FasCat Cycling Training Tips Podcast: Recent Episodes
FasCat Cycling Training Tips Podcast
The official podcast of FasCat Coaching, based in Boulder, CO. Coach Frank "Big Cat" Overton shares his extensive experience as a cycling coach to help you ride faster through training and racing tips, nutrition, and beyond.
Coach Frank goes live with the brand new CoachCat mobile release v6.3.8 and breaks down the winning power up Mont Ventoux at the Tour de France Femmes. Bring your training questions and get them answered live.
In this episode: NEW MOBILE RELEASE v6.3.8 Frank shares his screen and walks through everything you can do in the app:
The new Recovery tab:
- your percent recovered readout, plus Sleep, HRV and OTS with tap to ask conversation starters
- The brand new Progress tab: Power PRs, weekly duration and OTS, all answering the one question every athlete has, am I improving
- The new Conversations tab: how to ask CoachCat about your own data and get real coaching answers back
- The new Power Analysis view: what your ride data is telling you and what to do about it
TOUR DE FRANCE FEMMES VENTOUX POWER ANALYSIS We predicted 5.5 watts per kg for the winner on the first ever summit finish atop Mont Ventoux, 15.7 km at 8.8 percent. Frank puts the actual numbers up against the prediction, walks through the physics behind the estimate, and explains what those watts mean for your own climbing.
YOUR QUESTIONS, ANSWERED LIVE Drop your training questions in the chat and Frank answers them in real time.
Sweet Spot, FTP, intervals, recovery, race prep, whatever you are working on.
Try CoachCat free for a week: https://fascatcoaching.com/app
Tour de France watts per kg predictions: https://fascatcoaching.com/pages/tour-de-france-femmes-watts-per-kg/stage-07.html
div]:bg-bg-000/50 [&_pre>div]:border-0.5 [&_pre>div]:border-border-400 [&_.ignore-pre-bg>div]:bg-transparent [&_.standard-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pl-2 [&_.standard-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,ul,ol,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pr-8 [&_.progressive-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pl-2 [&_.progressive-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,ul,ol,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pr-8"> _*]:min-w-0 gap-3 standard-markdown"> Frank "the Big Cat" Overton is back for the Friday livestream with a full walkthrough of the new CoachCat app plus a deep dive into the numbers behind this year's Tour de France.
Watch the full episode on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iolohdWoyTQ&t=130s
In this episode:
Getting started in CoachCat. Frank tours the custom training plan builder, the 12 most popular conversation starters, adaptive training, and how to push your workout to your bike computer, Zwift, or Rouvy. He also explains why "follow the plan" beats letting your wearable give you the morning Jedi mind trick, and why a low recovery score does not mean you skip the work.
Tour de France power analysis. Frank breaks down how Pogačar won Stage 10 with an 8.2 watts per kilogram attack, then held 6.8 watts per kilogram up the final climb. He covers the physics behind his stage by stage predictions and what to watch for on the true mountaintop finishes to come.
Cyclocross season timeline. From summer sweet spot base to the six weeks that switch you from base to race, Frank lays out run training, skills practice, Wednesday Worlds, and how to build your own cross course at your local park.
Plus live athlete Q and A on pacing at altitude, recovery weeks, ERG mode off for burst workouts, transitioning from road A races into cross, and more.
New free trials get a 30 minute consultation with a real FasCat coach, a $100 value. Live every Friday at 2 PM Eastern.
FTFP.
Did you like this episode? What would you like to learn about in future episodes? Let us know in the comments 🙏
Until the next episode, you know what to do: work hard, ride fast, have fun and as always: FtFP
Summer Training is here 🚴
This week on Ask a FasCat (#31): durability rides, heat adaptation, race week tapers, and how to survive your local Tuesday night crit.
You may also watch this podcast on our youTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zuvdWqk_Dw
Coach Steve joins us for 30 minutes fresh off his win at the Tosa Criterium. He's breaking down what it takes to podium in a crit and how he can help you build your own crit training plan.
Bring your questions. All of them. FTP plateaus, structured workout tweaks, "should I skip this interval because it's 95°F" — we're answering live, no filter.
Plus: we're unveiling new features and tools you can start using in your plan right now. New season, new toys.
📅 Live this week ❓ Bring your questions — we build the show around what YOU want to know 🔥 New features, live demos, real answers
On Ask a FasCat #30, we gave away a Stages Power Meter to the listener who asked the most thoughtful question + an annual CoachCat subscription to analyze all that shiny new power data.
🎥 Watch the episode: https://www.youtube.com/live/bnLrNhVL0jk
Here's how it worked: participants dropped their training questions in the comments, and Coach Frank Overton picked the winner live at the end of the show.
Not sure what counts as "most thoughtful"? Go back and binge the previous 29 episodes of Ask a FasCat 😂 Just kidding, it's simply the question that sparks the most interest and helps the greatest number of listeners.
8 minutes of full-gas work. 14% VO2 max gain. But only if you do them right on the CoachCat training app. Your first 7 days FREE: https://fascatcoaching.com/app
Dr. Izumi Tabata's 1996 study proved that 20-second efforts at supramaximal intensity produce more anaerobic capacity AND VO2 max gains than traditional steady-state training, and in a fraction of the time. In this training tip, Coach Frank Overton breaks down the exact workout 20+ years of FasCat athletes have used to win races: 3 sets of 8 × 20 seconds at 170% of FTP, with 10 seconds rest and 10 minutes between sets.
There's a RIGHT way to do Tabatas and a WRONG way that wastes the workout. This video covers both, with the pacing strategy, terrain selection, ERG-mode trap, and mental tips you need to actually finish all 24 reps and get the adaptation Dr. Tabata's research promised.
📊 THE WORKOUT (found in the CoachCat app)
3 sets × 8 reps 20 seconds at 170% of FTP
10 seconds easy between reps
10 minutes rest between sets
Flat road. Fresh legs.
ERG OFF
🧠 THE SCIENCE Tabata, I., et al. (1996). "Effects of moderate-intensity endurance and high-intensity intermittent training on anaerobic capacity and VO2max." Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 28(10), 1327–1330.
📖 KEEP LEARNING → Full Tabata blog post: https://fascatcoaching.com/blogs/training-tips/tabata-intervals/ →
The Right Way and Wrong Way to do Cycling Intervals: https://youtu.be/-7Ui3MORgbk →
All FasCat training tips: https://fascatcoaching.com/blogs/training-tips
🐾 ABOUT FASCAT & COACHCAT FasCat Coaching has been turning amateur cyclists into faster, fitter, race-ready athletes for over 20 years. Coach Frank Overton invented Sweet Spot Training, holds US Patent #7202067B2, and built CoachCat — the AI-powered cycling coaching app that prescribes workouts like this one automatically, based on your data, your goals, and 20 years of proven FasCat methodology.
1:1 coaching & training plans: https://fascatcoaching.com
Instagram: @fascatcoaching
Work hard. Ride fast. Have fun. And as always — FtFP. #TabataIntervals #VO2Max #CyclingTraining #CoachCat #FasCat #SweetSpotTraining #HIITforCyclists #CyclingIntervals #FTP #BikeRacing #AnaerobicCapacity #CyclingCoaching #BikeTraining #IndoorCycling #PowerMeter
Build a custom cycling training plan in 5 questions. For a visual walk through of the custom plan builder watch this podcast on our youTube channel here https://youtu.be/nO94dhqgjBg
In this podcast & video, Coach Frank walks you through the new CoachCat Custom Training Plan Builder. We use over 100 of our coach-built training plans as phases of your training — Sweet Spot base, builds, intervals, weight lifting, and event-specific phases for road, gravel, fondo, century, time trial, triathlon, mountain bike, cyclocross, and crits — and stitch them together based on your answers to 5 simple questions:
1️⃣ Your fitness level and how many hours a week you can train
2️⃣ What you're training for
3️⃣ When that goal is
4️⃣ Whether you want to include strength training
5️⃣ Your availability — including the days you can't train and your preferred long ride day
The result: the right phase at the right time, lined up to your goal date, fit to your week.
What's new in this builder:
→ Specify the days you can't train (3, 4, or 5 days a week — your call)
→ Choose your long ride day (Saturday default, but pick any day)
→ Climbing-specific training if your event has climbs
→ Smart strength training: 10-week lifting in Fall/Winter, maintenance in Spring/Summer
Plus, a closer look at:
Event-specific phases for every cycling discipline
Why timing your peak matters
The strength training question — and why most athletes get it wrong
Already training with CoachCat? Click "Build a Custom Plan" inside the app — your plan also comes with a complimentary coaching consultation to verify the build and suggest improvements.
🚴 About FasCat & CoachCat
FasCat Coaching has been training cyclists for 20+ years. CoachCat is our AI-powered coaching app that delivers personalized training, daily check-ins, and the same coaching methodology we've used with World Tour pros and amateurs alike — at a fraction of the cost of 1:1 coaching.
🔗 Links → Build your custom plan: https://fascatcoaching.com/app
→ Browse training plans: https://fascatcoaching.com/collections/training-plans/
→ FasCat Training Tips blog: https://fascatcoaching.com/blogs/training-tips
Are you doing your zone 4, 5, and 6 intervals as hard as you can? Try CoachCat free: https://fascatcoaching.com/app
In this video, Coach Frank shows you how to go full gas and get more out of your intervals — more watts, more physiological benefits, and more race craft. Plus the 3 best zone 4, 5, and 6 interval workouts we prescribe to our 1:1 coaching athletes and in the CoachCat app. 🚴
THE 3 WORKOUTS
Zone 4 Threshold: 3 x 8 minutes @ 103-110% FTP
Zone 5 VO2 Max: 2 sets of 2 x 3 minutes @ 106-120% FTP
Zone 6 Anaerobic: 2 sets of 3 x 1 minute @ 120%+ FTP
🐱 TRAIN WITH COACHCAT Your AI cycling coach built on 20 years of FasCat methodology. CoachCat builds your custom training plan, prescribes these exact intervals at the right time, tells you what wattages to hit, and analyzes your power data after every ride.
👉 Start your free week: https://fascatcoaching.com/app
🏆 WORK WITH A FASCAT COACH 1:1
Ready for personalized coaching? Our coaches work with athletes from World Tour pros to weekend warriors.
👉 https://fascatcoaching.com/coaching
00:00 Introduction
00:50 SmartTrainers = DumbTrainers
01:17 What "Full Gas" Means
01:56 The Art of Pacing
03:07 Turn ERG Mode Off
03:25 Imperfect is better than "Perfect"
03:44 Outside is Better ‼️
04:33 Coach Frank's 3 Favorite Zone 4 Interval Workout
06:16 Favorite VO2 Max workout
06:51 Zone 6
Are you a master's cyclist trying to get faster but feel like something is missing from mainstream advice? Train this way FREE for 1 Month https://fascatcoaching.com/app
In this video, Coach Frank breaks down the 5 most important training rules for cyclists over 40, 50, and 60+ , and more importantly, what Bicycling Magazine didn't have space to tell you.
Frank was recently featured in their article on coaching older cyclists, and while they nailed the headlines, there's a lot more nuance that can make or break your performance. Today, Coach Frank is giving you the full coaching perspective.
🚴♂️ What You'll Learn:
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Why more miles ≠ more fitness (and how to balance training with recovery)
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The truth about high-intensity (Zone 6) work for older athletes
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How to strength train the right way (without sabotaging your riding)
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Why you don't need a race to train with purpose
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The #1 mistake masters cyclists make: taking extended breaks
⚠️ Stick Around for Rule #5
If you take winters off, skip riding on vacation, or think breaks help you reset… this could be holding you back more than you realize.
📖 Read the Original Article https://www.bicycling.com/training/a70723113/older-cyclist-training-rules/
🤖 Want Help Applying This?
Try the CoachCat AI Coach:
✅ Personalized training plan
✅ Feedback on your workouts
✅ Built specifically for masters athletes
👉 Start your FREE 30-day trial (includes coaching consultation): https://fascatcoaching.com/app or Hire a FasCa Coach: https://fascatcoaching.com/pages/hire-a-coach
💬 Let Us Know: Which of these 5 rules are you already following—and which one surprised you the most?
👍 If this helped, hit like and subscribe for more training tips for masters cyclists. Work Hard. Ride Fast. Have Fun. FtFP.
Coach Frank describes a 3 month Unbound training plan that you can follow FREE for 30 days → https://fascatcoaching.com/app
Develop your Diesel Watt power by knowing how to train it in March, April, and May to arrive in Emporia fresh, fit, and ready to send it.
Whether you're lining up for the 200, 100, or XL, this video covers the training concepts that have helped thousands of FasCat athletes finish strong,from sweet spot base building to full gravel simulation rides to the art of a proper taper.
You'll learn:
- the Gravel Power Workout (the single best workout for gravel racers)
- how to build your long ride from 2.5 hours to 5+,
- why Flint Hills repeats matter, and
- what race-winning power data from Ian Boswell, Pete Stetina, and Cam Jones tells us about pacing Unbound.
📱 The CoachCat app gives you a custom Unbound training plan, AI coaching to adjust on the fly, and nutrition guidance — all free for 30 days.
🚴 Let us know what distance are you riding at Unbound 2026?
#UnboundGravel #UnboundGravel2026 #GravelTraining #FasCatCoaching #CoachCat #SweetSpotTraining #DieselWatts #GravelSimulationRide #FlintHills #EmporiaKansas #GravelPowerWorkout #HowToTrainForUnbound #GravelRacing #CyclingTraining
Are you making this gravel pacing mistake? It could be costing you 30 minutes or more — and you won't even feel it happening until it's too late.
In this video, Coach Frank breaks down the #1 pacing mistake I see in gravel race power files, why it happens, and exactly how to fix it. I'll show you the one tactical decision you need to make in the first hour of your next gravel race that could save you 30 minutes — without being any more fit than you already are.
What you'll learn:
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Why gravel racing is really a time trial (and why that changes everything)
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How to use Intensity Factor (IF) as your real-time pacing gauge - The art of "self-dropping" — and why the tortoise always beats the hare
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A 4-step process for finding the right group without blowing up
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First-hour IF targets for every race duration from 2 to 8+ hours
Want course-specific pacing instructions in watts for YOUR next gravel race? CoachCat's AI can give you section-by-section wattage targets so you always know what's too hard and what's just right.
🚀 Start your free trial: https://fascatcoaching.com/app
Learn how not to be the Group Ride Hero and Train the Right Way, Free for 30 days → https://fascatcoaching.com/app
One of the most common mistakes cyclists make is piling on high-intensity intervals before they've finished building their aerobic base. It feels great in February. You're flying on the group ride. You're winning town line sprints.
But by May, when racing and big events actually matter, you're flat, stale, and wondering what happened.
In this video, Coach Frank Overton from FasCat Coaching shows you how to bridge the gap between base season and race season the right way.
You don't need to live in Zone 2 forever. But you also shouldn't be smashing yourself with full-gas workouts every week.
The answer?
A smart, controlled progression that introduces just enough Zone 4, 5, and 6 intensity to wake up speed while still building durability and aerobic strength.
Inside, Frank walks through four proven winter workouts from the CoachCat training system:
🐆 The Cheetah Pounce – Sweet Spot control with explosive attacks. Practice commitment and fast-twitch recruitment without blowing up recovery.
🎯 Sprint → Stalk & Catch – Learn how to handle the surges that drop riders in real races and group rides.
📊 The Three 8's – A powerful combination of testing and training that reveals your true ability and builds fatigue resistance.
💳 The AmEx Ride – FasCat's signature terrain-driven session. No timers, no ERG, just smart execution and a mission: don't come home without your prescribed OTS.
These workouts help you:
✔ build the engine
✔ touch high power
✔ improve repeatability
✔ arrive in spring ready for true interval work
Instead of peaking early, you'll keep stacking fitness when it counts.
If you're following a structured plan, this is the step many athletes miss.
Try These Workouts Yourself They're available inside the CoachCat AI app, where you can follow your training plan, track OTS and LEVEL, and get guidance based on your real data.
👉 Start your free 30-day trial https://fascatcoaching.com/app
Have questions about winter training or how to balance intensity with base work?
Drop them in the comments. And tell us:
Which workout looks the hardest?
Which one would you skip if you could? 😈
Getting sick or injured during a training block doesn't have to ruin your season.
Try Coaching (AI or 1:1) Free for the 1st 30 days → https://fascatcoaching.com/
In this video, Coach Frank breaks down how to use your coaching in the event of sickness or injury without making things worse and without losing weeks of fitness to a preventable layoff.
You'll learn a simple 6-step process used with real coached athletes to:
✅ decide when to rest vs train
✅ adjust intensity and volume
✅ avoid overdoing it
✅ revise your training plan
✅ rebuild day by day
Most athletes don't lose fitness from missing a few workouts — they lose it by pushing through pain or sickness and turning small issues into multi-week layoffs. This video shows you how to avoid that mistake.
We'll also show you how CoachCat, our AI Coach, handles illness, injury, and "something feels off" situations by revising the training plan automatically when life happens.
––––––––––––––
Try CoachCat Free for 30 Days: https://fascatcoaching.com/app
Work with a 1:1 Coach Free for 30 Days (limited offer)
https://fascatcoaching.com/pages/hire-a-coach
What is CoachCat? CoachCat is an AI Coach that builds custom training plans, analyzes your power files, revises workouts automatically, and helps you train smarter all year round.
Learn how to eat right for your cycling. Most cyclists try to lose weight by eating less and riding more and that doesn't work.
Get the Go Fast Grocery List mentioned in this video for FREE → https://fascatcoaching.com/app
In this video, Coach Frank breaks down the #1 nutrition mistake most cyclists make and explains why watts per kilo don't improve on the bike… they start in the kitchen. This video introduces our long-standing FasCat concept called Winning in the Kitchen: a simple, sustainable approach to performance nutrition and weight loss that works for real cyclists with real lives. You'll learn:
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why you can't out-ride bad nutrition
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the 80/20 rule of weight loss for cyclists
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the Go Fast vs Go Slow food framework
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why grocery shopping matters more than recipes
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how to avoid "Losing in the Breakroom"
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what Winning in the Kitchen actually looks like day-to-day
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and one of our favorite cyclist meals: Salmon Watts
This is not calorie counting. It's not a fad diet. And it won't sabotage your training. It's how cyclists fuel smarter, lose weight sustainably, and improve watts per kilo.
🛒 Want help putting this into practice? When you start a free trial of the CoachCat app, you'll get: our Go FasCat Grocery List, Performance-focused meal plans and nutrition guidance built around the Winning in the Kitchen framework including "How Much you Should Eat" before that big ride tomorrow.
👉 Start your free trial here: https://fascatcoaching.com/app
The base training advice you've been getting from social media and indoor riding platforms is wrong.
Riding only Zone 2 all winter doesn't work for cyclists with less than 8 hours a week to train. Riding hard indoors doesn't work either. In this video, Coach Frank Overton (aka BigCat) breaks down how to build a REAL aerobic base on just 4–8 hours per week, using the Sweet Spot training methodology he has pioneered for the past 20 years.
You'll learn:
1️⃣ Where base training actually fits in your annual plan
2️⃣ Why Zone 2-only training fails when volume is low
3️⃣ The biggest base-training mistakes cyclists make indoors
4️⃣ Why Sweet Spot delivers more aerobic gains per minute
5️⃣ How to measure base fitness using OTS & Level
6️⃣ What a real month of base training looks like (calendar example)
This is the same approach we've used for over 20 years to help time-crunched amateur cyclists get stronger, more durable, and faster without burning out.
🎁 FREE BASE TRAINING + GIVEAWAY
If you listen to the end, you can get
✅ A full month of base training for free
✅ A chance to win a FREE YEAR of the CoachCat app
How to enter the giveaway: Start a free 30-day trial using the link below
Comment "CoachCat" on this video (plus any questions or thoughts)
No purchase necessary. One winner will be randomly selected and announced in the comments 5 days after this video goes live.
Even if you don't win, you'll still get full access to this month of base training for free.
👉 Start your free trial here: https://www.FasCatCoaching.com
What happens when you mix a live Sweet Spot group ride, real-time coaching, fueling advice, tech questions, and unfiltered athlete Q&A?
You get a live, no-BS training session led by Coach Frank that covers how cyclists train. Pardon the audio as we recorded from our discord channel that was live during the ride.
In this ride & podcast, we dove into a dozen or more topics, including:
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How to ride Sweet Spot by feel (no rigid intervals required)
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Why Sweet Spot is "not too hard, not too easy — just right"
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Fueling correctly indoors (70–90g carbs/hr and why it matters)
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ERG mode: when to use it and when it hurts your training
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Using time-in-zone instead of chasing perfect watts
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Heart rate vs power for Sweet Spot Time in Zone Accuracy
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Training consistency, durability, and long-ride fatigue resistance
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How to adapt training when life, travel, injuries, or holidays happen
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Festive 500 strategy for road, gravel, crit, and masters athletes
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Strength training + endurance: how to blend them without burnout
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Why most plateaus are caused by doing the same thing too long
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How CoachCat helps revise plans, answer questions, and guide decisions in real time 🎯
Who this ride and podcast is for:
Masters cyclists
Time-crunched athletes
Gravel, road, crit, and fondo riders
Athletes training indoors on Zwift
Anyone tired of over-complicating training
🧠 Key takeaway: Fitness comes from doing slightly more work than yesterday and recovering well enough to do it again tomorrow.
Sweet Spot training done right builds durability, raises FTP, and teaches you how to pace long efforts — without burying yourself.
🚴 Join us live again on January 3rd, 2026 Sweet Spot Saturday is part of a 7-ride progression series: Each ride gets 30 minutes longer Builds durability and confidence Ride #7 culminates in the legendary Uber Pretzel
📅 Next ride: January 3 👉 Join the FasCat Coaching Club in the Zwift Companion app
👍 Like • Subscribe • Share If this helped your training,
hit 👍, subscribe for science-backed cycling advice, and share with a riding buddy who trains hard but wants to train smarter. Train Smarter. Ride Faster. — Coach Frank 🐾
Sweet Spot Training is one of the most widely used and effective ways cyclists build their base and improve power. Sweet Spot Train the Right Way for FREE in the CoachCat App → https://fascatcoaching.com/app
But very few people know the story behind the development of 'sweet spot training'.
Long before Sweet Spot Training was mainstream, it was developed inside a secret, private beta group of coaches and sport scientists that I was part of.
We were testing a new power-based performance model that would later go on to become the Performance Manager Chart inside TrainingPeaks.
And what we discovered & developed changed endurance cycling training forever: there was a training intensity that built the most fitness for the least fatigue.
And that this type of training enabled time crunched athletes to develop a massive aerobic engines that previously weren't possible with Zone 2 training.
That discovery became Sweet Spot Training.
Do you remember your first sweet spot workout?
Pro Coach Sierra Sims (M.S. Exercise Physiology) breaks down the science and technique behind muscle tension intervals: one of the most effective ways to turn gym strength into real power on the bike. Whether you're building your base, coming back from the off-season, or looking to climb stronger, these workouts teach your neuromuscular system to produce MORE torque and apply it efficiently across the pedal stroke. You'll learn: ✔️ What muscle tension (high-torque) intervals actually are ✔️ Why low cadence is so effective for force production ✔️ How to combine torque work with strength training for maximum gains ✔️ How WorldTour pros use torque blocks from October–February ✔️ How to structure these sessions indoors or outdoors ✔️ Real-world workout examples you can try this week ✔️ How to avoid knee pain and progress safely Watch till the end where Sierra shows you two practical ways to perform these intervals so you can do them anywhere — on Zwift, on climbs, or on rolling terrain. 🚴♂️ Want workouts like these? Hire Coach Sierra, https://fascatcoaching.com/collections/coaches/products/sierra-sims or Start your 30-day FREE trial → https://fascatcoaching.com/app The CoachCat App includes: • 15+ muscle tension interval workouts • 600+ cycling workouts • 100+ training plans • Daily AI coaching • Human coach in-app support!
Most cyclists don't realize it, but our entire training lifestyle is basically built for longevity.
Endurance & VO2 max training, weight lifting, real food, and good sleep are the same fundamentals that help you live longer and stay healthy as you age.
With books like Outlive and the rise of longevity science, I finally decided to share my personal plan to live to 100 and the 8 fundamentals I'm going to use to get there.
This video is the first in a full series on Longevity & Health for cyclists and non-cyclists alike. No hacks. No supplement stacks. No billionaire biohacks. Just the fundamentals science keeps pointing to again and again.
You'll Learn:
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Exercise: The #1 lever for healthspan: aerobic base, strength, muscle mass, and durability
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Nutrition: Real food, protein, plants, hydration, and sustainable habits
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Sleep
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Stress Management: Daily habits that keep the nervous system calm
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Relationships: Backed by the 80-year Harvard Study as a top predictor of long-term health.
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Purpose & Mission
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Safety: Smarter riding choices (more gravel/MTB, less traffic), and stepping away from high-risk environments
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Blood Testing: FTP testing for your health: measure, benchmark, track trends, adjust early.
If you want to live well, ride long, and build the longest streak of your life… you're in the right place.
Train Smarter. Ride Faster. Live Longer with the CoachCat App https://fascatcoaching.com/app
Learn how to use your HRV along with three other essential recovery metrics to train smarter and recover better. Then try the CoachCat App → free for your first 30 days https://fascatcoaching.com/app
Coach Frank Overton (the BigCat), founder of FasCat Coaching and creator of the CoachCat App, breaks down what HRV really means, why single-day numbers don't tell the whole story, and how to actually use HRV to train smarter.
You'll learn:
✅ What HRV really measures
✅ Why daily HRV scores can be misleading
✅ The importance of trends (7-day, 1-month, 6-month)
✅ How sleep, training stress, and how you feel matter just as much
✅ The four pillars of real recovery
✅ How CoachCat's AI Coaching Intelligence analyzes your data and gives daily guidance — just like a real coach Whether you use Whoop, Oura, Garmin, or Apple Watch… HRV is powerful only if you know how to use it correctly.
This video & podcast shows you how to take control of your recovery and confidence in your training.
Start Training for Next Year NOW with these 4 "On Season" Training Methodologies.
Use the CoachCat to do your Winter Training free for the first month ➡️ https://fascatcoaching.com/app
Most cyclists call it the off-season… but that's a mistake. The truth is, winter is GO TIME and its actually the "On-Season" when you lift weight build base and ride Zwift that'll carry you to your best results next year. 💪🚴♂️
In this video, Coach Frank Overton breaks down exactly how to train this "off-season" so you can come into spring stronger, faster, and more durable than ever.
You'll learn:
🔥 The 4 key pillars of On-Season training:
1️⃣ Weight Lifting for Cyclists
2️⃣ Muscle Tension Intervals
3️⃣ Sweet Spot Base Training
4️⃣ Zwifting for Consistency & Progress
📈 Follow these methods now and add 10–50 watts by next Spring.
Don't hope to get faster, train to get faster.
Ready to Start? Train smarter this On-Season with:
👉 The CoachCat APP: https://fascatcoaching.com/app
👉 Hire a 1x1 FasCat Coach https://fascatcoaching.com/pages/hire-a-coach
Muscle Tension Intervals are those big gear, low cadence masher that are like lifting weights on the bike.
You can do them in the CoachCat app → https://fascatcoaching.com/app where the first month is free.
The problem? Not everyone has access to a steady 3–5% climb like we do here in Boulder.
That’s where Zwift comes in. In this video, Coach Frank walks you through two ways to perform Muscle Tension Intervals on Zwift:
1️⃣ Exporting your workout into ERG mode and using the Incline setting in the Companion app. 2️⃣ Riding free-form in the Climb Portal and simulation riding uphill for work intervals, then turning around and coasting downhill for recovery.
Additionally, you’ll learn how torque (force on the pedals) connects to power, and why these intervals build the kind of strength that pays off when you combine it with higher cadence later in the season.
💡 Try both methods, or even all three if you include the outdoor version, as part of your Fall Foundation plan.
