TRAINING PROGRAMME ASSIGNMENT
2000m Individual Pursuit
The Cyclist
Training Year
Summary
References
Appendix One: Monthly Programmes
Appendix Two: Weekly Programmes
As an introduction, this essay is intended to give a rough outline behind some of the training ideas I use when putting together a programme. Because it was being submitted for grading it is pretty conservative and nothing that can't be referenced is included. It does not completely reflect my thoughts on training and everything that went into this riders programme.
This essay outlines a training programme for a 17 year old female cyclist training for the 2000 metre individual pursuit track cycling event. Firstly the components of the racing event will be listed. Secondly details will be given about the cyclist. An outline for a full years training will be given. This will include a break down of the final mesocycle (4 week period) and give details for a weeks actual training. The body of the essay explains the rational behind the programme.
The cycling 2000m individual pursuit is raced on a cycle track. Two competitors are placed on opposite sides of the track and over the distance of 2000m are attempting to catch their opponent. If they do not catch their opponent (very common in this event) the person with the fastest time is the winner.
The event begins with a qualifying round where the fastest eight times go through to the quarter finals. The qualifying round is raced in the morning and quarter final are ridden in the evening of the first day of the competition. On the second day of competition both the semi final and final are raced in the evening session. Often the gap between these two events is less than 45 minutes. The 2000m event takes place over 2min 20sec to 2min 45sec.
The event requires conditioning of all the energy systems. The alactic energy system is required when starting to ensure the cyclists reaches the ideal pursuiting pace as soon as possible after the start. This can mean a gain in time of up to 2 seconds if done well.
The aerobic system is required as Craig et al shows that an event of two minutes has an aerobic contribution of 60%. This assists the rider into setting a pace they can maintain for the full duration of the event. The aerobic system is also required especially for recovery between rides. This is vital when the rider must recover in the short space of time between the semi final and final.
The anaerobic system starts to play a role in the final laps of the event as the aerobic system can no longer supply all the energy necessary to maintain the goal pace for the event. A rider who has good lactate tolerance will be better suited to holding a high pace in the final laps.
A pursuit cyclist will use a bicycle that is designed for speed more than comfort. A position that is aerodynamic and allows for optimal transmission of power may compromise the natural position of the body. This necessitates a cyclist having excellent flexibility. Areas of note are hamstrings, glutes, and the back.
The amount of strength required by cyclists is a bone of contention between coaches and sport scientists. There is evidence that cyclists show improved performance on a ride to exhaustion (Hickson, 1988) after conducting a weights session. However other authors question the role of weight training based on the theory of specificity. The claim is that unless a weight training programme can replicate the exact movement pattern and speed of movement then it is not training the correct firing patterns of the goal movement (Rushall & Pyke, 1990).
Despite this debate cyclists often use a training programme based on classic periodisation (fitness, hypertrophy, strength and then power) (Newton & Burke, 1991) or if not well supervised or coached a general body building type of programme (many exercises in the 10-12 rep range) (Zatsiorsky, 1995). All claim that a weights programme is an essential part of their preparation for cycling.
Areas a cyclist should strength train are the lower and upper back to handle the extreme position of cycling. Strength is also needed in the lower body especially in the knee and hip joints where all the force from cycling is produced. While strength in these areas will be developed by cycling a weight training programme has been shown to increase the strength of connective tissue around a joint (Ackland & Bloomfield, 1992). This may be better than cycling where a high level of force is not produced often enough to have an training effect.
In terms of body composition a cyclist would be expected to have a low level of body fat and well developed musculature. Increased size is of no advantage to the pursuit cyclist (unlike a sprinter) so a long period of hypertrophy training is not justifiable.
The cyclist is a 17 year old female. She has been competing in cycling for four years. However her training history on a structured programme is only nine months. In her career she has achieved good results at a regional level but had previously struggled to make the grade at National level. Despite this she was selected to attend a National training camp for the New Zealand under 17 cycling team and from there was sent to Sydney for some overseas competition.
Once she began a structured programme her performances have improved and at this years track cycling Nationals won a silver medal in the under 19 woman's sprint and placed fourth in the 2000m individual pursuit. These performances placed her ahead of many of those who had beaten her in previous years.
The goal this season is to win the under 19 woman's 2000m individual pursuit at the Nationals. A second goal is to win in a time of less than 2min 35sec to ensure that she is selected to ride in the Junior World Champs being held later in the year.
Her training history before going on a structured programme included a knee reconstruction after a skiing accident and a broken wrist suffered in a crash. No other injuries or major illnesses have affected her training and competing.
