#Scyclepro - Using Science to Power Your Performance - Coaches Blog

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Why Heart Rate is still an important training tool.

I am often asked by cyclists about heart rate and whether it is still relevant for training, given the increasing use of power meters. So, do power meters tell us all we need to know about our training and how our bodies are responding? Well, no. And in fact knowing how to use heart rate will help you get far more value from your power meter. ​ Whilst I concede that using HR as a gauge of intensity during a training session (especially those involving shorter interval efforts) can be inaccurate, it is the trend data provided by heart rate response that provides a valuable insight into how your body is adapting to training loads. Additionally, this same data will show when a cyclist is ready to ramp up the training or conversely, when it is time to back off. ​ Although the interpretation of HR response can be complex, there are some clear markers that are easy to spot, provided the HR data is collected in the first place. Two key measures are:

Heart Rate Drift

Recovery Rate

The graph above shows the HR response from a rider who has completed a series of 5 x 5 minute Interval efforts with a fixed recovery of 2 minutes. Power for both the effort and recovery were the same. Notice the upward “drift” in both the effort HR and the recovery HR.

Understanding Heart Rate Drift Patterns ​

An upward drift in both the average and peak HR (provided power was the same for each effort) means the rider used a significant anaerobic contribution (this can be seen in the image above). This is often seen at the first few attempts at interval sets. It generally means that either the rider needs more sessions to allow the body to adapt or a slight reduction in the power targets is required.

A relatively flat pattern means that the rider has handled the session well and is ready for an increase in intensity for each effort or a reduced recovery between efforts.

A decreasing HR pattern is quite rare at constant power but can indicate significant muscular fatigue and is almost always accompanied by decreasing power. This pattern shows that the rider needs a rest.

It is quite easy to spot these trends using any of the common analysis platforms (the graph above comes from the Wahoo Elemnt App). Once you know what you are looking for, Heart Rate trend patterns will confirm both if your training is at the appropriate level and when to take it up a notch. ​ Generally, the less drift there is in a HR pattern, the more “easily” a rider has been able to handle the training load. If the same session is completed each week for 4 weeks, one would expect to see less drift at week four than week one. If this is the case, power targets may be ramped up. If not, a short-term reduction in load may be required. It is possible to use a HR / Power “index” to analyse sessions where the power outputs vary from effort to effort. Although this is somewhat more complex and usually the domain of a qualified coach, it is further evidence of the importance of Heart Rate and why it is necessary to collect the data. ​ So, don’t throw away that HR monitor just yet. It is in fact the perfect companion to your Power Meter and will help to make it an even more effective tool. Bubba

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Five Keys to have you Descending Like a Pro

A Five point formula for building skill and confidence

Descending on a bicycle should be fun, an experience full of flow and freedom as you take payback for the effort spent reaching the top of a climb. Clipping the apex of turns, feeling the bike “float” as you enter a trance-like state, reading the road ahead, scanning the scenery and smiling all the way down……..”wow, that was fun!” Sadly, for many riders (often even those who climb like Pantani) the downhill sections are filled with fear, loathing and tension and it just should not be that way. Mastering the art of descending has its roots in confidence and to build this confidence, one must develop dependable, repeatable and ultimately “automatic” skills. So here are my five keys for going downhill fast. Master each and you will be well on the way to becoming a competent, confident descender, finding that flow that once sounded so abstract that you doubted its existence. ​ As with all learning, regular practice is essential. You will need to focus on just one of these keys at a time until each feels natural and automatic. Once you master all five, the confidence builds and the word “flow” will become a new and welcome addition to your cycling vocabulary.

So much control with the outside leg and inside hand, that giving a thumbs up is a breeze.