Weight lifting for cycling can help you gain 15 to 50 watts by next spring — but only if you do it the right way. 🚴♂️💪
Watch this podcast on our youTube channel for a better visual learning experience: https://youtu.be/J5nTl0sXrFQ
In this video, the BigCat (Frank Overton) show you exactly how to lift weights for cycling to increase your power output, improve your FTP, and have your best season ever. This isn’t just theory, we've used this exact 10-week, 4-phase weight lifting plan over the past 20+ years, to coach hundreds/thousands of cyclists to higher FTP's, podiums and group ride hero status 🏋️♂️💪
What You’ll Learn in This Video:
✅ Why weight lifting works for cyclists and what makes this plan cycling-specific
✅ When to lift heavy — and when to switch to explosive, high-velocity movements
✅ How many days per week to lift
✅ How many sets and reps to do each day
✅ How much weight to lift for each set
✅ How to combine lifting with on-the-bike workouts to turn gym gains into real watts
By the end of this video, you’ll understand the entire 10-week plan, including sets, reps, percentages, and timing so you can start lifting right.
Why This Weight Lifting Plan Works: Not all gym workouts are created equal. A lot of cyclists waste time swinging kettlebells or following generic strength programs that don’t translate into more power on the bike.
Here’s why our plan works:
1️⃣ Lift Heavy → Build strength to generate more force per pedal stroke
2️⃣ Lift Explosively → High-speed lifts simulate pedaling velocity
3️⃣ Neuromuscular Sprint Work → On-bike sprints teach your new muscle to fire faster
4️⃣ Muscle Tension Intervals → Lock in your strength on the bike and crush climbs
Get the Full 10 Week Weight Plan Plan in the CoachCat App
You could write everything down and try to follow the plan manually… but why guess?
Download the CoachCat app for free and get: Your 10-week weight lifting plan
Daily workouts with the right weight, sets, and reps Integrated on-bike workouts
A downloadable PDF plan
Unlimited plan adjustments and training guidance
📲 Start your free trial → https://fascatcoaching.com/app
Are you masters cyclist wondering why your FTP is plateauing or dropping — and what to do about it? 🚴♂️
Watch the podcast with visual charts & graphs on our youTube channel: https://youtu.be/DChZyc_7BWM
In this video, the BigCat, Frank Overton, explains the science behind why masters cyclists get slower with age and, more importantly, how to fix it with a smarter, age-appropriate training plan.
We’ll cover:
✅ The science behind slower recovery for masters cyclists
✅ Introduction to “tear & repair” and why it takes longer after 40
✅ How age related decline in hormones increases the time to recover
✅ Masters cyclists training strategies to boost power and speed
✅ Top tips for adjusting your training plan to fit YOUR physiology
Whether you’re in your 40s, 50s, or 60s, you can still get faster: you just have to train smarter, not harder. The BigCat shares the exact adjustments he's made in his own training and the athletes he's coached, plus what’s worked for thousands of athletes we’ve coached at FasCat Coaching.
Follow a Masters Based Training Plan FREE for 1 month ➡️ https://fascatcoaching.com/app
Intervals for Masters cyclists don’t have to be complicated but they do have to be different. 🚴♂️
Watch this video on our youtube channel for a more immersive visual learning experience:
https://youtu.be/12H-rYEylo0
If you’re over 40, 50, or even 60, you can still train like the pros with the same intervals, the same intensities, the same power zones. But here’s the secret: you can’t handle the same volume or recover as quickly as younger riders.
In this video, Coach Frank from FasCat Coaching breaks down how to adjust your interval training based on your age, recovery, and goals using real data from coaching both pros and masters athletes for over 20 years.
What You’ll Learn in This Video:
✅ The best VO₂ max intervals for masters cyclists
✅ How to modify anaerobic (Zone 6) intervals to match your recovery capacity
✅ Why Sweet Spot training still works — but needs less volume as you age
✅ How many hard interval sessions per week you should actually be doing
✅ The science behind slower recovery after 40 — and what to do about it
Whether you’re training for a Gran Fondo, crit, gravel race, or just chasing FTP gains, these strategies will help you train smarter, not harder — and get faster without burning out. 🚀
Get Your Free Month of CoachCat Want age-appropriate, personalized interval plans built from your power data? Download the FasCat App and start training with CoachCat — your first month is FREE: 🔗 https://fascatcoaching.com/app
The AmEx Ride is a style of cycling training thats fun, flexible, and it makes you hella fast. 💨
There is no strict structure, and they are variable power rides in all zones, 2-7.
Watch this tip on our youTube channel: https://youtu.be/_v3KjeloYfM
Unlike cookie-cutter intervals, the AmEx Ride blends old-school cycling wisdom with new-school data to give you the ultimate race simulation. You’ll ride all zones (2–7) based on feel, but track your OTS & TSS in real time to know you’ve done the work.
📈 Today, I’m taking you through the power analysis of a recent 75 OTS AmEx Ride.
💨 Train like this using the CoachCat App where the 1st month is FREE https://fascatcoaching.com/app
Coach Frank gives you a cycling season review by asking questions about your training and data. T
Watch this podcast on youTube for a more visual immersion: https://youtu.be/-gma7xCqftU
Know what you did, so you don't make the same mistakes again and go insane.
Coach Frank will ask:
1️⃣ When did you start training this past year and how consistent were those first weeks?
2️⃣ Did you lift heavy in the winter (full squats/hinges à la Dr. Stacy Sims), and did it carry over to the bike?
3️⃣ Did you spend at least 8 weeks building your aerobic base? What did your volume and Z2 time look like?
4️⃣ Did you do true full gas intervals with progression and planned recovery?
Why it matters A simple cycling season review turns scattered numbers into a clear game plan of what worked, what didn’t, and exactly what to change.
Get help:
🆓 Try CoachCat free for 30 days where a season in review coaching call included → https://fascatcoaching.com/app
FasCat Coach Elliott Baring shares what kind of power output and training it took for him to race a sub 7 hour and 30th place in the Pro Men's Leadville 100 MTB Race. See his watts / kg up all the significant climbs, learn how much he ate and about the heat training he did for altitude acclimation. Want help with your Leadville Training? Hire Coach Elliott! https://fascatcoaching.com/collections/coaches/products/elliott-baring Elliott will give you a data review just like this video and talk with you about your life, your goals - EVERYTHING that it takes for tackling the Leadville 100 MTB race.
Think you’re training in Zone 2? Many athletes aren’t and this #1 training mistake could be slowing your progress and sabotaging your endurance gains.
💡 Train your Zone 2 the Right Way with CoachCat Free for 30 Days https://fascatcoaching.com/app
In this video, Coach Frank explains the #1 Zone 2 training mistake, why it happens, and how to fix it so you can ride smarter, recover faster, and get more from your training. You’ll learn:
✅ The correct Zone 2 ranges for power, heart rate, and RPE
✅ Why heart-rate-based training often beats power on long rides and tired days
✅ How to avoid “junk miles” and keep your easy rides truly easy
✅ The fat-burning and mitochondrial benefits of doing Zone 2 right
✅ Why even Sweet Spot fans still need Zone 2
Watch this podcast on youTube for an immersive visual experience:
https://youtu.be/FiYzyPu6Zz0
Start training for your first time with these 3 easy steps.
Watch this podcast on our youTube channel for a more immersive visual experience: https://youtu.be/mWbzHdGuT00
If you've caught the cycling 'bug', maybe you’ve signed up for a group ride, a charity event, or even your first race and now you’re wondering how to actually start training.
In this video, Coach Frank shares three simple steps to start cycling training. You’ll learn how to:
✅ Use your Why
✅ Get a Training Plan that fits your schedule
✅ Track Your Progress to see real improvement
Cycling is a sport where you get back what you put in and when you train with purpose, the results are motivating and fun. Follow these steps and turn your casual rides into real fitness gains and a lifetime of cycling enjoyment.
Peaking is about resting more and riding less while maintaining intensity. When done properly you can "Peak" and achieve up to a 6% increase in FTP ! Watch this podcast on our youTube channel https://youtu.be/RI2-T-evi7k Coach Frank (a.k.a. the BigCat) breaks down exactly how to taper for your A race and how to avoid the #1 mistake that leaves power on the table. Learn the two-step formula of Overload + Taper, based on 20 years of coaching experience and proven sports science. Whether you're racing Leadville, chasing Strava PRs, or aiming for your best local group ride yet, this is how you ride faster by riding less. We're talking up to a 6% increase in FTP with the right taper. In this training tip you'll learn Two Steps to PEAK Taper Definition - the Science The Proper Taper Length The ART of the TAPER What a 2 Week Taper Looks Like 📲 Start your taper the smart way: 👉 Download the Two-Week Taper to Peak Plan in the CoachCat app 👉 Or build your custom plan with CoachCat AI at https://fascatcoaching.com/pages/coachcat 💬 Tell us in the comments what goal event you'd like to peak for (it can even be your local ride) and Coach Frank will reply with advice to help you peak!
Sweet Spot Training, one of the most effective ways to improve FTP, increase endurance & build durability. Follow our Sweet Spot Plans for FREE https://fascatcoaching.com/app
Watch this training tip on our youTube channel https://youtu.be/rWehU8_YcZk
In this video, you’ll learn:
✅ How much Sweet Spot at what time of the year
✅ How your discipline, Road, Gravel, MTB, Fondo and More affects Sweet Spot volume
✅ How to progress your workload safely and efficiently
✅ Real-world examples of how we prescribe Sweet Spot
Whether you’re training 4 hours a week or 12+, this video will help you train smarter—not just harder.
🚴♂️ Ready to start training with Sweet Spot? Try the CoachCat app free for 30 days — no credit card required: 👉 https://fascatcoaching.com/app
Trying to lose weight but not seeing results, even with all the miles you’re putting in? You’re not alone. In this video, Coach Frank “the BigCat” Overton shares a practical, science-backed approach to eating for fat loss without sacrificing performance. Whether you're over 40 or just want to improve your power-to-weight ratio, this is a smarter way to fuel your riding.
Watch this training tip on our youTube channel https://youtu.be/SW4mR4iLIHY
You’ll learn:
✅ Why “Winning in the Kitchen” beats riding more and eating less
✅ What to eat, when to eat, and how to fuel for performance
✅ 7 core nutrition principles for weight loss over 40
✅ Why fasting fails, and how to build meals that support recovery and watts
✅ Bonus tips on meal timing, hydration, and sustainable fat loss
📱 Inside the CoachCat app, you’ll get access to:
🥗 Winning in the Kitchen Meal Plan: simple, nutritionist designed meals to fuel your training
🧑🍳 Weight Loss Meal Plan: calorie-aware meals that support fat loss without sacrificing energy 💡 Plus, CoachCat’s built-in AI helps you substitute ingredients or create custom recipes on demand Start Winning in the Kitchen today: your FTP (and waistline) will thank you.
👉 Download the CoachCat app to get started ➡️ https://fascatcoaching.com/app 👍 Like, Subscribe, and drop your nutrition questions below—I’ll answer as many as I can!
Learn How to Setup and Use Your Power Training Zones with your Powermeter.
Take the guesswork out your power-based training using CoachCat where the 1st Month is FREE ➡️ https://fascatcoaching.com/app
Coach Frank breaks down how to train with power by understanding and applying cycling power zones
Whether you're brand new to using a power meter or looking to fine-tune your training, this video will help you ride smarter and get faster. You'll learn:
✅ What each power zone means and the physiological benefits
✅ How to test for your FTP and set your personalized training zones
✅ How to actually use Zones 1–7 in your training to improve endurance, increase FTP, and get more out of every ride.
From Zone 1 recovery rides to Zone 5 VO2 Max intervals and Sprint efforts in Zone 7, you'll see how to apply power-based training like a pro.
🚴♂️ Ready to train with purpose? Check out the CoachCat app, which automatically calculates your zones, prescribes daily workouts, and adapts your training plan when life happens: 👉
https://fascatcoaching.com/app
Stop plateauing and start progressing with our annual training plan. In this training tip, Coach Frank (aka The BigCat) breaks down The 365 Plan, FasCat’s complete year-round training system to help you get faster without burning out.
Watch this podcast on our youTube channel: https://youtu.be/S6ZpZaJHC80
Whether you're racing, training for a big gravel ride, or just want to crush the group ride, this is the structure that works.
You’ll learn: ✅ How to set your Annual Training Plan (ATP) ✅ When to lift, build base, and add intervals ✅ How to adjust when life gets in the way ✅ How to apply this plan inside the CoachCat app
🎯 Want to automate your ATP? Try CoachCat free for 30 days: https://fascatcoaching.com/app
#TrainSmarter #CoachCat #AnnualTrainingPlan
You’re doing cycling intervals, but are you doing them right?
See 'if' your interval training is 'RIGHT' in the CoachCat app where the first month is free ➡️ https://fascatcoaching.com/app
In this training tip, Coach Frank (aka the BigCat) breaks down the right way and wrong way to perform power-based interval workouts. Whether you’re training for a crit, fondo, gravel race, group rides, or just chasing PRs, getting your Zone 4, 5, and 6 efforts right is the key to unlocking performance gains.
Watch this training tip on our youTube channel: https://youtu.be/-7Ui3MORgbk
🚴♂️ Learn how to:
✅ Pace your VO2 Max, Threshold, and Sweet Spot intervals correctly
✅ Use tools like 3-second power and lap average to guide your effort
✅ Avoid common mistakes like going out too hard, relying on ERG mode, or over-riding Sweet Spot
✅ Take control with the lap button and train with intent—not automation
CoachCat helps you dial in your execution with personalized feedback and post-ride analysis. After your workout, tell CoachCat how you felt and get advice on how to improve.
You can ride the Tour de France too with this FREE training plan built for the everyday cyclist with limited time. 💥 🚴♂️ Watch this training tip on our youTube channel https://youtu.be/QC7qfaLdR84
We took the terrain of this year's Tour stages and created at at home version for working athletes who want to push their fitness, add some excitement to their summer training, and ride with purpose.
✅ Weekday workouts are 1 hour and
✅ Weekend rides are up to 3 hours
✅ Built by Coach Jake: a former Pro Cyclist and Current Pro Coach
✅ Includes VO2's for short hilly stages, endurance days for flat stages, and threshold intervals on the Time Trial and Mountain Stages + the Rest Days —just like the pros
✅ you also get Instant AI-powered analysis and recovery insights via CoachCat
No massages. No team bus. Just you, your bike, and the power demands as what the Tour riders are doing that day
📈 Track your data, get feedback, and upgrade your training with CoachCat: https://fascatcoaching.com/app
🎯 Steamboat Gravel Blue Course Strategy: our Coaching Advice for the First 22 Miles 🚴♂️
The first 22 miles of the Steamboat Gravel Blue Course can make or break your race. Watch is training tip on youTube with course visuals: https://youtu.be/rknsp16bvdI
In this episode, Coach Frank and 2023 Blue Course winner Andrew Giniat break down exactly how to pace the opening climbs, avoid the classic early blow-up, and position yourself for success in the second half of the race.
Whether you're racing Steamboat for the first time or returning to improve your result, this course intel will help you ride smarter — not just harder.
✅ Key Topics: How to handle the opening 10-mile pack dynamics
Power targets (W/kg) for the 4 stair-step climbs
What not to do on the descents
How to “sag climb” and conserve energy
Why mile 22.5 is the most important point of the race
Pre-race recon tips to boost confidence on race day
📍 Pro tip: Download the Steamboat Blue course to your head unit and set a target for mile 22.5 — your first big checkpoint.
Hire Coach Andrew or Train with CoachCat - the first month is free https://fascatcoaching.com/
Heat Training has been scientifically shown in cyclists to improve VO₂ max and power by 8%. Train with CoachCat Free for the 1st Month ➡️ https://fascatcoaching.com/app
Watch on youTube for visuals: https://youtu.be/l55fzZFPLJs
In this video, Coach Frank “BigCat” Overton breaks down the cutting-edge science behind heat training, including the legendary Lorenzo study and real-world sauna-based alternatives that don’t require a heat suits and 104°F pain caves.
You’ll learn:
✅ The difference between active and passive heat training
✅ Why 175°F is the critical temperature for heat shock protein activation
✅ A practical 4-week protocol you can start tomorrow
✅ How elite cyclists like Pogacar use heat training to gain an edge
✅ Whether a dry sauna really works—and how to do it at home for under $500
10 Gels, 10 Bottle, Mile-by-Mile: Your Leadville 100 MTB Nutrition Plan from Coach Elliott Baring. Follow our Six Week Leadville Training Plan, Free for the First Month ➡️ https://fascatcoaching.com/app
Racing the Leadville Trail 100 MTB? With 105 miles, 12,000 feet of climbing, and 10,000+ feet of elevation, your fueling strategy can make or break your race.
Watch the complete video on youTube: https://youtu.be/8xWKDkxr8rA?si=phrAcKKtGgn6ypVh
In this video, Coach Elliott from FasCat Coaching walks you through a complete Leadville 100 nutrition plan, mile by mile, using NeverSecond products to hit your carb and hydration targets with precision.
This plan calls for consuming 10 gels + 10 bottles = 900 grams of carbs.
You’ll learn:
✅ What to eat and drink — and when
✅ How to hit 90–113g carbs/hour with C30 gels + C30 drink mix
✅ Why carb-to-fluid ratio matters at altitude
✅ How to split your intake between solids vs fluids
✅ Race-day examples for 8, 9, and 10-hour finishers
✅ What mile markers to consume a gel
✅ What mile markers you want to consume your bottles
Pro Tip: Practice this plan in training because gut absorption is trainable, and Leadville is unforgiving.
00:00 Introduction
00:37 Gels & Sports Drink Mix
01:01 Effects of Altitude on How you Absorb Carbohydrate
01:44 Fueling Logistics 03:35 Mile by Mile Eating & Drinking 08:11 Using Caffeine
08:46 Increase Sodium Intake
Have you heard the buzz about "Durability" in cycling? It's being hyped as the secret behind Pogacar’s dominance. Improve your Durability with the CoachCat app ➡️ https://fascatcoaching.com/app
Watch this training tip on yourTube: https://youtu.be/_TuRSwEZBH4
Coach Frank Overton (aka the BigCat) breaks down what Durability actually means, how it impacts your performance in long rides and races, and the 8 best ways to improve it — from increasing your training volume and adding long rides, to strategic interval placement and training when tired.
You'll learn:
✅ Why riders with the same FTP can have vastly different race results
✅ How to build a more “durable battery” that doesn’t fade late in races
✅ How to test your own Durability using power data from real rides
✅ Why FTP isn’t dead — and how Durability complements it If you've ever faded in the final hour of a Fondo, gravel race, or road race, this video is for you. Training Durability is the tortoise-beats-the-hare strategy that helps you finish strong and outperform riders with even higher FTPs. 📈
Drop your questions in the comments — and if enough of you are interested, Coach Frank will make a follow-up video on how to test and track your Durability with power data.
👉 Subscribe for more cycling science, real-world coaching, and actionable training tips from FasCat Coaching.
Join us for an in-depth conversation with Coach Ricky Arnopol as he breaks down his impressive 10th place finish at the US PRO Road Race Nationals. In this episode, Ricky pulls back the curtain on his training approach, sharing the power data and metrics that guided his preparation for one of America's most competitive cycling events.
Watch this episode on our youTube channel: https://youtu.be/fUfRz4u33iM
We dive deep into the specifics of Ricky's custom workout protocols, exploring how he designed them specific to the race course. Ricky also shares his proven recovery strategies that kept him fresh and competitive throughout his campaign, offering practical tips that cyclists at any level can apply to their own training.
Whether you're a data-driven athlete looking to optimize your power zones, a coach seeking new workout ideas, or simply curious about what it takes to compete at the professional level, this episode offers valuable insights from someone who's walked the walk at the highest levels of American cycling.
Topics covered:
- Power data analysis and race-day numbers from nationals
- Custom workout design
- Recovery protocols for high-level training
- Post Race/Workout Nutritio
- Lessons learned from racing against America's top pros
Tune in to learn from Coach Ricky's experience and discover how meticulous preparation and smart training can lead to breakthrough performances on cycling's biggest stages.
Its not Sweet Spot or Polarized, its BOTH!
Train this way on the CoachCat App ➡️ https://fascatcoaching.com/app
Watch this podcast on our youTube channel for visual charts & graphs:
https://youtu.be/QM3IVNRtDEs
When Sweet Spot and Polarized Training are used in succession you will ride faster. Science says so, as well as our 20 years of experience + UAE's Head of Performance, Dr. Jereon Swart.
🧠 You'll Learn:
✅ Background of Traditional Training Approaches
✅ How the Coaches are AHEAD of the Scientists
✅ Switching from Base to Race
✅ the Science of USING BOTH
✅ UAE Trains Pyramidal (Sweet Spot)
✅ Training Plans Using Both
Do you want to recover better so you can ride faster? Does it seem the group ride has gotten faster while you are riding slower?
In this podcast, Coach Frank shares the 5 recovery metrics he uses as a master's athlete and COACH to train harder, recover better and ride faster.
Watch this podcast on our youTube channel with chart and graphs: https://youtu.be/uhuFxY4UQGE
Free Month of Coaching ➡️ https://fascatcoaching.com/app (then save 50%)
Recovery is when the magic from the training happens, and the five metrics we pay attention to the most are
#1. Sleep
#2. HRV
#3 My Optimize Score
#4 Feel
#5 Power Output
Who can guess which of those 5 is the most important? Vote in the comments and listen to the end to hear Frank's opinion and rationale.
Let’s go through the science and some good numbers for you to strive for then we’ll rank each of the 5 key metrics so you can priotize them for your RECOVERY.
Today, Coach Frank dives into the essentials of gravel training. Whether you're new to the gravel scene or looking to improve your performance, this episode is packed with insights to help you ride faster and have more fun.
Watch this episode with graphs and visuals on our youTube channel here https://youtu.be/lkn7oJM5JcU
In This Episode we cover the 4 Pillars of Gravel Training:
-
- Long Rides to Build Endurance: Discover how extended rides lay the foundation for gravel success.
- Key Gravel Workouts: Learn about gravel simulations, sweet spot intervals, VO2 max efforts, and threshold training.
- Sweet Spot & Gravel Simulation Rides: Understand the importance of these workouts in mimicking race conditions.
- Training Plan Design Considerations: Get tips on structuring your training plan for optimal results.
With over 20 years of coaching experience and personal achievements in events like the Crusher in the Tushar, BWRs, and Steamboat Gravel, Coach Frank shares insights from both personal experience and coaching thousands of athletes.
We'll discuss how to progressively build your endurance, the significance of VO2 max workouts, and the role of group rides in enhancing your performance.
Stay tuned for a preview of our new 6-week Gravel Training Plan, designed to take the guesswork out of your preparation and help you achieve your goals.
While today's focus is on training, remember that nutrition and equipment are also crucial components of gravel racing. We'll cover these topics in future episodes.
Whether you're aiming to finish your first gravel race or set a new personal record, this episode provides the tools and knowledge to elevate your training.
You do not have to ride slower as you get older. In today’s podcast we are going to talk about the 4 ways to not let happen - to beat father time and ride faster into our 40's, 50’s and 60’s.
Watch this podcast with graphs and charts on youTube here > https://youtu.be/fnbvAZopbbg
As we get older , testosterone and growth hormone levels naturally decline, making recovery harder and training loads tougher to handle. I’m briefly explain the science of aging for cyclists, and explain how Masters athletes should train differently to keep progressing.
Specifically, we’ll go over
- Masters Nutrition recommendations
- Recovery recommendations
- Smarter, more age appropriate intervals
- Fives Ways your Training Plan should be masters specific -
To get the most out of yourself - do all 4 of these in tandem not just 1 or 2 or 3. You are leaving WATTS on the table by leaving out one any of these 4.
🛣️Try Sweet Spot and Zone 2 Training as described in this podcast, in the CoachCat app for Free for 1 Month ➡️ https://fascatcoaching.com/app
In this training tip, I describe how to combine Sweet Spot and Zone 2 training to get the best of both worlds. 🚀. In the last video, we talked about how Sweet Spot training drives more physiological adaptations than Zone 2 alone.
But — and it’s a big but — training Sweet Spot every single day? That’s wrong. ❌ Instead, the real magic happens when you blend these two intensities together in a smart training plan. You get all the mitochondrial gains from Sweet Spot and all the fat oxidation benefits from Zone 2.
In this video I’ll go over:
📅 What a training week looks like
🔥 Why combining both gives you the best adaptations
🚲 How you can even use Sweet Spot and Zone 2 in the same ride
📚 And of course, the science behind it all
In this episode, I break down six powerful physiological adaptations you get more of by training in the Sweet Spot than Zone 2—and back it up with the science to prove it.
Watch this podcast with visual graphs and images on our youTube channel here: https://youtu.be/Li0qV9RXksU
From boosting mitochondrial function to improving fatigue resistance, you’ll learn why Sweet Spot training earns more ‘x’s’ on our chart and why it’s the go-to strategy for time-crunched athletes training under 12 hours a week (even 6-8!).
Stick around to the end, where I cover the limitations of Sweet Spot and what to combine it with for well-rounded, effective training.
🎧 Brought to you by CoachCat — your AI-powered cycling coach. 🎁 Try it FREE for 1 month ➡️ https://fascatcoaching.com/app
Do you know the difference between central and peripheral fatigue, and what causes each? How about rating your fatigue post-exercise and longer term?
On this podcast, FasCat Coaches Andrew Giniat and Sierra Sims help you understand the different types of fatigue and how they influence the optimal flow of an exercise program, helping you maintain your ideal exercise and recovery balance.
Put another way, we're not talking about feeling tired towards the end of a 20-minute test. Everybody feels that! We're talking about the bigger picture — and how that effects how you perform in a 20-minute test or any other workout.
--
Try CoachCat Free for a month - with no credit card required ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4
😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price.
📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans
⏰ Instant Data Analysis
💥 Custom Workout Recommendations
🧠 Training Plan Revisions
You've done the base miles, the Sweet Spot, and the intense intervals. Your body is ready for the race. But is your mind, your gear, your habits and maybe even your stomach ready?
Just like you practice the pedaling, you gotta practice the logistics of the race to make sure everything is as smooth as possible on race day. Here's how.
Try CoachCat Free for a month - with no credit card required ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4
😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price.
📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans
⏰ Instant Data Analysis
💥 Custom Workout Recommendations
🧠 Training Plan Revisions
How many carbs are right for you during your hard training days? Or your easy days? Or racing?
Eating on the bike is both a simple thing on the surface level and a complex, nuanced problem when you really get into it.
Here, coach Elliott digs into the science and the art (and the flavor!) of eating on the bike with Bill Armstrong, CEO of the Neversecond nutrition brand.
Try CoachCat Free for a month - with no credit card required ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4
😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price.
📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans
⏰ Instant Data Analysis
💥 Custom Workout Recommendations
🧠 Training Plan Revisions
Working with FasCat for over a decade, former professional cyclist Phil Gaimon continues to set and achieve massive goals for himself, like nabbing the KOM on monster climbs like Haleakala. This summer, Phil is setting out to WIN THE TOUR DE FRANCE.
Okay, not exactly win the actual Tour de France. But instead, go to France, rip up some mountains, and win at the experience because he's bringing his wife and they'll enjoy the countryside, the food and the wine. You know, winning at life while touring France... and maybe getting a KOM or two for good measure along the way.
Want to win your own Tour? Have balanced success on the bike and enjoy a healthy life off the bike? Sign up for CoachCat or a FasCat Coach today!
-
Try CoachCat Free for a month - with no credit card required ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4
😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price.
📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans
⏰ Instant Data Analysis
💥 Custom Workout Recommendations
🧠 Training Plan Revisions
What's the best way to introduce progressive overload without overreaching? How does TSS translate to OTS? How do I reconcile Whoop red scores with CoachCat's recommendations when they don't align?
Thesse questions and many more from FasCat athletes are answered on this podcast by FasCat Founder Frank Overton.
As always, we appreciate your thoughtful questions and hope that you find our guidance useful and actionable.
And as always, we award the best question with some sweet swag. Listen in to learn.
-
Try CoachCat Free for a month - with no credit card required ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4
😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price.
📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans
⏰ Instant Data Analysis
💥 Custom Workout Recommendations
🧠 Training Plan Revisions
There is a linear relationship between training load and FTP but only up to a certain point. When you build your base with our 16 weeks of sweet plan your FTP goes up but then what? How do you get it to go higher? At that point, training load accounts for 75-90% of what your true FTP can be. The remaining 10-25% can be achieved by switching to interval training and this is where the relationship between training load and FTP 'breaks'. However, power goes up even more for two reasons:
1) the athlete is 'fresher' and can produce greater power output
2) the athlete has achieved the aerobic adaptations** that enable the higher power output.
Increases in Mitochondrial Density & Citrate Synthase
Listen to this podcast to learn about training load and FTP!
-
Try CoachCat Free for a month - with no credit card required ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4
😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price.
📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans
⏰ Instant Data Analysis
💥 Custom Workout Recommendations
🧠 Training Plan Revisions
How do you know what your training zones are? And how do you know if you are improving? By FTP testing, of course!
At FasCat, we have used all types of methods to test FTP over the years, including using various labratory equipment. After more than 20 years and thousands of athletes tested, we are big believers in the 20-minute field test.
Doing the 20-minute test outside or on a trainer is simple and repeatable, giving you the actionable data you need to configure your training and measure your progress.
In this podcast, FasCat Founder Frank Overton explains:
- how you should do the test
- how often you should do the test
- pitfalls to watch out for
- how to analyze your results from the test
All you need, Frank says, is a "power meter and head full of motivation."
-
Try CoachCat Free for a month - with no credit card required ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4
😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price.
📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans
⏰ Instant Data Analysis
💥 Custom Workout Recommendations
🧠 Training Plan Revisions
🚀 Auto FTP Detection
This podcast was inspired by a recent athlete asking for help, and we think many of you can relate to the situation:
"I've been cycling for nearly 20 years (now 44). I have a stressful job, two kids, and over the past few years I’ve gain 15 pounds that I can't shake, despite training 10-15 hours in the summer and 6-8 in the winter. What do I do?"
Symptoms like low energy, inability to sustain high heart rates, and lack of sweat could point to low energy availability (LEA). Even with calorie counting, your body might not be getting enough fuel to support both your workouts and daily life demands (job, kids, stress). This can lead to a suppressed metabolism and fatigue, making weight loss and performance harder.
Weight gain can be age-related hormonal changes that occur in men in their 40’s. Namely a gradual decline in testosterone levels which can affect metabolism, muscle mass, fat distribution, and energy levels. This is sometimes referred to as andropause or age-related hormonal decline.
Coaching Advice:
The #1 thing you can do is to get tested: A simple blood test can check testosterone, thyroid, and other hormone levels. This will help rule out any medical issues.
Then here’s what we recommend to get out of the rut, get your mojo back to your training and lose that weight:
- Nutrition First: Focus on fueling your workouts with carbs. Try eating a small carb-rich snack (e.g., a banana or toast with honey) before your morning rides. Post-ride, prioritize recovery with protein and carbs to replenish glycogen and repair muscles.
Coach Andrew Giniat and Nutritionist Alex Winnicki recently recorded a podcast about how much carbohydrate you need to consume even if you are trying to lose weight. And why low carb diets are bad and will result in rut like this athlete.
The take home point and analogy is that you, as an athlete, are Ferrari and carbohydrates are your fuel (gas) . But the body does not work like a Ferrari in terms of going fast even as they tank empties. Athletes do better when their tanks are kept at full as possible at all times. This includes before, during and after exercise.
- HRV and Recovery: Use your HRV data to monitor recovery. If it’s consistently low, it might indicate overtraining or stress. Your 7 hours of sleep is solid, but stress and under-fueling can still take a toll.
The CoachCat app has a free Whoop offer that will combine your sleep and HRV data with your training data to let you know if you are recovered or not. Then when you are not ‘feeling it’ you can ask for daily adjustments.
Start each morning with personalized recommendations based on your sleep and recovery. This is so clutch for a masters athletes balancing life’s daily demands: job, kids, stress.
- Training Adjustments: Consider dialing back intensity for a few weeks. Focus on Zone 2 rides to rebuild your aerobic base and avoid burnout. This aligns with your winter training history.
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Take your training to the next level by hiring Coach Justin:
https://fascatcoaching.com/collections/coaches/products/justin-bowes
--
Try CoachCat Free for a month - with no credit card required ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4
😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price.
📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans
⏰ Instant Data Analysis
💥 Custom Workout Recommendations
🧠 Training Plan Revisions
🚀 Auto FTP Detection
Instagram is a funny thing for cyclists: It can be inspirational to see what the pros are doing, but it can also be misleading as far as what we should be doing for training.
Coaches Sierra Sims and Elliott Baring discuss what we're seeing in terms of 20+ and 30+ weeks from U.S. gravel pros.
What does this do for the domestic riders as they prepare for their year? Is it even a good idea? And what should a regular working stiff with a 9-to-5 do?
For starters, relax! And just listen to this great podcast for much needed perspective and solid advice.
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Take your training to the next level by hiring Coach Sierra or Coach Elliott:
https://fascatcoaching.com/collections/coaches/products/sierra-sims
https://fascatcoaching.com/collections/coaches/products/elliott-baring
--
Try CoachCat Free for a month - with no credit card required ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4
😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price.
📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans
⏰ Instant Data Analysis
💥 Custom Workout Recommendations
🧠 Training Plan Revisions
🚀 Auto FTP Detection
It's fascinating to study exactly how professional cyclists are training and why, but what are the takeaways for everyday athletes? Beyond the gee-whiz quotient, what about elite training translates to us, and what is irrevelant or even harmful to try to emulate?
That is exactly what Coaches Andrew and Ricky dig into in this podcast. Both are uniquely positioned in that they are professional cyclists AND professional coaches for amateur riders.
In addition to some highly specific pro anecdotes, Andrew and Ricky also share some easy-to-remember rules of thumb for your own training.
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Take your training to the next level by hiring Coach Andrew or Coach Ricky:
https://fascatcoaching.com/collections/coaches/products/andrew-giniat
https://fascatcoaching.com/collections/coaches/products/ricky-arnopol
--
Try CoachCat Free for a month - with no credit card required ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4
😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price.
📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans
⏰ Instant Data Analysis
💥 Custom Workout Recommendations
🧠 Training Plan Revisions
🚀 Auto FTP Detection
If you're a longtime FasCat podcast listener, then you know we're big believers in strength training in the offseason. The science has long proven the benefits for endurance athletes.
But what's new? What's the latest science?
That is exactly what Coaches Andrew and Sierra get into in this pod, as Sierra brushes up on her master's degree studies with the latest research.
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Want to add weight lifting to your cycling training and get Coach Sierra or Andrew's help? Please visit https://fascatcoaching.com/pages/hire-a-coach
to learn more about them, fill out a new athlete questionnaire and to schedule a coaching consultation with them!
Not ready for a Coach yet but still want to improve under the guidance of a coach? Try CoachCat! Its like hiring a Pro Coach for a fraction of the price of personal coaching. Getting started is as easy as 1,2, 3 and the 1st month is free, go here ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4
Then follow Coach Frank's Top 4 Tips:
#1 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans
#2 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price.
#3 Sync all your devices: Whoop, Wahoo, Zwift, Garmin, Hammerhead, Oura, Apple Watch and more!
# 4 receive Instant Data Analysis +
💥 Custom Workout Recommendations
🧠 Training Plan Revisions
🚀 Auto FTP Detection
🤓 Plus we have connected your activity and wearable data to our AI Coach (CoachCat) to analyze your training-to-recovery balance.
FasCat friends, we invite you to join us on Zwift for our Saturday Sweet Spot group rides, where Coaches Jake and Frank lead A and B groups and we chat on Discord.
In this podcast, we talk about why so many riders love this wintertime format of getting high-quality, semi-structured work in with a social group. The time flies by, the kJs shoot up, and you can feeeeel yourself getting faster.
Join the FasCat club on Zwift and then join our Saturday ride. (If you are already on Zwift, there is no additional cost.)
Learn more and sign up here:
https://fascatcoaching.com/blogs/training-tips/sweet-spot-saturday-base-rides
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Take your training to the next level by hiring Coach Jake: https://fascatcoaching.com/collections/coaches/products/jake-rytlewski
--
Try CoachCat Free for a month - with no credit card required ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4
😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price.
📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans
⏰ Instant Data Analysis
💥 Custom Workout Recommendations
🧠 Training Plan Revisions
🚀 Auto FTP Detection
FasCat Coaching has been working with riders of all ages for 20 years, and while the fundamentals of training are the same, the science and technology and culture have changed tremendously. Nowhere are these changes more dramatic than what is going on with younger riders.
In this podcast, Coaches Justin and Frank delve into what's changed and why, and what the best ways are for helping young riders develop in a healthy, fun, sustainable way.
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Take your training to the next level by hiring Coach Justin: https://fascatcoaching.com/collections/coaches/products/justin-bowes
--
Try CoachCat Free for a month - with no credit card required ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4
😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price.
📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans
⏰ Instant Data Analysis
💥 Custom Workout Recommendations
🧠 Training Plan Revisions
🚀 Auto FTP Detection
If you want to improve something, measure it. This applies in life and on the bike. Whether you're talking blood pressure, finances, or FTP, how can you know something is improving if you are not accurately measuring it?
The same principle applies to training stress, a key summative metric that quantifies the total load of your training. As coaches and as athletes, we can measure how much work you are doing each day, each week, each month and each year. We balance this with measurements of your recovery metrics, and make prescriptions from there based on your goals.
Training Stress Score has long been used to measure training load, and it's a great metric. There are two problems, though: TSS gives you credit for coasting, and it gives you the same amount of credit for a certain amount of wattage in hour one as the same amount of wattage in hour four.
As you have probably noticed doing a two-hour ride on Zwift vs a two-hour ride outside, not coasting at all for two hours makes a big difference in how much work you are doing! Similarly, you know how much harder - how much more stressful - a 250w effort feels late in a long ride compared to when you first start.
Now, Zwift is a great tool, but don't misunderstand - we aren't advocating that you do all your rides inside! We are simply advocating that you accurately measure your training wherever you do it, so together we can precisely apply the right training load to make you better!
At FasCat, we address these issues and other improvements with Optimized Training Stress, which is found exclusively in the CoachCat app.
Learn more inside this podcast with Coach Andrew Giniat and FasCat Founder Frank Overton.
Take your training to the next level by hiring Coach Andrew: https://fascatcoaching.com/collections/coaches/products/andrew-giniat
--
Try CoachCat Free for a month - with no credit card required ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4
😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price.
📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans
⏰ Instant Data Analysis
💥 Custom Workout Recommendations
🧠 Training Plan Revisions
🚀 Auto FTP Detection
So you're signed up for a couple big races this year - now what? Coaches Andrew and Ricky break down the planning process on this podcast, including:
-how to set your A-race goal (process and power are usually better than time)
-how to fill in B and C races
-how to determine the optimal number of events
-classic planning mistakes to watch out for (we've seen a lot of them! and done a few ourselves...)
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Take your training to the next level by hiring Coach Andrew: https://fascatcoaching.com/collections/coaches/products/andrew-giniat
Or by hiring Coach Ricky
https://fascatcoaching.com/collections/coaches/products/ricky-arnopol
--
Try CoachCat Free for a month - with no credit card required ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4
😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price.
📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans
⏰ Instant Data Analysis
💥 Custom Workout Recommendations
🧠 Training Plan Revisions
🚀 Auto FTP Detection
Normally in cycling, it's a two-out-of-three situation: strong, light, cheap; or aero, light, inexpensive... And the same often applies when it comes to training: you can't blow off structure and expect to get fast and stay fit.
However! On today's podcast FasCat Coaches Frank and Andrew explain how you can have fun, be flexible, and still achieve effective results by training with the FasCat method.
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Take your training to the next level by hiring Coach Andrew: https://fascatcoaching.com/collections/coaches/products/andrew-giniat
--
Try CoachCat Free for a month - with no credit card required ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4
😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price.
📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans
⏰ Instant Data Analysis
💥 Custom Workout Recommendations
🧠 Training Plan Revisions
🚀 Auto FTP Detection
If you're a longtime FasCat podcast listener, then you know we're big believers in strength training in the offseason. The science has long proven the benefits for endurance athletes.
But what's new? What's the latest science?
That is exactly what Coaches Andrew and Sierra get into in this pod, as Sierra brushes up on her master's degree studies with the latest research.
--
Want to add weight lifting to your cycling training and get Coach Sierra or Andrew's help? Please visit https://fascatcoaching.com/pages/hire-a-coach
to learn more about them, fill out a new athlete questionnaire and to schedule a coaching consultation with them!
Not ready for a Coach yet but still want to improve under the guidance of a coach? Try CoachCat! Its like hiring a Pro Coach for a fraction of the price of personal coaching. Getting started is as easy as 1,2, 3 and the 1st month is free, go here ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4
Then follow Coach Frank's Top 4 Tips:
#1 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans
#2 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price.
#3 Sync all your devices: Whoop, Wahoo, Zwift, Garmin, Hammerhead, Oura, Apple Watch and more!
# 4 receive Instant Data Analysis +
💥 Custom Workout Recommendations
🧠 Training Plan Revisions
🚀 Auto FTP Detection
🤓 Plus we have connected your activity and wearable data to our AI Coach (CoachCat) to analyze your training-to-recovery balance.
Between mainstream media reports of national obesity and cycling media reports of pro riders consuming huge amounts of carbohydrates, we cyclists are bombarded with often-conflicting information about food. What's a cyclist to do?
On this new monthly series, FasCat Coach Andrew Giniat digs into the latest sports nutrition research with the help of an expert to help guide you in your training, your fueling, and your overall pursuit of a healthy life.
On this episode, Andrew is joined by performance dietitian Alex Winnicki, a board-certified specialist in sports dietetics and founder of Second Arrow Nutrition.
Together, Andrew and Alex discuss particular examples of what healthy eating and fueling for hard training means for you. Alex argues that there aren't 'good foods' and 'bad foods' - a lot of nutrition is condition-specific.
"Our environment tells us that salad is the healthy choice," Alex says, giving an example. "But if you're not eating enough and your health is falling apart...eating salad and then riding for five hours is not the way to health."
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Take your training to the next level by hiring Coach Andrew: https://fascatcoaching.com/collections/coaches/products/andrew-giniat
or
Save 50% on CoachCat from now until Dec. 2nd, 2024!
https://app.fascat.ai/promo?sale=true
Then follow Coach Frank's top 4 tips to ride faster! #1 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans
#2 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price.
#3 Sync all your devices: Whoop, Wahoo, Zwift, Garmin, Hammerhead, Oura, Apple Watch and more!
# 4 receive Instant Data Analysis +
💥 Custom Workout Recommendations
🧠 Training Plan Revisions
🚀 Auto FTP Detection
🤓 Plus we have connected your activity and wearable data to our AI Coach (CoachCat) to analyze your training-to-recovery balance.
Tadej Pogacar is a talent of a generation, able to watlz away from the world's best riders seemingly at will in both one-day and stage races. But why is he so good?
Sure, his natural gifts play a huge role, as do years of elite training. But on this podcast, we present a different view.
Three things make Tadej fast: his upbringing, his mental outlook and his genetics.
While you can't change your genes, you can steer your mental outlook. And, you can influence the upbringing of the next generation of cyclists.
Listen in to learn how.
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You may Hire Coach Justin here https://fascatcoaching.com/collections/coaches/products/justin-bowes
or
Save 50% on CoachCat from now until Dec. 2nd, 2024!
https://app.fascat.ai/promo?sale=true
Then follow Coach Frank's top 4 tips to ride faster! #1 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans
#2 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price.
#3 Sync all your devices: Whoop, Wahoo, Zwift, Garmin, Hammerhead, Oura, Apple Watch and more!
# 4 receive Instant Data Analysis +
💥 Custom Workout Recommendations
🧠 Training Plan Revisions
🚀 Auto FTP Detection
🤓 Plus we have connected your activity and wearable data to our AI Coach (CoachCat) to analyze your training-to-recovery balance.
Want to ride faster next year than you did this year? The time to start training is now, and we have a 30-week training plan that scales to your schedule.
On this podcast, FascCat Founder Frank Overton walks you through the details of what this 30-week program entails - Muscle Tension Intervals, Nino's Secret Training, Foliage Rides, Weightlifting for Cyclists and much more.
The best way to get faster is not the latest supplement or a particular magic workout. Instead, the best way to get faster is through training consistently, following a science-based plan tailored to your time to train and your goals.
Our training app CoachCat not only builds custom plans for you, but helps you adapt when life throws you a curveball. Between work, kids, travel, sickness and weather, life can get tricky. We get it!
CoachCat answers your questions when you need to skip a workout, or change workouts around.
As always, consistency is key! This month we are encouraging your consistency by sending FasCat T shirts to athletes who make 80% of their CoachCat calendar turn green through completing at least 80% of their scheduled workouts in October.
--
Try CoachCat Free for a month - with no credit card required ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4
😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price.
📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans
⏰ Instant Data Analysis
💥 Custom Workout Recommendations
🧠 Training Plan Revisions
🚀 Auto FTP Detection
🤓 Plus we have connected your activity and wearable data to our AI Coach (CoachCat) to analyze your training-to-recovery balance.
What are the hot gravel races for 2025? Sign-up season has already started, so on this podcast we're digging into our favorite events, exploring some big changes in race formats, and explain how and when you should train for these challenging events.
We're joined by longtime friend of FasCat Ben Delaney, who runs a gravel YouTube channel called The Ride.
Dig in and start dreaming about next year. Then, get started with your training with CoachCat or a FasCat Coach!
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Go give it a try for free for a month - no credit card required. We'll give you a custom plan for you to follow and unlimited plan revisions for when 'life' gets in the way.
➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4
😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price without having to wait for them to respond or analyze your data.
📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans
⏰ Instant Data Analysis
💥 Custom Workout Recommendations
🧠 Training Plan Revisions
🚀 Auto FTP Detection
🤓 Plus we have connected your activity and wearable data to our AI Coach (CoachCat) to analyze your training-to-recovery balance.
We get faster when we follow a training plan, but stock plans have obvious limitations. Therefore, creating a plan that is customized to your goals and your available time to train is ideal - and that is exactly what we talk about here.
We begin with three simple but important questions:
- What are you training for?
- When is your target event?
- How much time do you have to train?
From there, we can build a plan just for you. And by ‘we’, we mean you and CoachCat, our AI-powered training app that incorporates all 20+ years of our professional coaching knowledge.Our custom training plan builder uses the most advanced periodized training plan system in the industry. We took our five star rated plans, proven by thousands of athletes just like you (read our five star reviews) and modified them based on athlete feedback to developed this technology.
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Go give it a try for free for a month - no credit card required. Simply download the CoachCat app and answer those three questions.
➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4
😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price without having to wait for them to respond or analyze your data.
💥 Receive CUSTOM fueling recommendations per this podcast
📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans
⏰ Instant Data Analysis
💥 Custom Workout Recommendations
🧠 Training Plan Revisions
🚀 Auto FTP Detection
🤓 Plus we have connected your activity and wearable data to our AI Coach (CoachCat) to analyze your training-to-recovery balance.
At FasCat, we've been helping athletes improve for more than 20 years. But how? In this podcast, Isaiah Newkirk and Frank Overton break down the three primary things good coaches do:
- We tell athletes what to do
- We analyze data to let athletes know if they are doing it right and improving
- We tell athletes what to do next based on our experience, sports science and the athlete’s feedback
Then, Isaiah and Frank walk you through the specifics of what the coached athlete journey looks like at FasCat, from the initial consultatoin and custom plans to ride analysis, communication frequency and type, power meter and wearable data analysis, and much, much more.
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Try FasCat for Free for the 1st Month ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4 - no credit card is required!
😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price without having to wait for them to respond or analyze your data.
💥 Receive CUSTOM fueling recommendations per this podcast
📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans
⏰ Instant Data Analysis
💥 Custom Workout Recommendations
🧠 Training Plan Revisions
🚀 Auto FTP Detection
🤓 Plus we have connected your activity and wearable data to our AI Coach (CoachCat) to analyze your training-to-recovery balance.
The road to a faster, fitter you in 2025 leads straight through the weight room in 2024, and in this podcast FasCat Founder Frank Overton walks us through exactly what that looks like.
Frank breaks down the what, the why, the when and the how, leaving you empowered with the knowledge of how to steadily and safely improve your strength and stability.
--
Try FasCat for Free for the 1st Month ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4 - no credit card is required!
😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price without having to wait for them to respond or analyze your data.
💥 Receive CUSTOM fueling recommendations per this podcast
📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans
⏰ Instant Data Analysis
💥 Custom Workout Recommendations
🧠 Training Plan Revisions
🚀 Auto FTP Detection
🤓 Plus we have connected your activity and wearable data to our AI Coach (CoachCat) to analyze your training-to-recovery balance.
🥦🥕🥗 And don't forget performance nutrition and weight loss meal plans a la Chef CoachCat.
As effective and gratifying as following a carefully crafted training plan can be, sometimes you just want to ride... And that can be impactful training, too!
Especially here in the fall, riding on a weekly rhythm of taking some days off, and going hard and/or long on other days is a great recipe for mental and physical health.
On this solo podcast, FasCat Founder Frank Overton breaks down exactly how you can train effectively without following a training plan, the limits of this approach, and how you can use Coach Cat for guidance along the way.
--
Try FasCat for Free for the 1st Month ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4 - no credit card is required!
😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price without having to wait for them to respond or analyze your data.
💥 Receive CUSTOM fueling recommendations per this podcast
📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans
⏰ Instant Data Analysis
💥 Custom Workout Recommendations
🧠 Training Plan Revisions
🚀 Auto FTP Detection
🤓 Plus we have connected your activity and wearable data to our AI Coach (CoachCat) to analyze your training-to-recovery balance.
🥦🥕🥗 And don't forget performance nutrition and weight loss meal plans a la Chef CoachCat.
Hoping to have your best year next year is not a strategy. But you absolutely CAN have your best year ever next year with some planning, starting now.
In this podcast, Coaches Allie, Frank, Jake and Andrew walk you through what you need to do when, starting with taking an actual, legit, no-bike riding break once your season wraps up.
Then what? Well, give this podcast a listen, and then ask Coach Cat or a FasCat Coach any follow up questions you may have.
--
Show Notes:
Using Power Data to Review Your Season:
https://fascatcoaching.com/blogs/training-tips/using-power-data-to-review-your-season
Try FasCat for Free for the 1st Month ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4 - no credit card is required!
😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price without having to wait for them to respond or analyze your data.
💥 Receive CUSTOM fueling recommendations per this podcast
📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans
⏰ Instant Data Analysis
💥 Custom Workout Recommendations
🧠 Training Plan Revisions
🚀 Auto FTP Detection
🤓 Plus we have connected your activity and wearable data to our AI Coach (CoachCat) to analyze your training-to-recovery balance.
🥦🥕🥗 And don't forget performance nutrition and weight loss meal plans a la Chef CoachCat.
Welcome to an in person in Steamboat Springs, CO podcast. The FasCat Coaches and myself were just here for the Steamboat Gravel race and today we are talking about your training for 2025.
On the episode we have coaches:
Elliott
Andrew
Justin
Maddy
Jake
Ricky
Each with their own expertise and unique approach to annual training.
We are going to talk about
Fall Foundation
Weight Lifting
Base Training
Using Sweet Spot to Build a Bigger base
Switching from base to Race
And Interval training
Here at FasCat, we have been answering your training questions for more than 20 years, and we've done 27 'Ask a FasCat' podcast episodes.
On today's pod, we have a special iteration featuring questions from 21 email subscribers that are answered both by CoachCat - our expert AI inside the FasCat App - and FasCat Founder Frank Overton.
Frank feeds the questions into CoachCat, reads CoachCat's responses, and then adds his own expert analysis. Both offer some surprising answers!
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Try FasCat for Free for the 1st Month ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4 - no credit card is required!
😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price without having to wait for them to respond or analyze your data.
💥 Receive CUSTOM fueling recommendations per this podcast
📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans
⏰ Instant Data Analysis
💥 Custom Workout Recommendations
🧠 Training Plan Revisions
🚀 Auto FTP Detection
🤓 Plus we have connected your activity and wearable data to our AI Coach (CoachCat) to analyze your training-to-recovery balance.
🥦🥕🥗 And don't forget performance nutrition and weight loss meal plans a la Chef CoachCat.
With your big event coming up, you should have almost all your training behind you. All the hay is in the barn. But even the best training alone isn't a complete recipe for success on race day. Showing up and just hoping for the best will always pale in comparision to showing up prepared, having considered and planned for key variables like:
- nutrition
- equipment
- course terrain
- aid station logistics
- race-day transportation logistics
In this podcast, FasCat Coaches Sierra, Jake and Frank walk you through the discussions they have with their one-on-one coached athletes to make sure all the i's are dotted and all the t's are crossed.
Are you prepared for you next big race? Are you sure?
If you are a FasCa one-on-one athlete you may have heard this before. If you’d like to be you can hire Coach Jake, Coach Sierra or an of the FasCat Coaches on our website, FasCatCoaching.com.
We even have a super double-secret coaching deal going on right now through August 10.
If you are a FasCat app subscriber - you are in luck because CoachCat is trained on this, too! All you gotta do is ask and tell. That’s right: chat with CoachCat and say, “what should my aid station strategy be for ___ race?” Ask about the Coursee, Pacing, Equipment, Nutrition, where should I eat and drink, nutrition, equipment... whatever you like! CoachCat has got your back!
If you’d like to try CoachCat for free for one month head over also to FasCatCoaching.com - start a free trial, no credit card is required and after that you can save 43% when you sign up with us for the year. 43%! That brings the monthly price down to less than $20 a month.
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Try FasCat for Free for the 1st Month ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4 - no credit card is required!
😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price without having to wait for them to respond or analyze your data.
💥 Receive CUSTOM fueling recommendations per this podcast
📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans
⏰ Instant Data Analysis
💥 Custom Workout Recommendations
🧠 Training Plan Revisions
🚀 Auto FTP Detection
🤓 Plus we have connected your activity and wearable data to our AI Coach (CoachCat) to analyze your training-to-recovery balance.
🥦🥕🥗 And don't forget performance nutrition and weight loss meal plans a la Chef CoachCat.
More altitude can mean more power... eventually.
Training at altitude - or even just sleeping at altitude - can increase your red blood cell production, which means more oxygen to your muscles and therefore more power output. There are other benefits, and many caveats. And we get into those.
But what about riders who don't live at or near altitude - and who have a high altitude race like Leadville 100 or SBT GRVL coming up? Well, we'll get into that, too.
On today's podcast Coach Frank is joined by Coach Elliott, who falls into that "I live near sea level and I'm doing Leadville in a few weeks" camp. Elliott explains what he's been doing to prepare, and how he is coaching his athletes for Leadville and SBT GRVL.
You might not be able to do nine week at altitude like Tour de France stage winner Victor Campenaerts, but there are things you can do!
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Try FasCat for Free for the 1st Month ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4 - no credit card is required!
😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price without having to wait for them to respond or analyze your data.
💥 Receive CUSTOM fueling recommendations per this podcast
📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans
⏰ Instant Data Analysis
💥 Custom Workout Recommendations
🧠 Training Plan Revisions
🚀 Auto FTP Detection
🤓 Plus we have connected your activity and wearable data to our AI Coach (CoachCat) to analyze your training-to-recovery balance.
🥦🥕🥗 And don't forget performance nutrition and weight loss meal plans a la Chef CoachCat.
For 22 years we have analyzed files from every single type of power meter on the market, and as coaches and riders we have used a whole heck of a lot of them ourselves.
