NOTE: If you see that the plan is not complete it is because it has not yet been designed that month by the trainer, they will be completed as you receive them.
The following training plan has a duration of 6 months, it starts very gentle as it is suitable for beginners and experienced riders and can be done on Mtb, road bike, spinning or roller as it is based on heart rate and time.
The objective is to be able to ride for 5-6 hours at a good pace either on Mtb or Road.
Indice de contenidos
- 1 Cycling season planning
- 2 Cycling heart rate chart
- 3 Cycling training plan
- 3.1 Month 1 of the cycling training plan – 1st Mesocycle
- 3.2 Month 2 of the cycling training plan – Mesocycle 2º
- 3.3 Video example of 3 min Z4/Z5 series session
- 3.4 Month 3 of the cycling training plan – Mesocycle 3º.
- 3.5 Mes 4 del plan de entrenamiento ciclismo – Mesociclo 4º
- 3.6 Month 5 of the cycling training plan – Mesocycle 5
- 4 Core cycling training
- 4.1 Lumbopelvic stabilization exercises (10 minutes)
- 4.1.1 Breathing exercise 2’5 minutes
- 4.1.2 Transverse pelvic exercise – 10 reps 10s down 5s rest (see min 5:20)
- 4.1.3 Front plank – 6 repetitions of 8 seconds up and 5 seconds rest.
- 4.1.4 Lateral plank – 6 repetitions 3 right + 3 left holding 10 seconds.
- 4.1.5 Bird Dog – 6 repetitions 3 right + 3 left holding 10 seconds.
- 4.1.6 Spinal Bridge – 6 repetitions holding 8 seconds and 5 seconds of rest
- 4.1.7 Hip abduction – 6 repetitions holding 10 seconds and alternating sides.
- 4.1 Lumbopelvic stabilization exercises (10 minutes)
- 5 Cycling physical preparation – Weights at home
- 6 Slimming or weight loss diet
Cycling season planning
All training sessions will start with a gentle warm-up of 15-20 minutes, start riding very lightly at Z1 and gradually increase the heart rate up to Z2.
This prepares you for the kind of effort that is to come.
Specifically and as you will see in the videos is a plan that I have designed to attend the Titan Desert and my initial fitness was very low.
I show my personal plan as information but it is not any training advice, it is ONLY INFORMATIVE, it is your responsibility if you try to follow it.
The plan is divided into 1 mesocycle (6 months) of 6 macrocycles (month) of 4 microcycles (weeks).
Cycling heart rate chart
To follow this cycling training plan it is necessary to know the training zones based on heart rate and for this you need to know what your maximum heart rate per minute is.
If you do not know them, follow this link for an automatic calculator of maximum heart rate or how to perform a more realistic field test.
Z1 —–> Recuperación Activa —–> 50-60%
Z2 —–> Resistencia —–> 60-70%
Z3 —–> Tempo —–> 70-80%
Z4 —–> Umbral anaeróbico—–> 80-90%
Z5 —–> Vo2 max —–> 90-100%
Z6 —–> Anaeróbica —–> 100-Máx
You also need a pulse meter that can be a watch or a cyclocomputer, you can use a simple one or a programmable one to enter the training and just follow it.
Cycling training plan
Month 1 of the cycling training plan – 1st Mesocycle
If you are new to cycling and you are going to start riding, you should take advantage of the first three months to improve your pedaling technique, since it is in this phase that we are building the base.
Basic cycling training table month 1
Weekly cycling training – Explanation of training sessions – Microcycle
The training is almost the same from the first to the fourth week.
There is a session of 2h of shooting that must be maintained between Z2 and Z3 and may reach Z4 in very specific and short moments such as an overtaking or a short climb.
The active recovery session or active rest will be done in Z1 and may enter Z2 at specific times, the idea is to move the legs and promote muscle recovery.
The session of series of 30s must go at full throttle during the whole time, we will reach the pulsations at the end of the series, “it is normal”.
The session of sets of 60s should be done a little more progressively to be able to finish the last 10s at full speed.
The 2h free session is about riding without looking at the pulse but also not making changes of pace or choppy.
The 3h free session is to go out and enjoy group outings, piques, heat-ups, everything is allowed.
Month 2 of the cycling training plan – Mesocycle 2º
Basic cycling training table month 2
Weekly cycling training – Explanation of training sessions – Microcycle
A 3-minute cycling training series session is introduced, usually in Z4 high part or Z5 low part and finishing the last 20 seconds at full throttle.
Video example of 3 min Z4/Z5 series session
Month 3 of the cycling training plan – Mesocycle 3º.
