Coach's Corner with Rick Babington
OFF-SEASON??? THERE AIN’T NO STINKIN’ OFF-SEASON!!!
SEASONS CHANGE AND SO DO I
BY JILL GASS REVOLUTION COACHING
GETTING STARTED
STEP #1: Evaluate the past season. Were my goals met?
STEP #2: Assess strengths and limiters.
STEP #3: Establish new goals and formulate a plan to meet them.
COMPONENTS OF A PRE-SEASON TRAINING PROGRAM
Pre-season training should begin by late September, early October if you are planning to start your race season in March.
Allow 16-22 weeks to progress through the pre-season phase.
Focus of the pre-season training phase is to train your muscular system to produce greater power, and develop aerobic endurance that will provide the base for the competitive season. It is important to incorporate specific training for all energy systems during this period.
Resistance Training In The Gym:
1. Hypertrophy Phase: 2-4wks, 2-3X per wk, light weight. Initiate dynamic stretching and core strengthening during this phase and plan to continue throughout the year. Limit riding volume during this time.
2. Strength Phase: 2-4wks, 2X per week, one heavy/one medium day. Lifting volume is reduced and resistance is increased.
3. Power Phase: 2-4wks, 2X per week, one heavy/one medium day. Resistance is reduced and lifting speed is increased.
4. Limit exercises to cycling specific, multi-joint lifts including squats, leg press, upper body push and pull, abd/lower back.
5. October to January then transition to maintenance phase.
Resistance Training On The Bike
1. Big gear hill intervals
2. Force intervals seated/standing
3. Incorporate these workouts along with the gym program
4. Use good pedaling mechanics
Neuromuscular Training
1. Spin-ups
2. Fixed gear riding
3. Single-leg
4. Spin-ups and single leg riding best done on the trainer and can incorporated during the gym phase.
Aerobic Conditioning
1. Focus is progressive high volume, low intensity training rides.
2. Include some muscular endurance and power intervals
3. Start when the bulk of the gym resistance training is done
Power Intervals
1. Builds cycling specific power outputs and high intensity work capacity
2. Use club rides, cyclocross races or TT’s to incorporate high intensity work into your program
3. Increase frequency of these workouts as you transition out of the aerobic conditioning phase.
Active Rest and Recovery
1. One of the most important components of a comprehensive training program
2. Allows the process of supercompensation to be completed
3. Helps maintain enthusiasm for training
4. Schedule a rest period every 3-4wks
Mind Games
1. Practice breathing, relaxation, and visualization techniques
2. Become aware of your inner dialogue and pick out your positive self thoughts
3. Develop a positive mantra you can repeat to yourself during training
4. Incorporate a positive mental “warmup” routine that will carry over to racing
REVOLUTION COACHING-WOMEN SPECIFIC
Jill Gass, WCC Mentor and particpant also coaches women athletes!
www.revolutioncoaching.com For more Information on Women's Training Camps and coaching!
TRACK TOOL KIT FOR SUCCESS
Back in 1961, Ted founded the “South Bay Wheelman” bicycle club. Around that same time he also founded the Manhattan Beach Grand Prix. After a lifetime of racing and other cycling accomplishments, Ted was inducted into the Bicycle Hall of Fame last year. http://www.usbhof.com/inductees/
I recently asked Ted to ‘build a track tool kit’ for us starting from scratch with the basics. Part One is as follows:
Long "L"-shaped allen wrenches, 4 - 5 - 6 - 8 mm. This Should allow you to handle any allen bolt on your track bike.
15mm wrench open-end / box to fit the front & rear axle bolt
15mm (open) Pedal wrench, this wrench will be much thinner than your axle wrench.
1 each ~ Phillips (X) and flat screwdrivers, medium size, about 8" long.
Regular pliers about 6/8" long, just in case.
Tire irons ~ if you have clincher tires.
Valve core removing/install tool ~ in case a valve stem core breaks, making inflation a problem.
Good quality floor pump w/a pressure gauge to inflate your tires.
"Chain Whip" to remove cogs in case of rear cog change.
Lockring remover if needed.
Ted goes on to suggest that you invest in an official track took bag designed specifically for track equipment. See the photo: http://www.billronbikes.com/trackbicyclesmain.htm
Part Two:
Ted helped us build our first track tool kit with a minimum number of tools designed to give you the maximum amount of assistance. Now that you know the most commonly used track tools that you should have in your tool bag, Ted Ernst advises that you also learn what bike parts you should plan to keep in your new track tool bag. His recommendations are as follows:
1. Front Chainrings: 48/49/50
2. Rear cogs: 15 and 16
These 5 gears will give you gear ratios ranging from 81 to 90. These are perfect for most of your needs on all 3 of our local tracks. Depending on your progress or riding venue, you can add a 47 to give you are really “easy” gear or possibly a 51 for some heavy duty racing.