Considering buying a power meter? Well, the Big Cat just got a new bike and bought a new power meter, and he went with a brand he had never bought before. Here, we walk you through the five considerations when buying a meter.
- Compatibility
- Trust in the data
- Drivetrain considerations
- The type of meter you SHOULDN'T get
- Price is less and less a consideration as they have all come down (remember SRM’s were $3k og) all are around $400 give or take 50-$100
Give it a listen, and let us know what your experience with power meters has been. We're here to help!
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Try FasCat for Free for the 1st Month ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4 - no credit card is required!
😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price without having to wait for them to respond or analyze your data.
💥 Receive CUSTOM fueling recommendations per this podcast
📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans
⏰ Instant Data Analysis
💥 Custom Workout Recommendations
🧠 Training Plan Revisions
🚀 Auto FTP Detection
🤓 Plus we have connected your activity and wearable data to our AI Coach (CoachCat) to analyze your training-to-recovery balance.
🥦🥕🥗 And don't forget performance nutrition and weight loss meal plans a la Chef CoachCat.
We're always game for trying something new here at FasCat, and this week we did a live session on YouTube where we took your questions while recording this podcast.
We answer things like:
- Does the FasCat app work with sports besides cycling?
- How can I know if I can trust auto-detected FTP increases?
- Who answers user questions inside the FasCat app?
- When is the Zwift integration coming?
- How can I best do my specific workouts outside?
- Why is erg mode bad for intervals inside?
- When doing a Zone 2 ride, is it okay to pedal in other zones to get over hills and things?
And much more!
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Try FasCat for Free for the 1st Month ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4 - no credit card is required!
😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price without having to wait for them to respond or analyze your data.
💥 Receive CUSTOM fueling recommendations per this podcast
📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans
⏰ Instant Data Analysis
💥 Custom Workout Recommendations
🧠 Training Plan Revisions
🚀 Auto FTP Detection
🤓 Plus we have connected your activity and wearable data to our AI Coach (CoachCat) to analyze your training-to-recovery balance.
🥦🥕🥗 And don't forget performance nutrition and weight loss meal plans a la Chef CoachCat.
It's the summer of gravel, and we've got some proven techniques for you to step up your gravel game starting now.
On this podcast, Coaches Frank Justin break down six aspects of gravel training you can use now:
- mindset
- gravel specificity
- workouts for gravel
- simulation rides
- gravel training plans
- nutrition
Fresh back from the Belgian Waffle Ride, we are surfing the highs (and the lows!) of gravel racing with you.
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Try FasCat for Free for the 1st Month ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4 - no credit card is required!
😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price without having to wait for them to respond or analyze your data.
💥 Receive CUSTOM fueling recommendations per this podcast
📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans
⏰ Instant Data Analysis
💥 Custom Workout Recommendations
🧠 Training Plan Revisions
🚀 Auto FTP Detection
🤓 Plus we have connected your activity and wearable data to our AI Coach (CoachCat) to analyze your training-to-recovery balance.
🥦🥕🥗 And don't forget performance nutrition and weight loss meal plans a la Chef CoachCat.
Riding in the heat of summer can be hard, but why exactly is that, and how can you train your body to perform better? In this podcast, Coaches Ricky Arnopol and Andrew Giniat explain:
- heat acclimation for cycling
- what happens to the body when it's hot
- the heat acclimations that occur with the proper training
- the performance benefits of heat acclimation
- methods for accclimation
- and some practical actions you can take now to better equip yourself
In addition to working with athletes all over, Ricky and Andrew are both racing professionally now, and have plenty of experience training and racing in brutal heat.
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Try FasCat for Free for the 1st Month ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4 - no credit card is required!
😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price without having to wait for them to respond or analyze your data.
💥 Receive CUSTOM fueling recommendations per this podcast
📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans
⏰ Instant Data Analysis
💥 Custom Workout Recommendations
🧠 Training Plan Revisions
🚀 Auto FTP Detection
🤓 Plus we have connected your activity and wearable data to our AI Coach (CoachCat) to analyze your training-to-recovery balance.
🥦🥕🥗 And don't forget performance nutrition and weight loss meal plans a la Chef CoachCat.
As a father to five, Coach Jake knows a thing or two about earning and keeping those Dad Watts.
On this podcast, he and dad-to-be Coach Christian talk about various strategies for taking care of your family and training when time allows. They discuss how to maximize the benefit from those precious hours on the bike.
We also give a few shouts outs to our own fathers. Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there!
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Try FasCat for Free for the 1st Month ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4 - no credit card is required!
😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price without having to wait for them to respond or analyze your data.
💥 Receive CUSTOM fueling recommendations per this podcast
📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans
⏰ Instant Data Analysis
💥 Custom Workout Recommendations
🧠 Training Plan Revisions
🚀 Auto FTP Detection
🤓 Plus we have connected your activity and wearable data to our AI Coach (CoachCat) to analyze your training-to-recovery balance.
🥦🥕🥗 And don't forget performance nutrition and weight loss meal plans a la Chef CoachCat.
Lauren De Crescenzo sent a solo flyer at Unbound Gravel 2024 in hopes of repeating her 2021 victory. How did it work out? What did the chaos of the race look like from her perspective? And what are the takeaways for going forward in racing and training? Lauren speaks with her Coach Elliott Baring all the time, and on this special episode we bring you inside their post-Unbound debrief.
Elliott is too humble to brag, so we'll do it for him - the dude won the 100-mile Unbound Gravel! So make sure to ask him about that soon...
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Try FasCat for Free for the 1st Month ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4 - no credit card is required!
😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price without having to wait for them to respond or analyze your data.
💥 Receive CUSTOM fueling recommendations per this podcast
📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans
⏰ Instant Data Analysis
💥 Custom Workout Recommendations
🧠 Training Plan Revisions
🚀 Auto FTP Detection
🤓 Plus we have connected your activity and wearable data to our AI Coach (CoachCat) to analyze your training-to-recovery balance.
🥦🥕🥗 And don't forget performance nutrition and weight loss meal plans a la Chef CoachCat.
Fun, flexibile and highly effective — that is the FasCat way to train.
On this special episode, FasCat Founder Frank Overton explains how the FasCat App has incorporated all the most impactful pieces of FasCat training methodology in a customized format that scales to your available time and gives your real-time feedback to every single workout.
There are a lot of old and perhaps outdated ways of thinking about training out there. Give this podcast a listen to understand a new way of training - that is fun, flexible and highly effective.
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Try FasCat for Free for the 1st Month ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4 - no credit card is required!
😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price without having to wait for them to respond or analyze your data.
💥 Receive CUSTOM fueling recommendations per this podcast
📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans
⏰ Instant Data Analysis
💥 Custom Workout Recommendations
🧠 Training Plan Revisions
🚀 Auto FTP Detection
🤓 Plus we have connected your activity and wearable data to our AI Coach (CoachCat) to analyze your training-to-recovery balance.
🥦🥕🥗 And don't forget performance nutrition and weight loss meal plans a la Chef CoachCat.
If you want to race well, you gotta pack in the carbs - before, during and after your big race. But exactly how does that work in real-world scenarios? And what exactly does the science say about it?
On this podcast, we cover six subjects:
-the science of carb loading and pre-ride nutrition
-the practicality of that science
-the science of how to fuel during an event
-the practicality of eating a high volume of calories during an event
-the thing of your neutron
-fueling examples that work for us and our athletes
Coach Christian Parrett and FasCat Founder Frank Overton tee you up with all the info and real-world examples you need to nail your next race - starting days before the event even starts.
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To get your nutrition - and training - dialed in by Coach Christian, hire him as a personal coach:
https://fascatcoaching.com/products/christian-parrett
Or
Try FasCat for Free for the 1st Month ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4 - no credit card is required!
😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price without having to wait for them to respond or analyze your data.
💥 Receive CUSTOM fueling recommendations per this podcast
📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans
⏰ Instant Data Analysis
💥 Custom Workout Recommendations
🧠 Training Plan Revisions
🚀 Auto FTP Detection
🤓 Plus we have connected your activity and wearable data to our AI Coach (CoachCat) to analyze your training-to-recovery balance.
🥦🥕🥗 And don't forget performance nutrition and weight loss meal plans a la Chef CoachCat.
Hello, listeners! We have a very different podcast for you today. We've taken your great questions that we normally answer with Coaches in our popular Ask a FasCat episodes and run them through our AI-powered CoachCat to answer them.
Further, the questions are asked by an AI version of FasCat Founder Frank Overton.
The real Frank explains how this experimental podcast will work at the start of the show, and then analyzes how it went along the way and at the end. As you probably know by now, AI can be surprisingly good with a number of things, but it lacks human judgement.
At FasCat, we are excited to be using the latest technology alongside our professional Coaching with their real-life experienece, not simply choosing one or the other.
Go see what AI-powered Coaching advice does with your own training inside the FasCat app, where the first month is free with no credit card required.
https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4
If you would like to use the same technology you heard in this podcast, visit our website start a free one month trial. No credit card is required and you can synch your ride and wearable data and start training like a pro for a fraction of the cost.
😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price without having to wait for them to respond or analyze your data.
📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans
⏰ Instant Data Analysis
💥 Custom Workout Recommendations
🧠 Training Plan Revisions
🚀 Auto FTP Detection
🤓 Plus we have connected your activity and wearable data to our AI Coach (CoachCat) to analyze your training-to-recovery balance.
🥦🥕🥗 And don't forget performance nutrition and weight loss meal plans a la Chef CoachCat.
Try FasCat for Free for the 1st Month ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4 - no credit card is required!
Gravel training is not the same as training for the road, and therefore you should pay attention to different power-based metrics. FTP is not as important nor is your peak 20-minute power. Nor your 5-minute power. So what should you be looking at and trying to improve?
In this podcast, we give you the power-based metrics you should pay attention to for your gravel training and racing!
What's important is how long you can ride hard. That's way more important than your 60-minute FTP power when it comes to gravel racing.
In fact, you can have a low FTP but great 5-hour power. We can that strength 'diesel watts'. Are you a diesel? If so you are probably good at gravel racing!
To see what effective gravel training is like including the new Gravel Power workout described in this podcast, try the FasCat app, where the first month is now free!
https://fascatcoaching.com/pages/app
📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans
⏰ Instant Data Analysis
💥 Custom Workout Recommendations
🧠 Training Plan Revisions
🚀 Auto FTP Detection
🤓 Plus we have connected your activity and wearable data to our AI Coach (CoachCat) to analyze your training-to-recovery balance.
🥦🥕🥗 And don't forget performance nutrition and weight loss meal plans a la Chef CoachCat.
Hire Coach Andrew ➡️ https://fascatcoaching.com/collections/coaches/products/andrew-giniat
Try FasCat for Free ➡️ https://fascatcoaching.com/pages/app
Over the years, the internet has twisted the simple definition of FTP. We are here to bust those myths and set the record straight. Coach Jake and Frank also cover "Lactate Truthers", Zone 2 and finally our favorite the right and wrong usage of ERG mode.
ERG mode is great but it can be harmful to your training so we discuss.
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The first month of the FasCat app is now FREE:
https://fascatcoaching.com/pages/app
You'll receive a custom trainning plan, unlimited training plan revisisons, custom workouts, Auto FTP detection, daily Optimize training-to-recovery balance technology + meal plans, and of course the new AI-powered technology CoachCat!
Ride Faster Now with FasCat
Get started with your free month now:
https://fascatcoaching.com/pages/app
For years FasCat has touted 'FTFP' - or follow the f'ing plan! But we realize life often gets in the way of executing a detailed training plan to the T. And that's okay! On this podcast, we talk about how you can adapt to life's winding road, make changes in your training as things come up, but still stay the course to achieving your goals.
FasCat is here to help you stay consistent with two great options: you can hire a full-time professional coach or you can use our new FasCat App, which includes unlimited training plans, the Optimize training-to-recovery balance technology, meal plans, and of course the new AI-powered technology CoachCat!
Get started with your free month now:
https://fascatcoaching.com/app
Will AI replace human coaches in Endurance Sports? The short answer is YES. The long answer is No.
No doubt, AI will 100% change how humans coach endurance athletes. Or at least the Coaches who adopt and embrace the technology.
Gone are the days of a coach spending most of their time on training plan design, data analysis, custom workouts, scheduling and training plan revisions.
AI automates those tasks, mind blowingly well. In fact, our very own CoachCat performs these tasks NOW.
This frees up professional coaches to do what they do best, which is to guide athletes through their experience.
On this podcast, FasCat Founder Frank Overton explains what AI is doing now in endurance sports coaching, what it could in the future, and what this means for professional coaches and athletes alike.
Find out for yourself with a free month on the FasCat App, which includes unlimited training plans, the Optimize training-to-recovery balance technology, meal plans, and of course the new AI-powered technology CoachCat!
Get started with your free month now:
https://fascatcoaching.com/app
Do you have your first gravel race coming up? Or perhaps you’ve already done a few in years past, but you’ve got your first gravel race of the season in your sights. Well, on this podcast, Coach Justin Bowes and Ben Delaney walk you through five main tips so you will show up ready to have your best race.
Coach Justin explains how to:
1 get your body ready
2 get your bike ready
3 plan out your nutrition
4 dial in your equipment
and
5 practice, practice, practice everything on the all-important simulation ride
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Be sure to check out Coach Justin's page, where you can learn more about him and hire him as a personal coach:
https://fascatcoaching.com/products/justin-bowes
To start training for your best year yet, get a free month on the FasCat App, which includes unlimited training plans, the Optimize training-to-recovery balance technology, meal plans, access to FasCat Coaches like Justin and now the new AI-powered technology CoachCat!
Get started with your free month now:
https://fascatcoaching.com/app
If you're interested in going fast, then paying attention to what, when and how much you eat on the bike is of huge importance. And the science and practice of on-bike nutrition has rocketed ahead recently, with the huge amount of carbohydrate consumed in particular being a major change from just a few short years ago.
On this podcast, Coach Christian Parrett digs into what you need to know now to fuel your best races and intense training, based on the current science and how it applies to both elite pros and everyday Janes and Joes.
Coach Christian raced professionally for a number of years, and has some funny as well as enlightening stories to tell, comparing what is happening in sports science now with how things worked - or didn't! - back in his day.
We reference three links in the podcast:
-a power-to-speed calculator where you can tweak parameters like your weight and speed and ground surface to see how that affects the amount of power required:
https://www.gribble.org/cycling/power_v_speed.html
-an energy gel made from Belgian beer beef stew, stoofvlees:
https://www.instagram.com/p/C5Dax7yKUwC/?hl=en
-Coach Christian's page, where you can learn more about him and hire him as a personal coach:
https://fascatcoaching.com/collections/coaches/products/christian-parrett
To start training for your best year yet, get a free month on the FasCat App, which includes unlimited training plans, the Optimize training-to-recovery balance technology, meal plans, access to FasCat Coaches like Christian and now the new AI-powered technology CoachCat!
Get started with your free month now at https://fascatcoaching.com/app.
Working with Coach Elliott Baring, FasCat athlete Lauren De Crescenzo won her third Mid South this past weekend in dominant fashion. On this podcast Lauren and Elliott talk about how she trained to win this major 100-mile gravel race, the strategy and tactics and gear she used, what you can learn from her methodology, and what’s next on the calendar for the LDC.
To start training for your best year yet, get a free month on the FasCat App, which includes unlimited training plans, the Optimize training-to-recovery balance technology, meal plans, access to FasCat Coaches like Elliott and now the new AI-powered technology CoachCat!
Get started with your free month now at https://fascatcoaching.com/app.
You know what's better than a great day of racing? Multiple days of racing, all stacked together.
Whether a traditional stage race, a multi-day training camp or a race with some additional riding bolted on, there are a few ways to indulge in a big block on the bike, and on this podcast Coaches Sierra Sims and Ricky Arnopol join Ben Delaney to talk about fun and challenging road, mountain and gravel events that they have done and recommend, plus tips and strategies on how to get the most out of them.
To start training for your best year yet, get a free month on the FasCat App, which includes unlimited training plans, the Optimize training-to-recovery balance technology, meal plans, access to FasCat Coaches like Sierra and Ricky and now the new AI-powered technology CoachCat!
Get started with your free month now at https://fascatcoaching.com/app.
‘Know thyself,’ Plato said. ‘And know thy course,’ Coach Allie says.
With years of professional racing around the glove under her belt plus years of working with all levels of athletes, Coach Allie Legg knows what it takes to have a successful race. Here are her top 5 tips for having your best race.
Know the course, make (and use!) a pre-race checklist, prepare your nutrition the night before, be smart with your efforts, and take a chance!
To start training for your best year yet, get on the FasCat App, which includes unlimited training plans, the Optimize training-to-recovery balance technology, meal plans, access to FasCat Coaches like Allie Legg and now the new AI-powered technology CoachCat!
Use the code IMAFASCAT to get a free month of FasCat at FasCatCoaching.com.
Listen to your body, know the variables, don’t treat travel as rest, go with the flow, don’t diet on the bike!
Maddy Ward is a UCLA grad, a former pro with Tibco and InstaFund, and a new FasCat Coach who on this episode delivers her Top 5 Training & Racing Tips.
To start training for your best year yet, get on the FasCat App, which includes unlimited training plans, the Optimize training-to-recovery balance technology, meal plans, access to FasCat Coaches like Maddy Ward and now the new AI-powered technology CoachCat!
Use the code IMAFASCAT to get a free month of FasCat at FasCatCoaching.com.
Getting better and faster on the bike just got a whole lot better and a whole lot faster.
We are proud to announce CoachCat, an AI technology driven tool inside the FasCat App that delivers interactive workout analysis and guidance immediately upon upload of your workout.
Based on decades of our coaching experience and the cutting edge of both sports science and AI technology, CoachCat analyses your workout file and provides detailed, supportive and actionable text feedback - just like a FasCat Coach.
Further, you can ask CoachCat questions about the workout you just did, or a workout you have coming up. Things like, 'I only have an hour tomorrow but am feeling good, what should I do?'
CoachCat provides workout guidance and workout suggestions regardless of whether you are following a plan. Say you want to just ride most days in the week, but then want a suggestion of a workout for one day. CoachCat will offer you a workout based on your parameters and even location, and then once you approve the workout, CoachCat will add it to your calendar so you can view the details and send it to your bike computer.
This podcast is all about CoachCat and the future of training. Give it a listen!
Better yet, go chat with CoachCat yourself! Use the coach IMAFASCAT to get a free month of the FasCat App, which includes unlimited training plans, the Optimize training-to-recovery balance technology, meal plans, access to FasCat Coaches and, now, CoachCat!
One of the new hot topics in training is a concept dubbed ‘durability.’ It’s being talked about by WorldTour coaches and being written about in cycling media.
But what is durability really? Is it a new concept? Is it a metric? And most importantly, how do you train durability and test for it so that you can improve as a cyclist?
On this podcast, Coaches Christian Parrett and Andrew Giniat dig into what it is, why it matters, and how you can improve it.
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Have you been enjoying the FasCat Podcast? Please leave us a review on the App Store or Google Play. Thanks!
You can save 25% off a subscription to Optimize — your year-round training solution with unlimited training plans, meal plans, and strength and conditioning videos — with the code 25podcast.
Be your best. It’s a simple concept, and hard to achieve. So here, we’re going to keep it simple and straightforward, with five easy-to-remember mantras that will help you be your best in tangible ways.
Leading you in this is our new FasCat Coach Justin Bowes, an experienced coaching veteran across various disciplines.
--
Have you been enjoying the FasCat Podcast? Please leave us a review on the App Store or Google Play. Thanks!
You can save 25% off a subscription to Optimize — your year-round training solution with unlimited training plans, meal plans, and strength and conditioning videos — with the code 25podcast.
Following a prescribed training plan is the most effective way to improve as a cyclist, and yet… riding and racing in Zwift can be super fun. Can you do both? Yes, yes you can.
Here to help us on our digital and IRL training journey is Coach Jake Rytlewski, our in-house Zwift master and father of five - because you know those two things are related. (Jake also raced professionally for years, so Zwift isn't the only trick in his bag.)
Coach Jake breaks down Three Ways to Maximize your Zwift Training and Racing — with 9 tips for racing, instructions on how to do OTS rides on Zwift, and how to best incorporate Zwift into your training plan, whether you work with a coach or are self-guided.
Are you racing on Zwift? How many of these nine things are you doing?
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Line up early
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Be ready for a fast start
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Stay in the draft
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Don’t coast
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Know the course
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Know the Power Ups
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Know the finish
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Don’t judge your fitness based on a Zwift result
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Limit Zwift racing to once a week, twice at the most
Coach Jake raced for years as a pro, in Europe, Asia and in the US, before starting his now-12-year career as a Coach. You can learn more and hire him here: https://fascatcoaching.com/collections/coaches/products/jake-rytlewski
--
Have you been enjoying the FasCat Podcast? Please leave us a review on the App Store or Google Play. Thanks!
You can save 25% off a subscription to Optimize — your year-round training solution with unlimited training plans, meal plans, and strength and conditioning videos — with the code 25podcast.
It’s January and many of us are in the thick of new year’s resolutions that may or may not last. Here to help us become better cyclists - with 10 easy-to-form habits that can last and only take 10 minutes or less - is Coach Sierra Sims.
Coach Sierra holds a Master's Degree in exercise physiology, and she did graduate work on the physiology of master’s cyclists and bone health in female road cyclists, mountain bikers, and runners.
This woman is an expert, folks!
Sierra has also won a national MTB championship, and raced at the national level in road and ’cross as well, along with racing in Europe for the USA national team.
Suffice it to say, you're in good hands here, folks. Listen in so you can pick up 10 good habits that will improve your cycling in 10 minutes or less.
You see what you are looking for - Awareness Test: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ahg6qcgoay4
Sierra's 4-way charging cable: http://tinyurl.com/yc25z349
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You can save 25% off a subscription to Optimize — your year-round training solution with unlimited training plans, meal plans, and strength and conditioning videos — with the code 25podcast.
Sweet Spot training is great for a number of things, and today we’re talking about how it’s highly effective for racking up Training Load - a key metric for any cyclist’s training plan.
Training Load is the forest view of your fitness, a weighted 42-day rolling average of your recent workouts. The higher the load, the more potential fitness you have at your disposal.
On a daily perspective, you might be familiar with TSS from your Garmin or Wahoo - TSS stands for Training Stress Score. FasCat founder Frank Overton helped create this metric back in the day! Now at FasCat we use OTS, or Optimized Training Score, which is a more refined metric that accounts for things like coasting during a ride or weighting the power output at the end of four-hour rides higher than the same output in hour one.
On this podcast, Frank and Ben Delaney talk about doing OTS workouts - where the objective is to rack up a prescribed amount of work, not to follow a bar-graph set of intervals.
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You can save 25% off a subscription to Optimize — your year-round training solution with unlimited training plans, meal plans, and strength and conditioning videos — with the code 25podcast.
Goals are great to have, but a specific plan to reach your goals is where the rubber meets the road - or trail.
In this podcast Coach Elliott Baring walks you through the three steps to achieve your cycling goals:
- determine your goals
- determine the demands of your goals
- build the training timeline to reach your goals
As a precursor, the nine talented athletes who comprise the Optimize Collective tell us what they are training for, and how they are working with their coach to get there.
Then, Coach Elliott breaks down how you can set your training to achieve your goals, using some examples of two-time Unbound Gravel winner Lauren De Crescenzo, whom he is coaching this year, as well as his own goals, like Belgian Waffle Ride North Carolina and the Leadville Trail 100.
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You can save 25% off a subscription to Optimize — your year-round training solution with unlimited training plans, meal plans, and strength and conditioning videos — with the code 25podcast.
Group Rides and Sweet Spot - two things we love here at FasCat. This podcast puts the two together.
If you’re new to the pod, welcome! And if you’re new to the concept of Sweet Spot, know that it’s a training zone and a training technique. As a zone, it's between 84% to 97% of your functional threshold power.
At FasCat, we have Sweet Spot training baked into many of our training plans, especially at this time of the year.
And yes, you can do Sweet Spot workouts on the trainer or by yourself. But cycling is often more fun with others, and the real jedi magic for training is when you can incorporate specific training into either the landscape - like hills or wind - or group rides or even races!
So, how to Sweet Spot in the group ride? The answer, as always is: IT DEPENDS. So we discuss a few scenarios: Hard group rides, medium hard group rides, and then the all-important post-ride analysis.
This is the fourth episode in an eight-pod series on Sweet Spot.
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You can save 25% off a subscription to Optimize — your year-round training solution with unlimited training plans, meal plans, and strength and conditioning videos — with the code 25podcast.
There are so many rad races available for us in 2024, and here, the FasCat Coaches walk you through 40 events that we're excited about.
We’ve got recommendations for road events, gravel events, stages races, mountain bike events, gran fondo events, and more.
While most of the races we suggest are in the United States (as this is our area of expertise), we do have a trio of recommendations in Europe.
When you’ve picked out an event or events you want to train for, we have two great ways to help you get there:
-an Optimize subscription with unlimited training plans
-personal coaching with one of the experts you hear on this podcast
Happy New Year and all the best in 2024!
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You can save 25% off a subscription to Optimize — your year-round training solution with unlimited training plans, meal plans, and strength and conditioning videos — with the code 25podcast.
Riding too hard, too often. Bonking. Not having fun! As cyclists, we have some bad habits, and this podcast is about a few common ailments, and how to avoid them.
Today we have Coach Ricky Arnopol joining us to talk about 6 Bad Habits he often sees in his coached athletes, his pro teammates on the UCI Continental Team Project Echelon, and cyclists in general.
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You can save 25% off a subscription to Optimize — your year-round training solution with unlimited training plans, meal plans, and strength and conditioning videos — with the code 25podcast.
To sweet spot or not to sweet spot - that is NOT the question! Of course you should sweet spot. Everybody does - whether they are doing so consciously or not.
But WHEN to sweet spot, and WHEN NOT to sweet spot, THAT is the question.
And that is the subject of today’s podcast. If you don’t have time to listen to the entire pod, or you get interrupted, the takeaway here is that most of you should be sweetspotting now, during the winter and early spring, and then when you switch from base to race, that’s when you should stop sweet spotting and focus on your intervals.
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You can save 25% off your subscription to Optimize — your year-round training solution with unlimited training plans, meal plans and strength and conditioning videos — with the code 25podcast.
Training is more fun and effective when you’re comfortable and stoked on your gear.
Sure, you could train like Rocky in cotton sweats in the freezing cold of a Philadelphia winter, or stare at the wall of a basement on a trainer like Graeme Obree, but for most of us, having good gear makes a world of difference, whether in clothing or digital measurement and entertainment.
So on this podcast we are talking about gear! We’ve got all the coaches cued up with hot picks, we are talking gear we know and love and recommend, as well as some pieces we do not own but are coveting.
We’re talking about clothing. power meters, heart rate monitors, wearables, outside bikes, inside bikes, smart trainers, tires, software and more.
And, we’re talking about great products from our partners where you get discounts on everything as a subscriber to Optimize - including Castelli, Stages, Ventum, Hammerhead, and Whoop.
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You can save 25% off your subscription to Optimize — your year-round training solution with unlimited training plans, meal plans and strength and conditioning videos — with the code 25podcast.
What, when and how much - those are the three big questions of training.
We dig into that question for our second podcast in an 8-pod series on Sweet Spot: How much Sweet Spot should you do?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer, of course, and how much Sweet Spot you should do depends on:
- Your ability level
- The time of year
- The type and duration of the event you are training for
- Your training progression from week to week
In this podcast we break down several scenarios so we can leave you with a good understanding of the what, the when, and the how much.
Here is a link to the chart by ability, discipline and time of year that we reference in the pod: https://fascatcoaching.com/blogs/training-tips/how-much-sweet-spot-training
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You can save 25% off your subscription to Optimize — your year-round training solution with unlimited training plans, meal plans and strength and conditioning videos — with the code 25podcast.
In the spirit of annual training and periodization, now that we have covered weight lifting, the next phase of your training is the base phase.
And longtime loyal listeners know we love the sweet spot - the ultimate way to build your base.
This is episode # 1 of an 8 part Series of Sweet Spot Podcasts coming up these next few weeks and months.
Today we’ll cover What Sweet Spot is.
In the coming weeks we’ll talk about:
- How Much Sweet Spot Should You Do?
- When to Sweet Spot and when NOT to Sweet Spot
- Sweet Spotting on Group Rides
- Sweet Spot OTS Rides
- Sweet Spotting on Zwift
- Why Sweet Spot is Better than Zone 2 for 40+, 50+ and 60+ cyclists
- Sweet Spot vs Polarized
In the pod we reference a physiological adaptations by training zone chart. You can view that chart here: https://fascatcoaching.com/blogs/training-tips/sweet-spot-versus-zone-2-training-plan-design
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You can save 25% off your subscription to Optimize — your year-round training solution with unlimited training plans, meal plans and strength and conditioning videos — with the code 25podcast.
At FasCat we’re all about helping you get faster and have more fun, with training methods proven by science and our experience with thousands of athletes.
One thing the scientific community has proven is that taking time to be grateful makes measurable, positive effects on your life.
Going back 20 years to a study by Dr Robert Emmons, psychologists have consistently found that being grateful can have positive effects on your mental state.
Further studies since then have shown that taking time to be grateful - to count your blessings, as it were - can benefit your physical wellbeing, too.
So in the spirit of doing some intervals with the aim of improving, on today’s podcast we are doing some grateful intervals, with the entire coaching staff weighing in from around the country and - in Christian's case in France - around the world.
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You can save 25% off your subscription to Optimize — your year-round training solution with unlimited training plans, meal plans and strength and conditioning videos — with the code 25podcast.
From the Flanders Sportive to the Leadville Trail 100 to Unbound Gravel to just being fit for the group ride, riders have a wide variety of cycling goals for 2024. But how do you get there? How do you time and stack up your various training plans and goals to arrive at your event primed and ready to go?
That’s exactly what this podcast is all about. We’ll talk about the three main elements of training you need, and how to work your way backwards from your target to right here, right now.
Those three elements are:
- Off season training - with weights, or not
- Base training - with Sweet Spot
- Interval training / event-specific plans - with long endurance training
On this podcast we walk you through four goal scenarios, to help you understand how to tweak the training process to get where you want to go. And we’re going to tell you about how our Optimize app can automate and simplify this whole process for you - all while tracking your progress and your training-to-recovery balance.
Have you been enjoying the FasCat Podcast? Please leave us a review on the App Store or Google Play. Thanks!
You can save 25% off your subscription to Optimize — your year-round training solution with unlimited training plans, meal plans and strength and conditioning videos — with the code 25podcast.
1,200 kilometers, or 745 miles. That's a long distance for an unsupported event! But that's exactly what Lisa Charlesbois did this year at Paris-Brest-Paris, arguably the oldest bicycle race in the world. She finished in 78 hours and 27 minutes, sleeping 9 hours in total during that time.
On this podcast, Lisa chats with her coach Allie Legg and host Ben Delaney about training and preparing for such a monster event — and the excitement and nervousness and motivation for completing such a daunting task in another country.
FasCat has a new Zwift racing training plan, centered around racing on Tuesday for all you WTRL and ZRL racers out there. The plan includes the all-important race warm-up protocol on Tuesday.
SBT GRVL is one of our favorite gravel events on the calendar, but getting in is tough as spots sell out via lottery in a flash. This year, we have a limited number of guaranteed entries that you can purchase with a one-on-one coaching package. Already a coached athlete? Then you can purchase a guaranteed entry here.
Come train with us in April in Santa Ynez! Join the FasCat Coaches for a 5 night, 4 day training camp! Includes lodging, chef-prepared meals, Coach-led rides, airport pickup, sag support and more.
Have you been enjoying the FasCat Podcast? Please leave us a review on the App Store or Google Play. Thanks!
You can save 25% off your subscription to Optimize — your year-round training solution with unlimited training plans, meal plans and strength and conditioning videos — with the code 25podcast.
Coach and three-time U.S. MTB national champion Elliott Baring has raced all the main cycling disciplines and coaches his athletes in a wide variety of pursuits. On this podcast, he explains his Top 5 Training Tips that apply to athletes of all levels.
More is not always better, but 'more' is a theme for his top tips.
- Take on more carbs in races and hard training sessions. The optimal amount varies by person, but you're likely underfueling, which compromises not only that day's effort but the next day's as well.
- Rely on RPE (rate of perceived exertion) and speed instead of power when racing. And practice pacing with RPE in training, too!
- Keep things fun. Pay attention to motivation and drive, take breaks, and switch things up.
- Be flexible. Going with the flow with decrease mental and physical stress, and make you a more effective athlete and a happier person.
- Always be learning. Cycling's various categories are constantly evolving, as is our understanding of nutrition, training and equipment. Also, just because a pro or pro team does or uses something doesn't meant that is ideal for you. Study, test and trial new things.
Announcements!
FasCat has a new Zwift racing training plan, centered around racing on Tuesday for all you WTRL and ZRL racers out there. The plan includes the all-important race warm-up protocol on Tuesday.
SBT GRVL is one of our favorite gravel events on the calendar, but getting in is tough as spots sell out via lottery in a flash. This year, we have a limited number of guaranteed entries that you can purchase with a one-on-one coaching package. Already a coached athlete? Then you can purchase a guaranteed entry here.
Come train with us in April in Santa Ynez! Join the FasCat Coaches for a 5 night, 4 day training camp! Includes lodging, chef-prepared meals, Coach-led rides, airport pickup, sag support and more.
Have you been enjoying the FasCat Podcast? Please leave us a review on the App Store or Google Play. Thanks!
You can save 25% off your subscription to Optimize — your year-round training solution with unlimited training plans, meal plans and strength and conditioning videos — with the code 25podcast.
Cycling clothing has come a long way in the last few years, both in terms of comfortable construction and our understanding of how it can speed us up or slow us down.
On this podcast, Castelli team liaison Alvin Nordell joins Ben Delaney to talk about what the world's best athletes use now and when, and also what all of us cyclists can and should do for clothing in various conditions.
In warm weather, it's pretty easy: get a snug-fitting jersey and bibs. (Although there are tradeoffs for ultimate speed vs breathability.)
In cold weather, it's a bit trickier, and Alvin shares some tips from his decade-plus of experience in the clothing industry, including working with teams like Soudal—Quick-Step.
Have you been enjoying the FasCat Podcast? Please leave us a review on the App Store or Google Play. Thanks!
You can save 25% off your subscription to Optimize — your year-round training solution with unlimited training plans, meal plans and strength and conditioning videos — with the code 25podcast.
https://fascatcoaching.com/pages/app
You've got training questions; we've got answers! In fact, you had so many questions last week that we extended Ask A FasCat into a two-pod series. On this podcast, Director of Coaching Isaiah Newkirk fields an array of your questions on subjects like balancing fitness gains with losing weight, maintaining muscle and bone density as we age, rescheduling workouts during the week, indoor racing, and much more.
Have you been enjoying the FasCat Podcast? Please leave us a review on the App Store or Google Play. Thanks!
You can save 25% off your subscription to Optimize — your year-round training solution with unlimited training plans, meal plans and strength and conditioning videos — with the code 25podcast.
https://fascatcoaching.com/pages/app
It's that time again: you ask training questions, and we answer. Since we had well over 100 good questions come in this time, we're breaking this episode of Ask a FasCat into two.
On this podcast, FasCat Founder Frank Overton tackles questions on subjets like lifting weights, losing weight, boosting FTP & the Boogeyman. Yes, the Boogeyman.
Which listener won the custom Castelli FasCat kit for the best question? Listen in and find out.
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You can save 25% off your subscription to Optimize — your year-round training solution with unlimited training plans, meal plans and strength and conditioning videos — with the code 25podcast.
https://fascatcoaching.com/pages/app
At FasCat, we're big believers in the big three for weightlifting for cyclists: the squat, the leg press, and the leg curl. (Done for a 10-week block during the off-season.) But there are plenty of other great exercises out there that can benefit you as a cyclist, too!
In this podcast, we talk about the exercises we recommend throughout the year, plus some alternative to the big three, as we realize that some riders may face obstacles with the squat or leg press.
Have you been enjoying the FasCat Podcast? Please leave us a review on the App Store or Google Play. Thanks!
You can save 25% off your subscription to Optimize — your year-round training solution with unlimited training plans, meal plans and strenght and conditioning videos — with the code 25podcast.
https://fascatcoaching.com/pages/app
The off-season is a great time to do a cycling-focused weightlifting regiment in order to be stronger and faster next year.
Why should cyclists lift weights? How should cyclists lift weights? And how does strength gained in the gym translate to power on the bike?
Frank Overton and Ben Delaney address all these issues and more in this podcast, which is #7 in an 8-part Off-Season How-To series.
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We have many off-season training plans - including weightlifting plans - to get you through the fall and winter, all of which are included in a subscription to Optimize. Use the code 25podcast to save 25% off your subscription now.
Coach Isaiah Newkirk shares the ways professional and amateur athletes can switch up their routines in the off-season to take a mental break, have some fun, and still maintain fitness and even gain some strength and mobility.
Some of these involve a bike; many do not!
We have many off-season training plans to get you through the fall and winter, all of which are included in a subscription to Optimize. Use the code 25podcast to save 25% off your subscription now.
If you want to be faster or fitter next year, what should you be doing in the off-season? That is exactly what this podcast is about.
Frank Overton and Ben Delaney walk you through when your off-season should start, what it should and shouldn't include, and specifically how you can start building yourself up right now.
Use the code 25podcast to save 25% off a subscription to Optimize, your year-round trainining solution that includes unlimited training plans and access to professional FasCat Coaches who can answer your training questions.
As athletes, we need recovery to rebuild and come back stronger. This applies at the micro and macro levels, and applies to our mental health as well as our physical health. On this podcast, Coach Ricky Arnopol explains when, how and why to take a proper off-season break. Spoiler alert - You can still ride your bike and have fun!
As most athletes have wrapped up their season, the fall can be a wonderful time to get out and enjoy being on the bike without any structure.
And, yes, we all should take a week or two completely off the bike before ramping it up again. But when? Give this pod a listen.
Use the code 25podcast to save 25% off a subscription to Optimize, your year-round trainining solution that includes unlimited training plans and access to professional FasCat Coaches who can answer your training questions.
This is the third podcast in an eight-pod how-to series. Last episode we talked about 14 ways to review your season, and on this podcast we discuss how to map our your 2024 season for maximum results and fun.
Coach Jake Rylewski raced as a professional for many years, and he breaks down the full-year planning methodology for three types of athletes:
- coached riders
- Optimized subscribers
- self-coached athletes
Ready to take your trainng to the next level? Subscribe to Optimize for unlimited training plans and access to FasCat coaches who can answer your training questions.
Start your free, 14-day trial of Optimize.
How did this year go for you? What were the successes? What could you have done better? And how can you build on the momentum next year?
In this episode, Frank and Coach Christian walk you through a 14-point checklist of ways you can review your 2023 season with an eye on getting faster and having more fun in 2024.
Relatedly, we continue to build on the momentum of our Optimize training solution app. If you haven't downloaded it yet, go check it out on the App Store or Google Play.
If your season is wrapping up or about to wrap up, this podcast is for you. Here, we talk about end-of-season training, and how it differs from training in the early and middle parts of your season. Some phrases and philosophies we tackle:
All the Hay is in the Barn
Rest is Best
Let CTL/Training Load Go
Sharpen the Sword
This podcast is the first of 8 episodes where we will be talking about your training from the end of the season into the off season. We’ll cover:
- End of Summer Training (this pod)
- Reviewing your Season
- Setting Goals for 2024
- The Post Season Break
- Off Season Training!
- Cross Training and Muscle Tension Intervals
- Weight Lifting for Cycling
- Alternative Movements to the traditional Squat, Leg press & Leg Curl
Use the code 25podcast to save 25% on your Optimize subscription today: https://fascatcoaching.com/pages/app
Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.
This bit of life wisdom, from the inimitable Mike Tyson, certainly applies to racing bikes and our daily lives.
This podcast is all about how to reset goals after life happens.
Coach Allile Legg is a former longtime professional racer and current longtime professional coach who helps athletes of all life situations set up their goals, work towards them, and then reconfigure their goals and their plans when things inevitably… evolve, shall we say.
Allie talks about the goal-setting process, signs that things are on track, signs that perhaps your training and/or your goals should be recalibrated, and how to keep moving forward as life evolves.
Use the code 25podcast to save 25% on your Optimize subscription today: https://fascatcoaching.com/pages/app
Seven watts per kilo. That is the number being thrown around as the new absolute best standard, courtesy Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard battling in this year’s Tour de France. Yesterday we saw Yara Kastelijn win stage 4 of the TdF Femmes with a solo attack out of a breakaway, and she was averaging 5.13w/kg over the final two categorized climbs to the finish.
How much can you do? How much are your local competitors doing? How much can you improve this number? And how can we best measure this number?
The devil is in the details, and we dig into all of those today - along with our new metric for measuring maximum sustainable power on the road - xPower.
xPower is an advanced average of your power output that considers shorter higher-powered efforts for a true physiological representation of your power output. While Normalized Power often overestimates what a rider can do, xPower analyzes highly variable power output to give the true physiological effort.
Use the code 25podcast to save 25% on your Optimize subscription today: https://fascatcoaching.com/pages/app
Zach Gregg has twice won the US time trial national championship and currently races for the UCI Pro Continental team Project Echelon. But getting there took plenty of work and involved a few lessons learned the hard way. On this podcast, Zach shares five lessons that apply to all cyclists, plus plenty of tips on how to constantly improve - even when it feels like you're not improving!
Use the code 25podcast to save 25% your subscription to Optimize, your year-round training solution that includes unlimited training plans and data visualizations of your training and recovery.
Travis McCabe didn't want to work manual labor for his dad as a career, so he made a plan to be a bike racer. It took a few years, but through hard work, self-education and coaching, he made his way into the pro ranks, eventually earning two national titles and a spot on the WorldTour. As fate would have it, his entry into the WorldTour came in 2020, the same year Covid rocked the world.
On this podcast, McCabe reflects on how he succeeded, the highs and lows of pro racing, and the lessons and fun he enjoys sharing with cyclists today.
McCabe now works at Ventum Bikes, which recently partnered with FasCat Coaching to elevate your cycling experience through excellent gear and professional training.
Subscribe to the FasCat Optimize app now for unlimited training plans and access to exclusive deals on Ventum Bikes.
Use 25podcast here for 25% off your first month or start a FREE 14 day trial from the app or google play stores
How can I break up big rides into chunks? What power meter do you recommend for gravel? How can I follow a training plan when traveling for work? These and many other listener questions are answered in our 24th installment of Ask A FasCat.
Other subjects include improving sprinting and attacking power, periodizing for ultra-endurance events, doing power-based workouts on mountain bike trails, the difference between OTS and TSS, riding the entire Tour de France route as an amateur (!), and more.
Tune in for a good one, and don't forget to update your Optimize app for the latest and greatest data visualizations!
SBT GRVL is one of the biggest and most important gravel races in the world, and FasCat is all in on this beautiful event here in our Colorado backyard.
In this episode, FasCat founder Frank Overton is joined by Ben Delaney who won the 2022 SBT GRVL Blue event to talk about all things SBT GRVL - including FasCat's SBT GRVL training plan in Optimize and the SBT GRVL training simulation ride we are hosting August 5th in Boulder, Colorado.
Get on Optimize today with your 14-day free trial, and if you're doing SBT GRVL, get on our SBT plan that starts July 10.
The Leadville Trail 100 MTB is — to use an overused but perfectly apt word — epic. 105 miles of racing that starts above 10,000 feet of elevation and climbs nearly 12,000 feet.
That much elevation affects and informs so many variables for racing: power, breathing, headaches, weather, recovery, eating, sleeping, and more.
Joining Leadville big-buckle owner Ben Delaney on this podcast is double big-buckle owner Coach Isaiah Newkirk to discuss how riders can prepare for the myriad challenges of this special race.
(At Leadville, you get a big belt buckle if you finish under nine hours. A finish time of under 12 hours earns you a small belt buckle.)
'Serious training' is sometimes perceived as doing nothing but power-based intervals, and those are important! But being able to drive a bike - in a bunch, over terrain, around corners - is also vital.
And just like practicing intervals will build your strength, practicing skills will build your competence and your confidence.
On this pod we talk about skills you should practice across road, cyclocross, gravel and mountain bike. Joining Ben Delaney on the podcast to preach about what we should practice is Coach Andrew Giniat, a man who practices what he preaches.
Everyone wants to improve, and there is more than one way to do so. At FasCat, we have two primary (and time-tested) methods.
One-on-one coaching is the gold standard.
And our training plans have worked well for thousands of athletes for many years.
Plus, now that we have integrated those plans into our Optimize app, you can use your data to track your progress, training stress, recovery, and more… and coach yourself in a fun, flexible, and data-informed manner!
The six primary methods of coaching are:
- Hire a coach
- Follow a training plan
- Self-coach
- Leverage your data
- Follow a training plan, and self coach by leveraging your data
- Just ride - sometimes hard, and sometimes easy
Here, we’ll go through the pros and cons of each of these, and then really dig into number 5, how you can coach yourself using our training plan inside the Optimize app that makes your data actionable and gives you access to our coaches!
Start your free, 14-day trial of Optimize
Training only by zones is a sure-fire way to kill the joy of cycling and your very will to ride.
Training by zones is extremely effective, and at FasCat we recommend it for about half your rides.
But for the other half of your rides, zone-based training is dead.
We dig into all the details on this podcast with Ben Delaney and Coach Ricky Arnopol, who knows a thing or two about the right way and the wrong way to train for both maximum physiological adaptations and also for what is mentally sustainable in the long term.
What and how much should you eat before, during and after training rides and races? It’s a simple question, with a lot of devils in the details.
On this podcast we digg into those details with FasCat Coach Sierra Sims, who has ridden and raced all the things on all the bikes - mtb, road, gravel, bikepacking - and like all of us she loves to eat, too.
We talk about what your body needs for different durations and intensities, and also practical considerations for what you can actually wolf down during a crit or a long gravel race or a technical mountain bike event.
Some rules of thumb for events:
- < 2 hours: 45 g of carbohydrates per hour (~ 180 calories/hour)
- 2-5 hours: 30-60g carbohydrates per hour (120 - 240 calories/ hour)
- 5+ hours: 60-90g carbohydrates per hour (240-360 calories/hour)
- for long, high intensity efforts, try to eat something every 30 minutes
FasCat is officially 20 years old this month, and on this two-part podcast, we’re taking a long look back at the pivotal moments that formed the FasCat community. From pioneering work on training with power to discovering that Subway’s microwaves can screw up your indoor training classes, there are all sorts of good stories in the annals of FasCat history. So many stories, in fact, that we are making this a special two-episode series. The first podcast took you from 2003 to 2013, and this podcast brings you from 2014 to the present day. Many things have changed in 20 years, but the one constant has been FasCat's dedication to innovating science-based ways to make you faster. Thank you for joining us on this ride.
FasCat is officially 20 years old this month, and on this two-part podcast, we’re taking a long look back at the pivotal moments that formed the FasCat community.
From pioneering work on training with power to discovering that Subway’s microwaves can screw up your indoor training classes, there are all sorts of good stories in the annals of FasCat history. So many stories, in fact, that we are making this a special two-episode series. This podcast will take you from 2003 to 2013, and next week we’ll talk 2014 to 2023.
Many things have changed in 20 years, but the one constant has been FasCat's dedication to innovating science-based ways to make you faster. Thank you for joining us on this ride.
Like many elements of cycling, climbing is at once so simple and so complex.
How can you improve your climbing - especially if you live in a flat area? How should you pace climbs of different lengths? When should you stand, and when should you sit? What is the ideal cadence, and the ideal position on the bike? How should you use your core and arms? For equipment, where is the ideal balance between aerodynamics and light weight? For group tactics, where is the balance of the benefit of the draft behind a stronger rider and the danger of blowing up by going too hard? And, of course, how should one best improve that all-important watts per kilo equation?
So many questions. Luckily for you listeners, we have an expert here in Coach Jake Rytlewski to guide you through this maze.
Use the code 25podcast to save 25% on an Optimize subscription now, and you'll get access to professional coaches like Jake for guidance in your training.
Coach Suzie Snyder is a five-time Xterra national champion who is still racing at the international level in addition to coaching FasCat athletes of all levels. In this podcast, the veteran racer and professional coach shares five things she wish she knew when she began her professional off-road triathlon career.
Listen in as she talks about the parasympethic nervous system, how contraceptives can affect training and recovery, and more.
Use the code 25podcast to save 25% on an Optimize subscription now, and you'll get access to professional coaches like Suzie for guidance in your training.
Gravel continues to blow up in popularity, and FasCat is all in on helping you prepare for your next big event, whether that’s 40 miles locally or 200 miles in Emporia, Kansas.
On this podcast, Ben Delaney and Elliott Baring give you the lowdown on getting your bike dialed ahead of time, travel tips, course recon tips, hydration and nutrition strategies, pacing and drafting techniques, and more.
Ben is just back from Belgian Waffle Ride California, and Coach and national champion Elliott Baring is racing gravel, road & MTB this year. Together, they've got you covered on gravel!
Past podcasts for reference:
https://fascatcoaching.com/blogs/training-tips/gravel-skills
https://fascatcoaching.com/blogs/training-tips/how-to-travel-to-races-like-a-pro
https://fascatcoaching.com/blogs/training-tips/what-to-eat-on-the-bike-during-training-and-racing
What are the most important workouts?
It's a question we get a lot at FasCat, and people ask it for two reasons.
One - sometimes athletes following a training plan feel like work or family should take priority over a workout, and they want to know which workouts they should absolutely do and which they could skip.
And two - all athletes want to perform at their best, and many wonder if there is some magic workout out there that will deliver them to peak performance.
This podcast address that 'most important workouts' question from both angles, as Coach Isaiah Newkirk and co-host Ben Delaney bursty some bubbles and offer some real-world solutions.
If you're not already using Optimize, our training solution app, then by all means use code 25podcast to save 25% off your first three months today.
How do you get fast? That is the underlying question behind so much of what we do at FasCat. In today's episode, we talk about how you peak for top performance by applying an overload and then a taper.
Many FasCats have noticed the Two Week Taper to Peak plan we have in Optimize, our training subscription solution that includes 100+ training plans and thousands of workouts. Unlike the rest of our training plans, this one is different! One, yes, the duration: it's just two weeks. But two, and perhaps most critically, this plan only works after you have applied an overload. What's an overload? What's a taper? And how much power can you gain when you peak? Well, give this podcast a listen.
If you haven't already, head over to the App Store or Google Play and download Optimize to start your training subscription today. You can save 25% off your first three months with the code 25podcast.
FasCat Coach Christian Parrett raced on the road as a pro for many years and learned many things. Now, with seven years of professional coaching also in the rearview mirror, there are a few things he wishes he could go back and tell his younger self. He can't do that, but on this episode he shares five of those things with you!
Optimize, our next-generation training and data analytics platform, now works with Apple Watch to balance your recovery data in the form of nightly HRV and Sleep with your training data from your power meter.
Optimize balances an athlete’s training and recovery — both now measurable through traditional power meters and modern wearables — to deliver actionable daily insights.
"FasCat athletes have been asking for Apple Watch integration, and we are happy to now have this as one more wearable option athletes can use to track their recovery and balance it with their training within Optimize," said FasCat founder Frank Overton.
On this podcast Frank and Ben Delaney discuss Frank's experience beta testing Apple Watch with Optimize - and argue about whether you should put your smartphone on your handlebars...
So how exactly does one-on-one coaching work? On this episode, we take you inside the weekly call of Coach Jake Rytlewski and Zach Hoover, so you can experience the details that are discussed and the methodology used.
While nearly all of our FasCat Coaches are completely booked now for one-on-one coaching, you can access and utilize their knowledge and understanding and love of the sport through an Optimize subscription. Inside the Optimize app, you can ask our coaches training questions, such as which training plan is right for you based on your target event.
Our Coaches take turns working shifts inside Optimize to answer your questions, Monday through Friday.
Head over to the App Store or Google Play now to download Optimize and start your free 14-day trial!
What’s up FasCat listeners? Chances are, if you listen to our podcast you enjoy the coaching wisdom we share, and maybe you like the idea of working personally with a coach - but that might not be financially feasible. We have a solution for you! Today we are going to describe how an Optimized subscription is like working with a professional coach but at a fraction of the cost.
Our Optimized subscription is an affordable coaching solution at less 80% less than the cost of hiring a 1x1 Coach.
For $35 a month you get access to all our training plans AND personalized coaching advice for which plans to select to achieve your goals.
Here’s how it works:
Step 1. Download the Optimized App and subscribe.
Step 2. Click the ⍰ icon inside Optimize to access our team of professional coaches. Tell us what you are training for, and we’ll respond with personalized coaching advice and tell you which training plans to follow.
Step 3. Sync your ride data and wearable data (FREE Whoop band w/ Optimized Subscription*) .
Step 4. Keep asking coaching questions about which training phase to do next.
Here’s an example of how it works: Athlete Jane has an event with lots of climbing that’s 12 weeks away. She lets us know her goal in Optimize, and we suggest that she follows our Sweet Spot Part 3 plan for six weeks and then our Climbing Intervals plan for the next six weeks. This will build her base, increase her threshold power, and set her up for success in 12 weeks.
Here’s another example: Athlete Joe has started to race and wants to do group rides to balance out the hard days with the easy days. We will recommend that he follows in our In-Season Road Intervals Plan, or that he does our Sweet Spot Part 4 plan to increase FTP with mid-week VO2 intervals balanced with long, fun rides on Saturdays.
Wondering what to do? Which plans to choose? Just ask a FasCat Coach. In the App hit the ⍰ in the upper right corner or email help@fascatcoaching.com Subscribe HERE and start training for your goals today!
*Optimize will tell you to train more or less and help you track your recovery. Don’t have a wearable? No problem, you don’t need one to follow a plan. In fact - all you need to follow a plan and improve is a stopwatch timer! Simple, effective, and fun.
**But if you want a wearable we’ll give you a Whoop for FREE once subscribed!
Good luck with your training and we hope to help you from within Optimize soon.
At FasCat Coaching, we are big fans of the group ride. They're fun, and they can be very effective training.
In this episode, we detail the six reasons why you should incorporate a group ride or two into your regular training. We talk about the three kinds of group rides. And we explain some 'how to' and some 'how not to' tips and tricks about group rides, including when it's too much (or too little!).
For unlimited access to all our training plans and workouts, subscribe now to Optimize. We have a 14-day free trial from the App or Google Play Stores or use 25podcast for 25% off on fascatcoaching.com
Ted King raced as a professional on the road for years, working his way up through the American domestic ranks to join the world's best in Europe, where he raced alongside Peter Sagan for a couple of years with the three-time world champion when Sagan was at the top of his game.
Ted King worked with FasCat Coaching for a number of his years racing — including some time undercover! — and on this podcast FasCat Founder Frank Overton and Ted talk about their early forays into training with power, what it was like to be one of two Americans on an Italian-speaking European team, and Ted's upcoming XL'ent Adventures and plan to tackle the Tour Divide.
Cycling computers have hundreds of potential data field configurations, with scores of variations on power, tss, heart rate, speed, altitude, temperature, time, blood glucose, pace partners, and on and on. But how many data fields can you actually look at while riding? And further, which are actionable on the bike?
On this podcast, we dig into exactly that - the numbers that matter - both for when you are on the bike, and then for post-ride analysis after.
We recorded this episode at The Cycling House in Tucson, Arizona, where we are holding FasCat Camp this week.
https://thecyclinghouse.com/
There are two basic mistakes you can make with your training in the winter. (And yes, it's still winter for many of us!)
