Tim,
      I'm thinking I need to do off-bike strength training this fall or winter.  Where can I find your plans that work on such things?  Do you have a questionnaire that might help one determine if one needs this and what kind of plan one might need?

mugwump said:

Tim,
      I'm thinking I need to do off-bike strength training this fall or winter.  Where can I find your plans that work on such things?  Do you have a questionnaire that might help one determine if one needs this and what kind of plan one might need?

Hi Tim,

I have a strength question as well. I will follow your 12 weeks strength resistance program. What do you do on the days off? I was assuming zone 2 biking, maybe running? 3 times a week?

Thanks Tim. I'll take the advice and go with a 10 weeks to peak program.

TimCusick said:

 Hope that helps. 

To answer strength training questions above.  First off, everyone over 40 should be doing some strength training during or throughout the year.  The specifics of content of that strength training are complex and individual.  With that said, I would recommend using the "fall" to introduce strength training with the goal of, first balancing out your muscular capability.  Cycling is a sport that engages very few muscles as a whole (highly repetitive on the ones that are engaged) and this, over time, creates some imbalances / reduction of strength in supporting muscles.  Starting in the fall with 4-8 weeks of functional strength is easy and rewarding.  Once you get your body more balanced, then it is time to move on to strength resistance training (time in gym) starting with high rep / low load and progressing through to low rep/high load.  During this gym time, watch for hypertrophy and weight gain so focus more on high rep / low load and low rep / high load workouts (avoid med/med...think weight you can repeat for 8-10 reps, that range is where muscle size gain is biggest).  There are strength plans available from me but the the are just OK as I understand it well but not my pure area of expertise.  Hope that helps. 

@TimCusick  

JP (and others)

The strength programs are available separately at the bottom of the training plans page. 

https://www.velociouscyclingadventures.com/training-plan-list

You can request to get the code to get yours for free as kissena member from the Kissena/Velocious page:

https://www.velociouscyclingadventures.com/kissena

Cameron Mason who's an under 23 british cx upcoming star posted a great training video that I have been following lately.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jWJdegx4oE

@TimCusick I'm gearing up to start the 8-Week Function Strength plan and as I'm looking it over, I notice that the plyometric exercises for each workout require some combination of a box or stairs for various jumps.  I currently don't have access to either. 

Are there other exercises that can replace the ones that use a box or stairs?

I am just here to congratulate Tim and Amber Neben for their world's TT result. AMAZING!! 

eloy said:

I am just here to congratulate Tim and Amber Neben for their world's TT result. AMAZING!! 

Thanks!!  It was pretty amazing to go through this.  We have won a few in the past but this one was special.  I am so blessed to work with amazing people!  I think she will tell the full story now, will link it here is it comes out....

Hello Tim,

I’ve got a new baby (yaaaaaaay), don’t have time for training anymore (booooooo). 

Kissena members, 

Don’t train alone this winter!  Join Tim Cusick, Amber Neben, Rebecca Rusch and our amazing BaseCamp team of coaches and pros for an exciting winter of training.   BaseCamp is the complete training package! Customized training plan, coach lead rides, coach analysis and education, group challenges, happy hours, nutrition, strength, and a supportive BaseCamp community.  Sixteen weeks of guidance and fun for one low price.

And since you are part of the Kissena Cycling Club, BaseCamp would like to offer you the “friends and family” discount: $50.00 off either package.  Just follow the link https://www.joinbasecamp.com/membership-signup  and use the code: 2021BC50 for your savings.

If you want to really take your training up a notch without the cost of a one on one coach...BaseCamp is it...Community, accountability, coach guidance and advice throughout the entire 16 weeks and great sponsor discounts too (20% off Saris trainers, Hyperice recovery and more).   

Hurry, BaseCamp kicks off on November 29th, get on board today!  Any questions about the program contact coach Kathy at info@basecamp.com.  

