cover

roadcyclingacademy.com
In this e-book, I will be sharing with you five critical factors that will take
your road cycling to the next level.
These are five critical factors I wish I knew when I first started to become
serious about getting faster, stronger and smarter on the bike.
Additionally, I will be providing you with actionable tools you can take away
from this read. Tools that you can take onto the road and implement in your
own cycling training regime.
Before we get into these five critical factors, you might be wondering who
I am, what my credentials are and why I am giving this information away
for free.

I started my road cycling journey in 2009.

Within the first five years of taking up the sport, I'd gone from weekend
warrior to mass participation event master, and then to local criterium
racer.

At the point of becoming a 'local criterium racer', I probably thought I was

advanced in my road cycling skills and knowledge, but as it turns out, I was-
n't.

I was very 'naive'- despite being five years into my journey!

It was natural fitness that took me to B Grade in the local criteriums in Mel-
bourne, Australia, a highly illustrious criterium scene globally.

But once I had made my way to B Grade (all the way from E Grade), there I
stayed, for close to four years.

Yes, there were life disruptions, such as getting married, having two daugh-
ters and managing a busy corporate job.

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But I wasn't satisfied with being an average B Grade rider who had never
even placed! I wanted to be competitive in B Grade and take my cycling to
the next level.

I wanted to be an 'A Grader'.

So, despite thinking that coaching was a little extreme for an amateur cy-
clist like me, I finally bit the bullet in 2014 and invested in a road cycling
coach.

Literally, within a few months of being coached, I went from average B

Grade rider to achieving a 2nd, and then a 1st, in B Grade - all within the first
three races of the season.

I literally thought that B Grade had gotten a little easier that year! Haha.
How silly was I?

I had become significantly stronger, faster and smarter on the bike.

I was immediately promoted to A Grade after my win, a win that included

many laps off the front by myself, surprisingly still having the legs/energy
to win in a bunch finish.

I was definitely ready to take the next step.

I'd finally stepped off a performance plateau and taken my cycling perfor-
mance to the next level...

Thus, this e-book outlines the five major changes I made to my own cycling
in 2014 that enabled me to go to the next level. In fact, these changes have
become the five critical factors that now sit at the core of the training
methods used at the Road Cycling Academy (RCA), where I am the head
cycling coach.

I am an accredited road and track cycling coach via Cycling Australia (Aus-
tralia's governing cycling body). Additionally, I am an accredited Strength
and Conditioning Coach via the Australian Strength and Conditioning As-
sociation.

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Two reasons...

I want to help people around the globe improve their road cycling perfor-
mance no matter the goal. Whether that be beating your mates around the
block, participating in a major cycling event or having a go at racing your
bike. Put simply, I get a kick out of helping people, and I love receiving pos-
itive emails/stories about how the following insights have helped them
take the next step.

This free e-book acts as an introduction to a new world of training and cy-
cling performance. I know many people will be happy to read this material
and then go their own way - maybe incorporating a few ideas they gain
from these insights - whereas others will want more...

Therefore, this e-book becomes an introduction to further coaching oppor-

tunities - whether that be with the Road Cycling Academy or elsewhere.

roadcyclingacademy.com
roadcyclingacademy.com
There's a massive misconception about power training. And that is:

It's only for the experienced and/or advanced amateur cyclist.

That statement could not be further from the truth.

Why?

Because training with heart rate (the alternative) is flawed in many, many
ways, which we'll discuss shortly.

Yet, because measuring heart rate is the least costly and most accessible
metric available, most amateur and recreational cyclists use it as their pri-
mary source of training truth.

Training to speed is, of course, another metric we can use. However, given
environmental factors to consider, it's probably at the bottom of the train-
ing metric barrel (unless you're mostly training indoors).

However, for the purpose of this section, let's discuss why training with
heart rate is flawed and why any recreational or amateur cyclist who's keen
to improve should invest in a power meter (or learn how to use the one
they've already got!).

