bikereg
Friday, April 29, 2011
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Livestrong - Summary of training for Track Cycling
Overview
Track cycling is a fast-paced, sprint-type event, with several different races all performed on a velodrome, an indoor or outdoor track in the shape of an oval with large banked turns on opposing sides. Training for track cycling is different from training for other cycling events in that you are training for more anaerobic muscular endurance. Your program should be specific and your training year planned out. In addition, your program should emphasize resistance training.
Training Periods
Periodization is a system of training that breaks up the year into "mesocycles," or different types of training; the entire training year is separated by preparation, competition and transition times. Each mesocycle contains more specific time periods for improving each aspect of training. The idea is to build upon each aspect of fitness until you are in peak condition to perform during the competition period.
Preparation Period
The preparation period includes two weeks to prep, four weeks for a base period and four weeks for a build period. The prep period is the start of your training year, when you focus on increasing aerobic endurance with cross and resistance training. Speed skills is worked on minimally through spinning drills on an indoor trainer. The base period is used to build up a fitness base. Endurance training is cut back on, replaced by force and speed drills. Resistance training is increased and cross training is decreased. The build period begins to focus on muscular endurance and anaerobic endurance. Resistance training turns to maintenance, while more time is spent on the bike doing speed, force and power drills.
Competition Period
The competition period is split into peak and race weeks. During the peak period, training volume is reduced, but intensity is increased. Training like you are racing is ideal during this time. The race period emphasizes muscular endurance and strength. Races provide most of the fitness you need. During off weeks, work on emphasizing strength, power and speed.
Transition Period
The transition period comes after your racing season has ended. This is a time to rest and recover from the hard year of training. There is generally little to no schedule during transition periods. It is a time to ride for pure enjoyment and allow your body to rest. If you are the kind of track athlete who likes to participate in other cycling races, such as cyclocross, which begins just as the track season is ending, your transition period may be short. Just be sure to keep well rested between racing seasons.
Strength Training
For a track athlete, time in the gym can mean the difference between a first or second place finish. The track athlete must have power and the ability to endure power output over a sustained period of time. The power for track cycling comes from the legs and glutes. Resistance training involving the leg press, leg extension, leg flexion, squats, deadlifts and lunges are beneficial to your training program. Resistance training is emphasized during the base period. This is where are working hard on the bike and hard in the weight room. You begin to taper off during the build period, only working to maintain the muscular strength you have gained.
Plyometrics
Plyometrics are a type of training best fit into the build period. Plyometrics work on training the stretch-shortening cycle of muscles. This kind of training is beneficial to improving muscle force and power. Plyometric exercises are quick movements that take the muscle through its eccentric, amortization and concentric phases with speed and force. Plyometric exercises for a track cyclist include the squat jump, split squat jump and the single-leg vertical jump. Plyometrics can be combined with resistance training through a complex-training program. The schedule of a complex-training program involves high-intensity resistance training followed by plyometric exercises. If you are doing a complex-training program, allow a minimum of 48 hours of rest between complex training sessions.
References
* "The Cyclist's Training Bible"; Joe Friel; 2003
* "Periodization Training for Sports"; Tudor O. Bompa, PhD. and Michael C. Carrera; 2005
* "Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning" National Strength and Conditioning Association; Thomas R. Baechle and Roger W. Earl, eds.; 2000
Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/
Track cycling is a fast-paced, sprint-type event, with several different races all performed on a velodrome, an indoor or outdoor track in the shape of an oval with large banked turns on opposing sides. Training for track cycling is different from training for other cycling events in that you are training for more anaerobic muscular endurance. Your program should be specific and your training year planned out. In addition, your program should emphasize resistance training.
Training Periods
Periodization is a system of training that breaks up the year into "mesocycles," or different types of training; the entire training year is separated by preparation, competition and transition times. Each mesocycle contains more specific time periods for improving each aspect of training. The idea is to build upon each aspect of fitness until you are in peak condition to perform during the competition period.
Preparation Period
The preparation period includes two weeks to prep, four weeks for a base period and four weeks for a build period. The prep period is the start of your training year, when you focus on increasing aerobic endurance with cross and resistance training. Speed skills is worked on minimally through spinning drills on an indoor trainer. The base period is used to build up a fitness base. Endurance training is cut back on, replaced by force and speed drills. Resistance training is increased and cross training is decreased. The build period begins to focus on muscular endurance and anaerobic endurance. Resistance training turns to maintenance, while more time is spent on the bike doing speed, force and power drills.
