7-9hr/week Beginner Winter Training Plan - XC MTB Athlete
Author
Mike Schultz, CSCS
All plans by this CoachLength
12 Weeks
Typical Week
1 Strength, 2 Day Off, 5 Bike
Longest Workout
3:00 hrs
Plan Specs
cycling mountain biking
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Summary
This plan is a 12 week plan
This plan is designed for either an athlete who is just starting into the sport of mountain biking or for an athlete who has been out of the sport for a few years or more and is looking to ease back into the sport. This program mainly focuses on building a base of endurance with progressively more force and intensity to focus on towards the end of the 12 week period. This plan is designed with longer workouts focused for the weekends.
This program consists of cycling and off the bike strength training. Strength training will focus on building a stronger core to help with the demands of off road riding and racing.
This plan is intended to be followed using heart rate and perceived exertion mainly. All of the workouts will revolve around the use of heart rate and bio feedback from feel, breathing, etc. Details on daily intensities are available daily to help guide you through this program.
It is important for athletes who are just getting into a sport or for athletes who have been out of a sport for a long time to ease into it to prevent injury, burnout, and over training. The main goal with this program is to start slow and build through the season. Training smart over the winter months will help you prepare for more volume and intensity in the spring and through the racing season.
Have questions about which program to choose or need support? Feel free to email me at - schultz@highlandtraining.net
If you are looking for a more individualized coaching and training plan option, please visit the Highland Training website at - www.highlandtraining.net for more program options.
Stats
Sample Day 1
PERFROM 2 TO 4 SETS WITH 1-3 MINUTES REST BETWEEN SETS - PERFORM 15-20 REPS PER SET
RECOVER FOR 3-5 MINUTES BETWEEN EXERCISE
Perform one exercise at a time before moving on to the next.
EXERCISES TO PERFORM -
NARROW SQUATS - You can use a swiss ball against a wall to help support your back or while free standing, but either way, make sure your knees remain over your toes when in a squat position -
DUMBBELL RENEGADE ROWS - Begin in a pushup position and brace yourself on both dumbbells. While maintaining the push up position, flex the arm while pulling the dumbbell back along your side. Slowly lower the dumbbell to the ground Repeat the same movement on the opposite side - You can throw occasional pushups into these reps - Only use dumbbells that will not roll and choose a weight that you can perform 3 sets of 20 with -
BACKWARD LUNGES - count one side as one rep - so 20 reps = 10 reps each side for one set - Begin with feet shoulder width apart and hands at waist height. Step the left foot backwards until the foot makes contact with the ground. Return to the start position by pushing off your left foot and returning to the start position.
SIDE PLANKS/BOTH SIDE - Hold each side plank position for 30-60 seconds with 1-3 minute rest periods between efforts - Planks on both sides = 1 set - Work 2-4 sets -
MEDICINE BALL PUSH UPS - perform 10-20 reps with 1-3 minutes rest periods and work 2-4 sets of these - you can also use a soccer ball or basketball for example - If you have a hard time with 15 reps, start with 8-10 per set -
MEDICINE BALL V UPS - Same as above If you do not have a medicine ball, use another object or mimic the move without a ball - While on sit bones and legs straight, lift legs and core into a V with medicine ball between your ankles - Perform these in sets of 10-20 with 1-3 minutes between each set - perform 2-4 sets of these -
PLANKS - Hold each side plank position for 30-60 seconds with 1-3 minute rest periods between efforts - Work 2-4 sets -
FINISH THE DAY WITH STRETCHES FOR YOUR HIPS, HAMSTRINGS AND QUADRICEPTS
STRETCHES - http://highlandtraining.net/stretches.html
Sample Day 2
WORK A STEADY PACE IN THE ZONE 2 RANGES MAINLY WITH FEW BREAKS - FOCUS ON WORKING SMOOTH AND WITH A NATURAL CADENCE - Warm up and ride into the ZONE 2 ranges. Check your bio feedback here. Where is your breath? Where is your PE? How do your legs feel? - If you feel good then work in the Zone 2 range for durations of 20-30 minutes today, if not for the entire day. Recover when needed in Zone 1 for as long as needed and then work back into more steady spinning.