One: Get Off Your Arse To descend well your bike and body will, at times, need to move different amounts and even in different directions (more on that later). This is nearly impossible to achieve if you are planted on the saddle. Your weight should be on your feet (like the way a jockey is weighted on the stirrups) and the saddle should just be touching against your inner thighs. This way you can be “responsive” and the legs can act as shock absorbers, should you happen to hit an obstacle or bump in the road. On any sections of a descent where you can see ahead and the road is fairly straight, you may want to sit down for a rest, but be sure to get back on your feet, once the bends start again. Tip 1: Don’t stand “tall” on the pedals, the technique is often described as “hovering” just above the saddle. Tip 2: Your backside should be positioned just above the saddle for descents that are not too steep, but as the gradient increases towards (and above) 10%, you will need to shift a little further back. This is both a technique and safety adjustment that improves control and makes it far less likely that you will go over the bars (OTB) should you strike a bump or obstacle. Two: Keep the Outside Pedal Down This is important for two reasons; the first is to avoid striking the inside pedal on the ground as the bike leans into the corner and the second is to ensure that your weight is pushing hard down into the outside pedal, which increases traction (and control) for the rear wheel. So, for a left bend, your right pedal should be down and for a right bend, the left pedal is down. As you corner, not only is the outside pedal down, but your hips should be shifting across towards the lower leg so that most of your bodyweight is over this outside foot. You should really feel the weight on the straight (outside) leg as this is a good sign for keeping traction and control on the rear wheel. Tip 1: When you are descending in a relatively straight line, NEITHER foot should be down. Your feet should be positioned at “three and nine o’clock” or horizontally. It is only as you approach a bend that you should adjust the position of your feet so that the outside foot is at six o’clock. Tip 2: Never pedal through corners whilst descending. Keep the outside foot down and the inside foot up until you have exited the corner. Three: Your Inside Hand (and shoulder) Controls the Front Wheel Think about it this way; there are two wheels on your bike and it is important for control that each has good traction and to have good traction, each wheel must be weighted. Your rear wheel is weighted by your hips / backside and where you shift them. Whilst your front wheel is weighted by your hands / shoulders. Having your shoulders high and back (sitting too upright) takes weight off your front wheel, making it much more likely that it will skip and drift in corners. To avoid this, keep your shoulders low (hands MUST be in the drops) and chest closer to the top tube than it would usually be when riding in other situations. As you corner, the hands / shoulders act as “counter” to your feet. In other words, the INSIDE hand / shoulder should feel weighted as you press the handlebars into the bend. You should feel like the inside shoulder is dropping and the inside hand is pressing the handlebar forward and down, like a counter-steering technique. This keeps the front wheel planted on the road and makes skipping or drifting much less likely. Note: Skipping or drifting of the front wheel occurs when it is de-weighted and can cause it lose traction. It then begins to track out of the corner which may lead to running off the road. Tip: Although your inside hand and shoulder press into the corner, your upper body should NOT drop inside the bike. In order to achieve this, the inside arm will straighten (just like the outside leg) although it should never be completely straight. Four: Lean Your Bike, NOT Your Body Cornering on a bicycle is different to doing so on a motorbike. Attempting to emulate Valentino Rossi and dropping inside the bike, knee scraping on the ground is a sure recipe for disaster. Motorbikes have a throttle and gassing the bike will cause the wheels to “bite” but we don’t have that luxury on a bicycle. Your bodyweight should remain outside the bicycle frame when cornering so that the bike leans into the corner and your body does not (or at least to a lesser degree). This keeps the tyres weighted and gives traction and control. ​ When you get the technique right (outside leg down / shoulders low & inside hand counter steering / bike leaning with body more upright) the bike tracks beautifully in corners which gives a confidence-boosting sense of control.

Bike leans hard into the corner whilst the body stays more upright and "outside" the bike.

Five: Enter the Bend Late & Look Through the Corner not at it A friend of mine calls it “target fixation” and in the context of descending, it is the tendency to fix the gaze on the corner rather than scanning more through the corner. Fixating on the corner itself tends to draw you in too early, reducing the space to exit the corner safely. As you approach a corner stay as wide as you can (away from the apex) for as long as you can. This is known as dropping into the corner late and is useful to keep in mind because almost all cornering errors start with entering a corner too tight (close the apex) and too soon. So stay wide for as long as you can, then when you do cut in to the apex of the corner, you will find yourself with plenty of room the exit the bend safely and without having to brake.

Notice the very wide and late entry to the corner. Outside feet are down and upper bodies are low.

