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Training for the Busy Ultracyclist,
Part 2
The training program for ultra cyclists with a demanding career, a significant other, kids and not enough time to ride bicycles.
by John Hughes
John Hughes is director of the UMCA, has been certified by the NSCA as a personal trainer and by USA Cycling as a coach. Learn about Hughes’ coaching at www.coach-hughes.com.
For riders with big ambitions and limited time making effective use of the available time is critical. The keys are:
- Ramping: as your body adapts to the training load, keep increasing the load so that you continue to improve.
- Specificity: the exercise(s) you chose should be as close as possible to ultra cycling.
- Consistency: if your planned workouts are the minimum necessary to improve, then in order actually to improve, you need to work out consistently.
- Intensity: you'll get more improvement per hour invested from short, hard workouts than from long, easy workouts. But remember that too much intensity leads to breakdown, not progress.
In Part 1 of this series, we described a minimalist program that has four components. Here's how to apply the above principles to each of these areas.
Hints on time management.
The Program
A. Aerobics
In Part 1, you committed to three hours of vigorous exercise a week, in chunks as short as 30 minutes. For Part 2, ramp up to five hours a week and be more specific. Ride your bike three times a week for at least 40 minutes each on the trainer (or outdoors, if you're lucky). Riding three times a week (consistency) is the minimum to get cycling improvement. If you are bored on the trainer, try these bike games.
Extra credit: Increase the trainer rides to three 60 minute rides and add a 60 minute mountain/cross bike ride on Sunday.
B. Strength
You have been doing seven basic exercises four or five days a week. We continue the same minimalist strength exercises but increase the overload by adding more resistance and add one exercise: oblique crunches. Because the exercises are harder, cut back to three days a week.
Extra credit: do two sets of each exercise.
C. Flexibility
Facilitated stretching uses "a strong isometric contraction of the target muscle to stimulate the inverse stretch reflex, which relaxes the target muscle and increases its ability to lengthen." (McAtee, R E. and J. Charland "Facilitated Stretching", 2nd edition, Human Kinetics, 1999, p.8.) By applying this technique to our stretches, we can increase the range of motion. Start with the two back stretches, to loosen up your center; then move on to the lower body stretches.
Extra credit: Read "Facilitated Stretching" by McAtee, R E. and J. Charland, 2nd edition, 1999, Human Kinetics
D. Centering
Centering is a powerful tool to help you relax and calm your mind before an event. In Part 1 we described a simple breathing technique to center yourself.
Now begin applying this technique. Experiment with centering yourself just before starting a workout. Does it help get rid of the day-to-day worries, so that you train more effectively? Try centering yourself before going to bed. Is it easier to let go and drift off to sleep?
Extra credit: Order "Meditation in the Zone" by Shinzen Young from Sounds True 800-333-9185.
Bike Games on the Trainer- 1. Accelerations:
- Every five minutes, shift to an easy gear and accelerate for 30 seconds until you're spinning as fast as possible.
- 2. Pyramids:
- 5 minute warm-up
- 3 minutes at 75% of your anaerobic threshold
- 4 minutes, HR 5 beats higher
- 5 minutes, HR another 5 beats higher
- 6 minutes, HR another 5 beats higher
- 5 minutes, HR 5 beats lower, etc.
- Vary the time and intensity to create different pyramids.
- 3. Spin-ups:
- Build a pyramid based on cadence:
- 5 minutes warm-up
- 6 minutes @ 90 rpms
- 5 minutes @ 100 rpms
- 4 minutes @ 110 rpms
- 3 minutes @ 120 rpms
- and back down
- 4. Football sprints:
- Watch a game and sprint every time the ball is in play.
- 5. Quiet upper body:
- Ride in front of a mirror, learning to spin with your upper body motionless.
Back to Program
Strength Exercises
- 1. One Leg Step-Ups (build up to 20 reps per leg).
- Place a thick book on a step so that your knee forms a 90-degree angle when your right foot is on the step. Step up slowly using just your right leg (don't push off with your left) and lower yourself down under control. Start wearing a backpack containing tin cans or hold dumbbells equal to 10% of your body weight. After a month, increase to 20% of your body weight.
- 2. One Leg Wall Squats (build up to 15 reps per leg).
- Stand a couple of feet away from a wall, with your back to the wall. As a roller, place a soccer-size ball between your lower back and the wall. Lift your left foot off the floor. Squat down slowly, using just your right leg and then stand back up. Do as many as you can with your right leg, then switch legs. Build up to 10 reps per leg after a month and then 15 per leg after another month.
- 3. Gluteal Press-Ups (build up to 15 reps per leg).
- Lie on the floor on your back, with both knees bent 90 degrees and your feet flat on the floor about a foot from your butt. Lift your left foot off the floor. Use your butt muscles to lift your body off the floor, don't use your quads. Do as many as you can with your right leg, then switch legs. Build up to 10 reps per leg after a month and then 15 per leg after another month.
- 4. Decline Push-ups (build up to 20 reps).
