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10 Secrets That Make You a Winning Cyclist

July 12, 2010 by Jesper Bondo Medhus 2 Comments

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Fabian Cancellara, Switzerland. Image by Training4cyclists.com
1. Know how hard to train
Understand the terms’ overreaching’ and ‘overtraining’ and use them to improve your performance. Distinguishing overtraining from overreaching is essential because overreaching is a very natural process when we train. That is an advanced use of the super-compensation principle.

2. Make a training plan
Plan your training and set a goal for your workout. Find out how much time you can spend on training and how you can get the best results with the time you have. When you know your goals and what time you have to achieve them, it is time to make a detailed training program.

3. Power meter training
Measure your effort in watts and evaluate your training rides and races. A power meter is a potent tool that allows you to make even better training plans. It is the best way to follow your progress.

4. Strength training
Heavy and explosive lifting makes you more efficient and more robust. Use Cycling Training Tips’ strength training program for cyclists.

5. VO2 max intervals
Increase your maximum oxygen consumption. For a cyclist, a sizeable aerobic engine is essential. When you go for a ride, you stimulate your aerobic system, but how much stimulation depends on the intensity you ride with. VO2 max intervals trigger a great response from your aerobic system.

6. Anaerobic intervals
Increase your anaerobic endurance. After only a few of these sessions, your body will be better off working in an anaerobic environment. This skill is primarily used in competitions, where jumps and sprints demand anaerobic efforts. This training art is exhausting, and road cyclists should mainly use it for competition preparation.

7. Sprint training
Get faster and more explosive. When it comes to true sprinters, genes play a significant role. Sprinters are born to be sprinters. You can make a slow donkey to a faster donkey, but you can never make a donkey to a racehorse. This animal is born to be slow, which is the same for many non-sprinters. But even slow donkeys can get faster, so sprint training is strongly suggested.

8. Fartlek
Improve your tactical skills (and aerobic endurance, anaerobic endurance, sprints” ¦, etc.) If you have a period where your motivation for regular interval training is low or non-existing, then try Fartlek. It is fun, and often you will experience that you get an excellent workout.

9. Aerodynamics
Improve your aerodynamics. Cheat the wind” ¦ The most significant changes in aerodynamic drag come from changes in body position.

10. Recovery
Optimize your recovery. When you train hard, you deserve to get good results. One of the best moments to improve your performance is the first hour after your training session.

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About Jesper Bondo Medhus

I am a medical doctor with a special interest in cycling training. I work at the Hospital of Vejle using clinical physiology and nuclear medicine to diagnose cancer and heart patients. I have written two e-books: Time Effective Cycling Training and 12-Week Winter Training Program.

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Comments

  1. Bob says

    July 14, 2010 at 9:16 am

    Great list, Jesper – please share more training tips with us!

  2. Ron says

    December 22, 2012 at 12:15 pm

    Include recovery weeks in your training program and you will achive more and be able to adopt training better and you also reduce risk of overtraining.
    3-1 or 2-1 is working for me.

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