Why you don’t need structure in your training
You may think - "I am not a professional so why do I need to follow a structured training plan? I just want to ride my bike and have fun". Following a structured training plan doesn’t mean you need to overhaul your cycling routine. It’s about getting the most of your time on the bike. To help break down the myths behind structure training, we need to understand what it is.
What is structured training?
Structure training doesn’t need to be complicated. In essence it follows three principles that you can fit within your cycling routine
1. Goal oriented
Even if you’re goal is about getting the round the bunch to polish off a nice bit of cake and coffee. You still have a goal. You want to be able to keep up and enjoy the bunch ride. Goals help create purpose and influence the type of efforts ridden.
2. Flexible
Your routine dictates when you can ride. That is the way is should be. This is why training templates do not work, due to its rigidity.
3. Measurable
Creating benchmarks help measure fitness. Plus, you don’t need to have any fancy equipment. Benchmarks can vary from; avg. speed, Strava segments, perceived effort (how your legs are walking up the stairs) to even your pecking order in the bunch. The purpose of benchmarks is to keep you honest.
How can you fit structure your rides?
Riding solo is a great way to control the level of intensity and distance but is a fantastic social sport. So how do we add structure in when we can’t control everything? Generally, there are two common types of rides we can get out of:Bunch rides
The majority rules. The pace and route selection is dictated by the bunch, which leaves you very little control on what you can do. But that’s ok. Depending on your goal there are a couple of tricks:
- Strength work - when you’re on the wheels in the bunch, lower your cadence by going to a harder gear. Now you’re starting to focus on strength, without disrupting the flow of the bunch
- Aim to have a bit more time on the front - by challenging yourself, it will allow you to develop a bigger aerobic engine that allows you to become fitter. Plus, don’t be afraid of doing those extra turns, you won’t receive any wind burn when you’re on the front.
Commutes Riding into work and back doesn’t have to be monotonous. These type of rides can add great value to your riding. How you can add a structure doesn't have to complicated. You can:
- Pick a few Strava segments to attack - a few times per week aim to target a couple of segments, which will help measure progression and help with motivation. Plus they do light up your competitive spirit.
- Add a small loop - if you have 15 minutes to spare go for it. 15 minutes here, 10 minutes there all add up to your weekly and even monthly workload. By doing this, you’re storing km in the bank which allows you to become stronger at the back end of your endurance rides.
Planning structure into your routine
Structured training doesn’t mean you need to double your workload. Structured training helps create a framework to work from. A common method is to ride 3 week on with 1 week off.3 week on Over the 3 weeks, you can progress your intensity. This could range from an extra 5 min on the front or going for one extra Strava segment. If you’re routine allows, your volume may increase but be sure not to lift volume and intensity at the same rate.1 week off This is your recovery week. Your volume may not vary as you need to commute to work and you enjoy your Sunday morning bunch, but your intensity does. During this week, aim to keep to the lower end where you can. Plus, during a recovery week this is where the gains are made. You’re improving your fitness now without having to do any extra work, who doesn’t like that? Plus, this recovery time allows you to dig deeper and go faster in the following weeks.
Why do I need structure training?
Structure training doesn’t need to be complicated and there are a few benefits why you need to factor it in:
- Improves your fitness without having to do any extra mileage
- Creates variety that avoids boredom and increases motivation
- Allows you to become more consistent and avoid burnout
- Helps you get the most out of your training
Cycling is a long game sport. It rewards the rider who is consistent and is smart with their training. If you have a few goals this year and not too sure on how to best it approach them, you can create an account to train with SPOK’D on a 21 day free trial – www.spokd.com. If you have any questions, we want to hear from you - @getspokd
At SPOK'D, we're passionate about helping more people enjoy the benefits of personalised training. We're not about replacing human coaches, but finding a way to bring this expertise to more people in simple, accessible & affordable ways. Behind SPOK'D is all the expertise of Rich, Chris & Will - it's this human input that makes SPOK'D so powerful.