If you want to increase your performance level or arrive in peak shape at your goal race, you know you need proper training. Today’s information overload and made-up default training plans, however, overwhelm you and lead to bad training decisions (if any at all).
The consequences of this dilemma are obvious: Way too many cyclists stay in the dark, beset with misinformation and bro science.
However, with TainingPeaks training plans, this is a thing of the past. A research-based training plan provides structure, accountability, fuelling guidelines, and support.
This is my candidacy as to why a TrainingPeaks plan is precisely what you need.
1. Structured Training Plans for Serious Cyclists
If you’re serious about your goals and you want to improve your performance, you’re a serious cyclist. Consequently, serious cyclists need a structured training plan to arrive in peak shape at their goal event or rise their performance to a new ceiling.
Structured training plans benefit you in many different ways. Firstly, you get rid of any guesswork on when to do what. Secondly, my training plans, for example, are divided into different phases to build capacities first and get more specific closer to your event. And thirdly, they are specific to your goal event and performance level.
2. Extrapolating Science into the Daily Grind
I believe in science and my training plans reflect this. My loyalty serves the science and this guides my training decisions.
As a cycling coach, I see myself as the bridge between the scientific community and the greater community of cyclists. As science helps me keep an open mind, I can change my beliefs when I need to and adapt to new methods quickly.
Eventually, science has improved our lives in all kinds of ways. You may like it or not but science has a great impact on your life as well.
On the one hand, when we look a little deeper at current research we often find it to be contradicting conventional wisdom, making the training process simpler and more effective. On the other hand, there are already lots of well-researched interval programs and training regimes that work pretty well, making the whole training process clearer and more realizable.
My work as a coach now is to extrapolate all the research and create applicable training plans for serious cyclists of all levels.
The result is science-based training plans that are simple yet effective. Of course, overly complicated workouts look sexy and exciting but keep in mind that there’s no evidence supporting them.
In the end, you become successful by applying basic scientific principles and executing them over and over again.
3. Providing the Best Value for Money
As already mentioned, one-on-one coaching is a premium service that requires a huge commitment. TrainingPeaks Plans, on the other hand, is a cost-effective one-time investment, where you can choose your needs.
My science-based training plans are easy to follow without any bells and whistles. In addition, you get broad workout instructions with an explanation and effect of the session. Therefore, you get a better understanding of why you do the training, encouraging you to execute it that way.
Sure, you might have heard of custom training plans some coaches offer. However, be aware that you only get a pre-made plan without any in-depth analysis or regular communication with your coach but at a much higher cost than any training plan.
Following this, there’s no way around TrainingPeaks plans in terms of money in exchange for structure and workouts.
4. Holding Yourself Accountable
One major problem I see in recreational cyclists that reject any structured training is consistency. There will be days when life squeezes lemon juice right into your eyeballs and it’s easy to call it a day.
Albeit, if your workouts are scheduled in your TriningPeaks calendar, you’re much more likely to get them done. Research supports this claim. When scientists looked at strategies to promote exercise participation the most important factors were time (when) and space (where) to get it done. Otherwise, motivation had no effect, although what a lot of cyclists think about considering their consistency is “I need to find my motivation.”
Science tells us motivation is short-lived and overrated. A structured training plan, however, increases your odds of success by a lot.
Above all, you can do the most effective workouts but if you lack consistency it’s useless. When we look at Dr. Stephen Seiler’s Training Pyramid, the most important part is frequency and total training volume. Thus, holding yourself accountable and training consistently is the best thing you can do for long-term success as a cyclist. No fancy bike, aero gains, or big rides can replace training frequency.
Now, a key thing to do to stay consistent is to choose a plan that reflects your lifestyle. Choose the hours that you know you can complete regularly. If 6 hours is realistic for you, choose a training plan that’s made for 6 hours.
5. Getting the Most Out of Every Workout with Fuelling Guidelines
Science is usually contradicting. Different research results, good study designs, bad study designs, and so on. Yet, the scientific community is in agreement about one thing: If you want to maximize your cycling performance you need carbs. No matter what piece of research I’m looking at, almost all see a link between carbohydrate supplementation and improved performance.
As a result, my training plans include fuelling guidelines so you know how many carbs you need per hour of riding.
You don’t need 90 g/h on every ride but 30 g/h might be too little for other sessions. This whole on-bike fuelling thing seems a little confusing but stay calm, with my plans you are on the safe side.
The Best Time to Start Always Is and Always Will be Right Now
While training is only one part of the puzzle when preparing for your goal event, it’s what you spend the most time doing so. Without a doubt, proper training will have the biggest effect on your performance.
Accordingly, it’s your responsibility to make the most out of every training session. So, the best time to start with a structured training plan is and will always be right now.
Ready to Step Up Your Training?
If you enjoyed this and want to improve your cycling performance, then get your hands on one of my plans that are available on TrainingPeaks and ride faster for longer, or click below to get my specific base, build, and peak plans for amateur and elite cyclists:
- RV The Block Periodization Plan, 4 Weeks (6-8 Hours)
- RV Improve Your FTP, 8 Weeks on 6 Hours, 10 Hours, or 15 Hours
- RV Gravel Advanced Base Plan 8-12 Hours (12 Weeks) – All Gravel Races
- RV Unbound 200 Three Phases Build Plan, Advanced 8-12 Hours (12 Weeks)
- RV Unbound 200 Three Phases Peak Plan Advanced 10 Hours (8 Weeks)
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Studies Used in this Article
- Combining motivational and volitional interventions to promote exercise participation: Protection motivation theory and implementation intentions
- Seiler’s Hierarchy of Endurance Training Needs
- What is the Best Way to Train to Become a Star Endurance Athlete?
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