Mistake #1: doing too much
Mistake #2: doing too little
But how do you know how much is just right? Coach Ricky Arnopol digs into the details with Ben Delaney on the micro and macro levels.
Ricky and his Project Echelon teammates are just back from racing the Mallorca Challenge in Spain alongside the likes of WorldTour teams like Ineos Grenadiers and Soudal Quick-Step, so Ricky first shares some stories of his adventures there.
Your questions poured in for Ask a FasCat #23. Listen in as we dive into bike handling, HRV improvement, strength training, and much, much more. One lucky winner gets a Whoop 4.0, and everyone who wrote in with a question will get a discount on a Whoop.
Here are a few links to resources we mention in the podcast:
How to properly taper for peak performance podcast: https://fascatcoaching.libsyn.com/how-to-properly-taper-for-peak-performance
Five Fundamentals for Faster: https://fascatcoaching.com/blogs/training-tips/five-fundamentals-for-faster
What does HRV mean and 9 ways to improve it: https://fascatcoaching.com/blogs/training-tips/what-does-my-hrv-mean
Three-time Olympian Joanne Kiesanowksi is team director for Human Powered Health, which just kicked off the WorldTour road racing season with a stage win and a white jersey at the Down Tour Under in Australia.
In this episode, Joanne speaks with Ben Delaney about how the team trains for such a long and intense season that spans the globe, as well as how they monitor recovery, how their training numbers compare to racing numbers, and how Joanne herself squeezes in workouts when living out of a suitcase.
Frank Overton also joins the pod and invites you to go buy our sweet new Castelli FasCat kit:
http://teamorder.serviziocorse.com/index.aspx?pc=C90AFFB6-B152-41AA-8E9F-FC1EF62FFEF2
We have short- and longsleeve jerseys, Free Aero bib shorts, and vests on offer. Order before the store closes on February 8th!
Training camps come in all shapes and sizes from professional-team operations to destination camps for amateurs to DIY camps that you can do at home simply by taking a couple of days off work.
In this podcast, Coaches Allie Legg, Elliott Baring and Suzie Snyder share their experiecne with what works well and what doesn't, and explain how you can create your own camp to build up your fitness, improve your skills, bond with teammates and friends, and just have a heck of a lot of fun.
These three coaches have all raced at the professional level and now enjoy helping riders of all abilites get the most out of their training.
Improving doesn’t have to be complicated! Coach Isaiah Newkirk and Ben Delaney walk you through five things that can increase your power output, raise your threshold, help you lose some weight, and perhaps even achieve better balance in your life.
When we say simple, we mean simple in concept. And, frankly, they aren’t too hard to do in practice, either; you just need to be mindful and commit to them.
THE FIVE FUNDAMENTALS FOR GETTING FASTER ARE: 1. Be consistent & flexible 2. Ride more 3. Do zone-based training 4. Rest 5. Practice good nutrition
Good news, FasCats! Belgian Waffle Ride announced today that we are the Official Coaching and Training Plan Technology Partner of their excellent series, which includes events from Arizona to Canada this year. We are honored to have Belgian Waffle Ride founder Michael Marckx as a guest on the podcast today.
For 2023, we have 6 and 12 Week Training Plans created specifically for the BWR events in Arizona, California, British Columbia, North Carolina, Utah, and Kansas.
Hand in hand with this great news, this podcast episode is all about how to train for long gravel and other long endurance events.
Plug in and get ready for a great 2023!
As much as we'd all like to be Wout van Aert — who is seemingly able to be on flying form year-round — most of us can only peak a couple of times a year. Further, real life prevents us from attending every single event on the calendar that looks fun. So, we need to prioritize. But how?
This podcast comes with an interactive homework assignment to walk you through how you can set up your event and training calendar for 2023.
The new year is right around the corner, and quality events abound in 2023. Chances are, you already have a few events on your calendar. But do you have your training plan or training plans dialed in?
In this episode, we explain how you can set up your training now, going through various timing scenarios for target events that are in the spring, the summer, and the fall.
We also explore how you can build some flexibility into your training to maximize both good athletic results and a happy family life.
Happy holidays and happy new year!
Improving as an endurance athlete requires two things: training and recovery. The better you recover, the more effective training you can do, and the more improvements you can make.
But how to recover better? Here are 9 ways. They're all pretty easy to understand; some are easy to do, and some take a bit of work.
But all are very effective, and we know this because we are using HRV (heart rate variability) as the metric. A high HRV means you're primed for good training; a low HRV means you might need some more recovery. Similarly, if you have a wearable device like an Oura or a Whoop, you can track how things like alcohol and poor sleep lower your HRV. And you can track how improving your diet, your sleep habits, and your stress level can raise your HRV.
Tune in for 9 ways to up your HRV, up your recovery, and up your endurance athletics game.
Indoor training has its time and place, particularly in the winter, but riding outside it what we love to do, right?
On this episode, Coach Isaiah Newkirk and Ben Delaney talk through what you need to get outside and train comfortably and effectively when it's cold.
We talk clothing tips (hats and jackets and booties and fabrics we love), we talk nutrition strategies (hello, hot drinks!), and we talk about what's important and what's not.
Put on some hot tea and cue this one up!
On this podcast, FasCat founder and cohost Ben Delaney talk about the new Optimize training platform - what it is, what it does, and really what drove Frank and the team to create it - which was you, the endurance athlete & podcast listener!
We also talk about how we are changing our business from selling single plans to selling subscriptions for unlimited training plans in the Optimize app, which tracks how your training is going with a proprietary algorithm that takes into accounts data from your power meter, your heart rate monitor, and your wearable like a Whoop, Oura, or Garmin watch.
Optimize has two three parts: Training shows you each day's prescribed workouts and your completed rides in a calendar. The Optimize section shows your Sleep, HRV, OTS and Load numerically, and then your Optimization score numerically and visually in a color-coded graphic. This is the Needle - the summation of how your training and recovery are balancing. And then the Library is where our entire collection of training plans, workouts, meal plans and recipes is stored, all of which are available to subscribers.
Head to the App Store or Google Play store and download Optimize today!
Happy Thanksgiving, FasCats! We made a special edition this week: In the spirit of Thanksgiving, we dedicated this episode to the people and things for which we are grateful this year. Each of our coaches and even a few FasCat athletes check in on this episode.
At FasCat we are all grateful for you, our cycling community. The Big Cat would like to take this time to remimd you to Work Hard, Ride Fast, Enjoy Thanksgiving, and FTFP.
Winter is upon many of us, and Coach Jake Rytlewski and Ben Delaney are in indoor cycling mode. Perhaps you are, too. On this episode, Jake and Ben chat about what works well for them and what doesn't work so well, in terms of training, habits, hardware, and other indoor gear.
Coach Jake is a Level 50 Zwifter, former professional racer and longtime professional coach. Ben is a level 48 Zwifter who once did a 500km indoor ride for charity. Both are dads who appreciate the time savings, social elements, and fun and challenge of Zwift.
Want to get on a training plan or work directly with Coach Jake? Head on over to FasCatCoaching.com and use the code 25PODCAST to save 25% off your first purchase.
FasCat coaches Ricky Arnopol and Zach Gregg will be racing at the UCI Continental level in 2023 as part of Project Echelon, for which FasCat coach Isaiah Newkirk is the performance director. On this pod, Ricky and Zach talk about how they are training, and how the FasCat athletes they coach are training this winter. A lot of the same principles apply...
Zach Gregg also reveals that he is shooting for a spot on Team USA for the 2024 Olympic Games in Team Pursuit.
Ready to start training with a plan or a coach like Ricky or Zach? Head on over to FasCatCoaching.com and use the code 25podcast to save 25% off your first plan now.
The joy of training. At this point in the year, the words 'training' and 'joy' may not be sounding like chocolate and peanut butter to many of you out there. Which is exactly why we’re talking about it now.
We’re at a funny point in time with endurance sports. We can measure and track the minute of so many things that is can be easily to be overwhelmed by it all.
So here's the solution: go have fun.
On this episode, FasCat founder Frank Overton and cohost Ben Delaney dig into the roots of coaching and training, and offer some simple solutions to getting faster through having fun on your rides.
Which wearable is better, the Whoop or the Oura?
Frank and Ben have been wearing both for month and tracking the daily data. On this podcast, they share their insights on each.
Plus, they dig into two academic studies that investigated wearables for their accuracy in measuring sleep, heart rate, heart rate variability, and more.
Don't have time to listen right now? Here's the summary: both Whoop and Oura are excellent for tracking HR, HRV, and total sleep time, but aren't yet accurate for tracking stages of sleep.
How many people do you know who check one of these three boxes:
-has raced UCI World Cup cyclocross this year
-has the tattoo from winning the Singlespeed Cyclocross World Championships
-uses their PhD to help people with cancer
Not many, right? Well, FasCat athlete Sunny Gilbert checks all three boxes, and on this episode she chats with her longtime Coach Isaiah Newkirk and host Ben Delaney about how she balances everything.
As endurance athletes, only the professionals get to focus exclusively on training and racing — and even they stumble on life's twists and turns. Here, Sunny and Isaiah talk about keeping things in perspective, listening to the body and consulting the numbers, and keeping it fun!
Want to get on board with a Coach like Isaiah. Head on over to FasCatCoaching.com to meet our Coaches. You can also use the code "25podcast" to get 25% off your first training plan on FasCatCoaching.com, where we have more than 1,000 five-star reviews.
To lift, or not to lift? That is the question. Or, more specifically, how and when should bike riders and endurance athletes lift weights? What should roadies do? What should triathletes do? What about mountain bike and gravel? Here to guide us through the why and the how is Coach Suzie Snyder, just back from the Xterra world championships. Suzie is an NSCA certified strength and conditioning specialist and a five-time national Xterra champion.
Coach Suzie explains some general principles that apply to all endurance athletes, then breaks down some specific strength and conditioning exercises that each type of athlete should do.
Here are five videos with Suzie demonstrating quick and effective strength and conditioning exercises: https://fascatcoaching.com/blogs/training-tips/video-5-quick-effective-strength-conditioning-exercises
Be sure to use the code "25podcast" to get 25% off your first training plan on FasCatCoaching.com. All our plans are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee and we have more than 1,000 five-star reviews.
The term Sweet Spot is now used all the time when riders are talking about training. Countless cyclists have improved because of it. But sometimes the term gets used incorrectly — and sometimes the HOW and WHEN To Sweet Spot also gets muddled.
So today we are going to clear all that up, by tackling 8 Sweet Spot Myths, and hopefully leaving you with a better understanding of what Sweet Spot is - and ISN’T - so that you can use this knowledge to get faster and stronger, and have more fun Sweet Spotting!
Ready to get on the Sweet Spot train for 2023? Head over to fascatcoaching.com and use the code ”25podcast” to receive 25% off your first FasCat training plan. All our plans are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee and we have 1,000 five-star reviews.
It's time to start dreamin' and schemin' about your 2023 season, and on this episode we've got 23 suggestions of gravel races you could do.
While road and mountain-bike events might be somewhat limited in certain parts of the U.S., gravel events are popping off every weekend in seemingly every state in the country.
So, we brought in gravel reporter and gravel racer Betsy Welch to break down 23 of the best gravel races in the lower 48. Betsy and Ben Delaney talk about the what and the why, and Frank Overton breaks down the how, in terms of training and strategy.
Ready to get locked and loaded for 2023? Head over to fascatcoaching.com and use the code ”25podcast” to receive 25% off your first FasCat training plan. All our plans are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee and we have 1,000 five-star reviews.
Apple just launched three new watches with measurements for sleep cycles, HRV, blood oxygen levels, and many other things, and Des Yap of the DesFit YouTube Channel was in California for Apple’s presentation. After testing and posting reviews on all three, Des came and joined Frank and Ben for a chat about what's new and interesting with wearables.
Des specializes in wearable technology like smart watches and fitness and recovery trackers. Which is exactly what this episosde is about: tools like Whoop, Oura, Garmin, and Apple that track your sleep, HRV, and other things and how you can use that data to improve your cycling - or running, swimming, nordic skiing — any endurance sport pursuit.
Frank and Ben have a lot of questions for Des, chief among them: as someone who has tested all the top wearbles, which wearable do you like best, and why?
First, head over to fascatcoaching.com and be sure to use the code ”25podcast” to receive 25% off your first FasCat training plan. All our plans are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee and we have nearly 1,000 five-star reviews.
Our 'Ask a FasCat' episodes are always fun because we take your questions, give them some thought, and FasCat founder Frank Overton delivers advice on a wide range of topics.
On this episode, we dig into HRV, weight training, weight loss, overcoming plateaus, dealing with post-event blues, which workouts to prioritize when traveling, and much more.
Ready to move forward with your training? Head over to fascatcoaching.com and be sure to use the code”25podcast” to receive 25% off your first FasCat training plan. All our plans are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee and we have nearly 1,000 five-star reviews.
Reference links mentioned in show:
What to eat before early workouts: https://fascatcoaching.com/blogs/training-tips/video-effective-fueling-for-early-morning-workouts
Using your Powermeter for Weight Loss Training:
https://fascatcoaching.com/blogs/training-tips/using-your-powermeter-for-weight-loss
What it takes to be a FasCat Coach, as relates to our Mission Statement and Core Values: https://fascatcoaching.com/pages/our-values
What makes a good coach: https://fascatcoaching.com/blogs/training-tips/what-makes-a-good-coach
Coach Jake's tip (and demonstration) on using Zwift to FtFP his way to 200 TSS on his training plan: https://fascatcoaching.com/blogs/training-tips/sweet-spot-tss-rides-indoors
University of Queensland study 'A Validation of Six Wearable Devices for Estimating Sleep, Heart Rate and Heart Rate Variability in Healthy Adults' funded the Austrialian Institute of Sport: https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/22/16/6317/htm
Top athletes are always looking ahead and planning long term. One of the best ways of doing this is by taking time to look back at how your training went this year: what went right, what went wrong, and what edits might help you improve next year. Using power data to review your season is an invaluable tool. With TrainingPeaks, you can use these charts to lay out some quick metrics to track your season.
On this podcast, coaches Isaiah Newkirk and Frank Overton talk with Ben Delaney about how to do exactly that.
Ready to move forward with your training? Head over to fascatcoaching.com and be sure to use the code”25podcast” to receive 25% off your first FasCat training plan. All our plans are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee and we have nearly 1,000 five-star reviews.
Other relevant info:
Use your power data to find the right training approach (video)
Text version of this podcast
Off-season training doesn't mean off the bike! In fact, the time away from competition is the best time to improve and build your body up for racing.
In this podcast, we dig into the five pillars of off-season training: creating the Annual Training Plan, the fall foundation, lifting weights, Sweet Spot base, and adding intervals.
Before you get going on your off-season training, take a break!
In this pod we touch on OTS - Optimized Training Stress. For a deep-dive on this cutting edge new metric, check out this podcast with Dr. Phil Skiba.
Our popular Ask a FasCat podcast is coming up soon, so get your questions in at forum.FasCatCoaching.com, via chat at FasCat Coaching.com or via email at help@fascatcoaching.com by September 8th. We are giving away a new Garmin Forerunner 955 to the listener with the most thoughtful question! And the ForeRunner 955 measures your sleep and HRV and will be compatible with our new app Optimize!
Ready to get on the 30-week Off-Season Training Plan? Head over to fascatcoaching.com and be sure to use the code”25podcast” to receive 25% off your first FasCat training plan. All our plans are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee and we have nearly 1,000 five-star reviews.
We all know that we need good sleep for optimal recovery and performance on the bike, but many of us still skimp on getting enough quality rest.
On this pod, Dr. Lauren Costantini breaks down some simple tips and tricks for improving your nightly rest so you can fully recover and prime yourself for quality training and racing.
Dr. Lauren also drops some science from recent studies on sleep and athletic performance, as well as some suggestions for natural sleep aids and a list of things to avoid.
Dr. Lauren holds a Ph.D. in Neuroscience and was on the faculty at Harvard Medical School.
Dr. Lauren is the Chief Scientific Officer at FasCat and a van-traveling gravel racer!
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Feeling tired and need a break from the season? We got you. Here are some tips on how to best take an off-season break: https://fascatcoaching.com/blogs/training-tips/post-season-break
Ready to move on to the next phase? Here is a 30-week plan for training in the off-season: https://fascatcoaching.com/blogs/training-tips/off-season-training-plan
Don’t forget to use the code "25podcast" to receive 25% off your first FasCat training plan. All our plans are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee and we have close to 1,000 five star reviews. https://fascatcoaching.com/pages/reviews-feed
Fresh off pro racing in Europe on the road this summer, Coach Ricky Arnopol joined five of his Project Echelon teammates at SBT GRVL, the big gravel race in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. On this episode, Ricky and show cohost Ben Delaney talk about the similarities and differences between the two styles of racing in terms of tactics, power numbers, stress, and fun.
There are four distances at SBT GRVL, and Ben won the 100-mile Blue course in the men's division, with Tiffany Cromwell of Canyon-SRAM taking the women's Blue title. Keegan Swenson and Lauren De Crescenzo won the 140-mile Black race that Ricky participated in. You can see Ben's power file and analysis up on fascatcoaching.com now.
The whole FasCat team who attended SBT GRVL had a great time, so much so that we have even bigger plans for 2023, when we hope that you can join us in Steamboat for long weekend. Further, we are cooking up an SBT gravel training camp for next year, likely in June. Check out www.fascatcoaching.com and use code 25PODCAST for 25% off. Follow us on Instagram for training tips: @fascatcoaching
Many racers dream of winning a national title and wearing the jersey, but few achieve it. On this podcast, we talk with not one but three FasCat athletes about how they achieved their goals of winning at the U.S. national championships.
FasCat coach Zach Gregg won the amateur U.S. time trial title (after placing fourth in the pro TT), and two athletes he coaches also scored jersesys as Patrick Welch won the U23 TT and Liam Flanagan won the U23 criterium.
On this podcast, the three racers talk about the demands of juggling racing, school, and work, and about the dynamics of the coach-athlete relationship.
Tune in for some insights about their methodology for success.
Check out www.fascatcoaching.com and use code 25PODCAST for 25% off.
Get daily training tips from us weekly over on Instagram: @fascatcoaching.
What sort of watts per kilo does it take to compete in the biggest race in the world?
Today we are talking about power-to-weight ratios, the cumulative effects of fatigue, and how training compares to racing. And what better context for these topics than the biggest race in the world, the Tour de France Femmes.
Today we are delighted to be talking with Nina Buijsman of Human Powered Health. Nina raced the Tour de France Femmes and seemed to get stronger each day, or at least placed better every day, finishing 21st on the brutally steep Super Planche stage 8 to finish 25th overall.
On this podcast we talk about the cumulative effects of fatigue, and how training compares to racing, and what Nina’s experience was in terms of her power data, her sleep data, and how she felt throughout the Tour de France Femmes.
Dig out that cowbell and get your skinsuit ready — cyclocross is coming! Whether you're a beginner or a veteran, FasCat is here to help you fine tune your skills so you can get the most out of this season.
Coach Andrew Giniat is an UCI Elite ’cross racer who has honed his chops racing World Cups in Europe, and on this podcast he breaks down the four key skills you need to have.
Andrew and host Ben Delaney break down the mechanics of starts, cornering, dismounting & remounting, and dealing with obstacles.
Check out www.fascatcoaching.com and use code 25PODCAST for 25% off.
After digging into the basics of these four skills, Andrew and Ben take another, deeper pass with pro tips for racers for whom this year isn't their first rodeo.
No matter if you're planning on your first race or your 91st, these four skills are vital, and can always be refined.
Are you ready?
Get actionable training tips on Instagram: @fascatcoaching
Check out www.fascatcoaching.com and use code 25PODCAST for 25% off.
Power meters, heart-rate monitors and other technology are excellent tools for training and racing. But your body is also an excellent tool for measurement.
On this podcast, Coach Suzie Snyder talks with Ben Delaney about Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) — its history in science and its everyday applications for athletes from beginners to world-class pros.
For instance, Coach Suzie just won her fifth Xterra National Championship relying heavily on RPE. Suzie and Ben talk about what you can do with RPE in Avon, Colorado, on site of the Xterra National Championship.
Check out www.fascatcoaching.com and use code 25PODCAST for 25% off.
Get daily training tips from us weekly over on Instagram: @fascatcoaching.
Check out www.fascatcoaching.com and use code 25PODCAST for 25% off.
Having a solid, science-based plan is one thing — but following it is another. Having someone — or something — hold you accountable can help you stay on track in multiple ways.
On this podcast, FasCat founder Frank Overton and new FasCat content director Ben Delaney talk about how everyone benefits from being held accountable — including the top pros.
Ben just joined the FasCat team after 20 years in cycling media. You may have read his stories, listened to his podcasts, or seen his videos on VeloNews, BikeRadar, Cyclingnews, CyclingTips, or other outlets.
Frank and Ben talk about how vital accountability is in training, from the perspectives of what they have seen over two decades working with professional athletes and enthusiast racers.
Tune in to hear five tips for using accountability to improve as an athlete.
Check out www.fascatcoaching.com and use code 25PODCAST for 25% off.
Get daily training tips from us weekly over on Instagram: @fascatcoaching.
Check out www.fascatcoaching.com and use code 25PODCAST for 25% off.
It is HOT outside. We are feeling it and we know you are, too. So, how do we navigate through riding in this heat to continue to progress? More importantly, how do you navigate racing in events that are going to be hotter than what you currently train in?
Don't worry, you're about to get all the answers you need! In this episode of the FasCat podcast, we dive into the specifics on how to deal with this heat. It's a coaches round table edition, which means you get advice from not just Coach Frank, but from the entire team. The coaches touch on the science of training in the heat, how exactly the heat affects your performance and power output, practical coaching guidelines, and ways you can become better heat adapted.
Coach Frank is joined by FasCat Coaches, Zach Gregg, Jake Rytlewski, our new multisport Coach Suzie Snyder, as well as new Coach Andrew Giniat and our nutrition coach Dr. Lauren Costantini.
Just a reminder: Our CX Coaching Deal is live but expires July 15th. Get 6 months of cyclocross specific coaching from now all the way through December for the price of 5 months. We even waive the $99 start up fee for a grand total of over $200 in savings. Coach Andrew is leading the charge as a professional cyclocross athlete and he’s wide open to share his knowledge with you through 1x1 custom coaching to help you have a great cyclocross season. Head over to fascatcoaching.com to sign up now.
What we discuss:
- The science of training/racing in heat
- How heat affects performance and power output
- Practical coaching cuidelines
- What you can do to become better heat adapted
- How to race in heat that is hotter than you've been training
Check out www.fascatcoaching.com and use code 25PODCAST for 25% off.
Get daily training tips from us weekly over on Instagram: @fascatcoaching.
Check out www.fascatcoaching.com and use code 25PODCAST for 25% off.
Are you stuck on a plateau?! Are you struggling with physical gains where you can't seem to increase your power output? Or, are you struggling with performance gains where you can't seem to place higher on the leader board?
Whichever plateau you're stuck on, this podcast episode is for you.
Coach Frank is joined by Coach Andrew to discuss the low hanging fruit you can implement in your training right away.
Coach Andrew Giniat is our newest FasCat coach. Andrew comes to us from Asheville, NC and is a criterium, cyclocross and road coach. He races for the CS Velo at the professional level on the road and the Pony Shop for cyclocross.
Plus, we have a Cyclocross Coaching Deal going on right now that gives you six months of cx coaching with Coach Andrew for the price of five months. Don’t delay because space is limited and this deal expires July 15th. Click here to sign up now: fascatcoaching.com/collections/cyclocross/products/cyclocross-coaching-deal
What Coach Frank and Andrew discuss:
00:00 - Intro/announcements
9:30 - Two types of plateaus
22:00 - When your body needs rest
25:00 - Evaluating your CTL
27:00 - Are you training too much?
28:00 - Changing your stimulus
42:00 - Increasing volume
49:00 - Sleeping more
52:00 - Nutrition
55:00 - Wearables
Check out www.fascatcoaching.com and use code 25PODCAST for 25% off.
Get daily training tips from us weekly over on Instagram: @fascatcoaching.
Check out www.fascatcoaching.com and use code 25PODCAST for 25% off.
Welcome to our very long overdue episode format: "Ask a FasCat". In this episode, FasCat Mike Dee reads off our athlete submitted questions and FasCat Founder, Coach Frank gives us rapid fire answers. If you're ready to nerd out on the data science of training and how to structure your training based on different scenarios, this episode is for you.
At the end of this episode, we give away an Oura Ring to the best asked question, so stay tuned to find out if YOUR answer won!
A few questions Coach Frank answers:
Should you be moving your power around during sweet spot training?
Is an indoor trainer better for training?
Which wearable is most accurate?
Good calorie-dense foods that aren’t gels and bars that are GI friendly?
How do you psychologically get through a climb when you don’t know how much more you have to go?
How to increase fitness between races during the season?
How to prepare for an event that’s at altitude but live at sea level?
How to race while also training for an Iron Man?
Does standard FTP test give you better data than a 20 min FTP test?
Check out www.fascatcoaching.com and use code 25PODCAST for 25% off.
Get daily training tips from us weekly over on Instagram: @fascatcoaching.
Check out www.fascatcoaching.com and use code 25PODCAST for 25% off.
Are you making one of thse five in-season training mistakes?! You could be putting in max effort this season, but if you are making one of these mistakes, it doesn't matter how much effort you are putting in, you're going to fail to see the results you want.
Don't worry, Coach Frank explains these mistakes in detail and helps you understand how and why to avoid these mistakes.
What we discuss:
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Group ride 3 or more times a week
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Racing every weekend
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Under-recovering after a weekend of racing and travel
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Not going back to base at some point after a midseason break (even for just a few weeks)
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Not training specifically for your event with intervals that meet the power demands of your goal events
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Trying to lose weight in the middle of the race season
Get daily training tips from us weekly over on Instagram: @fascatcoaching.
Check out www.fascatcoaching.com and use code 25PODCAST for 25% off.
Check out www.fascatcoaching.com and use code 25PODCAST for 25% off.
In the spirit of Unbound Gravel just wrapping up, we thought it would be timely to have a discussion about how to proceed forwards after an epic event.
In this episode of the FasCat podcast, Coach Frank, Allie, Isaiah, Jake, and Zack do a deep dive into their own standard protocols for their riders for navigating recovery after an epic event.
How many weeks should you take to recover, what should your nutrition look like, when should your next event be, and what should your first workouts look like are just a few of the questions they get answered for us!
What they discuss:
3:30 - How do you define an epic event?
7:00 - When can you resume to training after an epic event?
11:00 - What data do you look at after an epic event?
20:00 - What you need to focus on after the epic event
24:30 - Best recovery plan to follow
33:00 - How to get back into your training
40:00 - Factoring in age into recovery
55:00 - Picking your events wisely
Check out www.fascatcoaching.com and use code 25PODCAST for 25% off.
FasCat Athlete, Marisa Boaz, won the gold this weekend at one of the top gravel races in the world: Unbound Gravel.
In this episode, Marisa gives us a play-by-play of the race and inside look into what it took to take home the gold.
Here's a perfect description of Unbound Gravel:
“To be unbound is to be untethered and unrestrained. The term’s pre-12th century origins illicit notions of liberation and escape. Those who are unbound embrace life without limits or restrictions. The word owns many definitions and derivations, but each one ultimately reaches the same finish line.
To be unbound is to be free.
It’s the spirit that 4,000 riders bring with them to the Flint Hills of Kansas for one weekend each spring; the spirit of an event that began with 34 participants in 2006 and now stands as the “World’s Premier Gravel Event.” And so it is fitting that the event and its organization, the one embodied by a limitless ethos that calls Emporia home, now has a name to match its ferocious spirit.” -Emporia Gazette
Check out www.fascatcoaching.com and use code 25PODCAST for 25% off your next training plan!