Here are five reasons why training with heart rate is flawed:

1. Heart rate can fluctuate based on physiology (stress, sleep, fatigue)

2. Heart rate can fluctuate based on environmental conditions (hot, cold,
humid, wind)
3. Heart rate will drift during a ride as fatigue sets in
4. Heart rate is slow to respond to high-end output
5. Heart rate will change as you become fitter and stronger

Now, before I share two primary examples, let me preface this section by
saying...

Yes, having a heart rate monitor is better than having nothing. However,
solely using heart rate as a training metric can teach you VERY bad habits.
Habits that will have a profound impact on your cycling performance.

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I am speaking from first-hand experience here.

In 2013, for the first time in my cycling career, I dedicated a portion of my

training time to zone two aka the endurance zone. The idea was to build
aerobic base fitness, something that I had never done before.

Not having a power meter at the time, I focused on heart rate as my primary
metric.

I recall during some of the longer three-hour zone two rides, I would reduce
the pressure on the pedals as the ride progressed.

Why?

I was attempting to keep my heart rate below 140 beats (somewhere be-
tween 135-140 beats was my zone-two heart rate sweet spot).

What I didn't realise at the time was that my heart rate was drifting north
as I was getting deeper into the ride. This is to be expected.

However, because I was focused on heart rate and keeping the beats per
minute under 140, I was basically conditioning myself to reduce power as
the ride went on.

Bad idea!

Why?

What happens during an event, or a race, or a big social ride with friends?
The pressure stays on.

Thus, you need to be conditioned, to keep the pressure on, at a cardiovas-

cular and muscular skeletal system level across all facets of your cycling,
especially your endurance zone - zone two.

But I wasn't doing that.

I was conditioning myself to reduce power as my training rides progressed,

which in turn became detrimental to my base fitness. I was essentially
teaching my base fitness to fall off a cliff as the ride went on.

And guess what?

The event I was targeting with all this training became a HUGE disappoint-
ment. Instead of finishing top 10 at this three-stage road race, I finished
36th (out of 55).

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The very next year, however, I trained properly with guidance from my new
coach.

Thus, I trained my endurance zone properly, with power...and guess what?

I finished 2nd overall at the same event.

There's no doubt in my mind that the power-based zone-two/endurance

training I transitioned to (away from heart rate) played an instrumental role
in my performance gains, along with effectively training my upper-end
power zones, such as V02 MAX (zone five) and Anaerobic Capacity (zone
six), which leads us to...

Heart rate is simply too slow to respond to high-end force.

To a point, for any upper-end zones that you train - such as zones five and
six - you might as well throw the heart rate metric out the window. In fact,
I would say anything above your threshold zone (otherwise known as zone
four), you don't even need to bother with heart rate.

Why?

The Seven Zone Cycling Training Table

Table 1.1

Zone Name %FTP Power % Threshold HR % Max HR

One Active recovery <55% <68% 50-60%

Two Endurance 55-75% 68-83% 60-70%

Three Tempo 76-90% 84-94% 70-80%

Four Threshold 91-105% 95-105% 80-90%

Five VO2 106-120% >106% 90-100%

Six Anaerobic 121-150% n/a n/a

Seven Neuromuscular >150% n/a n/a

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In a seven-zone model, as per Table 1.1, zones five and above are typically
short efforts, working different physiological systems, such as:

Typically efforts that range between 3-8 min in length working

your VO2 MAX system aka your aerobic ceiling

Typically efforts that range between 30 sec-2 min in length

working your anaerobic capacity, producing energy without oxygen

All-out MAX efforts, ranging between 5-20 sec in length,

working your neuromuscular system, deep into the central nervous system

When you complete a effort in training, it's typically

around the time of finishing the effort where you'll find your heart rate fi-
nally settles into the 'zone' it's supposed to be in.

When you complete a Capacity effort in training, your

heart rate is typically still rising/responding to the effort before your heart
rate even gets to its intended destination.

All-out efforts at zone are pretty straightforward.