Another strategy that will help here is to practice looking ahead on the road to where you want to bike to finish up. This is referred to as “looking through the corner” and helps to create a “program” in the brain and body that improves both line and control. So, don’t stare at the point just beyond your front tyre. Instead look 15-20m ahead on the road (more of you are travelling quickly) and you will find the bike tracking much more smoothly. A Few Words of Caution Descending has an element of risk, even for very skilled and experienced riders. So here are a few things to keep in mind that will help to minimise the risks of descending:

Never ride an unfamiliar descent at your limit. This seems obvious and until you know what the road ahead looks like, risk will always be greater.

Treat ALL blind corners as “slow points”. If you cannot see around a bend, then you MUST assume that it is a slow point. Blind corners hold surprises that range from obstacles (debris) to traffic (a motorcycle that is nudging the centre line) to a “tightening apex” that suddenly has you drifting across the road. If you cannot see through the corner, SLOW DOWN.

Scan the road on the way up. This only works of course if you will be descending the same road you climbed. In the case that you are, check the road on the way up, look for uneven or broken surface and take note of any debris, maybe a cattle grid or anything that poses a risk once you are at speed.

Stay on your own side of the road. It can be tempting to use the entire road when going downhill, cutting the corners to allow faster speeds. This practice is fraught with danger and the risks are obvious. Whether it is the “unexpected” appearance of oncoming traffic or the fact that once you have committed to using the “other side” of the road, it can be near impossible to adjust in the case of a sudden emergency.

Start Here Find a stretch of descent that is not too steep (4-7% works well), has a few bends and where you can ride up and down for an hour or so (a 300-500m stretch should do). Make sure you ride up easy so as not to become too fatigued. Complete a few (5-10 depending on the length of the road) repeats and each time you come down, focus on just one of the five keys I have outlined. Continue to do this (preferably each week) until each feels automatic and then take it to the road. Descending well can dramatically increase your enjoyment of cycling. It may take a little while but it does require a strategy and practice. Once you master these five keys your riding will never be the same again and you will never look back. Cheers ​ScyclePro

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Peaks Falls Creek - the perfect performance springboard

One of the best events on the Australian cycling calendar can also be the key to reaching a level of cycling you may never have thought possible.

The Peaks Challenge Falls Creek is one of my favourite events of the year. I have been fortunate enough to be present on all but one occasion since the inaugural event, either as a competitor or a support person. The atmosphere and energy, both in the lead up and on event day are right up there with some of the biggest gran fondo events in Europe. The magic of that second Sunday in March is, in itself, enough to have me returning each year, but I am also acutely aware of the broader benefits participating brings to all the other aspects of my cycling. ​Here is what I mean; I make no secret of the fact that I am a great believer in the importance of building base for all endurance athletes. The great body of both research and anecdotal evidence makes this a given and the best form / fitness / race performance will always come on the back of a great off / pre season, filled with steady kilometres and a large dose of elevation gain. The problem is that many cyclists find base training difficult. By nature this sort of riding is time-consuming and due to the absence of racing and intensity can at times, seem a little dis-connected with the "fun" and competitive drive, so important for many cyclists. Well, entering the Peaks Challenge each March, may just be the perfect solution.

Vickie at Peaks 2017

The perfect preparation for Maratona the following July.

Having an event focus is the key to getting motivated to train and this is even more likely when one enters these events as part of a group. The climbing and endurance nature of the Peaks event also creates just the right focus for a base training phase in a season long plan. Then throw in the perfect timing of early March and you have a bespoke solution for springboarding into your next race season with a base of strength endurance that will carry you through most of the year. Come through Peaks, rest for a couple of weeks and then begin to dose in greater intensity as part of race-focussed training weeks and you will be flying. A colleague of mine and all-round good bloke, Steve Rooney recently took out the Div 5 road race at the Australian Masters Cycling Champs on the Gold Coast. Steve is 100% certain that the base training he did (climbing and kms) on his cycling tour in the French Alps in July, is the main reason for his golden form in October. The Peaks Challenge at Falls Creek, could do the same for you. Sign up for the Peaks Challenge, Falls Creek, not only will you experience one of the best weekends all year but the extra motivation to train, coupled with that magic mix of kms and climbing metres, will have you riding with a strength and confidence you have never known before. Cheers ​Bubba

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Five big mistakes that are probably sabotaging your progress

Want to get stronger? Don't do these things!

