THIS WEEKS TIP

Train really hard for one week

Have you ever considered trying a Hell week; this is just what it sounds like. For one week you do most of the above! Get yourself well and truly tired and worn out! Then over the following week you take it easy. Such a hard week should not do any long-term harm, but it will be a high volume of training stress and given the easy week that follows, your body will adapt and become stronger and more efficient. Consider it you own little Tour de France! Remember to eat well, drink plenty of fluids and put your feet up when you can.

Train around injuries

Are you injured? Train anyway! Avoid using an injury or just feeling under the weather as an excuse to flake out on your training. Lots of times your condition does not interfere with your training goals, at all. Or, if it does, simply train around your ailment. Obviously you need to avoid inappropriate exercises, but if you have a sore knee, you could go swimming. Sore wrist? Go for a one-hour hard hilly walk.

PREVIOUS TIPS

Training

Putting in the hours is vital if you are to achieve any level of fitness. Yet it is important to avoid becoming stale and/or bored. Here are some suggestions on how to avoid this.

Change your training route

If you normally ride over a similar route – and most riders tend to do the same rides regularly – take one or two detours on each ride. This will add to the duration of the rides, duration being one of the components of training overload.

Add intensity to your training rides

Decide that you will ride much faster than normal – until the next red car, next large rock, next farmhouse, next traffic light etc. – or until you tire! Whichever is first? This is an excellent means of adding to the intensity of your rides.

Vary your efforts

One day you go out and decide that you will ride hard up all the hills. When it’s flat or downhill you go extra easily, but when the route points upwards – go for it. The next ride, do the opposite. Easy up the hills and as hard as you can sustain on the flat sections.