Using neither heart rate nor power zones are relevant here, as you should
really know by feel what an all-out effort is. It's 100% MAX!

So reflecting on this...

If you want to truly train your upper-end systems - and if your goal is to get
stronger, faster and smarter on the bike, you should definitely train these
areas - heart rate is simply not effective for two very important training
zones: VO2 MAX and Anaerobic Capacity.

To add further complexity to heart rate training metrics, many cyclists that
attempt to train their VO2 MAX and Anaerobic Capacity zones start their
efforts way too hard (in order to get the heart rate to its intended destina-
tion ASAP). This strategy is very common but detrimental to truly working
specific upper-end zones effectively.

So, with those two examples in mind, we can conclude that training with
heart rate will most likely lead to poor training habits.

Poor training habits will have a significant waterfall effect on smart training
and taking your cycling performance to the next level.

So, how do we fix this problem?

roadcyclingacademy.com
 Invest in a power training model and work out your
cycling weight rack. That brings us to...

roadcyclingacademy.com
Have you ever been to the gym?

There's typically a weight rack presented to us. We pick up the most appro-
priate weights, based on our current strengths and fitness goals, and lift
repetitions.

Without the weight rack and knowing how many pounds or kilograms the
weights are, it's very hard for us to know three critical insights:

1. What we're lifting

2. If we're improving
3. Are the weights we're lifting the right ones to help us improve?

Your Seven Cycling Power Zones

Table 1.2

Zone Name % FTP Power

One Active recovery <55%

Two Endurance 55-75%

Three Tempo 76-90%

Four Threshold 91-105%

Five VO2 106-120%

Six Anaerobic 121-150%

Seven Neuromuscular power >150%

Before we get to the 'how to', let me briefly explain what we now have in
front of us. Table 1.2.

roadcyclingacademy.com
These seven training zones are the foundations to take your cycling perfor-
mance to the next level.

Why?

1. Recovery rides
2. Endurance training
3. Advanced endurance training
4. Threshold training
5. V02 MAX training
6. Anaerobic training
7. Neuromuscular training

When you enter each zone mentioned above, you're essentially working
different physiological systems, systems that IF trained properly, will see
you making surprising gains on the bike.

Have you ever ridden in zone two for two hours exclusively, constant pres-
sure on the cranks all the way?

If you haven't, there's a BIG base fitness gain right there.

Have you ever gone to a one-minute hill climb and completed eight re-
peated climbs, working your Anaerobic Capacity/zone six while taking a
one or two-minute rest in zone one between each effort?

If you haven't, there's a BIG anaerobic gain right there.

Hopefully you're starting to see how we now have a visible weight rack in
front of us, enabling us to work certain areas of our fitness - just like going
to the gym.

So, do you work out your seven training zones?

By completing a Functional Threshold Power (FTP) test.

I know some people run for the hills when they hear the word 'test'. How-
ever, FTP testing protocols have come a long way in recent times.

What is FTP? (I hear some of you asking)

Put simply, it's the maximum amount of power you can apply to the pedals
for roughly one hour.

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Personally, I like RCA members to complete the RAMP test in Wahoo
SYSTM. It's called the Half Monty (and this is assuming RCA members have
an indoor trainer).

Not only does this test give you an FTP number - and some other useful
metrics - but it's also not an overly daunting test to complete.

In other words, it's more practical for recreational and amateur cyclists to
complete and continue to implement in the future as their fitness pro-
gresses.

If RCA members don't have an indoor trainer, then I suggest a 20-minute

test outside. This protocol involves a solid warm-up period, an all-out 5-
minute effort, a rest period, and then an all-out 20-minute effort. You mul-
tiply your average power from the 20-minute effort by .95, and that is your
FTP number.

Once an FTP test is complete, we now have two very useful numbers:

1. Your FTP number, which allows us to work out your seven training zones
2. A tangible power number to benchmark our fitness gains (or losses)

Please note that there are other tests and mechanisms to achieve an FTP
number and other ways you can obtain more precision in all your training
zone numbers - lab testing, for example.