In favour of field tests over laboratory tests we have taken time trial times to determine her fitness in respect to the demands of the event. In a 2000m time trial she has ridden 2 min 45. This is a good time for a first year under 17 rider but will need to be improved for her to be competitive at National level next year.
Her 500m time is 40.5 sec which is a good time for the distance. It will have to be improved to reflect the power needed to start well to gain an early advantage before settling into an aerobic pace that can be maintained into the final laps.
With both her endurance and speed needing attention for this event it dictates that she needs a balanced programme that will maximise all of her performance capacities.
In terms of strength, she has a six month experience of weight training. It has centred around the use of free weights and multi joint exercises as these are favoured for developing postural muscles and ensuring joint stability which is an issue with women because of their greater joint flexibility (Carbon, 1992).
With a background in ballet and gymnastics this riders flexibility is good and she is readily adaptable to the extreme positions of cycling. Regular stretching and attending yoga classes has maintained her suppleness.
First base period: May to July
In this part of the programme the rider will look to develop all round fitness in all main fitness components. Because strength and endurance are the two hardest qualities to develop they will be the priority of this phase of training.
Strength will be trained in the gym using a hypertrophy orientated programme that will seek to develop all areas of muscle in the riders body. The rep range will vary from 10 to 12 reps (Zatsiorsky, 1995). Several exercises will be used for each muscle group to ensure the muscle is worked to the point of overload. To allow for recovery and adaptation and muscular growth a period of at least 48 hours will be allowed before a muscle part is worked again (Tesch, 1992). Because this phase takes place during the winter and cycle training is difficult more time will be spent in the gym.
To make the most out of the available gym time the programme is split into three areas: legs, chest/back and shoulders/arms (Tesch, 1992). This allows each muscle part to be worked and allows for proper recovery. It also keeps motivation high as the rider can train hard daily. It also prevent fatigue from trying to complete every exercise in one session.
Because of difficulties due to cold weather endurance training is limited to long rides on the weekend. Some race specific endurance maintenance work is done after a weights session using an ergometer for an effort of 5 minutes.
Second base period: August to October
In this period the rider will use the improving weather to spend more time on the bike to develop basic endurance for the event. It is an anomaly in cycling and many other sports that cyclists need to complete many miles in preparation for an event that is only two kilometres long and takes a maximum of three minutes to complete. However the advantage of what is called base training is seen in terms of developing a strong aerobic system that will enhance the cyclist's capacity to handle the more intensive speed work that takes place later in the season.
Most time spent developing the aerobic system is at a light pace. For this rider the efforts are completed over one to two and a half hours. During this phase the rider will complete efforts of 30 minutes at a moderate pace. To add variety to these efforts the cyclist will vary the rides between uphill efforts for strength, flat tailwind efforts at high leg speeds to develop the riders ability to maintain high pedal cadences needed in the event.
In this phase the priority of gym work is focused on strength. Here the aim is to develop a large amount of force. One exercise is selected per body part and the aim is to lift as large a weight as possible for the rep range chosen. In a mature weight trainer with good technique and several years experience this rep range may be between 1-5 reps (Dick, 1997). For this cyclist, with a 6 month weight training history eight reps was chosen to ensure that no injuries are encountered.
Early competition period: November to January
In this phase the emphasis changes from base preparation to more specific work aimed at developing the cyclists ability to compete in the event. At the start of this phase the rider should have maximised their strength and endurance to handle, and recover from the intensive training that will take place in this and the next phases.
To maximise the aerobic system intervals of 3 to 5 minutes are used to enhance the ability to ride at the lactate threshold. These efforts are done at a very hard pace and are either completed on the road or at this time of the year preferably on the track using a pursuiting bike.
To prepare the rider for the heavy amount of anaerobic training to come in the next phase the rider is encouraged to take part in as much competition as possible. For this rider there is the opportunity to compete in track events twice weekly and in a road race once a week. The racing is very general and not specific to pursuiting and should not be considered as a suitable replacement for the more specific training that is to come.
In this phase the cyclist will do work in the gym to develop power. This is done by using a small number (3-4) of full body exercises using a light weight (30% of 1RM) as fast as possible (Dick, 1997).
Competition period: February and March
This is the business end of the season. If the preparation before is not complete the rider will be unable to perform to expectations. It is where the most intensive training is completed. All training is of a very specific nature. Most efforts are done on the track using work that is no longer than 2000m and nothing shorter than 400m. No long efforts for fear of losing race specific speed and no short efforts for fear of losing endurance for the full distance. Most efforts are done at a very fast pace with full recovery in between. A pursuit bike with triathlon bars are used. If an aerodynamic front wheel is to be used in competition then it will be used in training as this will affect the steering dynamics of the bike.
