I am after a bit of advice on how to structure the next year of my cycling journey, please.
10 years racing experience, now hung up my road race wheels and focusing exclusively on the UK hill climb scene, which means hitting super top form over 4-15 minutes in September and October. I will do some other events before then, but just for fun and no need to worry about specific training for those. The sole target is to be in top shape for intense hill climbs in Sept / Oct.
Previously did the 16week weights + base (10 weeks weights and 6 weeks SS) plan and saw some great results from the weights sessions, even though I had to quit the weights before I finished that part of the plan. So I am very keen to jump in the gym and get to work nice and early this year!
Given I already have your weights + base plan, and I also have your SS3 plan, I am thinking of doing these and then seeing where we’re at in the spring. Probably then continue with the SS (maybe repeat a few weeks) and carry a really high CTL into the summer, before letting it slide as I focus on intensity / intervals July/August.
Does that make sense? Any suggestion much appreciated.
One idea I have is to actually extend the weights phase a little. I know Frank has often advised this is not necessary, but my circumstances are maybe a bit unique: (1) I am tiny (56kg) and would really benefit from some significant muscular/strength gains, (2) I have almost 10 months before I need to be in form. Is it a crazy idea, for example, to repeat the hypertrophy, strength and power phases and really capitalise on the time I have to hit the gym?
Thanks so much!! Love your plans and excited to get back on another FasCat journey this coming season!
I think your plan does make sense. I would pick a couple week period of hill climbs to really taper for and then do intervals/race specific work in the 8 weeks prior to that, lots of base and weight before that.
However, training for 10 months without interruption is a long road; Yes, you could extend your weights and base phases a little but another option to consider is planning a summer peak, short rest and then back to intervals before the hillclimb season. If you don’t like that second option, I would mix in some cross training early on in you training to keep things fresh and diversify the stimulus.
I would look to do our 30 week offseason plan. This will add on 3 week fall foundation and then parts of sweet spot 1 and 3 that the 16 off season plan does not have. Also all of that is updated compared to the 16 week plan:
Our 30 week plan includes 3 all new re-designed plan for 2022 that are optimized when paired together:
3 week Fall Foundation (new for 2022 )
10 Weeks of Weight Lifting (new for 2022 )
16 Weeks of Sweet Spot (new for 2022 )
Benefits of this include:
It combines workouts from sweet spot parts 1 - 2 - 3 - 4
The Periodization is different, following 3 weeks on, 1 week off for four mesocycles
There is field test in the middle of the plan to update your zones, as well as ones at the beginning and end.
It has added Sweet Spot TSS Rides that can be done indoors or outdoors on a group ride/solo + includes Zwift instructions.
New training tip content with Video Demonstrations added.
I would also suggest doing an interval plan following this such as hill climb. You may look to take a mid summer break and come back to doing part of the 16 week sweet spot plan to build base back up and then the hill climb interval plan again.
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