Having spent more than three decades involved in endurance sport and most of that as a scientist / coach / adviser, I have on many occasions felt a high level of frustration watching athletes make the same mistakes over and over again. So for the record, based on 30 years or so of research, observation, participation and more recently, data analysis, here are the five things you MUST avoid if you want to reach anything like your cycling potential. I implore you to have an honest look at what you have been doing, get you plan together and get off the "two steps forward - two steps back" road to nowhere. Time is precious, so stop wasting it.

One: Fall into a pattern of stop / start. Unquestionably, the most important component of any endurance training plan (or application of that plan) is consistency. It is almost certainly true that all endurance athletes will make some progress, no matter what training plan they use, provided they simply maintain a diligent, consistent commitment to complete training sessions (75-80% compliance is excellent and rare) over an extended period of time (6-24 months). It is the repetitive disruption to training commitment that is the biggest barrier to progress. So if you find yourself in a challenging circumstance that makes it difficult to train consistently, undertake to at least complete some training sessions. Pick a realistic target (two sessions per week) and commit to it. If you are able to "keep in touch" with your fitness, good form will never be too far away. Two: Take your training advice from your mates (or Google or a magazine or Sagan or any other "out of context" source).  ​One of the best (and worst) things about our modern society is the access to information. The challenge that comes with this access, is being able to wade through the "chaff" in order to get to the "gold". Some information is even subject to a "dual personality of sorts", great for some and counter-productive for others. So be rigorous with your scrutiny of information, seek out qualified, experienced people and be 100% sure that your own unique training history, age, physiology and riding goals, are a considered part of any training solution / program. Rest assured, it is entirely possible that the same training that produces a great result for you buddy, will actually send you backwards. Three: Ride with your ego Aside from lack of consistency (see point one above) the mistake I see most often is cyclists (almost always males), ridding too hard too often. This is usually out of a misguided view that prioritising intensity over "miles" is the most effective and time-efficient way to train. Intensity IS very important, but is only really effective if applied in the right dose, at the right time and with a targeted purpose. Intensity without base in the metaphorical "house of straw", you get you form built quickly but it is very unlikely to last long. Cycling is an endurance sport and endurance is founded on the aerobic energy system. If your riding is always short and hard, you ARE relying too much on anaerobic processes. The inevitable outcome here is a form collapse........sound familiar?

Summiting Mt Ventoux takes consistency and smart training, at least if you want to enjoy it.

Four: Make it up as you go along There is an old saying in the legal profession....."a person who represents themselves in court has a fool for a lawyer". If you are making up your own training plan and worse still if you are taking "piecemeal" advice from a variety of sources (even if each one of those sources is qualified), without knowing how the pieces fit together, you WILL fail. The key is knowing how each thing you do effects everything else, a diet (or nutrition plan) may be wonderful when assessed in isolation. However that same plan may become completely useless when the physical activity demands of an individual are over-layed. So get a plan (best to have ONE expert coordinate), trust it, stick to it and stop looking for shortcuts or magic solutions. Five: Overthink the process I am consistently astounded by how complicated athletes seem to want to make things. There are a few core principles that need to be in place, but essentially, the process of improving as an endurance athlete (and YES even the nutrition) is NOT complicated. So if you find yourself in a place where is feels complicated....STOP.... simplify things, find a coach / trainer you trust and just commit to the process. Accept that your fitness will go up and down. Accept that you cannot BUY fitness. Accept that it is going to take some time. Make a plan / Set some goals / Keep it simple. Then get out there and ride. ​ The Final Word Cycling (sorry trackies) is an endurance sport. One of the most important attributes of all successful endurance athletes is PATIENCE. Yep, not VO2, not genetics, not limb-length ratio, just patience. In fact I would go so far as to say that if you do not have patience, are not prepared to wait (and work) for results, you are NOT going to make it to your "potential best". Find an experienced, trusted, qualified person, get a plan and be patient. Your success is ultimately in your own hands.....which may be a good (or bad) thing. Cheers ScyclePro

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Are you avoiding junk miles?