The event environment is totally simulated in all efforts. A full warm up (when time permits) is done. This involves a general warm up of twenty minutes building up to a fast pace on the track. At this point stretching is done to ensure range of movement is adequate for the event. From here the cyclist will go back onto the track to carry out a specific warm up that consists of a standing start and efforts at race pace. From here the riders will do more stretching and light riding while they await their training efforts.
At the line they will be given the regulation two minutes to prepare themselves before being given the 5-4-3-2-1 starting countdown. While riding they will be given time calls every lap letting them know how close they are to a pre-determined time schedule. This helps to develop an awareness of what the event requires before they compete. This is vital especially in young cyclists as they will have a lack of competition experience.
At the conclusion of the session they will spend twenty minutes riding at a very light pace to warm down. After this more stretching will take place including PNF stretching to take advantage of very warm muscles and to build excellent flexibility.
In the gym only maintenance work is done with a once a week session being done to maintain the strength developed in the gym. This is especially important because actual cycling will do little to maintain upper body strength needed to hold the extreme pursuiting position.
This phase takes eight weeks and the first three are the most intensive. At the conclusion of these three weeks the rider will be mildly overtrained. Over the next five weeks the training load will be tapered down in the pattern that allows for a 85-70-55-40-25% volume of the training load done in the first three weeks. An important factor in this taper is that the training intensity remains the same throughout the whole eight weeks otherwise training specificity is lost. The taper is used to allow for adequate recovery and supercompensation to take place allowing for maximal performance (Shepley et al, 1992).
This overload and taper programme is based on Hopkin's (1993) four week (two week overload and two week taper) method. To increase the length to eight weeks is a personal experiment and is based on the Australian Cycling Federation model where the overload period is five weeks and taper is seven weeks long (Walsh, 1997). The rational is that riders will arrive in a fresher state when required to compete. If needed a mini overload and taper can be used if the riders hits peak condition too soon. This plan also fits in well with the National track cycling calendar which has the regional event (the qualifier for the National event) three weeks out from the Nationals which makes it difficult if the four week model is used.
Active recovery period: April
During this period the cyclist will have a very reduced training programme. The term active recovery is stressed because form is easily lost and if total rest is used the rider will have to build back from scratch. It is better to maintain form and build on it for an even better next season.
The periodised programme allows this rider to build an effective base before carrying out specific race training. This makes for a more motivating programme through having plenty of variety. Overall the effects of this type of training over her previous less structured programme have been very effective.
The season is over for the rider in this study. Her results at the nationals were not as expected. On reflection the choice of a three week overload and five week taper was not the best preperation. It is interesting to compare the two other riders who were on a similar programme. Both had interuptions to their training due to outside committments. Both won medals at the New Zealand Championships and exceeded their expectations. I feel that a three week overload is too severe and will set more modest training targets next year. I also feel that the use of a greater volume of interval efforts as opposed to fewer efforts(but at race pace) was detrimental in terms of improving racing ability.
Ackland, T.R., & Bloomfield, J. (1992). Functional anatomy. In J. Bloomfield, P.A. Fricker, & K.D. Fitch (Eds.), Textbook of science and medicine in sport (pp. 2-28). Melbourne: Blackwell Scientific Publications.
Carbon, R.J. (1992). The female athlete. Textbook of science and medicine in sport (pp. 467-487).
Dick, F.W. (1997). Sports training principles (3rd ed). London: A&C Black.
Hickson, R.C., Dvorak, E., Gorostiaga, E.M., Kurowski, T.T., & Foster, C. (1988). Potential for strength and endurance training to amplify endurance performance. Journal of Applied Physiology, 65, 2285-2290.
Hopkins, W. G. (1993). New guidelines for hard training. The New Zealand Coach, 2(2), 16-20.
Newton, H., & Burke, E.R. (1991). Improved cycling performance through strength training. Conditioning for Cycling, Summer, 13-20.
Rushall, B.S., & Pyke, F.S. (1990). Training for sports and fitness. Melbourne: Macmillan Education Australia.
Shepley, B., MacDougall, J.D., Cipriano, N., Sutton, J.R., Tarnopolsky, M.A., & Coates, G. (1992). Physiological effects of tapering in highly trained athletes. Journal of applied physiology, 72, 706-711.
Tesch, P.A. (1992). Training for bodybuilding. In P.V. Komi (Ed.), Strength and power in sport (pp. 370-380). Melbourne: Blackwell Scientific Publications.
Walsh, C. (1997). Preparation of track endurance cyclists. Lecture presented at the Australian Cycling Federation Level Two Coaching Course.
Zatsiorsky, VIM. (1995). Science and practice of strength training. Champaign, IL.: Human Kinetics Books.
