WINTER WILL MAKE YOUR NEXT SEASON



We say it all the time, but it's still true: what you do this winter really can make or break your season next year. There are some vital components to creating a very good winter training program, and of course using a power meter is a big part of it. Once you're rested from your season's work, recharged, and ready to go, your winter should contain at least two important components:
  • focused indoor training workouts using wattage and cadence 
  • solid workouts in the sweet spot zone
EXPLORE WINTER TRAINING PLANS

Higher-cadence workouts help ensure that you maintain your ability to quickly contract and relax your muscles. By training your neuromuscular power, you can help keep that critical ability to quickly change your cadence throughout the winter, and even enhance it. You don’t want to go too hard on these, so limit your effort to less than 110% of your functional threshold power (FTP). One of my favorite workouts is simple one-minute fast pedaling intervals: pedal over 110 rpm for one minute, pedal at your self-selected (normal) cadence for one minute, and repeat.  


On the other side of the coin, lower-cadence workouts are also great to do in the winter because they can enhance your muscular strength, which can help you sprint with more peak wattages and help you push a bigger gear into the wind, in a time trial, or up a steep climb. Muscular strength workouts are based around hard but short intervals done in the biggest gear you can manage at low rpm. Many people believe that riding for hours in a big gear at slow rpm will increase their muscular strength and consequently make them more powerful. However, this is a myth; based on the data from power meter files, I have found that riding at 50 rpm for hours on end just does not create enough muscular stress to strengthen the muscles. In order to increase your muscular strength on the bike, you need to do hard, short bursts of effort in a big gear from a slow speed. Once you reach 80 rpm, your effort is over.

The second type of training I prescribe to my athletes in the winter is called sweet spot training(SST). When you ride just below your functional threshold power (approximately 88-93% of your FTP), you are said to be riding in your sweet spot. Why is it called the sweet spot? It’s an area of intensity in which the level of physiological strain (read: pain) is relatively low, and the maximum duration (read: time) you can stay in this area is quite high. Your increase in FTP is greatest in this area, as well, so training in your sweet spot really gives you a tremendous bang for your buck without causing you to peak in January. -- Hunter Allen

Make it a great winter and a great start to the next season!

EXPLORE WINTER TRAINING PLANS
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I really appreciate your help. 

I’ve read your book, read most of your blogs, follow you on the Cycling Forums …..I drank the cool-ade and I won’t look back. I love my powermeter!

I did it last year, and am planning on doing the Winter plan again this year. I stuck with it and did all the core and weights and by the end of January I felt awesome! I then purchased the Spring and Summer plans and followed those. That spring one was great…I got 2nd overall in the Chico Stage Race (I won the Paskenta Road Race, third in the Time Trial on a bike I had never ridden before, and placed second in the over-all)! Then placed 3rd in a sprint out of a five man break at the Copperopolis RR. I felt competitive all year.

Those plans WORK!

Shane Okly

New York
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Dear Hunter Allen: During the first and second weeks of June I participated in the 75-79 USACycling Masters Road Nationals in Augusta and the 75-79 NSGA Nationals in Birmingham. USAC: RR 3rd place; Crit 4th place. NSGA: 5K TT 13th, 20K RR 4th, 40K RR 4th. This was a result of the Peaks Coaching Group Training plans . I have never been so well prepared, thank you.

Pat Kapp

Lincoln, NE
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Not having followed a proper training plan in the prior 5 years or so, I first used this plan during the 2016-2017 season. Astounding results. 

Strength and plyometrics training built core and foundation for training. The strength building was incorporated into on the bike training and for the first time in many years, I had a very effective sprint.

The "on the bike" sessions and strength training are balanced with each other and periodized, ensuring that one does not become overtrained. This is important as I am turning 58 years of age.

Used plan again and found myself comparable to age group 30 at provincial MTB championships. Was still strong and motivated through summer and into September. Recommended.

Jazz Tracy

Richmond

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