The truth may surprise you

Ever since my days dabbling in marathon running, I have known endurance athletes to use the term “junk miles”, usually whilst robustly defending the credibility of their own training regimes. In almost all cases, the junk miles to which these athletes refer are those performed at relatively low intensity as part of longer weekend rides. The insinuation is that rides performed at lower intensities are somehow “junk” and more serious riders need to focus on high intensity or “quality” sets. This blanket, generalistic attitude will mean missing the most productive and valuable part of training. So, to set the tone, here is my criteria for what constitutes junk miles:

Any kilometres ridden without a specific purpose that are not part of a big-picture plan.

Any kilometres completed each and every week as part of an almost religious ritual of “Bill following Bob”, thinking Bob knows what he is doing, when he does not.

Any kilometres completed a part of someone else’s session that you just happen to be tagging along for.

The truth is; any session can be productive and any session can be junk. Intensity level is NOT the defining variable of what should be classified as “junk miles” or a “junk session”. It is in fact entirely possible (even probable) in my experience, that there as many junk miles being completed by cyclists at high intensity as there are being completed at low intensity. So if being a member of the local “speed train” riding group is the biggest component of your riding in most weeks, you may just be doing yourself more harm than good.

Riding hard at the correct time in your program CAN be very effective.

​Why slow miles and junk miles are not the same thing. It is in fact true that cyclists of all levels need both low and high intensity riding in order to reach their potential as an endurance athlete. It is also true that the gains often appear most obviously to come during or after a block of high intensity work. However, these gains WILL be limited and finite and largely determined by how much lower intensity (or “base”) work a cyclist has performed prior to completing the more macho, adrenalin-fuelled fast stuff. The key to success on the bike is in getting the following right:

Dosing the correct amount and type of base.

Completing base work at the most productive times of the training plan (year)

Using an intensity progression that is well matched to the base performed, the riders experience, age and riding goals.

Creating windows for good quality recovery between training blocks and/or sessions. This is also significantly impacted by a rider’s experience, age and physiology.

Being well prepared, rested and fresh so that when a high intensity session is performed, the potential benefit is not negated by fatigue.

In order to ride fast for a long time, all endurance athletes rely on energy contributions from both aerobic and anaerobic pathways and each is extremely important. Like any physiological adaptation in the human body, the more you use a particular process, the more enhanced and effective it is likely to become. So, when a rider has a strong reliance on anaerobic energy supply, they become very good at riding anaerobically. Sounds good right? Well in some respects it is, anaerobic power and endurance are important for cycling performance. However, there is a very significant downside; over-reliance on anaerobic energy supply leads to the erosion of a rider’s aerobic efficiency and because ALL endurance performance is ultimately limited by aerobic efficiency, this is very bad.

Climbing, even at a slow pace can be very effective when employed as part of a strength base phase.

So there it is; ride too hard too often and aerobic efficiency will suffer, but ride too slow too often and anaerobic capacity will shrink. Because solid endurance performance relies heavily on both, a good training plan will ALWAYS include slower and faster riding. It is just the amount, timing and type that will vary. By now it should be getting clearer, any riding session may be junk, just as any may be productive, which it is most certainly not determined solely by intensity. A very wise lecturer that helped to shape my training and coaching philosophy once said: “if your training session does not have a purpose, it is simply NOT a training session”. Later I made this a more cyclo-centric thing that goes something like this; “If your ride has no purpose, it is no longer training, it just a ride”. Purpose, of course, does not have to mean structure. Sometimes the purpose is to completely switch off, relax and enjoy the scenery and these rides can often be the best rides of the year, by no means junk. Here are some tips for creating purpose in your rides that have nothing to do with intensity:

Focus on a technical aspect of your riding such as pedal stroke, saddle position, hand position etc.

Intentionally deviate from your normal riding style by mixing in more out of the saddle stuff, or vice versa if you already stand a lot.

Set out on a ride with a very technical goal of improving weight shift and body position whilst cornering.

Ride with a cadence focus, either spinning at 100+ or riding more for strength in a bigger gear.

De-junking your riding is not about avoiding low intensity endurance rides (all pro riders do plenty of this). It is about knowing what /how much to do and when. Do yourself a favour, get a well-devised plan and STICK to it and please stop pretending you know what junk miles are, until you actually do. Enjoy the ride ​ScyclePro

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Racing to your best form

​You may have heard professional cyclists speak of needing to accumulate “racing miles” or “race days” in order to reach their best form. It may also seem a foreign idea for cyclists used to plugging away on training rides as a way of building form for a race or event. ​ So what it is about racing that seems to have the potential of lifting cycling performance to a new level and is it something that may work for the average rider? Well the answers can be a little bit complicated of course, so it first may be useful to look at how racing is a little unique in comparison to most other forms of cycling:

Racing tends to be carried out (mostly) at very high intensities, usually much higher than can be reached in training rides

Racing generally provides a level of motivation that drives riders to find that extra %, so difficult to achieve in training.

Racing has an energy that tends to drive the arousal levels of athletes and stimulate VERY high intensity outputs.

Racing narrows the focus of riders and draws attention away from HR or power numbers. This can give a very strong drive to simply compete and experience as a coach tells me that almost ALL riders hit their highest numbers in races.

Of course, some riders are uniquely capable of simulating most of these characteristics in training. It is also possible to simulate some of these things using group riding sessions. In recent times Team Sky have developed a reputation for dosing in “race-like” training sessions at training camps and Sky riders have been known to say that “racing is easy after being at camp”. ​ I would encourage all cyclists to try some racing and/or incorporate some “race-like” intensity into their training plans. The key is to know how and when to do it, because although racing can be of enormous benefit, too much emphasis on this type of riding can erode aerobic fitness and endurance, which inevitably leads to a dip in performance over the medium to long term.

So, you may want to try some of the following strategies:

Race in alternate weeks.

For more experienced riders, incorporate blocks (four weeks works well) of racing, followed by similar length blocks of dedicated training.

Be sure to allow adequate recovery during your race weeks. Do NOT simply add the race without adjusting the rest of your riding. In “race weeks”, drop out at least one of your higher intensity rides.

At all costs, make sure that you stick to plan that keeps the “dose” of racing in line with your current fitness level, experience and stage of your training plan

Racing CAN be the very best way to find a new performance level but cyclists of all levels need to be sure that the timing and dose do not become counter-productive. Enjoy the ride (race). ​ ScyclePro

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Patience Grasshopper

More effective than drugs, just a little less sexy

The great Miguel Indurain won his first of five Tours de France at his SEVENTH participation.

There are two sides to any coach / athlete relationship and with those sides comes two different perspectives. This is never more relevant (or important) as when the inevitable happens and the athlete's progress stalls, or is simply not moving quickly enough (again "quickly enough" will be matter of perspective). This is why open and regular communication between coach and athlete is vital because coach may well have a plan in place, possibly even be expecting some stalling in performance that is all part of the long game, but all the athlete sees (feels) is a drop in performance. When both parties are on the same page, harmony and co-operation is far more likely. In order to keep relevance here, most of the references and examples are specific to endurance cycling, sports with different performance parameters are well outside the scope of this blog. So on with endurance cycling. It is also worth keeping in mind that the word "coach" can often be substituted with "training program", as many riders don't in fact use a coach but source and download training plans from a variety of sources. I have some favourite examples that highlight the importance of year on year progress and building towards reaching the full potential of the rider. Miguel Indurain is a Spanish cyclist that won the Tour de France five years in a row, between 1991 and 1995. Most cycling fans know this but far fewer are aware that 1991 ("Big Mig's" first title) was in fact Indurain's SEVENTH participation in the race, hardly an instant sensation. Obvously many years were spent in diligent and consistent training, no doubt there were many occasions where his progress stalled, or even went backwards. But in the end, year on year progress led Indurain to the very top of the cycling world. Then there is our own Richie Porte, who actually first rode the TDU (for UniSA) in 2008 and placed 7th overall in his first Grand Tour, the Giro in 2010, where he also won the young rider category. It has taken close to a decade of year on year development for Richie to become a genuine contender for the overall title in the Grand Tours

Richie during his breakout year, riding for Saxobank in 2010.

