Fall Strength Training
 

I know it's way too early to think about fall, but I've done really well building strength/endurance this year and I don't want to lose it.

For fall training, there seem to be two schools of thought:

1. Hit the weight room (quads, hamstrings, calves, etc.) with relatively low weights and high reps and slowly migrate to high weights/low reps.
2. Don't mess with weights for your legs, they don't do much for anyone but sprinters.

I'm not a sprinter. I do time trials occasionally and I do hilly metrics and centuries. For those of you who adhere to school #2, what do you do to maintain/increase leg strength in the fall? Keep doing intervals as in the spring/summer?

Early ... as in fall just ended 4 days ago? :D

I am of the hit the weight room mentality. I try to keep cycling high, medium, and low reps with the associated weights.

If you race, you should make a plan. Get a book like Base Building for Cyclists that covers this, and start doing your 'homework'. Or use a coaching service to cook one up for you.

Thanks for your responses. I've been following training plans now for several years, the latest based on Friel's book. I don't race except for the occasional time trial. I do try to set PR's at metrics and centuries.

Following Friel's version of intervals seems to have made the biggest difference this year. Previously I don't think I did enough of them or with enough intensity. Skills work like spin-ups and ILT seem to be a contributing factor: my pedaling has become more fluid than it was.

This year my Base period went from December through mid-March; Build period through mid-April and then a peak for my first metric in mid-May. I've been through another build period and now I'm peaking for a 200k in a couple of weeks. (Again, following Friel's formulae.)

My average speed for a Zone 2 (pure aerobic) ride has jumped about 5% this year, from ~17mph to ~18. I haven't seen an increase like that in years. It feels wonderful! :D

I'm just trying to figure the best way to maintain those gains in the fall without burning out.

Ack -- excuse the boreal prejudice. :)

Finally looked at your photos. So very cool. Made me smile, real big. Must be great not to be living in Red Butt, Alberta anymore. It doesn't look droughty there?

OP: I take about a month off from Serious Cycling, though I keep riding occasionally. I eliminate midweek intensity, cut back on the weekend mileage but not the intensity, and do the weight stuff with intensity for 2-3 months.

Red Deer wasn't too bad ... the proximity to the Rocky Mountains was nice. :) But it's great to be with Rowan ... FINALLY!! :D

It's not droughty here now ... it's winter. Winters here are rainy and damp (and very green) like the Vancouver area. And there's some talk that maybe the drought is over in general, although there is a bit of a water restriction on still.



As for weight training ... for years I tapered down on the cycling in October, and increased the amount of weightlifting I did. I would still cycle (usually on my trainer) for 30-60 minutes 5 days a week, and would still do centuries now and then, but wouldn't increase my mileage again till about mid-February or so.

you can talk about it or you can do it
go heavy or go home

:-)

On the contrary, high rep, high intensity lifting is the only thing that noticeably helped my cycling, both climbing and sprinting.

re: "go heavy or go home"

... it's just a body building expression ...