Training & Nutrition - Recommend a training book for me please

This is my first year cycling and I did pretty well when I actually had a chance to ride. This summer all I had to do was work and ride. I did the local group hammer ride Tuesday and Thursday and saw incredible gains in my fitness.

Now that I'm back in school I only get a chance to ride outdoors on the weekends. Any other training to stay fit must be done on the trainer when I get the time. I find it hard to stay motivated and train hard on the trainer. I'll do half-assed interval sessions once in awhile but it's mostly tempo stuff.

I'm convinced that what I need is a scheduled workout to keep me focused. When I used to weight lift I saw best results when I had a strict regiment that I stuck with so I don't doubt it will help me in cycling.
I plan to start racing next year so I need to start training. My fitness has dropped off a bit since this summer just from lack of training.


I'd like to find a good book that works with my time constraints. I get about an 1hr in the morning during the week and Saturdays are usually group rides with the team.

I'm planning to buy a Powertap. Which book would you guys recommend for power training that's going to help me plan the most effective workouts for my schedule? I don't want something like Friel's book that wants me to do weeks of base-building...I just cannot do that on a trainer.

Take a look at Spinervals.

http://www.spinervals.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=53_54

Smart Cycling by Arnie Baker has a pretty decent indoor trainer section in it. I don't own the book but I've looked through it in the bookstore. It has maybe 15-20 trainer workouts, each an hour long and focusing on various aspects of training such as hill climbing, threshold building, sprinting, etc. What to do minute by minute is shown on a chart for each workout, so you'd probably need one of those reading stands that you clamp on to your handlebars if you wanted to follow the workouts exactly.

I'd like to find a good book that works with my time constraints.

I'm planning to buy a Powertap. Which book would you guys recommend for power training that's going to help me plan the most effective workouts for my schedule? I don't want something like Friel's book that wants me to do weeks of base-building...I just cannot do that on a trainer.

Training and Racing with a Power Meter by Coggan and Allen. BTW Friel has changed his philosophy regarding base miles (see ultrafit link below).

http://www.amazon.com/Training-Racing-Power-Meter-Hunter/dp/1931382794
http://www.ultrafit.com/newsletter/november07.html#AA


I'd also recommend you check out the Power Forum for ideas on how you might approach your training. Unless you are a pro with unlimited time on your hands adding intensity to your winter workouts (especially if you're doing them on a trainer) is a smart move.

http://www.cyclingforums.com/f88-power-training.html
http://www.cyclingforums.com/t439376.html

The question is how much intesity and what type. Threshold work? 3-5 vo2 efforts? 1 -3 min anaerobic intervals? Sprints? What I see and hear is people adding intensity to their winter program that is at the intersection of what Coggan and Allen term Tempo and Threshold, what they refer to as the Sweet Spot. This link describes this "zone" and may be helpful as you decide how to approach your training. It's taxing enough to keep you motivated; it won't kill you psychologically; and it's an incredibly efficient use of training/trainer time. You can do a lot of good and see training adaptation in an hour or less.

http://www.fascatcoaching.com/sweetspot.html

Many recommend doing sprints year round, and saving the vo2 and anaerobic work for sharpening your form and inducing a peak as you approach race season.

Hope this helps.

gene r

As mentioned, Smart Cycling by Arnie Baker is full of 1 hour trainer workouts. However I still think the Lance Armstrong Performance Program is a pretty good book for a beginner to get a workout schedule (that can be done indoors or out.)

Training and Racing with a Power Meter by Coggan and Allen. BTW Friel has changed his philosophy regarding base miles (see ultrafit link below).

http://www.amazon.com/Training-Racing-Power-Meter-Hunter/dp/1931382794
http://www.ultrafit.com/newsletter/november07.html#AA


I'd also recommend you check out the Power Forum for ideas on how you might approach your training. Unless you are a pro with unlimited time on your hands adding intensity to your winter workouts (especially if you're doing them on a trainer) is a smart move.

http://www.cyclingforums.com/f88-power-training.html
http://www.cyclingforums.com/t439376.html

The question is how much intesity and what type. Threshold work? 3-5 vo2 efforts? 1 -3 min anaerobic intervals? Sprints? What I see and hear is people adding intensity to their winter program that is at the intersection of what Coggan and Allen term Tempo and Threshold, what they refer to as the Sweet Spot. This link describes this "zone" and may be helpful as you decide how to approach your training. It's taxing enough to keep you motivated; it won't kill you psychologically; and it's an incredibly efficient use of training/trainer time. You can do a lot of good and see training adaptation in an hour or less.

http://www.fascatcoaching.com/sweetspot.html

Many recommend doing sprints year round, and saving the vo2 and anaerobic work for sharpening your form and inducing a peak as you approach race season.

Hope this helps.

gene r

Nice post.

Thanks. I just wish all this info was available (and the ability to tap into it) back in the day when I started riding/racing/self-coaching.

cheers,

gene r

Im presently reading Base Building for Cyclists by Thomas Chapple and so far I love it.

The book has some anatomy, physiology, nutrition, metabolism, strengh training elements and a lot of base training techniques such as zone training and training plans.

Training and Racing with a Power Meter by Coggan and Allen.

Since you are getting a PT (I just got one, too), I'd highly recommend this book!