Whilst the examples of Indurain and Porte highlight the importance of consistency, building and patience, the path of the professional cyclist is always a little different to that of the weekend warrior or even the serious amateur racer. There are however some mistakes worth avoiding for ALL cyclists trying to improve and some foundation principles to keep firmly routed in your approach to training.

Keep at it always. Consistency and patience are the most important elements of athletic progression. Down time and stalled progress are completely normal and performance tends to improve in "jumps", yours may be just around the corner.

DON'T chop and change your approach every few months (or even weeks). Physiological adaptation is a slow-moving beast and your body needs time. Most training plans are built around achieving results through a long term build of sequential adaptations. Change the focus and training stimulus mid-stream can be the equivalent of knocking over the house of cards, just as you were about to add the chimney.

Avoid shifting to your best buddies training plan because you think it looks, seems, or just might be better than yours (the old "grass is greener".....not). This approach tends to result in two steps forward / two steps back, progress for a while with a change in stimulus and then a breakdown of your form because you have "destabilised"  the adaptation process.

Trust your coach (training plan) and commit to a specific term or goal. It is important to allow enough time for the science to work and although the time frame cannot be indefinite, it is more than reasonable to commit to at least two years or seasons.

Communicate openly and honestly with your coach / or, engage regularly with the system that produces your training plans. It is important to ask questions, seek clarification and feel confident that your are on the right path.

Commit to completing the key elements of your training plan, as far as is possible, without compromise. Most plans will have "non-negotiables" (I call them key sessions) that are critical for producing the stimulus required for long term progress. But outside of these, it is very important to keep the energy in your riding, whether that is participating in your favourite bunch ride, heading out to the trails or riding the odd Wednesday crit. Just be sure to communicate this to your coach and I am sure that in 90% of cases, there will be a way to make it work.

Improving your performance in road cycling is a long game, every bike rider who has achieved worthwhile and fulfilling goals will tell you that, that is why it is called endurance sport. It is very easy to commit to training (and stick to a plan) when things are going well. The true test comes when things are not going so well, commitment during the harder weeks / months is what brings true year on year progress, just ask Miguel and Richie. Stay Safe and Train Smart ​ScyclePro

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Training Balance

Perfecting the aerobic / anaerobic dose

When an athlete performs any kind of endurance exercise, there will be energy contributions from both aerobic and anaerobic pathways. Most cyclists, runners and triathletes seem to know this and certainly know the feeling of being too long in a highly anaerobic state (in the RED). Each pathway has it's unique advantages for bike riders, aerobic metabolism is highly energy efficient, powering muscular activity for long periods of time, but unable to fuel the super high intensity efforts required for power climbs, sprinting etc. So this is where anaerobic metabolism has the edge, producing energy rapidly to fuel high level exertion, but of course there is a cost, which is the rapid onset of fatigue. Cyclists need both systems working well, but the cruel reality is that over-using either of these pathways will erode the other, so getting the balance or "dosing relationship" right is paramount for increasing endurance performance and building reliable consistent form.

Well defined zones will help to guide the training dose.

A certain amount of muscular work requires a fixed amount of energy, so it stands to reason that the more energy supplied anaerobically, the less is contributed aerobically and vice versa. As in all aspects of physiology, the more one's system utilises a particular process, the better the body becomes at doing it. Conversely, should certain processes be under-utilised, the capacity for using these processes is eroded. The bottom line is that over-reliance on either of the two metabolic pathways, will negatively impact on the other. This sounds simple enough but the process becomes far more complicated if you consider that athletes vary greatly in terms of which points on the intensity continuum they become anaerobically dominant. Some cyclists can remain highly aerobic VERY close to threshold (this means they have a very large zone two) whilst others become significantly anaerobic well below threshold. A big aerobic capacity also pushes the threshold point much closer to maximum, which is the holy grail for endurance cyclists. Put simply, training zones cannot be accurately established using simple percentages of threshold / FTP and without defining training zones more precisely, it will be almost impossible to get the training dose right. The chart above shows an athlete with diminished aerobic capacity and a small zone two. Zone three represents a significant shift towards anaerobic metabolism and occurs at relatively low power / heart rate for this rider. Knowing this is critical for getting the training dose right and avoiding continual erosion of aerobic efficiency, a certain recipe for an over-training disaster. There is no doubt that the most common mistake made in respect of training dose and the balance between aerobic / anaerobic load is an over-emphasis on anaerobic work. The notion of "go til you blow" will work for short periods, but has no future, in terms of building reliable, consistent form. The key is knowing your training zones and understanding that the most important attribute in developing good form (apart from being genetically blessed) is patience and control. Get tested and don't just rely on predicting your zones through an FTP conversion, this error is the main reason that similar training plans produce vastly different outcomes for cyclists. Build power through understanding your body and it's capacity for adaptation. Enjoy the Ride The ScyclePro Team