Cycling base training table month 3
Weekly cycling training – Explanation of training sessions – Microcycle
A session of pyramidal cycling training series is introduced, we start at 1 minute and 1 minute rest until we reach 4 minutes and 4 minutes rest, and we start down the pyramid with 4 minutes and 4 minutes rest until we reach 1 minute.
Try to maintain your heart rate in Z4 and finish the last 20 seconds at full speed in Z5.
Mes 4 del plan de entrenamiento ciclismo – Mesociclo 4º
Programas de entrenamiento ciclismo mes 4
Entrenamiento ciclista semanal – Explicación sesiones de entrenamiento – Microciclo
Se varían las sesiones de series pero no se añade nada nuevo respecto al mes pasado.
Month 5 of the cycling training plan – Mesocycle 5
Programa de entrenamiento ciclismo de ruta y mtb mes 5
Entrenamiento ciclista semanal – Explicación sesiones de entrenamiento – Microciclo
Este es un mes de cambios personales, he decidido descansar los domingos para poder estar con la familia y que no todo sea bici, por lo que hay una transición de cambios de día.
La salida larga será el viernes, por lo que poco a poco se va ajustando los días de entrenamiento para conseguir el cambio.
A parte hay una carrera de gravel la 2º semana y las series en pirámide se incrementan hasta los 5 minutos.
Core cycling training
It is highly recommended to perform a 10-minute core strengthening session for cyclists every day or at least every other day.
With this you will avoid pain or getting stuck in the lumbar area due to the position on the road bike or Mtb.
Lumbopelvic stabilization exercises (10 minutes)
Breathing exercise 2’5 minutes
Lying on your back with your knees bent, you should take a deep breath through your nose, swelling your lower belly, not your stomach.
Then you have to take out the air gently through your mouth, deflating your belly as if you wanted to touch the floor with your navel.
The natural curves of the spine must be maintained throughout the exercise.
Transverse pelvic exercise – 10 reps 10s down 5s rest (see min 5:20)
Front plank – 6 repetitions of 8 seconds up and 5 seconds rest.
Lying face down you should rest your forearms on the floor, keeping your shoulders on top of your elbows for 8 seconds and rest for 5 seconds.
The exercise must be repeated 6 times.
Lateral plank – 6 repetitions 3 right + 3 left holding 10 seconds.
Lying on your side, rest your forearm on the floor with your shoulder on top of the elbow.
The body must then be raised, leaving only the forearm and feet in contact with the ground.
Keep your feet, pelvis and shoulders aligned.
Bird Dog – 6 repetitions 3 right + 3 left holding 10 seconds.
On all fours, simultaneously raise the leg on one side and the opposite arm until they are aligned.
The position must be maintained by controlling the correct vertebral and pelvic position and alternating sides.
Spinal Bridge – 6 repetitions holding 8 seconds and 5 seconds of rest
Lying on your back with your knees at 90º and your feet at hip level, raise your pelvis and align it with your shoulders and knees.
The legs will be perpendicular to the ground.
Hip abduction – 6 repetitions holding 10 seconds and alternating sides.
Lying on the side with the body extended, fixing the pelvis with the hand, raise the straight leg up to 45º.
It is necessary to alternate sides.
Cycling physical preparation – Weights at home
These strength and weight exercises are designed for cycling, they strengthen the core and the whole body in general, but above all they strengthen the muscles necessary for the practice of cycling.
Fitness Month 1
How to do the strength exercises for month 1
To perform strength training at home you need a minimum of material, the material is going to be used every month, so it is money well spent.
Material needed for the first month is:
The “s” stands for series, “r” for repetitions and “Steps” for steps.
For example doing push-ups or push up 3s x 20r means doing the movement of the exercise 20 times, rest and repeat 2 more times, in total 60 push-ups divided in 3 times.
1/2 Get Up
( K-db-c-c ) Kneeling Dumbbell Cheat Curl
(S-s-d) Stagger Stance Deadlift
Push up – push-ups
Goblet Squat
(1⁄2 K-a-r) 1⁄2 kneeling alternative row
Farmers Walk
Slimming or weight loss diet
As I am quite overweight I have seen a nutritionist and I leave you the diet that I have been programmed, the diet is not rigid but are examples of foods that can be changed to taste.
Approximately 1500 KCal is what I would need to gradually lose weight with the sedentary office work I do, so in the outings of more than 1h bike always eat something not to have a caloric deficit of more than 500Kcal a day and go weakening.
These are 3 sample dietary guidelines:
