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Winter Turbo Training

Introduction

This plan starts in October and will bring you to a peak in March after which a programme of maintenance can take over.  Benchmarks need to be completed before the end of September and are to be repeated every 4 to 6 weeks.  If your race season starts later in the year, then all you need do is start the programme later as necessary.

The programme is split into two major parts of Base and Build and a short Peak section is included just before the end.  Each week will have two or three specific sessions of varying length and intensity depending on its purpose.  The shortest session will be 60 minutes and the longest 110 minutes.  Intensities will range from recovery (RPE 9) to “Oh sh*t this is hard!” (RPE 18+).

Benchmark

A benchmark test can be carried out on the road with a known course, of about 10 miles, repeated under similar conditions each time.  Alternatively, if you have you cycle computer taking readings from the rear wheel do it on your turbo over 10 miles.

The purpose of the benchmark is to provide a measure of performance that lets you see the progress you are making.

Base Training  -  Duration 13 Weeks

October to December

Includes 3 mesocycles.  It will build your endurance, strength & speed, plus muscular endurance in latter stages.  This period of training ends with the Xmas holidays.  What training you do that week is between you and your conscience!

Endurance training to be provided by sessions that include:

·        Recovery

·        Aerobic

·        Variable intensity, to simulate a fixed gear ride

Strength training to be provided by sessions that include:

·        Moderate seated climbs

·        Long seated climbs

Speed training to be provided by:

·        Maximum cadence intervals

·        Single leg

·        Form sprints

Muscular endurance training to be provided by:

·        Tempo in aero position

·        Cruise intervals

Base Cycle Durations

Base 1

Week 1  -  120 minutes

Week 2  -  132 minutes

Week 3  -  145 minutes

Week 4  -  160 minutes

Base 2

Week 1  -  120 minutes

Week 2  -  145 minutes

Week 3  -  160 minutes

Week 4  -  175 minutes

Base 3

Week 1  -  120 minutes

Week 2  -  160 minutes

Week 3  -  175 minutes

Week 4  -  193 minutes

Week 5  -  212 minutes

 

 

Build Training  -  Duration 8 Weeks

January to Febuary

Includes 2 mesocycles.  Endurance training reduces through the programme to less than 50% as intensity increases.  Muscular endurance training increases, speed training is replaced by speed endurance and power training is introduced.  Some workouts will be triathlon / duathlon specific brick sessions.

Endurance training to be provided by:

·        Recovery

·        Aerobic

Strength training to be provided by:

·        Long seated climbs

·        Hill repeats, seated & standing

Muscular endurance training to be provided by:

·        Cruise intervals

·        Hill cruise intervals

·        Intervals increasing from aerobic to threshold

·        Long Threshold

Speed endurance training to be provided by:

·        Speed intervals with full recovery

·        Speed pyramid intervals with full recovery

·        Hill intervals with full recovery

Power training to be provided by:

·        Jumps

·        Hill Sprints (Ouch!)

Build Cycle Durations & Relative Intensities

Build 1

Week 1  -  120 minutes @  intensity 1

Week 2  -  120 minutes @  intensity 2

Week 3  -  120 minutes @  intensity 3

Week 4  -  120 minutes @  intensity 4

Build 2

Week 1  -  120 minutes @  intensity 1

Week 2  -  120 minutes @  intensity 3

Week 3  -  120 minutes @  intensity 4

Week 4  -  120 minutes @  intensity 5

Peak Training  -  Duration 2 Weeks

March

Reduce volume but maintain intensity, including taper.  Endurance is now less than 25%; muscular endurance & speed endurance dominate.

 

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