Cyclist's Training Bible?

beison

So that crazy guy, Joe Friel has a book out, "The Cyclist's Training Bible"-- perhaps you've heard of it?

I can only squeeze in enough time between being a full time student and holding a job, to actively train 10-12 hours a week and want to learn how to train a bit better and more efficiently. I was thinking about buying that book, but some of my team mates said they don't like the book because it's too hardcore and wouldn't be applicible to an entry level racer with limited time to train. Also, I won't even consider a powertap until I'm a cat 3 or lower so until then I'm only going off my cadence and HR sensors so if the book deals with training with power, I don't think it'd be something applicible

Do you guys think it'd be a good investment to buy the book?

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Alex Simmons

Have you done a search on the topic of this book? It's been discussed extensively here before. Perhaps those comments might give you some guidance.

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beison

whoops, I totally thought I did search for it but I just realized I searched for training "bibel"... thanks hehe

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Alex Simmons

Better than training libel I s'pose

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michelbrazeau

For sure it's a good book. But there are many books out there. If you can "make" some read time (while commuting, before bed time, etc...) it can bring a lot to the way train and race.

The Cyclist's training bible was one of the first books I picked up almost ten years ago. Then a couple years after I found a french book (I don't know if it has been translated), "Cyclisme, Entrainement, Pedagogie" by Jean-Francois Mayer, written 10 years before the "bible", and that was a real "eye opener". I realized that nothing was really new in Friel's book, and it gave me the impression that in Europe, many training methods were developed and detailed much before they became popular in America.

It doesn't take long to read a book, so the more you read the more you will discover different approaches, some of which may inspire you. The book by Mayer above has a chapter that discusses combining the intensity of your training with the phase of the sun and moon. Sounds crazy, but when the hours of daylight are increasing in spring/early summer your body seems to have more energy and recovers better, compared to the short days of daylight in December, where you may not respond to training as well. The similar concept was extended with the cycle of an ascending moon. Backed with some studies, Mayer suggests periodizing training based on those cycles. Maybe it was just a placebo effect, but it certainly is food for thought.

Another example is Arnie Baker's Smart Cycling. An excellent read that may influence your strategy during a race. It has for me.

Happy reading,

Michel
www.freetrainingplan.com

Alex Simmons

Does anyone train according to their Stars?

I'm a Leo. What should I look for this month?

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Piotr

That depends on where your Emotional Curve is currently.

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michelbrazeau

Although I think it is interesting, I've never tried it. But I know I peak in June/July and I am at the bottom of the curve in December.

Michel
www.freetrainingplan.com