- Lie face down with your hands under your shoulders, fingers forward, and elbows out. To increase the load on your pectorals, rest your feet on a stool or box. (If you've been doing modified push-ups with your knees on the floor, then do regular push-ups supported by your toes and hands). Raise your body up until your arms are straight, then lower yourself all the way down to the floor. After a month, increase to 20 reps.
- 5. Single Arm Rowing (15 reps per arm, one arm at a time).
- Bend over at the waist with one arm supporting your on a chair seat. Keep your head up, looking at the wall and your back flat and motionless. Hold an object in your free hand that's 10-15% of your body weight (full bucket of water, etc.). Keep your legs and back straight and arm braced against the chair. Pull the weight up, keeping your elbow close to your body and lower. After a month, increase the weight to 15-20% of your body weight.
- 6. Crunches (35 reps).
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Put your hands behind your head, with elbows out. Pick out something on the ceiling above your head to focus on Tighten your abs until your head and shoulders lift off the floor several inches, while focusing on the spot on the ceiling.
- 7. Oblique crunches (25 reps per side).
- Lie on your back with your left foot flat on the floor. knee bent 90 degrees. Lift your right foot up and rest the right ankle on your left knee. Keep your right elbow on floor and raise your left elbow toward your right knee. Twist as you raise one elbow toward the opposite knee.
- 8. Back Extensions (20 reps).
- Start on your hands and knees on the floor, looking forward. Lift and extend your right arm and left leg at the same time until they are parallel with the floor. Hold five seconds, lower, and raise your left arm and right leg. (The pair of right arm/left leg and left arm/right leg is one rep.)
- Extra credit: One Legged Pedaling
- Set a stiff resistance on the trainer. Start with your right leg:
- 0:45 seconds right leg at 50-60 rpm
- 0:45 both (don't bother to clip in your left foot; just pedal easy to recover)
- 0:45 right leg
- 0:45 both
- 0:45 right leg
- 0:45 both
- Repeat with your left leg.
- 0:45 seconds right leg at 50-60 rpm
Back to Program
Stretching
- 1. The Cat (3 times in each direction).
- Start on hands and knees with your back straight and head down. Like a cat stretching, slowly tilt your pelvis as far back as you can, then very slowly begin sagging your back from tailbone to neck and finally look up toward the ceiling. Then, reverse the u-shape you have made.
- 2. The Crane (30 seconds on each side).
- Lie on your back with your right leg straight and left knee bent. Reach for your left knee with your right hand and pull your left knee to the right until it touches the floor. Your left foot should rest against your right knee. Reach toward the ceiling with your left hand. Start making small counterclockwise circles in the air. Gradually make wider circles until your left hand brushes the floor all the way around your body. Then do the stretch on the other side.
- 3. Lying Groin Stretch (30 seconds).
- Lie on your back. Bend your knees about 90 degrees, with your feet flat on the floor. Then lower one knee out to each side, with the soles of your feet together. Rest your hands on your thighs. Tighten your groin muscles, using your hands to hold your legs down. Relax, exhale deeply and stretch. Repeat the contract - relax cycle several times.
- 4. Lying Hamstring Stretch (30 seconds on each side).
- Lie on your back with your left leg slightly bent. Lift your right leg straight up without bending your right knee. Take a towel and loop it over your right foot. Tighten your hamstring isometrically for 10 seconds. Relax, exhale deeply, and gently pull on the towel to stretch your hamstrings. As you stretch, tighten your quadriceps. The contraction of the quads helps the opposite muscle (the hamstring) to relax further. Repeat the contract - relax cycle several times, each time stretching a little farther. Then do the stretch on the other side. (Do the hamstring stretch before the quad stretch, to prevent cramps in the hamstrings while stretching the quads.)
- 5. Lying Quad Stretch (30 seconds on each side).
- Lie on your stomach. Bend your right leg until you can hold your right ankle with your left hand, or loop a towel over your foot and hold the towel. Slowly try to straighten your right leg for about 10 seconds. Then relax, exhale deeply and gently pull back on your ankle until you feel your quads stretch. As you pull back on your ankle, tighten your hamstring. Repeat the contract - relax cycle several times, each time stretching a little farther. Then do the stretch on the other side.
- 6. Standing Iliopsoas Stretch
- The iliopsoas is the primary hip flexor, used when you raise your leg as the pedal comes up. Stand upright with your right leg forward and left leg back. Push forward with your left hip to lengthen the iliopsoas. Let your right knee bend, while keeping the left foot flat on the floor. Feel the stretch high on your left thigh. Contract the left iliopsoas by trying to pull your left leg forward while keeping your foot on the floor. Hold for 10 seconds, relax, exhale deeply, and stretch farther. Repeat the contract - relax cycle several times. Then stretch the other side.
Back to Program
Centering
Sit quietly in a chair with your eyes closed.
- Inhale slowly (3 - 5 seconds) through your nose, imagining a white vapor filling your lungs and permeating the dark reaches of your body.
- Hold the white vapor in your body for about five seconds.
- Exhale slowly (3 - 5 seconds) and notice that the white vapor is slightly grey as you release the toxins.
You repeat this up to 10 times, becoming more relaxed and focused with each repetition.
Back to Program