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