However, the FTP tests I've mentioned above get it right most of the time.
And for the vast majority of recreational and amateur road cyclists out
there, having a rough zone range is all they need to start making some huge
leaps and bounds in their training and cycling performance.

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The seven training zones will provide you with tangible
numbers, like weights at a gym.

roadcyclingacademy.com
In my humble coaching opinion, if there's one golden nugget you can ob-
tain from the cycling weight rack, it's zone two.

Why do I say that?

Zone two has been identified in many studies to be the optimal endurance
training zone, meaning, it's the optimal zone to build aerobic fitness. Note:
'Aerobic' refers to the use of oxygen to adequately meet energy demands
during exercise via aerobic metabolism.

Yet, most amateur and recreational cyclists NEVER train this zone exclu-
sively.

Sure, they spend some time in zone two during most training sessions.

However, seldom is this zone targeted exclusively.

Training exclusively at the zone-two level triggers an array of very im-

portant adaptations, which include:

1. Stretching the heart muscle, notably the left ventricle

2. Improving lung capacity
3. Increasing the network of capillaries surrounding muscle fibres
4. Enhancing mitochondrial size and volume
5. Minimising fatigue levels

This list could continue to go on here, but hopefully you're starting to get
the point.

Yes, you can achieve these outcomes with general/random riding, which I
am sure some of you are questioning in your head.

However, you will fall short of achieving optimal zone two fitness adap-
tations (mentioned above) by not focusing on this zone exclusively.

Why?

When you start to enter into your upper-end zones (or energy systems), the
lactate system starts to rise.

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The lactate system is designed to support energy production at a moderate
to hard output level. However, when the lactate system rises, many of the
aerobic adaptations that I mention above become disrupted.

Most recreational and amateur cyclists, however, will get a strong rise out
of their lactate system in most (if not, all!) training rides.

The result?

The aerobic base fitness engine never gets truly established.

Evidence of this fact can be gauged purely by watching what happens to

their heart rate.

That is, the heart muscle (beats per minute) stresses significantly at a zone
two power output level, otherwise known as cardio drift...

When I first start working with members of the RCA, one of the initial steps
I get them to take is riding for 60 mins at 65-70% of their FTP (which is a
zone two sweet spot).

From there, I assess what happens to their heart rate, pedalling at what is
quite an easy zone two rate.

In images 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3, you will see a recreational road cyclist (Ali, is his
name) we took on board at the RCA.

Despite many years of cycling experience (five, to be exact), Ali had never
trained his base fitness before.

As you can see from the first graph, Ali's heart rate stressed under an aero-
bic zone-two load.

Image 3. 1 (Before any base training)

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So, we got him to focus on base fitness upfront with plenty of zone-two
riding.

As the months progressed, you can see below that not only does the drift
minimise, but Ali's heart rate is beating less for the same zone two power
output.

Image 3.2 (Two months after base training)

Image 3.3 (Three months after base training)

roadcyclingacademy.com
This is a real-world demonstration of aerobic efficiency achieved by exclu-
sively targeting zone two and building base fitness.

I'd like you to think of zone two/base fitness as the foundation to a building.

If your foundations are deep and wide, you can construct more levels in a
building. If your foundations are small and shallow, your foundation will
crack earlier than it should (when putting up the levels). This is otherwise
known as a cycling performance plateau.

Thus, if you feel base fitness could be holding you back, here's what to do:

1. Invest in power training

2. Complete an FTP test
3. 2-3 times per week, exclusively ride at zone two (65-70% of FTP)
4. Try and get in a couple of 60-90-minute zone two rides during the
week and a longer one on the weekend
5. Focus on keeping constant pressure on the cranks

If you decide to implement this into your training regime, just watch your
heart rate transform - at a zone two level.

Over many weeks and months of training like this, you should start to see
your heart rate drift lessen and slow down (in terms of beats per minute).
Ultimately, your base engine is starting to become conditioned, and you
will have commenced a pathway to stronger, faster and smarter road cy-
cling.