Appendix One: Monthly Training Programme
First Base Period: May to July
-Aerobic rides of one hour
-Hypertrophy weight training three times a week
Second base period: August to October
August
-Aerobic rides of one to one and a half hours at a light pace
-Aerobic efforts of 20 minutes at a moderate pace
-Strength weight training three times per week
September
-Aerobic rides of two hours at a light pace
-Aerobic efforts of 25 minutes at a moderate pace
-Strength weight training three times per week
October
-Aerobic rides of one and a half hours at a light pace
-Aerobic efforts of 30 minutes at a moderate pace
-Strength weight training two times per week
-Road cycling competitions
Early competition period: November to January
November
-Aerobic rides of two and a half hours at a light pace
-Aerobic efforts of 15 minutes at a moderate pace
-Aerobic efforts of 4 X 5 min at a hard pace
-Road cycling competitions
-Track cycling competitions
-Power weight training two times a week
December
-Aerobic rides of two hours at a light pace
-Aerobic efforts of 15 minutes at a moderate pace
-Aerobic efforts of 5 X 5 minutes at a hard pace
-Road cycling competitions
-Track cycling competitions
-Power weight training two times a week
January
-Aerobic rides of two hours at a light pace
-Aerobic efforts of 15 minutes at a moderate pace
-Aerobic efforts of 6 X 5 minutes at a hard pace
-Road cycling competitions
-Track cycling competitions
-Power weight training two times a week
Competition period: February to March
-Aerobic rides of one and a half hour at a light pace
-Aerobic efforts of 8 X 3 minutes at a hard pace
-Anaerobic-Aerobic efforts of 8 X 2 minutes at a very hard pace
-Anaerobic efforts of 15 X 1 minute at an extremely hard pace
-Track cycling competitions
-Taper down with five weeks out: 85%, 70%, 55%, 40% & 25%
Appendix Two: Weekly Programmes
First base period
-Mon: Rest day
-Tue: Weight training: Legs
- -Leg press
- -Hack squat
- -Leg extension
- -Hamstring curl (standing and lying)
- -Calf raise
- -Back extension
- -All exercises 3 X 10 reps
-Wed: Aerobic ride of 1 hour at a light pace
-Thu: Weight training: Chest and Back
- -Bench press
- -Incline press with dumbbells
- -Pec dec
- -Seated row
- -Lat pulldown
- -One arm row
- -All exercise 3 X 12 reps
-Fri: Rest day
-Sat: Weight training: Shoulders and Arms
- -Shoulder press
- -Lateral raise
- -Front raise
- -Biceps curl
- -Triceps pushdown
-Sun: Aerobic ride of 1 hour at a light pace
Second base period
-Mon: Rest day
-Tues:am Weight training
- -Squat
- -Stiff leg deadlift
- -Bench press
- -Bent over row
- -Upright row
- -All exercises 3 X 8 reps
-Tue:pm One and a half hours at a light pace including 30 minutes at a moderate pace
-Wed: One and a half hours at a light pace
-Thu:am Weight training as Tuesday
-Thu:pm Cycle ride as per Tuesday
-Fri: One hour at a very light pace
-Sat: Cycling Road Race
-Sun: Two and a half hours at a light pace including 30 minutes at a moderate pace
Early competition period
-Mon: Rest day
-Tues:am Weight training
- -Lunge
- -Powerclean
- -Standing jumps (for height)
- -Hops, up stairs
- -3 X 8 reps on each exercise
-Tue:pm One and a half hours at a light pace including 6 X 5 minutes at a hard pace
-Wed: Track racing
-Thu:am Weight training as Tuesday
-Thu:pm Cycle ride as per Tuesday
-Fri: One hour at a very light pace
-Sat: Cycling Road Race
-Sun:am Two and a half hours at a light pace
-Sun:pm Track racing
Early competition period
-Mon:Rest day
-Tues:am Weight training
- -Lunge
- -Powerclean
- -Standing jumps (for height)
- -Hops, up stairs
- -3 X 8 reps on each exercise
-Tue:pm Track training
- -Warm up (as per main text)
- -8 X 2000 m at a hard pace
- -Cool down (as per main text)
-Wed: Track racing
-Thu: One and a half hour at a light pace including 15 minute at a moderate pace
-Fri: Track training
- -Warm up
- -8 X 1200m at a very hard pace
- -Cool down
-Sat: One hour at a very light pace
-Sun:am Track training
- -Warm up
- -15 X 800m at an extremely hard pace
- -Cool down
Sun:pm Track racing
Active recovery period
-Mon: Yoga
-Tue: Circuit training
-Wed: Rest day
-Thu: Circuit training
-Fri: Rest day
-Sat: Yoga
-Sun: Circuit training
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