Criterium Training Plan: 12 Weeks to Peak
Written by Tim Cusick, TrainingPeaks WKO Product Leader and master coach with BaseCamp
Train with the coach of national and world ITT champion Amber Neben! This 12-week criterium base plan uses classic training zones and is designed for the serious competitive cyclist with a basic level of fitness and a good base foundation in place. It includes power, heart rate, and perceived exertion. The workouts can be used in the traditional format or as structured workouts, which load directly to Zwift or RGT or other devices (Garmin, ErgVideo, CompuTrainer, TrainerRoad, and more) so you can see your workout and interval numbers right on your screen.
Plan overview
This training plan has been designed to give you a simple, predictable, progressive approach to building your aerobic fitness and muscular endurance and raising your general efficiency through pedaling drills. This plan features a hefty dose of Tempo and Sweet Spot Intervals and a mix of high cadence drills to develop a strong aerobic base while improving your muscular endurance, stamina, and fatigue resistance. In the later phase of the plan, force work is introduced to help build strength.
HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training. As the name suggests, it is a form of interval training which uses short periods of high-intensity, anaerobic exercise followed by shorts periods of recovery. The length of the high-intensity intervals ranges from between five seconds to eight minutes, while recovery periods are normally (but not always) equal to the length of the intensity.
Included with your plan:
- User guide
- Testing protocol
- Coaching comments and tips
- Strength training routine from Menachem Brodie
Need help loading your structured works to Zwift or other devices?
Click here to read instructions.
We've got more plans!
Tim Cusick has written dozens of training plans for many different areas of cycling: road, gravel, time trial, mountain bike, cyclocross, indoor training, and more.
Click here for a full list of his current plans by sport type.
In addition to his coaching experience, Tim is the TrainingPeaks WKO product leader and the founder of BaseCamp.
Questions?
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Tim Cusick is a world-class cycling coach, a leader in data analytics for endurance sports, an educator, and an innovative business leader.
As a coach, he’s compiled an impressive history of success and jerseys. His approach to coaching peak performance focuses on the whole athlete and the components of success for the whole athlete. Tim works with Olympians, world champions, and more, including Amber Neben and Rebecca Rusch.