Training Programs

What are your guys opinion's on generic training programs such as the one in this months Ride (SA) mag! can these programs be beneficial for the avg cyclist, ie me 8), or should i be looking for something slightly more tailored to my needs? :-/

 

I'm using a training program developed by Chris Carmichael (Lance Armstrong's coach). The book that it is from has generic sample programs for beginner, intermediate and advanced (and tells you how to determine which category you fit into) and workouts for different areas (sprinting, climbing, etc.) so that you can construct your own.<br /><br />Book details are:<br /><br />The Lance Armstrong Performance Program<br />ISBN: 1579542700<br /><br />Picked mine up pretty cheap on eBay. Finding that my overall fitness is really improving using the intermediate level.

 

Get something tailored. Books can't take into account all of those factors that make you, you! Things like your medical history, your stage in your training, your individual response to training, your rate of recovery, etc.<br /><br />People will improve (or overtrain) when following a book, because it gives them a structure and removes the random training patterns.<br /><br />A coach can prescribe an optimal program to make you improve at an accelerated rate.

 

this guy is pretty interesting.........<br /><br />http://home.hia.no/~stephens/mtbplan.htm

 

Programs from books and stuff are ok for real beginners but after 8 weeks or so you will stop making progress.<br /><br />i just had a full VO2, training heart rates, breathing reserve and lactate threshold test session done and the results showed that i should be on a completely different program than the one i was on!!!!<br /><br />so it probably pays to talk to a coach if you are serious about gettng results

 

DUckwah, I remembered you were asking about this testing in an earlier thread... whereabouts in Sydney did you get tested and how much $$$?<br /><br />Thanks<br />Matt

 

it cost me $125 and i got it done by a company called fitstation, they use a few locations in sydney<br /><br />call Steve on 0414 378 844

 

[quote author=Duckwah link=board=19;threadid=2513;start=0#23270 date=1038891196]<br />it cost me $125 and i got it done by a company called fitstation, they use a few locations in sydney<br /><br />call Steve on 0414 378 844<br />[/quote]<br /><br />When you say results, did they test more than your Vo2max/.?

 

they tested<br /> V02<br /> Ventalitory reserve: ie how much air you process per minute during exercise compared to how much you can force through your lungs in a 20 second max test (very uncomfortable).<br />Training heart rates<br />Max heart rate<br />lactate threshold based on gas exchange not blood testing (so perhaps not 100%accurate)<br />power output at different heart rates and at LT<br /><br />they also give you HR zones for racing to maintain the best efficiency and speed <br /><br />then the whole lot was put into a report with training recommendations and some comparisons to normal people and elite athletes<br /><br />so i found out that i need to lose some weight and do more intervals BEFORE i do my base training which is contrary to the normal training programs.<br /><br />I was pretty happy to spend the money because i now have very clear training zones and workouts set up. It will be interesting to see the results in 8 weeks when i go back for another test

 

[quote author=Duckwah link=board=19;threadid=2513;start=0#23278 date=1038905975]so i found out that i need to lose some weight and do more intervals BEFORE i do my base training which is contrary to the normal training programs.[/quote]<br /><br />Did they say what the indicators for that were? (More intervals before base training, I mean. Not that I don't find base training wildly exciting, of course. )

 

Ok to elaborate on the results i got<br /><br />before the VO2 test you do a ventilatory capacity test which is basically hyperventilating as hard and as fast as you can while under no load for 20sec<br /><br />then they compare this to how much you can breathe in and out under max load right at the end of the VO2 test.<br /><br />then if there is a big gap between what you can do under no load and what you can do under load then you have spare ventilatory capacity which can be exploited.<br /><br />ie you are not using everything you have<br /><br />to fix this you do really maximal interval training up to 6 times a week to try and stretch your effciency BEFORE you do a lot of base training.