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Race Training
by Bruce Argyle
Part 1: General principles of training.
So you want to get in shape for racing?
Well, great. But first, you need to look at why you're
racing.
Are you determined to win, no matter what? Or is the race a motivator
to get into shape? Racers can have many reasons
for racing: being outdoors, fun, the glory of winning, or getting in
shape.
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| Your approach to training may vary, depending on your
ultimate goal. For example, in a cross-country race, huge upper-body
muscles are just extra weight to carry up the hill. If your goal is simply
to win, your workouts should not build muscle mass in the upper body (but
should maintain as much power as possible). Your workouts will focus on leg strength and endurance.
But if you're racing because you want to be strong and buff-looking,
you'll continue to power-lift during the race season to build upper-body muscle, and accept a slower
finish.
You must also adjust your training program for "where you are
now." If you're carrying a bit of extra fat, a program that safely
burns off that fat will increase your racing speed much more than a
muscle-building program. (But of course, you really need both.)
The desire to win is a great motivator to get in
shape.
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First, let's get the obvious stuff out of the way. All riders are NOT
created equal. Maximum oxygen consumption, enzymatic muscle-repair
systems, mitochondrial efficiency, and skeletal type are things you
inherited. Blame your parents, but you can't change these things. You can
improve the efficiency of your own protoplasm, but you can't swap genes
with Lance Armstrong. Do the
best you can with what you've got.
So here are the factors that affect your ability to win races:
- Oxygen consumption
- Power output to weight ratio
- Lactate threshold
- Aerobic conditioning
- Mental toughness
- Skill
- Burst strength
There are a lot of great memories out there
for mountain bike racers! |
| Oxygen consumption. Maximum oxygen consumption,
called VO2max, is a measure of how much fuel you can burn in a given time.
If you can burn more fuel, you can go faster. But VO2max is something that
improves only a little with training. What you CAN change, is how efficiently you use the fuel you CAN
burn. That's where training comes in. |
| Power output to weight ratio. When climbing up a hill, a
200-pound rider works harder than a 150-pound rider. Obviously. So while
you want to increase your power, you need to keep your body mass
in check. If you're carrying a bit too much fat, getting rid of it
will make you faster, even if you don't gain strength or endurance. But starving yourself does NOT work. Losing fat is best done with long
lower-intensity rides, combined with intermittent muscle-building exercise.
There are some things you can
never change.
Don't let that stop you from being the best racer you can be. |
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| Lactate threshold. Muscles work most efficiently when
there's enough oxygen to burn sugar molecules completely. This is called
aerobic metabolism. The level of muscular activity at which you can no
longer completely burn fuel is called the anaerobic threshold or lactate
threshold. After crossing this threshold, muscles fatigue rapidly, and
lactic acid builds up. When you increase the lactate threshold within your
leg muscles, you can ride harder and faster for a longer time. The most
efficient way to increase lactate threshold is to combine occasional
short-duration intense anaerobic activity into a program of longer, paced
aerobic riding. |
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Aerobic conditioning. Your muscles need oxygen and fuel,
which must be delivered via your lungs and circulatory system. Aerobic
conditioning improves your ability to deliver oxygen to the muscles. Aerobic
conditioning is done by sustained riding within your
"aerobic training zone." (A heart-rate monitor or a power meter
are two good ways
to stay in this zone.) Long road rides are an excellent way to push
your lactate threshold and develop greater aerobic capacity. |
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Oxygen consumption and anaerobic power. With anaerobic
intervals, you can increase your lactate threshold, improve your power at
lactate threshold, speed lactate clearance, and improve your VO2-max
(maximum oxygen consumption, a good measure of how you'll perform on XC
races). These are sets in which you pedal like crazy above your lactate
threshold, rest a while, then go again.
Mental toughness. If you can't handle discomfort, you
can't win. Mental toughness keeps you working hard when it's unpleasant,
and keeps you focused. It makes you believe in yourself enough to attack,
to fight off challengers, and to fly fast downhill. Mental toughness is
developed through a tough training program.
Skill. Good bike skills mean you don't waste effort. You
shift smoothly without interrupting your power delivery. You pedal with
the most efficient cadence for the trail. You don't brake any more than
necessary. You pick the riding line that's the least work. Skills come by
riding, riding, riding.
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Last, and arguably least, is Burst Strength. This is the
ability to fight past other riders, or to get through sections where other
riders are walking. With good burst strength, you won't waste time stuck
behind a slower rider -- you find enough reserve power to pass.
A specific strengthening program, twice a
week, will give you the power to attack. Develop strength with exercises
both on, and off, the bike. |
Assuming you have reasonable
riding skills, the two factors that have the greatest impact on your
ability to win are (1) power-output-to-weight ratio and (2) lactate
threshold. Your goal is to improve in these two areas while maintaining
your burst strength.
Test yourself. Many beginning racers make the mistake of training at
things they're already GOOD at. You need to identify your weak areas, and
work on them. What slows you down? Is it that you're constantly out of
breath? If so, you should work on your aerobic capacity and lactate
threshold. Or is it that your leg muscles just won't put out, or don't last?
Work on power endurance with weights and sprints. Do you drop back from
the guy you're chasing every time you hit a switchback? Then you need to
work on riding skills. |
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So here's what you need in your training program:
- Aerobic riding. Increase your lactate threshold,
improve your aerobic capacity, and drop unnecessary weight. Aerobic
riding is the most important part of race training -- do LOTS of it.
- Intervals. Improve VO2-max and speed.
- Power riding. Develop standing power, burst power, upstroke power,
core strength. Stimulate muscle growth, so you don't lose strength
along with fat.
- Skills riding. Faster downhilling, smoother switchbacks, less
fatigue on technical sections.
- Cross-training. Exercises off the bike, including power and
stretching.
Your goal in life is health and
happiness, not just "winning."
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| In Part 2, I'll cover discuss some specific guidelines and
recommendations for your training program. |
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