Summer Kickoff special: Free interval training plan if you buy our 16-sweet spot plan first. Use SUMMER22 to redeem over at FasCatCoaching.com
In our 20 years of working with athletes, we always notice that some athletes get more out of their coaching than others. It's not usually about which athlete has the most time to train or the most talent. Instead, there's a variety of attributes that combine to make an athlete coachable–and the more an athlete is coachable, the more time a coach has to dedicate to the most important aspects of making the athlete faster. So what does it take to be coachable? What are the attributes you need to ensure you are getting the most out of your coaching? What mistakes do you need to avoid to make coaching you easier for your coach? We answer all these questions for you in this episode of the FasCat Coaching podcast. Coach Frank and Coach Christian dive into their coaching guidelines and explain why it’s so important to follow them if you want to get the most out of your coaching. What they discuss: 5:00 - Why you need to get your coach accurate data 12:00 - Come to your coaching calls prepared 26:00 - Being open to addressing your obstacles 40:00 - Being adaptable with your schedule and communicating your schedule with your coach 50:00 - Defining communications styles between the rider and the coach 59:00 - Defining boundaries
Summer Kickoff special: Free interval training plan if you buy our 16-sweet spot plan first. Use SUMMER22 to redeem over at FasCatCoaching.com
Summer Kickoff special: Free interval training plan if you buy our 16-sweet spot plan first. Use SUMMER22 to redeem over at FasCatCoaching.com
Have you ever heard of the expression "All the hay is in the barn" ? To many cyclists and farmers alike it has great meaning: the hard work is over and now it is time to reap the benefits of a job well done. In order to 'peak', you need to reduce your training load and 'taper down' into peak form. One to two weeks before your "A race" further fitness gains are unlikely, i.e. the barn is full - you've made the hay. The temptation to train more should be met with firm resistance. Instead, consider a well planned taper in your training plan design. That is exactly what you teach you how to do in this episode of the FasCat Training podcast. Coach Frank and Coach Jake give us a deep dive into how to taper, how to plan your overload before tapering, and how to ensure you are taper correctly and not just giving yourself a rest week. If you’re ready to nerd out on all things tapering, this podcast episode is for yoU! What we discuss: How we design overloads and tapers Practical and specific real world examples of how to taper Cycling for peak performance How we prescribe overloads for athletes before initiating their taper. Typical guidelines, weekly hours, CTL for a taper Our go-to taper length What taper weeks look like What type of tapers we prescribe for athletes who are competing in different types of events How we use the performance manager chart to plan a taper. Check out our Taper blog post here: https://fascatcoaching.com/blogs/training-tips/tapering-in-cycling-for-peak-performance?_pos=1&_sid=ce941accf&_ss=r
Summer Kickoff special: Free interval training plan if you buy our 16-sweet spot plan first. Use SUMMER22 to redeem over at FasCatCoaching.com.
Check out www.fascatcoaching.com and use code 25PODCAST for 25% off.
In this episode of the FasCat Coaching Podcast, Coach Frank introduces 3 upcoming podcast topics and touches on what FasCat is up to – May is a busy month and there's a lot going on!
Coach Frank introduces the topics of what it means to be “Coachable” and makes you think about whether or not you are coachable when it comes to training. He also dives into how to properly taper for an event, how much training should you do beforehand, and how much recovery your body needs. Lastly, Coach Frank chats about how to know when you are ready to train again after an epic event.
Links mentioned:
New Athlete Handbook
Tapering in Cycling For Peak Performance
How to Leave Post Activity Comments for your Coach and Be “Coachable
Check out www.fascatcoaching.com and use code 25PODCAST for 25% off.
Check out www.fascatcoaching.com and use code 25PODCAST for 25% off.
Should you be performing anaerobic intervals? If you’re unsure, you should know that anaerobic intervals are essential for criteriums, cyclocross, road racing , track, your local group ride and mountain biking - even for fondo’s and gravel events in small amounts. With that being said, you should probably be doing anaerobic intervals and that’s why in this episode of FasCat Coaching, Coach Frank gives you the a complete step-ny-step guide on how to incorporate and execute anaerobic intervals into your weekly training routine. He explains the how, what, why where, when and how hard. The term anaerobic comes from the physiological fact that the energy required is so rapid that oxygen is not used to make the power unlike a longer vo2 or threshold interval that is more aerobic.
They are less than one minute, as hard as you can go intervals. We prescribe them in 30 to 60 second interval lengths at intensities 120 - 150% of your threshold power - and/or as hard as you can all for all of them much like the way we prescribe VO2 intervals.
Be sure to listen to the end because Coach Frank also gives you some basic, intermediate and advanced level anaerobic interval workouts, pacing recommendations and what to look at in the power analysis.
What’s discussed:
5:00 - What is considered anaerobic?
7:00 - Examples of Zone 6 Anaerobic intervals
10:00 - Step-by-step guide for how to perform Anaerobic intervals
15:00 - Best practices for optimal intervals
19:00 - Things to avoid when performing your intervals
22:00 - Interval pacing
28:00 - Who needs to be doing anaerobic work?
Check out www.fascatcoaching.com and use code 25PODCAST for 25% off.
We have a special podcast guest this week: The Belgian waffle ride winner, Alexey Vermeulen. Alexey went full on beast mode this past Sunday, riding away from his comrades with an incredible display of wattage and courage.
In this episode, we not only get a full recap of Alexey's experience of winning BWR, but also background on where he came from, his racing pedigree, and what his big plans are for the rest of the season and the future.
Plus, we also diving into Alexey winning Junior National Road Race in 2011, getting called up to the big leagues with Lotto Jumbo and his new Jukebox cycling team with our good friend and FasCat Athlete, Phil Gaimon.
Lastly, we have two huge announcements to share in this episode...
1. Our Mother's Day sale is LIVE. Use MD50 for 50% off any and all of our five star rated training plans.
Head over to www.fascatcoaching.com to redeem.
- FasCat is hiring full stack software engineers! If you want to work on new sports science to make training fun, simple, most importantly effective, hit up Coach Frank! But don't delay. We're moving fast and we're paying competitive salaries.
Email frank@fastcatcoaching.com.
Do you have fun performing FTP tests? We know the answer is a hard no. We don’t always have to perform an FTP field test in order to measure our performance. Often times the BEST data is in yuor hard group rides or races.
That's why in this episode, we give you alternatives for FTP tests that will give you similar data.
Coach Frank explains...
- How you can get your FTP data through group rides and races.
- How to use deductive reasoning to estimate your FTP.
- What to look at in your power data to see improvements and evidence that your power output has increased.
Essentially, he shows you how to look at your data correctly to see how you progressing. If you learn how to do this, you may spare yourself a field test or two
Check out www.fascatcoaching.com and use code 25PODCAST for 25% off.
Feeling burnt out on the bike or feeling like you're training takes the fun out of riding?
But the question is, how do you ride faster and longer, and see better success, while still having fun?
We know some of you believe doing structured intervals 5 days a week inside is the only way to see results. We know others of you think following structure, structure, structure is the only way.
If you force yourself to do this, it’s not sustainable, because not having fun equals not seeing optimal results.
In this episode of the FasCat podcast, Coach Frank gives you endless tips on how to have more fun while training without compromising results, and in fact, see BETTER results.
Here's a sneak peek into a few of the tips shared...
- Join group rides. Don’t worry about pushing it hard. Socialize. Ride with people who are slower than you.
- Switch up the bikes you ride.
- Get outside.
- Find a training partner and enjoy a coffee stop afterward.
- Remember why you started riding in the first place and do that kind of ride once a week.
- Embrace unstructured training.
- Add variety to your intervals.
- Explore new routes
Ready to have more fun while training? Work with one of our FasCat coaches!
Check out www.fascatcoaching.com and use code 25PODCAST for 25% off.
In this episode of the FasCat Coaching podcast, Coach Frank is joined by Dr. Philip Skiba. Dr. Phil has a rare quadruple threat pedigree in that he is a medical doctor as well as a Ph.D. in exercise physiology, and has 20+ years of coaching experience including coaching Olympians and World Class Endurance athletes. Perhaps best of all, Phil has deep domain expertise in power-based training methodologies and often refers to himself as an algorithmic human performance engineer. Dr. Phil and I have been working on a new sports science technology that aggregates your power data with your sleep and HRV data plus our new power-based training stress metric, OTS. More on that later on in the podcast but first let’s do our ROTW and get to know Phil. What we discuss: * Who is Dr. Phil and what does he do? * Dr. Phil’s perspective on the polarized v pyramidal debate * W’ and the battery? * Is there a real-time W’ application for athletes to use on their bike computers during training and races? * Coach Frank and Dr Phil’s work together on Optimized Training Stress (OTS) * How does OTS work with fatigue and with carbohydrate intake? * Using OTS with sleep and wearable data to help athletes and coaches and sports scientists better manage training * Stress-recovery balance
Get your training plan now! Save 25% on your next training plan with code 25podcast at www.fascatcoaching.com.
Today we are talking about Winning in the Kitchen! Performance nutrition and weight loss are all about your food choices and that’s what we call winning in the kitchen.
80% of weight loss and optimal race weight is achieved from proper nutrition while only 20% from riding more. Whether you believe it or not, it's true!
That's why in this episode of the FasCat Coaching podcast, Dr. Lauren and Coach Frank dive into the ins and outs of winning in the kitchen. After listening, you may be surprised by the nutrition mistakes you're making!
What's discussed:
- Your Go Faster Food Choices
- Winning in the Kitchen Grocery List
- The negative effect of alcohol
- How to properly nourish after a ride
- The negative effects of processed carbs
- Common and "healthy" foods to avoid
- Nutrition hacks for optimizing health and fitness
- Tips for preparing quick meals
- Best snacks for fueling optimally
- 9 Winning in the Kitchen recipes that take 10 minutes or less to prepare
Win in the kitchen and start taking control of your nutrition with Coach Lauren:
https://fascatcoaching.com/collections/meal-plans/products/nutrition-consult-with-dr-lauren
Don't forget: You can save 25% on your next training plan with code 25podcast.
https://fascatcoaching.com/collections/training-plans
Spring is here, and the weather is no longer an excuse to not ride longer and more. But, we get it, just because the weather is better, doesn’t mean riding more is necessarily easier. That’s why in the podcast episode, Coach Frank is here to make riding more each week a lot more simple with some simple training tactics.
Coach Frank dives into why you need to ride more, FasCat’s top strategies and coaching tips for riding more, a 16-week training guide progression to help your ride more, and three long rides we love to subscribe at FasCat.
With these tips, you will double your ride time this summer! Are you ready?!
What Coach Frank discusses:
4:00 - Overview of increasing time in the saddle
11:00 - Strategy
13:00 - 3 Different long rides
19:00 - Riding longer tips
Get your FasCat on-bike training and nutrition plan now! Head over to fascatcoaching.com.
Welcome to Part 3 of our three-part series on stage racing! This mini-series is brought to you by coach Isaiah from the Tuscon Bicycle Classic Stage Race where Coach Ricky and Coach Zach were both racing for Project Echelon.
The Tuscon Bicycle Classic is a large stage race and has always been a big staple for pro riders as an early-season race.
Coach Isaiah interviews the two on their mental and physical preparation – giving you an inside look into how pro bike racers prepare for each stage in a stage race.
They also chat through what the next stage is and what some of their race tactics are, how the previous stage went in general, and what goes on behind the scenes at a pro stage race.
Be sure to check out Part 1 and 2 first!
Welcome to Part 2 of our three-part series on stage racing! This mini-series is brought to you by coach Isaiah from the Tuscon Bicycle Classic Stage Race where Coach Ricky and Coach Zach were both racing for Project Echelon.
The Tuscon Bicycle Classic is a large stage race and has always been a big staple for pro riders as an early-season race.
Coach Isaiah interviews the two on their mental and physical preparation – giving you an inside look into how pro bike racers prepare for each stage in a stage race.
They also chat through what the next stage is and what some of their race tactics are, how the previous stage went in general, and what goes on behind the scenes at a pro stage race.
Stay tuned for Part 3!
Welcome to Part 1 of our three-part series on stage racing! This mini-series is brought to you by coach Isaiah from the Tuscon Bicycle Classic Stage Race where Coach Ricky and Coach Zach were both racing for Project Echelon.
The Tuscon Bicycle Classic is a large stage race and has always been a big staple for pro riders as an early-season race.
Coach Isaiah interviews the two on their mental and physical preparation – giving you an inside look into how pro bike racers prepare for each stage in a stage race.
They also chat through what the next stage is and what some of their race tactics are, how the previous stage went in general, and what goes on behind the scenes at a pro stage race.
Stay tuned for Part 2 and Part 3!
Did you know we are data scientists for the Human Powered Health Professional Women's Team? We analyze the entire women's team's power, heart rate, sleep, and HRV data, literally everything in their training and racing. We're able to then use their data to help their team perform at their best.
Coach Isaiah and I have been working for the Women's World Tour Team Human-Powered Health since the beginning of the year as their data scientists.
In this episode, that's what we're going to talk about – our work with the women's team.
We not only discuss the data we analyze, we also dive into the surveys we have the riders fill out in order to put their data into context, the reports we provide to the team, and then how the team uses those reports for improving their training and performance.
Riding bikes fast isn't just about FtFP, it's also about analyzing all data possible to come up with the best plan possible.
Check the team out https://humanpoweredhealth.com/
and you may use 25podcast to receive 25% off your first FasCat Training Plan that uses the same smarts, science and methodology as the pro's.
Should you be doing pyramidal training only, pyramidal training only, or a mix of both? Which format is most effective? This is a controversial topic and one we’re going to dive deep into today in this episode of the FasCat Coaching podcast.
More specifically, there have been a few recent studies released, as well as debates happening, within the scientific community that we will dissect, followed by Coach Christian and myself sharing our thoughts and experience on the subject.
What we discuss:
- A recent study was done on the “Effects of 16 weeks of pyramidal and polarized training intensity distributions in well-trained endurance runners”. The study compares 4 different groups: 16 weeks of polarized, 16 weeks of pyramidal, 8 weeks of polarized then 8 weeks of pyramidal, and 8 weeks of pyramidal then 8 weeks of polarized. - Sports Science journal series of debate articles titled “Polarized Training is Not Optimal for Endurance Athletes” and “Polarized Training is Optimal for Endurance Athletes.” The author and columnist for Outside Magazine, Alex Hutchinson, wrote an excellent summation (and to an extent, take-down) of these arguments in his column Sweat Science.
- Olympic Speedskater Nils van der Poel’s 60 page PDF directing his training plan for the Olympics. Van der Poel is a speedskater from Sweden who recently won Olympic gold in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters, setting world records in the process. You can check out his pdf here: e11bfe_b783631375f543248e271f440bcd45c5.pdf (howtoskate.se) Sources:
-
Polarized Training is Not Optimal for Endurance Athletes
Burnley, Mark; Bearden, Shawn; Jones, Andrew Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise
AN: 00005768-900000000-95869
February 2022 -
Polarized Training is Optimal for Endurance Athletes
Foster, Carl; Casado, Arturo; Esteve-Lanao, Jonathan; Haugen, Thomas; Seiler, Stephen Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise
AN: 00005768-900000000-95872
February 2022
Get started with FasCat:
www.fascatcoaching.com
Want to increase your power output? VO2 max intervals are the answer. Although, the issue is that many riders are new to power meters or don't know how to use them correctly in order to perform their VO2 max intervals for maximum returns. That's why in this episode of the FasCat podcast, Coach Frank gives us a step-by-step guide on how to perform these intervals with a power meter correctly. He also outlines the most common mistakes riders make and how you can avoid them. Plus, Coach Frank dives into how to do the power analysis post-ride so you learn what watts you should target for your next vo2 max interval workout. (This is the best way to evaluate your 'technique' tp see maximum gains!)
Important notes:
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In this podcast we are covering zone 5 only.
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You will also need to know your power base zones for this episode.
If you don't know you what it is, check out this article:
HOW TO PERFORM VO2 MAX INTERVALS WITH YOUR POWERMETER
https://fascatcoaching.com/blogs/training-tips/vo2-max-intervals?_pos=5&_sid=c99cea4ac&_ss=r
Ready to take your riding to the next level? Check out our training plans here:
https://fascatcoaching.com/collections/training-plans
Ben's Celebration of Life:
Ben Brown’s Celebration of Life is Sunday, March 13, 2022 11:00am - 1:00pm The Venue at Wilmington Brewing Company 800 S. Kerr Ave, Wilmington, NC 28403. Please come and join us for an informal gathering of friends and family to celebrate the incredible life of Ben.
https://www.fightforben.com/blog/celebration-of-life
Guess what? We have another new coach on the FasCat team and we couldn’t be more excited! Dr. Lauren Costantini, PHD has a holistic approach to training where she focuses on fitness, nutrition and sleep altogther, as the three work synergystically. And in this episode of the FasCat podcast, we dive into her background on these three things. Plus, we also chat about her time as a professor at Harvard, her switch to the BioTech world and the products she developed, plus how she managed her time while being a CEO and racing bikes!
For a quick look into Lauren, she has a PhD in Neuroscience and was on faculty at Harvard Medical School before moving cross-country to enter the biotech world of Silicon Valley. She then became the CEO of a medical device wearables company.
Though a dancer from the ages of 3 to 18 years old, Lauren entered the cycling world in her late 20s and soon became a nationally ranked professional bike racer (including a bronze medal at Mountain Bike Masters Worlds and Gravel Worlds, and multiple Cyclocross National podiums).
After facing back fusion surgery in 2019, she spent months researching scientific peer-reviewed studies to identify the best foods, strength training, and sleep science to enhance her recovery. This led not only to a remarkable recovery from surgery, but also elevated her athletic performance and vitality when she was back on the bike.
Her story is beyond interesting, so tune into the full episode to hear more!
What we discuss:
5:00 - An intro to our newest FasCat coach
13:00 - How Lauren got stated with riding
18:00 - How to race and work a full time job
21:00 - Working in the biotech world
33:00 - Why Lauren became a coach
40:00 - How much should you sleep at night?
50:00 - Rapid fire questions
Check out Lauren's superfood recipe: https://www.instagram.com/p/CaFhvSmudQ6/
Want a nutrition plan from Coach Lauren? Click here to learn more:
https://fascatcoaching.com/collections/coaches/products/dr-lauren-costantini-phd
In this episode of the FasCat Coaching Podcast, I’m joined by one of our newest coaches, Ricky Arnopol. We have some good cyclist to cyclists training talk, chatting about everything from Ricky’s favorite ways to train himself and his riders, what’s contributed most to his riding progress, his riding nutrition, and a bunch of fun rapid fire questions.
After getting a late start to racing, Ricky Arnopol has been slowly chipping away at competing at the highest level races in the United States as well as racing internationally. While continuing to race for Project Echelon, Ricky has put his experience and knowledge towards working with athletes of all disciplines and abilities. His number one goal is to guide everyone he works with towards achieving their goals.
5:00 - Background on coach’s Ricky’s riding
10:00 - What has contributed the most to his progress
20:00 - Ricky’s goals for 2022
28:00 - Ricky’s riding nutrition
32:00 - Dream spot to ride his bike
34:00 - His personal go-to workout/ride
36:00 - The workout he has all his rider do that they hate
40:00 - Fun rapid fire questions
Get coached by Ricky here: https://fascatcoaching.com/collections/coaches/products/ricky-arnopol
We are excited to have our newest coach to the FasCat team onto the podcast to get a deep dive into his training, preferences, thoughts, and everything in between. Coach Frank has a list of 20 questions he asks every coach and Zach gives us some killer answers! Zach has been a cycling coach since 2018. His educational background includes a Masters in Exercise Physiology from Midwestern State University, pre-med from Colorado Mesa University. Zach most recently worked as the assistant Cycling Coach for Lees McRae College and continues to volunteer time to Project Echelon’s veteran and adaptive athletes.
His cycling career was positively impacted by his time at Midwestern State where he raced on the road and track, winning the 2019 Collegiate Individual Time Trial and several podiums on the track.
He continues to race on the road with Project Echelon and is the 2021 Elite Time Trial champion, a title he will defend in 2022 while racing at the highest level domestically and racing internationally. Zach has experience working with athletes of all ability levels and is eager to share his knowledge of the sport. Get coached by Zack: https://fascatcoaching.com/products/coach-zach-gregg?_pos=1&_sid=fd1113b6f&_ss=r
Sweet spot vs. zone 2 seems to be the big debate between rides. In our opinion at FasCat, the adaptations we've seen with sweet spot compared to zone 2 are undeniably larger. Therefore, athletes accomplish more with one hour of sweet spot training than they do with one hour of zone 2 training.
In this episode of FasCat, we're going to cover the 6 most prominent physiological adaptations gained through sweet spot training as opposed to lower intensity aerobic training. These adaptations include:
Increased Plasma Volume
Increased Mitochondrial Enzymes
Increased Lactate Threshold
Increased muscle glycogen stores
Increased Stroke Volume
Increased VO2 Max
The proportion of sweet spot training to stimulate those 6 physiological benefits above to the rest of your training hours is described in a "How Much Sweet Spot Should Your Do" training tip and podcast.
Ready to start sweet spot training? Sign up here: https://fascatcoaching.com/collections/sweet-spot
The BigCat checks in with Coach Jake about his new MeetUp and talks all things Zwift.
We give you a step-by-step guide on how to join our Zwift meet-up rides, how to draft during group rides (I personally think it’s extremely difficult to do!), how we both use Zwift as a training tool for our athletes when coaching, and how to navigate the more technical side of Zwift.
What we discuss:
2:00 - Directions on how to join Jake for meet-up rides on the Zwift companion app
5:30 - Calculating wattage for the Zwift group ride
10:00 - How to draft on Zwift
17:15 - How Jake uses Zwift for coaching
30:00 - Understanding how to navigate Zwift
Want help getting started with your training and follow one of our plan on Zwift ? Head over to www.fascatcoaching.com/collections/training-plans
The new year is upon us and thoughts are quickly shifting towards the race season. What are you doing to ensure an improvement over last year? What kind of training are you doing? Are you just winging it? There’s a certain combo of art and science to the base building phase of a training calendar, and in Coach Frank’s extensive experience of coaching cyclists he’s come up with a healthy dose of each to help you go faster. What’s the key component? Sweet spot training.
32655The one and only “Six Weeks to the Sweet Spot Training Plan” We’ve talked about sweet spot a lot on the show and it’s weaved into almost everything FasCat does, but this week on the last episode of the year, Coach Frank breaks down how and why you should be incorporating sweet spot training into your plan to build a bigger and better base for 2022. He’ll cover:
What is Base Training?
Why Sweet Spot is Better than Zone 2 for Base Training
Power Based Sweet Spot Metrics – Quantitate the SIZE of your base
How many weeks to Sweet Spot?
What training plans to do to get your Sweet Spot on
What Sweet Spot base Building looks like day-to-day in a training plan
And plenty more. Also, for even more sweet spot nerdiness check out our youTube channel and video training tip on Why Sweet Spot training is better than Zone 2.
You may also find the Fatigue Dependent Training Plan Design tip a helpful read.
As always, thanks to everyone for subscribing and leaving a review on Apple Podcasts, your support this year has been incredible! We’re extremely grateful, and excited about what’s to come in 2021. Now go ride your bike and begin sweet spot training!
Copyright © 2022 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
This podcast is for all the athletes who are making new year's resolutions for their 2022 training and goals. Just because it’s a new calendar year, doesn’t mean you will automatically reach your goals. In order to do so, you need to develop new habits. What habits do we recommend you adopt in order to set yourself up for success in 2022? I share 8 training habits you can easily adopt for achieving big results in 2022!
What I discuss in this episode…
9:00 - Habit 1: Consistency
11:00 - Habit 2: Indoor training
17:00 - Habit 3: Group Rides
21:00 - Habit 4: Pay attention to your training load
24:00 - Habit 5: Winning in the kitchen
30:00 - Habit 6: Practicing yoga
33:00 - Habit 7: Lift Weights
35:00 - Habit 8: Sleep
Take advantage of our killer coaching deal ending January 6, 2022! Get $500 off 8 months of coaching now by clicking here: https://fascatcoaching.com/products/season-long-coaching-deal
In this episode of the FasCat Coaching podcast, we are joined by U.S. Cross country mountain bike 2020 Olympian, Erin Huck. Coach Allie takes over as host because guess what? Allie and Erin are both badasses on the bike and are also both pregnant.
What Allie and Erin discuss:
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Managing pregnancy as an athlete
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The similarities and differences of their pregnancies
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Expectations vs. their realities while pregnant
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How they are handling riding/working out (It's different for them both!)
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How their handling the pregnancy mentally and physically
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Adapting to the changes in their bodies
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Erin's big racing plans in 2022
Find more from Erin: @eehuck
Check out our training plans: www.fascatcoaching.com
The best tool you can utilize for optimizing your performance are your training zones. Why? Because training zones bring professional level sport science to your handlebar in a simple, easy to understand and follow training method. Even if you are new to training, you can use zone-based training and literally train the same way Tour de France Pros. In this episode of FasCat Coaching, I give you a step-by-step guide on not only understanding what the seven different training zones are, but how to actually utilize them in your training. I break down each zone individually and explain how to set them, what they accomplish, and how you can use them in your training. Plus, I give you a sample workout for each training zone.
Ready to start using training zones? Get your Zone Training plans now here.
Related Links:
YouTube: Why Sweet Spot Training is Better Than Zone 2 for Cycling Performance
Blog: How Much Sweet Spot Training Should You Do?
Blog: Training Zones for Cyclists
Chart: The Physiological Benefits of Sweet Spot
Just because it’s winter, doesn’t mean you should stop training. No one wants to show up in the spring on their first group ride and get dropped, right? Training through the winter isn’t as difficult as you think, and in this episode of FasCat Cycling Training Tips, I share 3 habits to adopt if you want to stay on top of your game. Implementing these three habits will no doubt have a dramatic effect on your riding next Spring and they are include: consistency, nutrition, and strength and mobility. Plus, I include a bonus tip at the end, which in my opinion is the best/most important of them all. For each habit, I give you a deep dive into how you can easily implement them into your routine. If you’re ready to dive into your off season training, this episode is for you! Links mentioned: Get your off season training plan here: https://fascatcoaching.com/collections/off-season Get your nutrition plan here: https://fascatcoaching.com/collections/meal-plans Checko out our “Winning in the Kitchen” blog post here: https://fascatcoaching.com/blogs/training-tips/winning-in-the-kitchen Don’t forget… For a limited time, FasCat podcast listeners can get a free Hammerhead Heart Rate Monitor for with the purchase of a Karoo 2. Visit hammerhead.io right now and use promo code FASCAT at checkout to get yours today.
In this week's podcast, the FasCat team continues with our annual Thanksgiving tradition of sharing short messages of gratitude to our loyal podcast listeners and athletes! We hope you all enjoy the episode and we wish you all a wonderful holiday season!
In this podcast, Coach Frank reintroduces the topic of timing as it relates to the 3 main phases of a cyclists' annual training plan including lifting weights, building base, and high-intensity interval training. He explains in detail the ways athletes can line up these phases depending on what their race calendar looks like for the upcoming season. He also answers the question that athletes frequently ask at this time of the year, which is whether they should lift weights or start building up their base.
On today’s podcast Coach Frank speaks with Alex Dowsett, a Pro World Tour Rider who is attempting to break the Track World Hour Record on November 3rd. Alex is no stranger to what it takes to achieve this feat, as he set the same world record in 2015!
In the episode, they chat about Alex's training, his special equipment, nutrition, DadWatts, as well as the foundation Little Bleeders that he started to raise awareness of hemophilia and to encourage young hemophiliacs to engage in sports.
In this episode, the Big Cat talks to Dr. Louis Passfield, a Sports Scientist from the UK. Dr. Passfield is a leader in the scientific community, especially in the realm of quantifying training load from power data to optimize performance. He also has a 25-year track record of work in cycling and has worked as a lead sports scientist with the highly successful British Cycling team preparing for many important events including the Barcelona, Atlanta, Beijing, and Tokyo Olympic Games.