Watch this video on how to effectively train base fitness:

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 Focusing on the foundation will pay huge dividends
down the track.

roadcyclingacademy.com
Once the base aerobic engine is ripe, it's time to transition focus onto high
intensity training. This is where we build new levels onto our house, and
where many have the huge opportunity to see BIG gains.

However, many amateur and recreational road cyclists get this part so very
wrong.

Why is that?

Most of you reading this will have busy lifestyles. You're trying to get the
most out of your training time.

Thus, there's an inadvertent pressure to ride hard most of the time.

But therein lies the BIG problem.

'Riding hard most of the time' leads to a fatigued state and hinders our abil-
ity to get the most out of our intense days on the bike.

This is where base fitness and recovery days play huge roles in minimising
fatigue levels and activating recovery adaptations. But more on that later.

The critical aspect to high intensity training you need to think about, after
you've built some base fitness, is:

Respect your high intensity days on the bike. What do I mean by 'respect'?

There are three essential components:

1. Appreciate the need to be fresh for the high intensity training session
2. Have a clear target in mind for the high intensity training session
3. Have a recovery strategy following the high intensity training session

Let's break this down even further...

roadcyclingacademy.com
It's very important that you respect that a training session is your ticket to
greater fitness. Thus, the fitness adaptations that you trigger during that
training session are recognised in recovery the next day, or within a 48-hour
period.

Therefore, if you get up the next morning (after a hard session on the ped-
als) and ride hard again, you will be crushing your fitness adaptations.

Not only that, you'll most likely be carrying fatigue and won't be able to get
the most out of the training session.

So, training like this becomes a double-edged sword.

High intensity training can really be split into two categories.

: This is training at intensity in a random and

sporadic manner, at anything above a zone four level. This could be a bunch
ride or a social hit out with friends.

: This is training at intensity with

clearly defined intervals or repetitions, working specific zones. This could
be a hill-repeat session, sprint training or anything that is defined by inter-
vals.

With a general HIT ride, it's hard to have any structure to it. They're all over
the place and can't be controlled.

You're essentially rolling with the punches when you ride HIT.

While you certainly want to maintain a fun bunch and social rides with
friends, you need to have awareness that this is not the smartest way to
train most of the time.

IF you really want to become stronger, faster and smarter on the bike, you
will need to implement HIIT training.

This is where you will need to think clearly about how you're going to train
(and why). The why (aka your clear target) will typically align to your cycling
goals.

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For example, if you wanted to get good at criterium racing your HIIT 'inter-
vals' will most likely be short and sharp. Zone's five, six and seven would
therefore play big roles in your training.

Conversely, if you wanted to get good at time trialling (say a 30min TT),
longer zone four efforts should play an influential role in your HIIT training.

Ultimately, the list of HIIT training sessions is vast and wide, so we can't go
through them all. However, one HIIT example session that I like to recom-
mend for general speed and strength training is a hill-repeat session. For
more details on what that could look like, please watch here:

When you train at intensity you should respect the cellular damage and
stress that has occurred within your body. After all, the recovery period is
ACTUALLY where you gain fitness.

So, if you still want to ride the day after a hard/intense session, what should
you do?

is a great place to start.

Riding in this zone exclusively will facilitate a process called cellular ex-
change, where toxins and by-products that have been induced from in-
tense training are exchanged with fresh oxygenated blood and nutrients.

To get some of this desired outcome, you can literally take a 20-minute spin
on the indoor trainer (in zone one).

is another option to consider.

You can never do enough base training to top up the aerobic base engine,
and most of the time base training rides won't fatigue you (nor disrupt any
fitness adaptations). Unless, of course, you're talking about long endurance
rides, say 3-4 hours in length. Then, adding an endurance ride after an in-
tense session needs to be carefully considered.

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 should be considered.

While some people don't like to take them, one complete day away from
activity each week can be rejuvenating on many levels, and, of course, is
welcomed by your body after intense exercise.

is also another option.