Coupled with the former gives you the ratios mentioned.
3. Extra chain ~ either longer or shorter than you usually use just in case a front chainring or rear cog change causes your current chain to be too short/long.
** Note ~ Only use a track specific chain on your track bike! Track chains are NOT interchangeable with cruiser/racing/mtn bike chains even though they appear similar!!
4. Spare Master link and/or chain link sections ~ This will allow for adding links to make the chain the proper length when making gear changes. The extra master link will come in handy if you drop/break/lose one.
5. Lockring for cog, if needed. Some cogs are spline and need the lockring to stay in place.
6. Two spare chainring bolts.7. Two spare valve core inserts and 1 removal/installation tool.
8. Spare seatpost bolt and or clamp.9. Spare wheel axle nuts, front and rear.
10. Spare toe straps if applicable.
11. Pair of cleats and spare bolts, in case of breakage or loss. Proper track pedaling requires you to pull up on your pedals. Things like standing starts & sprints put extra strain on your cleats.
12. Spare clincher tube/tire/tire levers.
13. High pressure Floor pump with a pressure guage
14. A right angle valve adapter for disk wheels.
Some miscellaneous items to include would be: a cleaning rag, handiwipes, solvent and lubricants.
Now: Everyone should make a list of "STUFF" that has to go with them to a race. It should be packed the night BEFORE so it goes in the car when you go. Forgetting your helmet, shoes or asthma medication could be a problem. These things are common sense, but as we all know, this is a recessive gene, so it needs a little prod to the front row.
Ted Ernest
COACHING WITH RICK BABINGTON
Rick Babington coaches a wide variety of athletes, including cyclists and inline skaters, for Carmichael Training Systems. Over the last 25 years, Rick has been skating competitively, dipping his feet into endurance sports (including cycling), or developing & practicing his coaching style. The year 1979 marked the start of his coaching education under USA Roller Sports and in 2000 he joined Carmichael Training Systems and USA Cycling as an Elite Level Coach.
Rick was one of the original coaches Chris called upon when he founded Carmichael Training Systems. Though he lives in the Los Angeles area, Rick's expertise and accessible personality are part of the reason he's consistently been one of the coaches at CTS Camps for the past few years.
In addition to being called upon in 2004 to lead the USA Cycling West Coast Junior Development Camp, Rick is also now helping to develop athletes through the US Paralympic program. Rick was Head Coach at the 2004 Paralympic Cycling Development Camp at the Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center.
In 2005 Rick was one of 4 coaches selected for the Tour of Hope. This included preparing 25 cyclists over 16 weeks to ride across the US to raise awareness for Cancer Clinical Trials.
Rick's coaching style, drawn from his extensive coaching experience, enables him to help athletes blend training, career, family, and life into a program that maximizes available training time to achieve desired results.
ARTICLE #1 RICK BABINGTON
As we near the peak of the road race season, I thought a review of Team Tactics would be appropriate….Enjoy! Coach Rick
Tactics-Teamwork
• Agree on a division of prizes before the race begins.
• Three is a minimum, four or five is a good team number.
• Teammates need to be of equal strength.
• Choose a team leader for the race.
• Need special language and signals to communicate.
• Stay together during first part of race.
• Always plan a strategy.
• Adapt plan to capture any opportunities.
Tactics- Safety
Rule #1: Don’t fall down!!
Rule #2: Learn rule #1!!
• Relaxed upper body.
• Sudden movements within the pack often cause crashes.
• Riders with little or no experience often cause crashes.
• Crashes are common “at the gutter” in packs and echelons.
• Hold your line in turns and sprints.
Basic Errors in Strategy/Tactics
• Not learning the course or choosing inappropriate gears for the terrain.
• Attempting to breakaway too soon or leading the pack for long periods without relief.
• Attempting to breakaway from the front of the group.
• Being trapped behind weaker riders on a climb or in a sprint.
• Choosing the wrong gear (usually too high) for a sprint or a hill.
• Either not knowing or forgetting where the finish line is.
• Pulling---the pack up to breakaways.
• Chasing down teammates who are already in a break.