Keep the pedals moving,
Kathy

Hi Kissena members! Coach Kathy here from Velocious Endurance Coaching.  As most of you know we have a huge library of Tim Cusick training plans, that as a club member you have access to for free.  (3- 4 a year each).  We have all cycling disciplines and styles of plans, so many that it's best to just fill out this questionnaire and I can help you with which one I think would work best.   Coach Kathy  

Hello Tim and Kathy!

I am just about to complete the Base Building plus plan. Feel like I have a solid foundation but not a lot of ability to maintain supra-threshold efforts. I am planning on testing when the rain passes this week. Looking for recommendations for my next plan.

While I intend to ride some park races and gravel grinders this Spring, my primary goals are this Fall: Cyclocross season. I want to be in top form from early September to early December with the first peak in early October. I should add that with CX nationals in Hartford I will want to have a second peak in early December. That gets away from the original question, but I mention it here as I presume this will necessitate that I start CX season fit and fresh.

Getting back to the current question, I am looking to build fitness and have fun (being fast) over the next 4 months, but not at the expense of CX season. I can probably average 10-12 hours a week (although I can also do occasional heavy weeks). I should add that threshold is my primary limiter and I have no qualms continuing to build it from now until cx season if needed (with recovery built in).

Looking forward to your thoughts

Hi Patrick,
Coach Kathy here.  Once a base foundation is in place (like your BBplus plan) then you want to focus on a build to peak (8-12 weeks is generally best) and this focus for training becomes "the demands of your event".  So for Spring finding a plan suits the needs of your events but  Gravel grinders are usually long tempo based focused events (you didnt mention which ones) and park races sound like short high intensity crit style racing two different styles of events and training.  
If your thinking you will do more park races go with the Road plan if it's more gravel then go with the Gravel plan.  

Gravel Grinder: 12 Weeks to Peak - Classic ZonesStructured workouts - power, heart rate, RPE12 weeks, $69.9512 Weeks to Fast - Classic Zones
Structured workouts - power, heart rate, RPE 12 weeks, $79.95

Or if you would like to try one of  Tim's new polarized plans that will push a peak in 8 weeks here are two a gravel and a road version that will jump right into intensity. 

• Polarized 8 Weeks to Peak Road - Intermediate to Advanced - 8-12 hours per week - Classic zones

• Polarized 8 Weeks to Peak Gravel - Intermediate to Advanced - 8-12 hours per week - Classic zones

After you complete the above plan and before you start your CX plan you might want to just ride unstructured for a few weeks, have fun, do two days of higher group ride intensity and 3 days of longer endurance tempo type work.    

For your CX racing ...you will want to start working cross 8-12 week before you want to peak. We have a 10 week to peak plan that would work.    

Cyclocross: 10 Weeks to Peak - Classic Zones

If you are aiming to peak for the cross season in mid october that would mean you would start this plan Aug 8th or so (10 weeks back from when you want to peak) and prior to starting this plan you should take a mid summer break..a week off the bike to let your body regroup and recover. (good time for no bike family vacation).  Tell me which plans you would like and I will get you your free Kissena code.

_____________________


For those of you reading this and interested in your own plan recommendation, We have a questionnaire that if you complete I will send you plan recommendations. Please complete all questions with events names and dates    

Note to all...plans are good.  Butif you can swing it, private coaching is better and can ebb and flow  around your needs and busy schedule.  The busier you are or the more you want a top podium spot, the more you need a coach.  Private coaching starts at $279. per month.  

Thanks Kathy, that is helpful. I will reach out to you about the next training plan 

Hello Kathy and Tim

This summer I (unexpectedly) had heart valve replacement surgery and am curious whether you have coached athletes with cardiac issues like mine and have any guidance regarding returning to training. My cardiologist has approved riding within moderation, but I await a new echocardiogram next month before he will give me the green light for greater intensity like sprinting up short climbs and the like. 

