Plan Your Training for the Year
Frank Overton
How to Plan Your Training for the Year
The two most important training phases to improve endurance and power output are:
#1 Aerobic Endurance "Base Training"
Base training includes zones 2, 3 (tempo) and our favorite sweet spot. To 'do' base training you need six weeks, to build a bigger base, set aside 12 to 18 weeks.
Interval Training includes intervals in zones 4, 5, & 6 or "Full Gas" as hard as you can.
The sooner you get started the faster you can become.
The bigger the base you build and the more intervals you perform the faster you will ride.
An example of these two phases paired together for the next 4 and half months would be to spend the next 16 weeks building your base and then 'switch from base to race' with 6 weeks of interval training. Combining the two together adds up to 24 weeks of high quality training that will increase your endurance and FTP anywhere from 3 - 25%**.
**more if you've never followed a structured, science based training plan & less if you are already 'well trained.'
An example of using our training plans as referenced above would be following our all new 16 weeks of sweet spot plan and then choosing an Interval Plan specific to your Goal event.
If you goal event is coming up in less than 18 weeks you may do one block of base training and one block of interval training. Similarly for 24 weeks to train, you may elect to build base for 16 weeks and then move onto 6 weeks of interval training. Its most important to do both phases!
There are lots and lots of individual possibilities and permutations specific to your physiology, strengths, weakness. Some athletes need to work on their base more than high intensity interval training. Others may benefit from concentrating on less base and more intervals. Certain races dictate more base training (like long distances) while other dictate more intervals (like criteriums and cyclocross). Again, the most important thing is to plan for both phases before your goal event.
We've written and podcasted about these before:
- Build a Big base with Sweet Spot Training
- How Much Sweet Spot Should You Do
- Master's CTL
- Switching from Base to Race
- Interval Training
Don't Forget Your Nutrition
Weight loss: nearly all of us will benefit. If not, then fueling your workouts and optimizing your recovery are essential. Base training is an OK time to lose weight but not during your interval training. Proper cycling nutrition begins by 'Winning in the Kitchen'. Read more about losing weight using your powermeter. You can also purchase our Winning in the Kitchen Meal Plan if you want more guidance!
Have more than 24 weeks? You are still in your 'off season' :: Read more about Off Season Training HERE.
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Foundation : 3 Weeks
- Perfect for all cyclists beginning off season training
- Raise your CTL and the all-important muscle tension intervals
Phil Gaimon's FONDO
- Complete similar workouts to what Phil does to prepare for all his KOM's
- Sweet Spot training, threshold intervals, and some anaerobic work
Phil Gaimon's Strava PR Plan
- Perfect Plan for Those with Less Training Time, starts at 15 minutes per day
- VO2's, 1 minuters, Tabatas, threshold, suprathreshold, and even Sweet Spot
Road Race In-Season
- Weekend racing and group rides with weekday training and recovery
- anaerobic efforts like criss cross, Over/Unders Sweet Spot, Threshold
Road Racing Intervals
- Increase your functional and race-specific power output
- Includes Sweet Spot, VO2, Anaerobic, Threshold