Personally, I like swimming laps after intense cycling, as it helps stretch out
my hip flexors, which are prone to getting tight. Just be aware, if you are
cross training on a cycling rest day, consider what impact you're having on
your legs in that cross-training session?

For example, if you complete an intense gym session that incorporates leg
weights, you may be doing more harm than good. So, have awareness of
this by respecting how your legs feel, while also thinking about your general
fatigue levels.

Effective HIIT will help you take your cycling fitness to

the next level.

roadcyclingacademy.com
If you've gotten to this part of the e-book, well done!

You're serious about taking your road cycling to the next level. However,
let's take this one final step deeper.

Let's really break down the above in detail, so you've got actionable tools
to take away from this e-book.

We're going to do this with something I like to call:

The Stepladder Approach

Note: The Stepladder Approach is described in a video I made, which you

can watch here:

In a nutshell, the 'Stepladder Approach' is an iteration of a very famous

training technique called 'Progressive Overload'. The idea is you start low
and aim high, slowly making your training more intense as the weeks pro-
gress with, of course, some strategically placed 'easier' weeks in the train-
ing cycle.

I like to use the term 'stepladder', as the steps we take are small, and it's
easy for us to step back off the ladder and start again.

There are two primary ways we look at the Stepladder Approach:

1. Base training
2. High intensity training

Either way you look at it, the idea of the Stepladder Approach is that we
build week to week and rest in between the builds.

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Personally, I am a BIG fan of the three-week build, which looks like this:

• Easier week
• Moderate week
• Hard week
• Easier week
• Moderate week
• Hard week
• And so on...

The idea is that each block gets a little harder as you progress, a block being
the three-week cycle.

Eventually, the hard week in the first block becomes the moderate week in,
say, the second or third block.

You might be saying, That's great, Cam, but can you tell me what a week
would look like?.

Great question.

If you're training at intensity and doing, say, five rides per week:

REST
90 mins zone two
Primers workout (an easy ride with some short/sharp upper-
end efforts)
FTP test or Benchmark climb
REST (or recovery spin)
Social/Bunch ride
2 hrs zone two

REST
Hill-repeat session
90 mins zone two
Threshold session
REST (or recovery spin)
Fast bunch ride
2 hrs zone two

roadcyclingacademy.com
 REST
Hill-repeat session (X2 more reps)
90 mins zone two (with X3 zone 3 efforts)
Threshold session (extend effort time)
REST (or recovery spin)
Fast bunch ride
: 3 hrs zone two

Then you would fall back to an easier week with the idea being you should
be fatigued and eager for an easier week. Additionally, by taking it easy,
you can absorb the physical stress of what has just occurred and reset for
another two weeks at intensity.

Also, notice how we separate our intense rides from each other. Wedged
in between intense days are base, rest or recovery rides.

Now, I am conscious that some of you may be asking what this would look
like if you're training base fitness...

If you are training base fitness you progressively make the weeks harder by
adding volume to the rides, and you also incorporate some zone three and
even some sub-threshold (bottom-end zone four work) as you progress.

The ultimate barometer for base training (assuming you're training to

power) becomes your heart rate.

If you're getting your heart rate drift under control and you're seeing a
lower starting heart rate for the same aerobic zone-two output, then add-
ing more intense aerobic activities is a step in the right direction.

Either way, following a progressive Stepladder Approach to your training

will see you go a long way in taking your road cycling performance to the
next level.

roadcyclingacademy.com
Keep track of your days and weeks, and progressively
increase intensity.

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I can appreciate there is a lot to take on board here.

So, my words of wisdom are not to try and implement all these five steps
in one hit. Take one step at a time.

It could be saving up for a power meter initially. Then come back and reread
this e-book.

From there, complete an FTP test and work out your zone-two power. Start
training your base fitness and continue following the five steps outlined
here.

However, if you're now left looking for more. That being, deeper insights
into stronger, faster and smarter road cycling...

Go to

or email

roadcyclingacademy.com