Competition Period
The competition period is split into peak and race weeks. During the peak period, training volume is reduced, but intensity is increased. Training like you are racing is ideal during this time. The race period emphasizes muscular endurance and strength. Races provide most of the fitness you need. During off weeks, work on emphasizing strength, power and speed.
Transition Period
The transition period comes after your racing season has ended. This is a time to rest and recover from the hard year of training. There is generally little to no schedule during transition periods. It is a time to ride for pure enjoyment and allow your body to rest. If you are the kind of track athlete who likes to participate in other cycling races, such as cyclocross, which begins just as the track season is ending, your transition period may be short. Just be sure to keep well rested between racing seasons.
Strength Training
For a track athlete, time in the gym can mean the difference between a first or second place finish. The track athlete must have power and the ability to endure power output over a sustained period of time. The power for track cycling comes from the legs and glutes. Resistance training involving the leg press, leg extension, leg flexion, squats, deadlifts and lunges are beneficial to your training program. Resistance training is emphasized during the base period. This is where are working hard on the bike and hard in the weight room. You begin to taper off during the build period, only working to maintain the muscular strength you have gained.
Plyometrics
Plyometrics are a type of training best fit into the build period. Plyometrics work on training the stretch-shortening cycle of muscles. This kind of training is beneficial to improving muscle force and power. Plyometric exercises are quick movements that take the muscle through its eccentric, amortization and concentric phases with speed and force. Plyometric exercises for a track cyclist include the squat jump, split squat jump and the single-leg vertical jump. Plyometrics can be combined with resistance training through a complex-training program. The schedule of a complex-training program involves high-intensity resistance training followed by plyometric exercises. If you are doing a complex-training program, allow a minimum of 48 hours of rest between complex training sessions.
References
* "The Cyclist's Training Bible"; Joe Friel; 2003
* "Periodization Training for Sports"; Tudor O. Bompa, PhD. and Michael C. Carrera; 2005
* "Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning" National Strength and Conditioning Association; Thomas R. Baechle and Roger W. Earl, eds.; 2000
Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Kissena as of 4/24/2011
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| This is a typical Kissena Crack |
Posititon: Queens, NY
Altitude: 50 feet above Sea Level
Equipment: Tiemeyer Track bike
Gear: 48 x 16 = 81"
Riders in Group: 1
20 lap warm up - 81" gear
4 - 100 meter sprints - 81" gear
3 - 75 meter standing starts - 81" gear
10 lap warm down
Temp 60 to 70F
First time back on the Tiemeyer since November 2010. Just wanted to make sure everything was in working order, all nuts, bolts, chain and wheels are fine, don't want any nasty surprises during racing. Things have an uncanny ability to come undone when left sitting around, either that or you forgot you had left a bolt loose during maintenance. Chainring bolts have been known to come off, cogs have become loose, chains have come apart, seats have slipped and front wheels have been left loose. I was surprised to see my Garmin GPS case partially separated. I tried putting it back together with crazy glue, but that didn't work, instead I used a piece of electrical tape to hold the two halves of the case together.
