The Philosophy of Training Smarter-Recovery Time

Many athletes train with the understanding that "more is better". Failing to realize their own limitations, these brave warriors are the ones who are found frequenting the doctors offices in the winter fighting colds, or reinjuring a injury that truly needed time to heal (I can write this from personal exerience). Without adequate time off, they soon lose interest in the sport.

In order to reach a new performance peak, you need time off! Time off from not just the bike, but hard exercise in general. You need to rest, take care of those things you have been neglecting, such as family and friends, and to repair your sport specific equipment. This is a good time to search ebay for those wheels or off road mountain forks you dream about. Most athletes who have never hired a coach, never really get a good rest period in under their belt. They simply don't know how to fill their time. They don't know how to rest!

So, I have prepared a typical training week for a recovery period. For most people, a month is all you need to begin your preparation period for the next season. So, without further adieu, here is a typical Maxex Coaching rest or transition period week.

Monday - off

Tuesday - Rest

Wednesday - Off

Thursday - Light Exercise

Friday - off

Saturday - Rest

Sunday - Light Exercise

Light exercise would consist of 60 minutes of a hill hike, easy peddle to the beach, a light aerobics class, a very easy spin class, but your heart rate is 5-6 RPE on a scale of 10.

Rest - that would be any 20 minutes of exercise such as walking, skipping, a light run, inline
skating at a low exertion rate. Your RPE would be less than 5.

Fun in the Mud at Cool

IMG_0304.JPG
Originally uploaded by Milagro_Beanfield.

Places We Ride Come Join Us

We Ride at Tamarancho.

Breaking Away at Cherry Pie 

October Base Week Training for Road Cyclists

A typical early first month base week for most road, mountain, or track cyclists would include about 12-15 hours of endurance exercise with heart rates about 60-80% of your Maximum, and weight training (Anatomical Adaptation). If you are thinking about racing in February, March, and April, or doing a fast century ride (sub 5 hours) you want to begin exercising this month, if at all possible. If you want to race later in the year, then start later. A typical training week for a road racer might look something like this:

MONDAY: RIDE OR CROSS TRAIN 1-2 HOURS

TUESDAY: RIDICULOUSLY LIGHT WEIGHTS AND STRETCHING

WEDNESDAY: RIDE OR CROSS TRAIN 1-2 HOURS

THURSDAY: OFF OR ACTIVE RECOVERY

FRIDAY: RIDICULOUSLY LIGHT WEIGHTS AND STRETCHING

SATURDAY: RIDE FOR 2-3 HOURS

SUNDAY: RIDE FOR 2-3 HOURS

Every 4th week take a little more recovery time. If you don't have a heart rate monitor, or don't want to use one (there is a whole body of literature on the advantages and disadvantages of HRM), then use a relative perceived exertion (RPE) scale of 10, keeping your exercise exertion somewhere between 6 and 8. There is almost no reason, unless of course you are being chased by a dog, that you should exert yourself to the point of breathlessness or muscle burn. Fatigue may be normal, and can be expected this time of year, even if you ride slow. If you are planning to race mountain bike, then substitute a technical trail ride for either Saturday or Sunday. Choose a trail that does not cause you to exert yourself outside of your endurance heart rate zone.

If you want to use a Power Meter instead of a HRM, then email me and I can set up a program for you to do just that.

Maxex Training relies heavily upon a variety of specific weight training routines in combination with plyometrics. If done properly, this type of training will make you faster than doing weights alone. Again, you need to contact me to set up a program to do just that. Email me at Maxexcoaching@earthlink.net

Best of Luck with your First Month of Base Training

Mike Bonkowski
USACycling Expert Coach

email: Maxexcoaching@earthlink.net