Warming up with a dynamic, focused routine, specifically tailored to your chosen sport.
It is a common human failing to look very hard – maybe too hard – at something and still fail to see what’s staring you in the face. This may explain why coaches and athletes have continued to keep faith with the old-style warm-up despite mounting evidence that it doesn’t do what it says on the tin.
It’s a given that we need to warm up before we sprint, hit a tennis ball or attempt a clean and jerk. The process prepares us mentally and physically for the task ahead. Traditionally, athletes from most sports have been used to raising their body temperature with 5-15 minutes of gentle cardiovascular (CV) work and then stretching off. As a long jump athlete, I can remember jogging a couple of laps to get really warm, then sitting and chatting for the next half an hour while supposedly stretching. By the time the session started, I’d often be cold both physically and mentally. My body would have switched off and I would be far from optimally prepared for the dynamic activity to follow; in fact I would literally have to warm up all over again.
I was just reading a Pez Cycling post on Eroica riding. Really reminds me of the past years of riding gravel in the winter for me. Before there was a trail system in Omaha, riding on the dikes in the off season was a blast. Portaging across sewer drains and through cornfields to cross a creek made riding the dike system quite challenging.
It’s that time of the year for me. Back to the gravel and building base at ~.65 of threshold power. Eight and half hrs riding the cross bike this weekend. More like 5 hrs gravel and 3.5 pavement. I love training in that wind. I take the pavement back with the wind to work on leg speed and Hwy 77 is just right for maintaining a high cadence. Fairly flat. This weekend there was some leg speed happening with 20-30 mph winds. That’s an easy 30-34 mph on a bike. Not so easy on a cross bike with 46×12 gears. Getting used to spinning at 115+ takes me about 15 min after the gravel grind into the wind.
After all is said and done, gravel has it’s place in the winter training sessions. Getting into the loose stuff promotes bike handling technique. Also, jump back on that pavement to keep yourself refreshed about riding smooth.
If you pick up a magazine, follow your friends training program or follow a generic program for training this is an example of process driven. This type of program isn’t geared specifically toward you and your weaknesses. Everyone of us has our strengths and weaknesses. What you need to do is work on your weaknesses to become results driven. Even within the sports own discipline there are differences in the results driven process.
Mountain bikers really need to work on anaerobic type intervals, acceleration power, a stong upper body and technical skills. Even then, work on what you are weak at to become a better mountain biker. Short efforts such as 30 sec on/off’s. A strong upper body is needed but not a body builders body so train appropriately. Techinical skills such as balance, technical ascents/descents.
A road cyclist needs to train a bit differently then the mountain biker. Road cyclist’s don’t need as strong of an upper body. They must work on being aerobic. Technical skills such as a smooth pedal technique, cornering or riding a straight line are what roadies need.
Just riding your bike without a plan is a good thing to do. It’s fun. Reality is you won’t get better without working on your weaknesses or become a safer rider. Spend some time in that parking lot working on cornering. Hit those trails if your a mountain biker. Even recreational riders should work on their weaknesses. So what are you? Process or results driven.