Friday, April 22, 2011
VO2 Max Booster Program Intervals
Just got over a cold and immediately embarked on an interval training program. I don't think that was a good idea, my body was not fully recovered. I was eager to increase the intensity as opening weekend gets closer, therefore decided to try some different types of intervals in preparation for May 2011 opening weekend Kilo. I partially followed the fourteen day VO2 Max Booster program as spelled out here. I modified the program to fit my current training schedule. It states you have to do fourteen consecutive days during the program. I only managed to get ten non consecutive days of the program interspersed with weight training before I came down with a sinus cold. A sinus / allergy cold is a guarantee for me in early spring, it happens like clockwork, within a given window of opportunity. It also didn't help my immune system to increase the intensity soon after getting over an earlier cold. Below is the data from the ten days:
Day One (Sunday 3/27/2011)
VO2 Max Test
20 min incremental warm up
5 min easy rolling
5 min VO2 Max Test
30 min easy warm down
Body weight = 175 lbs
Age = 46
VO2 Result = 241 to 274 watts at 185 bpm
Day Two (Monday 3/28/2011)
20 min incremental warm up
10 times 30 sec on 30 sec off at 100/50% VO2 Max
30 min easy
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| Day Two |
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| Day Two |
Day Three (Wednesday 3/30/2011)
10 min incremental warm up
3 times 5 mins on 10 mins off at 90/50% VO2 Max
5 min easy warm down
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| Day Three |
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| Day Three |
Day four (Sunday 4/3/2011)
20 min incremental warm up
6 x (40 + 20) 90/50% of VO2 max
4 mins easy rolling
6 x (40 + 20) 90/50% of VO2 max
4 mins easy rolling
6 x (40 + 20) 90/50% of VO2 max
4 mins easy rolling
14 min easy warm down
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| Day Four |
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| Day Four |
Day five (Monday 4/4/2011)
10 min incremental warm up
20 x 15 sec on 15 sec off at 100/50 % VO2 Max
10 min warm down
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| Day Five |
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| Day Five |
Day six (Wednesday 4/6/2011)
10 min incremental warm up
5 min 70% VO2 Max
3 min 75% VO2 Max
2 min 80% VO2 Max
5 x 30 sec on 30 sec off at 100/50 VO2 Max
5 min 50% VO2 Max
5 x 30 sec on 30 sec off at 100/50 VO2 Max
5 min 50% VO2 Max
5 x 30 sec on 30 sec off at 100/50 VO2 Max
5 min 50% VO2 Max
5 x 30 sec on 30 sec off at 100/50 VO2 Max
5 min 50% VO2 Max
5 min warm down
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| Day Six |
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| Day Six |
Day seven (Friday 4/8/2011)
10 min incremental warm up
5 min 70% VO2 Max
3 min 75% VO2 Max
2 min 80% VO2 Max
10 min 60% VO2 Max
?? X 30 sec on 30 sec off at 100/50 % VO2 Max but no failure training ( I did 20 intervals)
15 min warm down
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| Day Seven |
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| Day Seven |
Day eight (Saturday 4/9/2011)
20 min incremental warm up
3 x 5 min on 3 min off at 80/50 % VO2 Max
19 min warm down
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| Day Eight |
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| Day Eight |
Day nine (Monday 4/11/2011)
10 min incremental warm up
40 min fartlek
10 min warm down
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| Day Nine |
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| Day Nine |
Day ten (Wednesday 4/13/2011)
10 min incremental warm up
5 x 30 sec on 30 sec off at 100/50% VO2 Max
15 min warm down
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| Day Ten |
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| Day Ten |
(4/14/2011 to 4/22/2011)
Sick with a sinus cold
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
VO2 Max
Can You Change Your VO2 Max?
Research shows that although VO2 max has a genetic component it can also be increased through training. The two methods for increasing VO2 max include increases in both training volume and intensity. Research also indicates that the less fit an individual is, the more they can increase their VO2 max through training. In fact, novice exercisers have been able to increase VO2 max by 20 percent through proper training. Fit athletes have a harder time increasing their VO2 max, most likely because they are already so near their genetic potential.
Aside from genetic factors, three other components have a large influence on VO2 max:
* Age - Although it varies greatly by individual and training programs, in general VO2 max is the highest at age 20 and decreases nearly 30 percent by age 65.
* Gender - Many elite female athletes have higher VO2 max values than most men. But because of differences in body size and composition, blood volume and hemoglobin content, a woman's VO2 max is in general about 20 percent lower than a man's VO2 max.
* Altitude - Because there is less oxygen at higher altitude an athlete will generally have 5 percent decrease in VO2 max results with a 5,000 feet gain in altitude.
V02 Max Highs and Lows
VO2 max results vary greatly. The average for a sedentary individual is close to 35 ml/kg/min. Elite endurance athletes often average 70 ml/kg/min. One of the highest recorded VO2 max results (90 ml/kg/min) was that of a cross country skier. Cyclist Lance Armstrong's VO2 max was reported at 85 ml/kg/min.
Does a High V02 Max Mean Better Athletic Performance?
