How Our Programmes Work
For some events you can actually make a profit from our programmes!
Chicago's Jerry Meister getting a
"dollar hand-up" for his efforts..
Our manuals and programmes follow a solid, tried and tested structure we've developed and evolved over the last fifteen years.
Our programmes have worked for thousands of riders, at the last count, in 52 countries around the world. To check out just some of their successes, take a look at our Wall of Champions.
I often get questions from riders worried that our programmes may be overly complicated or they might not be up to the intensity of task required. Nothing could be further form the truth. So here's a few frequently asked questions and myth busters...
Eric Diamond ~ another top step reward for his efforts
Which One Should I Choose?
As you can see from the menu list to the right, there are a lot of
options to choose from. If you're not sure which programme is
for you, either
contact me first, or choose the one you think you
need (or the least cost option) and we can always tweak as we go
along.
physiological continuum
12 Week Base Build Programme
I work on the principle that for early base work, you need to maximise your
potential oxygen uptake.
The quality of the work you undertake in this programme will
determine how well you will perform come the following season.
There are no short cuts.
The "self-paced" base work is so easy, my mum could do it, if she had to. Each rider trains at a level that is appropriate to them, for the duration prescribed, depending on their available time, resources, future needs and current ability. It's all tailored to the individual.
Your mission is to get to the end of each session, pleasantly fatigued. If you can't, you've gone too hard. If you can just get to the end, you've done it right; it doesn't matter what the numbers are!
For a beginner it might be 150 watts, for a National Champion, it might be 400 watts. It's all relative to the rider, their current level of fitness and their physiological abilities.
Intensity and duration will automatically increase throughout the programme as the Micro Cycles progress.
No one goes harder than their ability to absorb the intensity of effort.
8 week Pre-Comp Programme
In this phase, intensity will ramp up, effort duration will
decrease, as will the recovery periods.
Overall workload will rise (pink lines), creating a sustainable overload, and increase in fitness (blue line) as you move towards the season start.
The sessions in this part of the programme can still be self-paced, but you will be working higher up the physiological continuum. It gets a little "intense" but the rewards more than make up for it.
Be ready for the early comp period ~ and the race wins...
8 week Early Comp Programme
After spending twenty weeks putting all your building blocks in
place, the time now comes for the "outcome specific" Early Comp
work.
All the previous work, within the defined limits and objectives of the rider, have followed a similar path. The route to fitness is the same for all of us.
From first year riders to Commonwealth Games athletes, you can't change the laws of physics and biology. All of us are trying to maximise, and make the most of, our genetically limited, oxygen uptake.
Now you are performance-fit, it's time to fine-tune and hone that fitness to best meet your forthcoming objectives?
The Early Comp Programmes are "discipline specific". Each programme is designed to best meet your needs and that of your event.
A Crit programme is very different to that of a Grand Sportive, such as the Haute Route, or a TT or road race.
These sessions are now very isolated, targeted and designed to take all the work you've previously undertaken, to the next level. PB level. Now it gets up-close and personal.
Florence Cox ~ 2015 Jersey Ladies 5 Mile TT Champion
In Season Specifics
Once the season starts, or in the early season build up, you can
choose a specialist subject to help you best meet your needs.
From a five mile time trial to the Haute Route and everything else
in between, over the years we've helped riders complete them all.
All you need to do is choose the Outcome Specific Programme that best meets your needs, or if you don't see one, just get in touch and we'll work something out between us.