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Put your power meter to work

How to maximise the effectiveness of this wonderful tool, build motivation and lift performance. More and more cyclists, of all levels, are making the significant financial outlay and purchasing a power meter. In my experience, most of these expensive gadgets are reduced to nothing more than something (else) to stare at whilst riding. So how can cyclists of all levels make the most of their power meters and begin see some real performance gains in their riding? Broadly speaking, a power meter is used in two ways:

Record the power data during rides, thus creating an historical record of performance which can then track improvement, or simply for gloating rights at the cafe. This is the "just go and ride and worry about things later" method.

Plan and guide the workout sessions, in order to create focus and hit pre-determined power targets. This is the goal-oriented, structured method that produces far superior results and is preferred by most coaches..

For the record, I feel strongly that some rides should be "power meter free" zones to allow social and environmental connection, preserve the fun element, so to speak. The power meter truly comes into it's own for targeted intensity sessions and as a pacing guide, when riders are sitting close to, or really testing their limits.

PowerTap P1's are a versatile and relatively inexpensive power meter option

Power meters produce both the "raw" power numbers and analysis metrics that allow you to work at improving your mechanical efficiency on the bike. Pedal smoothness and torque effectiveness are indicators of how efficiently a rider applies force through the full pedal stroke and setting up a screen that shows these numbers can be a great way to receive instant feedback when doing technical or drill sessions on the bike. This sort of data can also be used to identify a "cadence sweet spot" for a cyclist. This is the cadence zone where efficiency data remains close to historical peaks, almost all riders have an obvious point (as cadence increases) where these numbers begin to plummet. ​Another area where power data can be extremely helpful is with a trend comparison between raw power (let's say average power) and normalised power for longer rides or segments. Generally speaking, low NP in comparison to average power means a cyclist is dosing energy in an inconsistent or "surging" pattern (on VERY hilly courses this may not be so). This can be a great cost (energetically) to the rider and negatively impact on endurance. Using a power meter to both identify these inefficiencies and then provide instant (in ride) feedback is one of the most powerful applications available to cyclists in decades.

Most power meters capture some really useful metrics about pedalling efficiency, the key is knowing how to use the data.

Targeted interval sessions use power targets to ensure that loads are matched to rider capacity, physiology and goals

Pedal metrics can be used to correct an inefficient pedal stroke such as the one depicted in the polar curve above

The amount and type of data measured by simple power meters is increasing all the time.

Cycling fans have become used to seeing riders from Team Sky sit calmly pacing themselves, watching their power meters whilst rider after rider attacks impulsively. Nine times out of ten, the rider will be brought to heel by the steady tempo set by the men in black (and blue). This is a fine example of how a power meter allows every cyclist to pace themselves, dose their energy evenly and avoid prolonged excursions into the red zone (which is an endurance killer). Ultimately ALL riders will climb a hill/mountain faster if they are aware of their most efficient climbing intensity and a power meter is the only way to monitor this. The final and most powerful application of the power meter is in the defining and setting of the power targets in training sessions to ensure that loads are well matched to rider's level, physiological characteristics and training goals. A test can define all of these things and once the structure is in place, the power meter becomes the ultimate weapon in the smart cyclists arsenal. The key is to have a well-structured and robust test, without it, your power meter is once again reduced to an expensive toy.

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