Most elite athletes will have VO2 max values well over 60ml/kg/min, this number alone is not a guarantee of elite performance. A high VO2 max may indicate an athlete's potential for excellent aerobic endurance, but many other factors can determine the winner of a particular race. Some of these factors include:
* Skills Training
* Psychological Preparation
* Lactate Threshold Training
* Rest and Recovery
* Nutrition
more information
Research shows that although VO2 max has a genetic component it can also be increased through training. The two methods for increasing VO2 max include increases in both training volume and intensity. Research also indicates that the less fit an individual is, the more they can increase their VO2 max through training. In fact, novice exercisers have been able to increase VO2 max by 20 percent through proper training. Fit athletes have a harder time increasing their VO2 max, most likely because they are already so near their genetic potential.
Aside from genetic factors, three other components have a large influence on VO2 max:
* Age - Although it varies greatly by individual and training programs, in general VO2 max is the highest at age 20 and decreases nearly 30 percent by age 65.
* Gender - Many elite female athletes have higher VO2 max values than most men. But because of differences in body size and composition, blood volume and hemoglobin content, a woman's VO2 max is in general about 20 percent lower than a man's VO2 max.
* Altitude - Because there is less oxygen at higher altitude an athlete will generally have 5 percent decrease in VO2 max results with a 5,000 feet gain in altitude.
V02 Max Highs and Lows
VO2 max results vary greatly. The average for a sedentary individual is close to 35 ml/kg/min. Elite endurance athletes often average 70 ml/kg/min. One of the highest recorded VO2 max results (90 ml/kg/min) was that of a cross country skier. Cyclist Lance Armstrong's VO2 max was reported at 85 ml/kg/min.
Does a High V02 Max Mean Better Athletic Performance?
Most elite athletes will have VO2 max values well over 60ml/kg/min, this number alone is not a guarantee of elite performance. A high VO2 max may indicate an athlete's potential for excellent aerobic endurance, but many other factors can determine the winner of a particular race. Some of these factors include:
* Skills Training
* Psychological Preparation
* Lactate Threshold Training
* Rest and Recovery
* Nutrition
more information
Sunday, April 10, 2011
4/10/2011 return to the Road / Track
Posititon: Queens, NY
Altitude: 50 feet above Sea Level
Equipment: Pro Lite Track bike
Gear: 45 x 21 = 57.9"
Riders in Group: 1
- Rode to track
- 10 lap warm up (5 laps at the top and 5 laps at the bottom)
- 5 x 100 meter sprints (gear 57.9", max speed 28 mph, cadence 160 rpm)
- 5 x 75 meter standing starts (same gear)
- 1 x 400 meter flying lap
- Rode home
- 30 miles in 2 hours 30 minutes.
Finally back on the road and track since December 2010. I have been riding the spin bike most of the time, currently doing the VO2 Max booster interval program . It has either been bad weather or work on the weekends which prevented riding outdoors - today I mustered the courage to go outdoors despite overcast conditions. I rode to Kissena Track and did a few efforts to shake out the cobwebs and to get re-acquainted with the track and its idiosyncrasies. Racing and structured training has begun on Saturdays, check Affinity Cycles for more details.
Altitude: 50 feet above Sea Level
Equipment: Pro Lite Track bike
Gear: 45 x 21 = 57.9"
Riders in Group: 1
- Rode to track
- 10 lap warm up (5 laps at the top and 5 laps at the bottom)
- 5 x 100 meter sprints (gear 57.9", max speed 28 mph, cadence 160 rpm)
- 5 x 75 meter standing starts (same gear)
- 1 x 400 meter flying lap
- Rode home
- 30 miles in 2 hours 30 minutes.
Finally back on the road and track since December 2010. I have been riding the spin bike most of the time, currently doing the VO2 Max booster interval program . It has either been bad weather or work on the weekends which prevented riding outdoors - today I mustered the courage to go outdoors despite overcast conditions. I rode to Kissena Track and did a few efforts to shake out the cobwebs and to get re-acquainted with the track and its idiosyncrasies. Racing and structured training has begun on Saturdays, check Affinity Cycles for more details.
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| No road or track miles since December 2010 - Data from Endomondo |
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| Data from Endomondo - Android Phone App |
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| Data from Garmin GPS |
Thursday, April 7, 2011
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