of the Battenkill is April 5th and 6th. You can get my new, revised and improved 20 week Battenkill Training Plan in my store, and be well on your way to the podium. Remember to save 10% with the coupon code Podcast10 in this week's podcast.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (56.2MB)
Subscribe: RSS
Planning Your Season (Podcast #30)
Do you have goals for next season? Do you want to succeed at those goals and have an even stronger season than you did this year? Do you have a definite plan for how your season is going to go?
I'd wager that most of you want to be stronger next season than you were during this season. If you're among one of the many who read the last question and are shaking your head, today I'm going to help you figure that out.
On this edition of the Tailwind Coaching Podcast, I'll talk you through the process of planning your season. While I won't provide you a training plan, I'll provide you all the tools you'll need to set up your season and build your training schedule properly. As a bonus, I'm offering my season planning spreadsheet to everyone free of charge. I encourage you to download it and follow along as I talk about planning your season goals, races and calendar.
Click through for more after the jump:
Upgrading Your Bike (Podcast #29)
Black Friday is here, which means the official kick-off of the holiday shopping season. There's no doubt many of you have bike parts, clothing and other upgrades on your holiday wish list. But really, which of those upgrades are going to give you the most performance for your dollar? Which one of those upgrades will actually help increase YOUR performance?
In today's podcast I'll explore all of the above and more, including:
- Reasons to upgrade parts
- What are most noticeable upgrades you can make
- Which upgrades make a difference to your performance
- Considerations for upgrading wheels, tires and components
- How maintenance “upgrades” can be the biggest bang for the buck available
I'd also like to take a moment to welcome aboard two new sponsors of the Tailwind Coaching Podcast: RoadID and Competitive Cyclist. I've long been a user of RoadID and a proponent of carrying sufficient ID and contact information with you while riding or training. My partnership with RoadID will allow me to further advocate for the peace of mind that carrying ID allows for. Meanwhile, Competitive Cyclist is a leader in the high end online bike retail industry. While I'm always an advocate of shopping locally at your LBS, sometimes shopping online is necessary in order to get exactly what you need or to stretch your dollar further (an important concept in these tough economic times.) Check both links on my pages (off to the right hand side, underneath my contact/”follow Coach Rob” pane) periodically for great deals on all kinds of equipment and help support the Tailwind Coaching Podcast. (Proceeds from affiliate sales go to web hosting space and bandwidth.)
If you like what you hear, go over to the Tailwind Coaching Podcast on iTunes and rate it 5 stars. Don't forget to post any questions to the Tailwind Coaching Facebook page.
And don't forget: Tour of the Battenkill race and fondo are on April 5th and 6th. You can get my new, revised and improved 20 week Battenkill Training Plan in my online store, and be well on your way to the podium. Remember to save 20% with the coupon code in this week's podcast through MONDAY 12/2 ONLY!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 46:20 — 42.4MB)
Subscribe: RSS
Coaching Q&A (Podcast #28)
Have you ever heard of the phrase “if you have a question, ask it. Someone else probably has the same question but is afraid to ask it?” Over my time in practice and coaching athletes, I've found this to be true time and time again. Cyclists both young and old, new and seasoned, racer and group rider come to me with many of the same questions, each one looking for an answer as to why they are having trouble with something and how they can advance their fitness. In most cases, it's simple changes to their program that can produce stellar results.
In today's podcast, I'll go over a couple of questions and concepts that I've been seeing a lot lately. These are all things that you average cyclist needs to know in order to become a faster, stronger rider. I'll shed some light on:
- Do you need a power meter to train effectively?
- Who benefits from training with power?
- How many “A” races are too many?
- What pitfalls are there in planning a season?
- Why do my legs “get heavy and lose their ability to push?”
- What can I address to take my fitness to the next level?
If you like what you hear, go over to the Tailwind Coaching Podcast on iTunes and rate it 5 stars. Don't forget to post any questions to the Tailwind Coaching Facebook page.
And don't forget: BATTENKILL registration is November 15th at 7PM. You can get my new, revised and improved 20 week Battenkill Training Plan in my store, and be well on your way to the podium. Remember to save 10% with the coupon code in this week's podcast.
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)
Subscribe: RSS