So here is the summary of my situation. A few years back I was diagnosed with a mild aortic stenosis. There were no symptoms nor restrictions. This Spring on a bike trip with friends I started a climb and got light headed and started wheezing. It passed quickly. An echocardiogram in the end of June showed that my stenosis was severe: the valve opening was 0.6 cm as opposed to the typical 3-4cm! Other than that incident, I wasn’t experiencing or noticing symptoms and even raced a few times before getting the diagnosis. BTW, the reason for a stenosis at a young (cough) age of 54 was being born with a bicuspid valve. None of the testing (and my hospital was thorough) showed any sign of heart or vascular disease. 

On July 18th I had my heart valve replaced with a tissue valve via a mini-thorocotomy. This procedure involved prying the ribs open to access the heart. First several weeks were rough, but I am glad to say that at 9 weeks out I feel great. With the exception of being out of shape, I am mostly back to being back to my old self.

About four weeks after surgery I started getting on the trainer in the basement to do a couple hours a week at a super easy pace. Starting around week seven I started riding outdoors at an endurance pace for about 5 hours a week. All of this felt okay. I did test myself last week a sub-threshold heart rate ride just to see how my body would handle it. Two things surprised me. First, I rode for two 45 minute efforts with a HR in the low 160s and I hardly felt winded at all. It felt like a tempo ride. Normally that HR would be closer to threshold/sub-threshold for me. Second, the power output for that heart rate was anemic. It was in the 150s. Ouch. I have a lot of fitness to build.

I am an anomaly to my doctors as I am both younger and more physically active than their typical patients. Therefore they don’t have much in terms of recommendations for those of us who are masochistic enough to enjoy pushing ourselves. While I am disappointed to miss the current CX season (especially with Nats being in Hartford), I am content to use this fall to enjoy being on the bike, rebuilding fitness, and figuring out what to expect from my new heart.

So I am curious if you have other advice aside from riding for fun and rebuilding fitness - Thanks

We have experience but in reality, each situation is unique.  What are your current limitations?  Did your doctor give you any or the classic "ride by feeling".  Second, any medications limiting blood pressure or BPM?

Essentially, yes, he said to listen to my body and if it felt bad to stop it. I am not on any blood thinners or blood pressure meds. No meds at all at this point. All my EKG’s have been good so he seems to just want to see a new echo as there is still a murmur (which I’ve heard isn’t unusual with a new valve). 

PatrickGrehan said:

By the way, even though my cardiologist didn’t really think I would need it, I have started cardiac rehab. The hospital/surgical team recommend it. So far it seems like the benefit will be to to make sure there is no electrical problems with cardiovascular exercise. I am open to doing it for a bit, but unless I see a benefit am unlikely to stick with it the standard 12 weeks 

Do they have a smart trainer?  Could they oversee you doing intervals as part of the rehab?  Maybe they can check lactate and oxygen uptake as well? 

My advice is to take a block of time, maybe 6-8 weeks and train in an "unstructured but progressive" format with intensity limits.  There is no reason to rush anything based off time of year.  What I mean by this is:

1. Next 4 weeks - just ride "zone 2" ride 3-6 times a week based off your schedule.  I would avoid all higher intensity as there really will be little to no benefit in the long run and it will likely be a better "recovery" process.  The key here, if you can, is to try to "progress" your weekly totals.  If you do 8 hours week one, can you do 9 hours week two....

2.  The 4 weeks after that - I would stay the same course as the above 4 weeks but begin to build some tempo work.  Start short, maybe 15 minutes and keep it once per week, maybe twice if feeling good.  During this block, progress more hours if you can building off the first but focus on progressing your time in zone at tempo (gentle progression).

3.  During the second block, consider, if all the doctors say ok, a high intensity workout somewhere in middle of block as a test.

Overall use the next 8 weeks to build towards training.  What to do after?  I know Kathy has pitched you but I am telling you, join BaseCamp over the winter where you have access to our coaching team and exercise physiologist so as you return to a full base training load, you have help and guidance.

Hope that helps

Thanks Tim

I presume that it’s fine to estimate the zone 2 and eventual tempo work from from perceived exertion as I am uncertain whether my heart rate zones will have changed

My main conflict with basecamp has always been that it conflicts with my work schedule, but it’s a great way for others to build serious winter form