Sample Day 3
KEEP IT EASY TODAY AND SPIN IN THE ZONE 1-2 RANGE - WORK WITH A NATURAL CADENCE - keep today to a steady spin in the Zone 1-2 ranges - Spin where you feel comfortable and with a deep breath. Try to work as steady as you can.
Sample Day 4
THE GOAL TODAY IS TO KEEP FOCUSED ON STEADY WORK IN THE ZONE 3 RANGE FOR SHORTER 5-10 MINUTE PERIODS OF TIME WITH STEADY EASIER SPINNING BETWEEN TEMPO EFFORTS - - Warm up and ride into the Zone 2 ranges. Check your bio feedback here. Where is your breath? Where is your PE? How do your legs feel? - If you have a labored breath here, sore legs, a higher PE then add more warm up into the mix. When you’re feeling it, choose sections of trail or roads, especially on the hill grades and climbs, and spin mainly seated into the Zone 3 ranges for durations of 5-10 minutes approx. Spin easier in the Zone 1-2 ranges between efforts - Work as many 5-10 minute tempo efforts as your feeling today.
Sample Day 6
THE GOAL - WORK FORCEFUL EFFORTS TODAY, GRINDING OUT CLIMBS USING A BIGGER GEAR AND SLOWER CADENCE - KEEP THE DOWNHILLS AND FLATS EASIER SPINNING AND WORK STEADY - As always, warm up and check your system at the Zone 2 ranges - If you are experiencing sore legs and heavy breathing, then work the lower end ranges of today’s ranges on the hills but still try to work good force with a bigger gear or Single Speed - If you feel good then work into as many hill climbs as you can today, working standing, seated and pushing a bigger gear, working your HR anywhere into the Zone 4-5a ranges for at least 5 minute efforts but work longer 10-15 minute efforts if your climbing a long hill - keep as much easier spinning in the Zone 1-2 ranges as you need between efforts today
Sample Day 7
KEEP IT EASY TODAY AND SPIN IN THE ZONE 1-2 RANGE - WORK WITH A NATURAL CADENCE - keep today to a steady spin in the Zone 1-2 ranges - Spin where you feel comfortable and with a deep breath. Try to work as steady as you can.
Sample Day 8
PERFROM 2 TO 4 SETS WITH 1-3 MINUTES REST BETWEEN SETS - PERFORM 15-20 REPS PER SET
RECOVER FOR 3-5 MINUTES BETWEEN EXERCISE
Perform one exercise at a time before moving on to the next.
EXERCISES TO PERFORM -
NARROW SQUATS - You can use a swiss ball against a wall to help support your back or while free standing, but either way, make sure your knees remain over your toes when in a squat position -
DUMBBELL RENEGADE ROWS - Begin in a pushup position and brace yourself on both dumbbells. While maintaining the push up position, flex the arm while pulling the dumbbell back along your side. Slowly lower the dumbbell to the ground Repeat the same movement on the opposite side - You can throw occasional pushups into these reps - Only use dumbbells that will not roll and choose a weight that you can perform 3 sets of 20 with -
BACKWARD LUNGES - count one side as one rep - so 20 reps = 10 reps each side for one set - Begin with feet shoulder width apart and hands at waist height. Step the left foot backwards until the foot makes contact with the ground. Return to the start position by pushing off your left foot and returning to the start position.
SIDE PLANKS/BOTH SIDE - Hold each side plank position for 30-60 seconds with 1-3 minute rest periods between efforts - Planks on both sides = 1 set - Work 2-4 sets -
MEDICINE BALL PUSH UPS - perform 10-20 reps with 1-3 minutes rest periods and work 2-4 sets of these - you can also use a soccer ball or basketball for example - If you have a hard time with 15 reps, start with 8-10 per set -
MEDICINE BALL V UPS - Same as above If you do not have a medicine ball, use another object or mimic the move without a ball - While on sit bones and legs straight, lift legs and core into a V with medicine ball between your ankles - Perform these in sets of 10-20 with 1-3 minutes between each set - perform 2-4 sets of these -
PLANKS - Hold each side plank position for 30-60 seconds with 1-3 minute rest periods between efforts - Work 2-4 sets -
FINISH THE DAY WITH STRETCHES FOR YOUR HIPS, HAMSTRINGS AND QUADRICEPTS
STRETCHES - http://highlandtraining.net/stretches.html