Formulating a road bike training schedule, regardless of whether you are an ultra fit, professional cyclist, or like me, a regular rider that takes part in regular daily cycling, or the odd event for charity, emphasis should be on all round fitness and strength.

Whatever cycling discipline is your forte, be it long distance team event, individual time trials or multi stage races staged over several days, the emphasis of a road bike training schedule should be to build up and enhance aerobic fitness.

Different ‘strengths’ are required for different disciplines; however the one pre-requisite of any cycling discipline is all round aerobic conditioning, and should be high in the list of priorities one should be concentrating on when drawing up a road bike training schedule.

Professional road team and individual cyclist possess exceptional endurance traits, and many cyclists are born with these in the genetic code. But in truth, regardless of genetic makeup and ‘luck or lack of it’, aerobic training makes easier strength training, by increasing and making more efficient the transfer of oxygen from the lungs to the bloodstream to the muscles.

A well thought out and carefully prepared road bike training schedule should include strength training as well as aerobic, because without the strength, not just in the legs, but also the back and upper body it will be difficult for the body to reach its full potential.

However, combined with aerobic fitness for efficient oxygen transfer, and strength training, a strict diet should also be adhered to. A road bike training schedule should incorporate a balanced diet suitable for endurance athletes (not of ‘Tour de France’ standard) and sufficient for the metabolic processes that occur within the body during training and event conditions.

This article cannot recommend dietary requirements it is best to seek professional dietary advice; however for endurance training, one of the best methods of increasing aerobic fitness is to train the body by using ‘short sharp bursts’ of energy in one or two training sessions every week. Regular training runs incorporating two or three minutes of intensive, high speed burst and then back to normal cycling every few minutes during the duration of the training session.

Incorporating this with hill work will rapidly build up aerobic fitness, strength in the upper body and legs, AND aid recovery periods.

But one of the most important items in any training schedule should be rest periods. Too much exercise before the body is ready can damage components. Too much rest negates the benefits of the training regime.

At least ONE day a week should be kept free for a rest day, but also try and keep the training times each day to within an hour either way. Ultimately, it is down to each individual to find their own level; but seeking advice from a dietician and a medical practitioner BEFORE undertaking any athletic training program should be the first port of call.

Remember to get fit, you have to stay healthy.

Filed under: Cycling Today

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