Gaining Cycling Power
Once LT wattage is determined, the coach can then go to work in creating a plan on how to increase power output on the bike at LT. Other testing such as pedaling mechanics and efficiency can also be implemented. This will tell certain areas of the pedal stroke that the athletes need to concentrate on. These tests assume that the athletes are properly fit to the bike, which is done prior to any testing. This also includes proper cleats and pedal selection.
In testing at this time of year it’s important for the athletes to understand that this is an exercise to see where they currently stand—we can’t use numbers from last season. LT wattage will be on a bell curve from points throughout the season.
Strength Training
The primary method in developing power output is through a strength-training program.
The program can be formulated around general development or working specific limiters
that the athletes may face based on results of the testing. Strength training is to
be periodized in relation to on-bike training using total tonnage as an indicator
of work. Tonnage is configured by taken the load (pounds or kilos) of the exercise
and multiplying it by the number of repetitions and sets. As the athletes move from
the anatomical adaptation phase (sets and reps are two sets of 10 to 15 reps working
on perfect technique and later in the phase a third set can be added) to a maximum
strength phase (where three sets of 12, 10, 6* reps are done increasing the load
with each set). Coaches should see an increase in total tonnage. Reps may come down
but total tonnage increases. The weight training exercise selection should be simple,
multiple joint extensions trying to mimic pedal stroke to the best of the athletes’
ability. The exercise that I prefer is the squat.
* Note: We do not go below six repetitions for two reasons. The first is from an injury standpoint—with too great a load at low repetition, imperfect technique can occur. The second reason is interference with ability of the athletes to recover. Later in the day, even if the athletes are doing a light bike session, creating too much stress on the neurological system might not allow them enough time to recover.
Transferring Strength to Power
The squat exercise forms the foundation for what we do; however, our goal is to transfer strength into power on the bike. In order to achieve this we do a system of complex training. The athletes squat a certain load and then immediately go into an exercise that recruits fast twitch muscle fiber; i.e., perform a squat jump or get on the bike and do an all-out, 30-second sprint at very high rpm. The bike is next to the squat rack so that training effect is immediate. Besides transferring strength to power we are doing another important thing with the triathletes. Because we are a power/endurance sport, we don’t want to create “counterproductive” strength gains where increases in strength actually become a detriment to the performance of the athletes. This is especially true with elite athletes but holds true in varying degrees to all levels of triathlon performance. So rather than continuing to load the squat with more and more resistance, we come to a point where we take the strength and start to transfer it on a more functional basis.
When to transfer is the next question. In the beginning, athletes will make gains neurologically by simply learning to do the exercise properly. Within four to eight weeks afterward (depending on the athletes), it’s a matter of how much more are gains in strength going to benefit the athletes. The answer is probably minimal. So at this point, the coach should keep the load the same, manipulate the sets and reps, and introduce the complex training we have described.
Strength and power are two different things. Strength is the ability to apply force to move an object. Power is the ability to move it faster. In triathlon, the resistance is our own bodyweight. Other sports such as football, resistance is not their own bodyweight but the resistance that is applied by an opponent who may weigh 300 pounds and has gained momentum toward the player. Strength requirements in such a scenario are much greater. Once the strength base is laid, it’s important to add the power component as based on the resistance necessary to overcome. This is how training becomes specific.
Strength Training Exercise Consideration
Because we are always dealing with a time factor and based on the requirement of strength, we keep the exercises to a minimum. The athletes are cycling, swimming and running to a large degree at this point. That is why the squat, or leg press, is so effective.
Supplemental exercises such as leg extension on a weight machine are going to add strength but it’s not as specific to what we want. On the other hand, in the squat, it’s a multi-joint activity with hip, knee and ankle extension. From this point we stick with one or two exercises per muscle group or even more specific to triathlon, one or two exercises to enhance each of the disciplines.
Here’s a simple routine:
- 10 minute warm-up on bike or run with a continued dynamic flexibility warm-up doing speed ladder drills and or hurdles weaving over and under to gain hip mobility. This is followed by a dynamic exercise with a medicine ball.
- After warm-up we do the squats or squat complex.
- After the legs we go into a back or chest exercise for the swim.
- We might to an arm exercise and then go into a few injury prevention exercises based on individual needs of the athletes. Most of these are related to the shoulders for the swim.
- We end by doing core exercises. A good exercise is the medicine ball lunge with a twist. This incorporates multiple planes of movement and is ground based where the athletes push off the ground to perform the exercise. The core is allowing the athletes to move from one plane to another to produce the force necessary to do the exercise with perfect technique. It should be understood that the squat is also a core exercise. If you load a bar across one’s back, the body is doing everything it can to stabilize the body when you get into the deep squat position.
- (See Table One for How-to do the various exercises we have presented).
Many coaches and athletes will do their core exercises at the beginning of a workout. I prefer to do these types of exercises at the end so that the athletes are in a fatigued state. This is more specific to race conditions. The thing that gives out in the latter part of a race is the core. Technique starts to break down because the core is weak. This is especially true with the ultra distance athletes.
Putting It Together
Early in the preseason with reduced swim, bike and run activities, the athletes can do two total body strength-training sessions per week plus a third, core focused medicine ball routine. As we get into the later base phase of the preseason where volume increases on the swim, bike and run, the athletes may move to one day of full body training in the weight room and maintain the medicine ball once a week.
In the later phases where you don’t have a race week, the athletes should do some type of strength training weekly even if it’s only a bodyweight routine. It could be single leg medicine ball squats. These would be high reps of 15 to 20 just to maintain.
On-Bike Training
On the bike training includes 6 by 3 minutes with the volume and intensity at 18
minutes and a one-to-one work-to-rest ratio—three minutes on followed by three
minutes rest. Coaches are tracking the percentage of power output over LT. This
figure may be as little as 5 percent. If an athlete tests out at 300 watts, you
can train at 315 watts for each set. Based on the recovery wattage, this is how
average power can be configured for the session. If an athlete is training at 300
watts and recovers at 150 watts, then the average power is 225 watts. From there a
coach can manipulate the work-to-rest and the volume and intensity. You can go 6
by 4 minutes or even 5 by 5.
Another option is to increase the over LT wattage to 10 percent and reduce the volume and intensity to 7 by 4 minutes. With this scenario, the overall volume would increase. After a certain point in preparation, the coach should introduce hill repeats with under and over gearing on the road.
For the triathlon, geography will play a role in the decision as to when to attack the hills. If an athlete lives in the Northeast, on-bike indoor would take place in the November, December and January timeframe. (Table Two has training protocol in doing these wattage LT workouts.)
For More Information Please contact Denny!
Train Well!
Triathlete / T3 Coach