HILL CLIMB RACE BUILD | Power-Based
Author
Nathaniel Wallis
All plans by this CoachLength
4 Weeks
Typical Week
2 Day Off, 5 Bike
Longest Workout
3:00 hrs
Plan Specs
cycling road cycling beginner intermediate advanced masters power based tss based
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Summary
Includes Structured Workouts
Structured Workouts automatically sync with compatible devices and guide you through workouts in real time.
Learn More about Structured Workouts.
A structured, power-based plan designed to help you build towards a hill climb season or sharpen your climbing ability by developing your VO2 Max and anaerobic power.
This plan is a 4-week block of training, perfect for building towards a hill climb season. This is also for you if you have no races scheduled but want to greatly improve your ability to climb and sustain high power for short, punchy climbs (3-8 minutes).
PLAN FEATURES
-Fully structured power-based workouts.
-Each workout is described clearly and is coupled with a description as to its purpose for training adaptations.
-Progressive TSS build towards the culmination of the plan, designed for you to peak in the final week.
-All workouts designed for power meter users (HR not supported).
-All workouts are exportable (to your Wahoo, Garmin, Zwift, Trainer Road etc.).
PLAN GOALS
-Improve VO2 Max and anaerobic capacity through proven methods.
-Provide varied workouts that help you maintain enthusiasm for training.
-Build greater force production during short efforts.
ALSO INCLUDES
-Unlimited athlete-initiated Q&A through e-mail contact with advice also available on strength training.
NOTE: Please make sure you set an up-to-date FTP before beginning this plan so power levels are defined accurately and so you are able to accurately track TSS. This plan has been specifically designed for experienced road cyclists who already have a strong base fitness and are ready for demanding training. If you use this plan to build towards a race at the end of the 4 weeks, please sub out the final power test for your event- this will ensure peak form for the event.
Stats
Sample Day 1
WORKOUT: Complete a long 30 minute warm up. Begin with 3x 1min 'openers' to loosen the legs at 110rpm. The next element of the session is a 1 minute test. This should be an all out effort and by the end of the minute you should feel as though you have nothing left. Once finished, keep the legs spinning for the next 10 minutes at an easy power to avoid a build up of lactate- glass crank it! After that comes a 5min power test. Again, this should be an all out effort for 5 minutes. As this effort is slightly longer, ensure you pace yourself well- don't start out too hard and blow up, and don't start too easy and finish wishing you had gone harder. End the ride with a 30min easy spin and a 10 minute cool down before a well deserve rest!
GOAL: This is an opportunity to test your short, sharp power to use as a baseline for your training. At the end of the 4 week program, you will complete this test again to measure your progress.
Sample Day 2
WORKOUT: Warm up with cadence in the 90-95rpm range. Start the main set with 6x 1min "on", 1 min "off" fast pedalling cadence efforts. Ride 30 minutes at zone 2 and finish the ride with 6 more 1 min "on" and 1 min "off" cadence drills. Cool down.
GOAL: Cadence drills are to improve your pedalling technique and efficiency. Don't worry about speed, power or heart rate- focus on cadence. Ultimately, you are hoping your power and heart rate will remain low so you can become more efficient at harder efforts. Build cadence steadily to avoid fading too fast.
Sample Day 3
WORKOUT: Complete a 15 minute workout followed by 20 minutes at zone 2. Next comes the main block of intervals. The first interval is 2 minutes at 105-120% of FTP, followed straight after by 8 minutes at 95-104% of FTP. Recover for 7 minutes before repeating 2 more times. Take the recovery and spin no harder than 60% of FTP to ensure you are fully recovered for the next block of intervals. Keep the cadence up to help flush the lactate out of the legs. Finish the ride with a 10 minute cool down, ensuring you lower your heart rate as close to normal levels as possible
GOAL: The goal of this session is to help your body deal with high levels of blood lactate while still sustaining power at FTP levels.
Your legs will be burning so make sure to concentrate during the 8 minutes at threshold and try to keep those power numbers up!
Sample Day 5
Head out on a ride of your choice. Maybe it's your weekly club ride or a solo meander. Some surges are expected but try to ensure the ride is kept as aerobic and as endurance based as possible!
Sample Day 6
WORKOUT: Complete a warm up followed by 3x 1 minute 'activators' with a high cadence. Next comes the main intervals. Beginning at 105% of FTP for the first 3 minutes, you will then progress to 110% of FTP for the next minute and 125% of FTP for the final minute, this will be completed a total of 6 times. Complete the ride with a 10 minute endurance block followed by a 10 minute easy cool down.
GOAL: This session will incorporate sets which will test and improve your ability to sustain VO2 power. The 'ramping up' demands more from your body and allows you to strengthen your mental strength which allows you to push yourself that little bit harder when you're already on the limit.
Make sure you concentrate for the first three minutes and don't let your power drop! Once you've reached the final minute of the set you'll be suffering but stick it out and do your best to keep the numbers within range.
Sample Day 8
WORKOUT: Complete a steady 20 minute warmup. The main block of this session is 5x8 minutes at the upper end of your threshold zone (100-105% of FTP), each separated by 4 minutes of rest at 50-60% of FTP. Finish the ride with 20 minutes at 56-75% of FTP followed by a 10 minute cool down.
GOAL: Threshold-based rides are designed to raise your FTP floor and provide a stronger base to build further training off. By using the 'upper threshold' area we are introducing slightly greater training stress to gain more effective training adaptations. Threshold training also aids in other areas such as improving VO2 Max and increased maximal cardiac output.
Sample Day 9
WORKOUT: Have an easy ride to spin the legs out, don't push hard up any climbs/flyovers, keep the cadence nice and high and try to stay within the specified power numbers.
GOAL: Active recovery rides help to flush fatigue and lactate out of the legs after hard days or weeks of riding. The benefit of having an easy day on the bike as opposed to taking the day off is that it helps to keep your legs loose and supple, ready for further riding.