Hi,

I’m just getting back into riding my MTN Bike after a spell of inactivity and have started thinking about how to put an effect training plan together that will do the following:

Increase general fitness
Lose weight
Improve my endurance

Next year I hope to compete in some local XC races along with some Enduro’s and depending on what happens to Trans Wales was thinking about making TransWales my mane goal.

At present I have quite a bit of free time to train, but expect to have less time next year due to work commitments. With this in mind I’m just reading Time-crunched cyclist – but would like a winter plan that improves my general condition before applying a more speed and strength program in the spring.

Does anybody have any plans or recommendations, have looked on-line and at the moment don’t want to part with $100 to get a plan.

Cheers.

G

just ride your bike more. find your strengths and weaknesses and then start from there. You need to find a base line to be able to see what is and is not working.

Yup, just try and get out as much as you can(which is harder over the dark months).
If you know other folk near you that want to get out ,then it’s easier
to nag encourage each other when you don’t feel up for it.
I don’t know if you do any night rides ,but that can make it a bit more interesting .
I know that I would be even more useless if I didn’t have my regular commute ,so after summer I switch to my CX bike to keep that mileage going.
With mud guards and decent lights ,it’s just getting in to the routine (with no faffing ) that can be hard.

Got some fairly ancient Night Suns – old school and very heavy but night riding in winter is defiantly on my to do list. In times past I used to ride loads at night in the Peak near Sheffield and found it was great for increasing your technical ability as you end up riding what’s directly in front of you.

I’m riding 2 or 3 times a week (34 miles) at a medium to high intensity with Average speed of 12 MPH.

Don’t have much problem with motivation but would appreciate some guidance.

If you have the time do some long, steady rides on a road bike each week.

Go to RPM or spinning classes.
Do HIIT.
Swim
Run
Kettle Bell workouts
Yoga
Cycle

Do more, do it faster, do it harder.

Repeat.

I’m riding 2 or 3 times a week (34 miles) at a medium to high intensity with Average speed of 12 MPH.

try and mix it up a bit. shorter faster rides & longer slower ones.

over winter i like to do more cross training – means that i’m not always out in the cold on the bike. I do swimming / gym work. the key thing is to find something you like. It’s also a good time to build on core strength.

I’m already running – well I class it as running as not so fast – as having trouble with sorting out my breathing, but I manage 4.5 undulating miles in 45 minutes – but hope to improve this steadily as my general fitness improves.

Also planning on swimming, but need to get pool and sessions sorted out.

Was also thinking about spinning classes – but these seem to get slated by most/some people.

Only have the one bike so road biking will have to be a no, and no spare money to add one in.
But happy to do some sessions on MTN bike on road to add in a little smother speed work.

Thanks for all the guidance so far guys, such a instant response.

G

Other alternative is a turbo trainer and some thing like Sufferfest

I do circuits and indoor climbing over the winter and that seems to help my core fitness.
I find the climbing a fun way to train without thinking that you are training. 🙂

2-3 spin sessions during the week, and then a longish road ride at weekends worked for me before ill health took over my life – hopefully going to get out more during the autum and rejolin the gym for spin classes.
I prefer spin to turbo as I get more from a spin session with the instructor shouting at me than I do using the turbo.

1 x run interval per week
1 x long trail run per week
1 x bike interval per week
1 x long trail ride per week
2 x some form of resistance workout per week

I’d say plenty of XC riding from now and all over winter. Ride to the starts don’t car it.
Bit of road wouldn’t go a miss?
Plan some events for early 2012.
Do the Time crunched and time it to deliver it to your first event.

I can vouch for the time crunched, but you need sheds loads of will power

But build up the fitness, finesse that fitness and you should end up leaner faster and stronger anyway.
Don’t enter races too soon, you’ll just waste valuable time.

I brought a ride bike and my fitness is through the roof compared to a year ago however I believe this will break the £100 budget some what.