Check out his array of scientific publications here: here:https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Louis-Passfield
Welcome to the 20th edition of our “Ask a FasCat” podcast series, where we gather athletes' questions from our forum, email, and social media to help you ride faster! In this round, Frank and Lacey dive into topics ranging from the signs of overtraining, HR drift, the most useful whoop metrics, how weight loss can enhance or harm your performance, end of season CTL, and lots more.
Big thanks to everyone for submitting your thought-provoking questions, we couldn't do these episodes without you!
In this week's podcast, the Big Cat dives into a discussion about stress including training stress, life stress, when it is good, when it isn't good and how/if you can manage both together. He also touches on how HRV is a good stress metric and what kind of lifestyle habits you can adopt to minimize your stress.
BigCat speaks with Pat Warner and Ben Sharp, the dynamic Coach-Athlete duo from Stages Cycling. Ben is an Olympic Gold Medalist Coach who also happens to coach Pat Warner. Pat is the head honcho at Stages Cycling who recently won the Masters National 50+ Road Race and Time Trial.
In part 2 of the episode, they discuss Ben's work with Asthon Lambie, Stages strain gage technology, Sweet Spot training, Pat's mindset around training, the value of a strong coach-athlete relationship and much more!
BigCat speaks with Pat Warner and Ben Sharp, the dynamic Coach-Athlete duo from Stages Cycling. Ben is an Olympic Gold Medalist Coach who also happens to coach Pat Warner. Pat is the head honcho at Stages Cycling who recently won the Masters National 50+ Road Race and Time Trial. In part 1 of the episode they discuss topics including their background in cycling, what their coach-athlete relationship is like and how Pat's training differs from Olympic athletes such as Jennifer Valente (won gold in Tokyo). They also talk in-depth about Master's training.
Stay tuned for Part 2 which will be released next week!
In this podcast, Coach Frank discusses FasCat's 4 new off season training plans for the 2021-2022 season! Specifically, he breaks down the 30 week off season plan, explaining the phases of the plan, how the workouts, sets, reps, and mesocycles progress, as well as the rationale for the plan and which type of athlete each level is designed for!
In this episode, Coach Frank Overton and Coach Christian Parrett discuss what pyramidal training is, research studies from world tour athletes that support its use, real-world examples of how pyramidal training differs from polarized training, and why the 'Polarized versus Sweet Spot Training' is a false debate.
In this episode, the Big Cat talks about 4 training tips for the month of august including fueling for long events, SBT race strategies, gear and tire choice, 4 cyclocross skills you should be working on, and how to taper properly.
He also announces a few changes to our tried n' true off season plan and our 18 weeks of sweet spot training plan that you don't want to miss!
We received a record number of user submitted questions for the 19th edition of our "Ask a FasCat" podcast! In fact, it was so many that we couldn't answer in one go. So in this episode, we bring in Coaches Allie, Jake, Lacey, and Christian to help answer 30 more questions!
Topics covered include stage race nutrition, optimal cadence, mid-season setbacks, mental strategies for pushing through intervals, how to improve your XC race starts, and much more!
Welcome to the 19th edition of our "Ask a FasCat" podcast series, where we gather questions from our forum, website, and social media to help you ride faster!
This go-round we are giving the athlete with the most thoughtful question a pair of Normatec Pulse, 2.0 compression boots that we’ve talked about in several of our podcasts including the holiday gift guide, recovery for cycling, and the masters recovery episodes.
We received a record number of questions for this Q&A episode, which we are thrilled about! However, it meant that we were not able to answer them all in one go... so be on the lookout for a bonus episode to come out soon!
We’ve podcasted on the topic of master's training three times before including on Masters CTL, Master’s Recovery, and the Seven Habits of Successful Masters Cyclists. In this episode, Coach Frank touches on those again, but dives down even deeper and discusses 3 actionable adjustments you can make to your training as a 50+ athlete.
This podcast commemorates the Big Cat's 50th birthday! To celebrate, you can use the coupon code 50podcast to get 50% off any training plan! Offer expires July 15th.
Are you a new cyclist or a season veteran looking for ways to start riding faster? Well here is your how to guide! In this episode Coach Frank goes over his top 8 Riding Faster Fundamentals that will help you to improve your cycling. While some of you may already know about these, it is always helpful to be reminded and to learn about ways to put them into practice.
Visit fascatcoaching.com to learn more about getting faster on the bike, and don't forget to subscribe to the show!
Coach Frank and the FasCat Coaches drops some wisdom on how to nail your warmup for different kinds of bike racing. It doesn't have to be complicated to be effective, so tune in to get ready for your summer race season. Keep up with all things Fascat over at fascatcoaching.com.
Frank is joined by Coach Jake in Boulder to answer listener-submitted questions! They cover Q's such as training on really hot days, training for Leadville at sea level, finding the joy in suffering, and more! Visit fascatcoaching.com to learn more about getting faster on the bike, and don't forget to subscribe to the show.
Coach Frank catches up with the former WorldTour rider and recent champion of the Unbound Gravel 200 to hear about his win, his preparation for the race, nutrition strategy, shift from the road to gravel, spirit animals, and what's next for the Boz.
In this episode, we repost one of our original podcast episodes to celebrate our (almost) 3 year anniversary of the FasCat Podcast. Learn how Frank "invented" and popularized the concept of sweet spot training to improve cycling performance. For more training tips, visit fascatcoaching.com.
There seems to be a lot of discussion about CTL, TSS, FTP, etc. as it relates to elite or world-class level cyclists, but what does this all mean for masters cyclists? Today on the podcast, we discuss masters CTL and the fundamentals of using CTL to quantify your training load as a masters cyclist and some key tips and advice from the Big Cat on this topic. Lots of good info here!
For more info on the subject, subscribe to the podcast on all your favorite platforms and check out our training tips on the website: https://fascat.wpengine.com/tips/seven-habits-of-highly-successful-masters-cyclists/
12393If you’re listening and reading this tip, check out Sweet Spot #2 — follow the plan, you will go faster. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fascatcoaching/
Instagram: @fascatfh Twitter: @FasCat , @FasCatCoaching and YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/FasCatCoaching
Remember to use code 25podcast at checkout to save 25% off your next plan…and don’t procrastinate!
Intro music: David Cutter Music // https://davidcuttermusic.com/
The post Chronic Training Load (CTL) for Masters Cyclists appeared first on FasCat.
Welcome back to another installment of our Q&A series, Ask a FasCat! Here we take listener questions from our audience and do our best to answer them. In this round, we tackle a variety of questions including first gravel race tips, nutrition for stage races, and plenty more! Thanks to everyone who submitted questions, and we hope this is helpful in your pursuit of getting faster on the bike!
62802 Gravel Training Plan Work Hard, Ride Fast, don’t forget to Switch from Base to Race, Have FUN and as ALWAYS FtFP
Use 25podcast for 25% off training plans
Copyright © 2021 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
To talk with a FasCat Coach that exudes these qualities, please fill out a New Athlete Questionnaire to set up a complimentary coaching consultation.
The post Ask a FasCat #17 appeared first on FasCat.
Are you new to riding and training with a powermeter? Here is your beginner’s guide to start training with power. In this episode, Coach Frank outlines 5 steps to begin training with power and using your data in TrainingPeaks.
62544Power-Based Intervals for Road Racing Training Plan Step 1: Upload your Data to TrainingPeaks
Step 2: Look at your Power Graph
Step 3 is to set your power at threshold and begin personalizing your data to you!
Step 4: Train Using your Power-Based Zones
Step 5: Set up your charts in your dashboard
A power meter is a fantastic training tool that can take your training and racing to the next level. Listen to our beginner’s guide to start training with power and learn how to use it and TrainingPeaks!
Also: next week is our Ask a FasCat episode #17 : your training questions and our answers. Submit your questions by next Wednesday in our forum or email us at help@fascat.wpengine.com or on the grams @fascatcoaching
The Performance Manager Chart
Master’s CTL Podcast
Work Hard, Ride Fast, don’t forget to Switch from Base to Race, Have FUN and as ALWAYS FtFP
Copyright © 2021 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
To talk with a FasCat Coach that exudes these qualities, please fill out a New Athlete Questionnaire to set up a complimentary coaching consultation.
The post Beginner’s Guide to Start Training with Power appeared first on FasCat.
What makes a good Coach? Coaches come in all different sizes and shapes but what are the core values that makes a great one?
61959Designed by Good Coaches to help YOU Ride Faster In this podcast, Coach Frank describes the inspiration behind the podcast (we’re hiring) and what he considers the qualities of a great coach starting with these four core qualities:
- Results
- Knowledge
- Education
- and Experience
Thanks to everyone for tuning in, subscribing and reviewing on Apple Podcasts, and for engaging in our forum! Save 25% on your next training plan with code 25podcast
SHOW NOTES:
Cycling Coach Job
Fatigue Dependent Training Plan Design
The 4 core are just the outer layer and I think there are many many layers and combinations of qualities underneath those 4 core. When you consider there are many types of coaches from World Tour Coaches at one end of the spectrum all the way to junior an high school NICA coaches at the other. National Team Coaches and Collegiate Coaches but for the purposes of this podcast we’ll be talking about the kind of one on one cycling coach you’d hire – where they work for you. As opposed to a Football coach who’s job is for the TEAM to produce results. Sure they need to motivate the athletes too but at the end of the day THEY are the boss whereas in a For Hire Coach-Athlete relationship I consider the athlete to be the boss.
Back to the many layers under the four core: results, knowledge, experience and education, I think its important that a Coaches have the ability to
- Make the Coaching fun – create an Enjoyment of the Process
- Ability to have/achieve positive Coach-Athlete Relationships
- Ability to Earn Athlete’s Trust
- Salesmanship – to sell ideas and hard work
- Ability to help athlete as an athlete and as a person and know when helping the person is more important than the athlete
- Ability to help athlete be their best in sport and life – that life balance we keep mentioning
- To be a good motivator
- Are they a good person that genuinely cares about the welfare of the athlete
3 of my favorite coaches I’ve studied and learned from are :
Jim Valvano
Nick Saban
Mike Krzyzewski
All three have great books where they lay out their coaching philosophy and describe their trials and tribulations in their coaching career. Definitely worth a read if you have the time. They all speak to those 8 qualities above.
These are all collegiate coaches, coincidence? Not surprising given I coached the CU Buffs for 2 years.
Nine Qualities of a Good Coach
1. Enrichment – WHEN YOU ENRICH THE LIVES OF OTHERS YOU ENRICH YOUR OWN
This quote is the words we live by. Coaching is in our DNA because all the FasCat Coaches have an innate altruistic personality and ample personal experience training, racing and riding recreationally. Our goal is to use that experience, along with scientifically proven strategies to help you improve your cycling. We’ll tap into our enthusiasm for the sport to coach you better by leading the way (core value #7), keeping you motivated and having fun.
2. GOLDEN RULE OF COACHING
“Do unto our athletes as we would want to be coached”. The FasCat Coaches have all had coaches at one point in their cycling careers (many of them coached by FasCat Founder Frank Overton) and know what it is like to be coached. We’ve all had moments where we’ve needed some extra attention, motivation or an objective opinion. Unfortunately too, we know what it’s like to receive bad advice and coaching. Thus, we place a high value on treating each and every athlete we coach with the highest degree of importance.
3. Qualifications
– Experience
– Innovation
– Communication
– Technology
– Creative Solutions
4. POWER-BASED TRAINING & SPORT SCIENCE
Exchanging power data enhances the coach athlete relationship and maximizes what we can do for you because power data is the ultimate form of communication. Power based training has been around for 20 years by now and if you are using a powermeter the coach you hire should be well versed in the art and the science of power based coaching.
5. BUILD OPEN & HONEST COACH-ATHLETE RELATIONSHIPS
When you hire a good Coach, you don’t just get a custom training plan, you get a relationship with a coach that has similar interests to you and that is responsible for your goals. Your goals are your coaches j.o.B.
A good coach will listen to your feedback and learn from your data to figure out what makes you tick. Your coach will understand your life outside of cycling and the balance you need to maintain in order to continue to enjoy your cycling. That life balance again. The net results are trust & faith which is essential to coaching & being coached. A good coach will build this kind of relationship with athletes because together they can accomplish more than they could otherwise.
6. LIFELONG LEARNERS
No one knows it all and if they give off the vibe they do, watch out. I am constantly learning news things about the athletes I’ve coached for years. The best way to do that is to ask them what’s going on in their lives – seek out the stuff that you won’t find in the power data. Get to know them.
Now I bet you thought when I mentioned be lifelong learner you were thinking academically, And that is true BUT its the not the end all.
At FasCat we continue to search out ways to help our athletes perform better, ride faster, increase their power output, recover quicker, stay motivated and reach their goals. A good coach will Learn as much as they can about the athlete to help them – alot of that comes down to what motivates the athlete, what makes them tick, and what ways can the coach get the athlete to get the most out of themselves.
One of the holy grails of coaching is a motivated athlete and then a motivated team of athletes working together as one.
7. TALK THE TALK, WALK THE WALK
We train hard, race hard and compete hard. We are bike racers just like our athletes. Our race performance is a direct reflection of our ability to coach athletes well. We were all beginners once and have applied the proper amount of work, experience and science to improve.
I firmly believe all coaches need to have gone thru the kind of improvement you want to achieve if they are able to successfully lead you on that journey. At FasCat, I only hire Cat 2 or equivalent coaches and higher. That achievement alone tells me the coach knows what hard work and the the journey is , and Therefore, we are qualified to show the athlete how to improve as well. We
I firmly believe a coach needs to lead by example and know exactly what it is like to suffer while performing intervals, to make sacrifices from taking on a goal and to get psyched up for a race. When we practice what we preach we continue to develop as coaches capable of coaching our athletes better & better.
Another talk the talk walk the walk rule I have is that the coach needs to have competed in the event for which the athlete they are coaching wants to compete in. I personally have never done a triathlon and therefore I do not feel comfortable coaching multisport athletes. Same for cyclocross – they coach needs to or have been a cyclocross athlete themselves.
As I get older (I’m turning 50 this year) I struggle with the walking the walk part because now many of the athletes are younger and I’m not training as much as they are. However, I think the experience speaks volumes in this case.
8. ACCOUNTABILITY
A good coach will take your training, racing, performance and coaching seriously.
In fact your goals are our jobs as I said earlier. Tell us what you want to achieve and a good coach will show you how to do it. They’ll hold you accountable to the plan they develop and expect you to hold them accountable for doing a good job. A good coach is your accountability buddy.
I also think a good coach will reach out if he or she hasn’t heard from from the athlete under their normal communication patterns; it is likely you’ll receive a pro-active email and/or phone call/ text.
Good coaches are open to communication about if the athlete is not feeling they are on the right track. Equally as important, expect a call from your coach if you are not training in a way that is aligned with your goals.
9. Ninth and final QUALITY COACHING + GOOD PLANNING + HARD WORK = SUCCESS
There are no magic bullets. No elixirs, supplements or trademarked workouts that you can buy to obtain results. There are no shortcuts in cycling. Your improvement is like the Smith Barney slogan, “We make money the old fashioned way, we earn it”.
If you talk to a coach that is selling you on something otherwise, run for the hills
With that said, a good coach is not going to prescribe a 15 hour training week if you only have 8 hours to train. Instead they are going to use scientific principles to help you make the most out of your limited time. For example Tempo and Sweet Spot advanced aerobic endurance training.
A good coach will work with you from the start to develop an Annual Training Plan and teach you how to train properly in order to improve and reach your goals. Will be your mentor!
A good coach will have you work as HARD as your goals are HIGH and we’ll even help you set tiered goals in order to balance your time on the bike with the rest of your life. That is the essence of good quality coaching and what you can expect from a good coach.
And that my friends and what I’m recruiting at FasCat – check out our job posting we are seeking a new cycling coach with all these qualities and perhaps more. Get in touch if you are interested.
Work Hard, Ride Fast, don’t forget to Switch from Base to Race, Have FUN and as ALWAYS FtFP
Copyright © 2021 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
To talk with a FasCat Coach that exudes these qualities, please fill out a New Athlete Questionnaire to set up a complimentary coaching consultation.
The post What Makes a Good Coach appeared first on FasCat.
Switching from Base to Race Part 2: a continuation from our 2019 podcast on moving onto an interval phase of training after building a sweet spot base 61785Gravel Training Plan to help you practice what’s described in this podcast! In this podcast, Coach Frank goes thru 10 instances Dave Letterman style of when you should switch from aerobic endurance training to high intensity interval training. This is the sweet spot and polarized methodologies referenced in last week’s podcast!
Thanks to everyone for tuning in, subscribing and reviewing on Apple Podcasts, and for engaging in our forum! Save 25% on your next training plan with code 25podcast
SHOW NOTES:
2019 Switch from Base to Race Podcast
Timing is Everything
Let’s talk about the criteria for knowing when to stop doing aerobic endurance work and start doing high intensity interval training because as we’ve podcasted before timing is everything.
How to Know when to Switch from Base to Race – gonna do my best Dave Letterman top 10 list impression:
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When you are racing* in 3-6 weeks or less
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When your base is ‘good’ and the returns from doing interval training going forward are going to net greater power increase than if you kept trudging along with base
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When you’ve been doing base for more than 18 weeks
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When your Coach tells you to (this would be for the one on one coached athletes)
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When you’ve been doing some base but want to raise your power even more
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When you want to do some harder training
4.When your CTL is higher than ever before or within 10-20% of
3.When you can’t ride any more – as in you’ve maxed out 12 hours of riding per week (cant do 13)
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When you are dog tired from all the sweet spot training and your legs are begging for a break
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And the #1 reason to switch from base to race is because you are going to be racing soon! Switch to “Race”
Alright – let’s unpack each one of those. I don’t have any reasons not to switch to intervals unless your base is under developed. Ie. you have NOT been doing any sweet spot base and aren’t racing soon or if you are those are B races. In this case, doing a 6 or 12 week block of sweet spot training before you switch to interval training. Build the aerobic foundation of the pyramid an stack the intervals on top of afterwards.
You may hear some old skool racers talk about racing into shape – but they are building base during the week. And per our long ride podcast last week – if you’ve been racing on Zwift or similar riding hard – that is not base and now that the weather is improving for outside rides you will benefit from back up and doing a block of sweet spot base training. Resist the temptation to keep riding hard outside – this is the group ride hero we talk about and also a one way ticket to Burn Out Ville. You don’t want to go there when the world is going to come back to life once everyone gets vaccinated and racing + group rides return. But I digress…..
Back to unpacking the Dave LetterMan top ten list to switch from base to race:
- When you are racing* in 3-6 weeks or less
If you’ve done some base say a 6 – 12 week block but your CTL isn’t quite where you want it to be because of life’s limitations, still switch from base to race. Remember races are generally one from your peak power output – not the size of your CTL. I feel like that line could be in the Movie SpaceBalls – anyone remember the light saber spoof scene?
Its better to work on your power output 3-6 weeks out than your base. That’s the coaching advice – that’s what I was talking about last week when the coaches are ahead of the science. Experience! AI generated workouts are going to miss that.
- When your base is ‘good’ and the returns from doing interval training going forward are going to net greater power increase than if you kept trudging along with base
This goes along with #10 I just mentioned – you’ll increase your FTP more than from trying to keep building your base. Watts win races not CTL.
- When you’ve been doing base for more than 18 weeks
18 weeks is the point of diminishing returns – you need/want to move on from here to keep progress – your training and progress will plateau out should you keep sweet spot base build. See we advocate both!
- When your Coach tells you to (this would be for the one on one coached athletes)
For coaches athletes, this is the value of having a coach – an expert with the experience to know when to switch – using the 3 criteria above but also the nuances of your training. This is someone who’s got your back and has the experience to give you this advice. Again AI ain’t gonna do that for you.
- When you’ve been doing some base but want to raise your power even more
Naturally what’s better than one thing to help you ride faster? Two! In last week’s podcast we articulated tht we advocate both sweet spot training combine with polarized training – I prefer to call it race specific interval training. And future pod on intervals I’ll described the FasCat Way. We’ve touched on it before if you want to go back and listen to our previous episodes on intervals. But combine base training with interval training and whammo! Lotta watts coming to ya.
- When you want to do some harder training
If you are like a caged tiger frothing at the mouth to ride fast and ride harder, you should switch from base to race and do some intervals! This would go toward motivation – when you are motivated to do the hard work, do the intervals and make the switch – just make sure you’ve built your base up first. As in for your whacko’s that like to do VO2 Max Intervals all year long. I jest but I know you are out there…. This is what I call the cross fit crew – who goes berserk every workout. That can be harnessed .. I am digressing…..
4.When your CTL is higher than ever before or within 10-20% of
I like the historical CTL data because it serves as a point of reference if you’ve got last year’s data and can compare. If you hit 85 last year and you couldn’t ride any longer and you are close to 85 this year (80-90) and you know it’ll be tough to find more time to ride to keep raising your CTL – that is when you know it is time to Switch from Base to race.
Use the Performance Manager Chart – the PMC the The Shit that will Kill Them – to help you identify and even project (model out) when you’ll make the switch. Use the PMC chart to model that out and determine if/when/why to make the switch.
3.When you can’t ride any more – as in you’ve maxed out 12 hours of riding per week (can’t do 13)
If you can’t ride anymore than 12 hours per week you wont’ be able to keep increase your CTL , building your base and you would be wise to bank those gains and make more by beginin and interval training phase.
I see this alot with athletes that have done a good build but there CTL hovers flat for long period of time as they run up against a brick wall trying to keep riding long and keep riding more when life simply doesn’t let them. That’s when to stop sweet spotting and start doing intervals.
Your PMC chart should only track flat when you are ‘in season and doing intervals’ if you are building base it should be increasing and if its not for whatever reason, move onto the next phase of training, which is intervals or rest and/or a taper to peak for a A race.
- When you are dog tired from all the sweet spot training and your legs are begging for a break
Base training is hard once you really start pushing out the adaptations and it can wear on you. Rarely does an athlete overtrain from base, but you certainly can overreached. As I mentioned in # 3 if you are running up a brick wall because your legs are tired and you cant’ make watts like you could when you were fresh – that is your body telling you to rest. Remember the Greg henderson, Wrestling the Gorrilla analogy – this is when you let the Gorrilla win, your body and your legs – tell you, no mas. Rest , ride less and then switch over to high intensity interval work – especially
If you are about to start racing soon. Which is our # 1 reason to switch from base to race. Soon as in 6 weeks or less and you are hungry like the wolf to steal the Duran Duran song and are motivated to ride harder as referenced in #5 previously.
Thanks for listening! Hit us up in our forum forum.FasCatCoachig.com to ask us YOUR question about switching from base to race
Don’t just sweet spot all year round – you’re leaving watts on the table if you don’t do your intervals. It goes right to the core of how we each each episode which I’ll amend for this podcast
Work Hard, Ride Fast, don’t forget to Switch from Base to Race, Have FUN and as ALWAYS FtFP
Copyright © 2021 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
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The post Switching from Base to Race Part 2 appeared first on FasCat.
Coach Frank goes on a 14 minute rant about ‘internet scientists’ and the whole sweet spot versus polarized debate. He espouses how the coaches are ahead on the scientists and bring it all back to the podcast topic: the long ride. Frank describes his three long rides and how you can progress thru each.
61558Gravel Training Plan to help you practice what’s described in this podcast! In this podcast, Coach Frank covers the benefits of a long ride and goes on a rant about ‘internet scientists’.
Thanks to everyone for tuning in, subscribing and reviewing on Apple Podcasts, and for engaging in our forum! Save 25% on your next training plan with code 25podcast
Show Notes: How I invented Sweet Spot Training Peter Stetina Podcast I am a man of science with a masters degree in physiology and US Patent # 7202067 from my molecular biology biotech days. I’ve spent days, nights in the Bowman Gray medical school library going thru thick 10 pound, 500 page medical journals trying to figure out how to get nerves to grow back on Astrocytes to help spinal cord injury patients. I even presented that work at the annual Neuroscience meetings in La Jolla and have to say – sometimes science doesn’t have all the answers. It’s your experience in the field from trying failure, doing and succeed.
Here’s the story and what I mean: I spent 6 months in a medical school laboratory with an NIH grant trying to figure out how to get spinal cord rat astrocytes to grow in petri dish to study nerve regeneration with an in vitro spinal cord injury model. Say that tongue twister with me again.
6 months culturing hundreds of thousands of astrocytes (cells that make up your spinal cord) day after day. And they weren’t growing. And my boss started to get pissed and I was going to the medical school library every night to find that one nugget of information to figure out how to get these astrocytes to grow in the petri dish. I Experimented with everything the scientific journals listed in their ‘methods and materials’ section of the publication – the growth media, the way we harvested the cells, you name it. Finally one day I reached out to a researcher in the field who’d published a paper on astrocytes from the University of Alabama Birmingham’s medical school of all places. The next day I cold called him and he picked up! Lo and behold he answered on the 2nd ring and we talked for 20 minutes and a week later I flew down to his lab to work with him and his lab tech to see if we could figure out a way to get the spinal cord injury model to work.
Within the first hour of our collaboration the lab tech told me to coat the petri dishes with L-Lysine to give the Astrocytes something to bind too because they didn’t like plastic.
And whammo – that was the golden nugget of information. That was the information that wasn’t in the hundreds of scientific publications I had found on pub med and spent hours making copies of in the medical school library. I asked the lab tech how she figured it out and she just shrugged her shoulders and said another researcher suggested it to her. Aha – insider information…..
Long story short, cells grews, motor neurons were studied, papers were published and more NIH grants were received. I went on to graduate school and got distracted by mountain bike racing… but I digress.
The point I’d like to make is that sometimes the science, the scientists haven’t found what they are looking for. And someone with 20 years of experience has, like the coaches.
Everyone on the internet is quick to point to the science this researcher has published in order to argue their point or to sound smart. And while I read the same studies, there are paper I wish have been published looking at what I’ve noticed in the field from athlete performance and power data.
Sometimes the coaches are ahead of the scientists because they have the ability to perform experiments and gather the power data and see the results from the athletes they coach. Coaches have n = 1000 to the lab studies that had n = 12. And the longer they coach and the more experience they glean, the better able they are to figure out what works and what does not.
By now I have close to 20 years of coaching experience and analyzing the power data of athletes and taking their data set from the whole season and seasons to measure their performance. Good coaches will micro experiment with their athletes: Did they rider faster , win x y z race, FTP improve, endurance stretched. What worked, what did not. Perform develop, grow , achieve.
Many of you have heard my December 2018 podcast “How I Invented Sweet Spot” If not go back and give it a listen, I’ll put it in the show notes too. In there I recant my experience training with the polarized method and then the extraordinary improvement I made when I discovered and developed sweet spot training. I went from P ½ field pack fill to winning P1/2 races. XC MTB races, Time trials and crits all of things which is opposite but I always had a good anaerobic system no doubt developed from all the intervals I did.
I’m not trying to start a polarized v sweet spot debate – I think, we (at FasCat think) you should do both and when you combine them together you’ll ride your fastest. Its taken me/us close to 20 years of training, racing, analyzing to articulate that to you all when everyone else is busy arguing which side they are on. The answer from the coaches is BOOOOOTTTHHHH!!
Polarized training gets you so far just like sweet spot training only gets you so far. But when you combine the two together, when you switch from base to race: whammo – that’s the stuff of peak performances
The big point I want to make is these broad connecting the dots types of perspectives from real world experience, working with athletes day in and day out, takes an open mind and years, decades of experience. I chuckle when the internet cites a study performed over six weeks. And then you dig deeper and the paper was written by a graduate student. Nothing against graduate student, I used to be one myself!
Six weeks is just not enough time nor experience to really determine an athletes performance in a laboratory studying from following a real training plan. Studies like this can answer one single question that is more or less one layer of dozens that coaches factor into performance.
Sometimes these studies answer questions about performance that honestly doesn’t matter too much to coaches because its common cycling sense. Granted they answer specific scientifica questions but many many times the coaches are ahead of the scientists AND the studies haven’t even been conducted to what the coaches have already figured out. Case in point – the whole sweet spot v polarized debate.
Now I like science and I like the research – if these researchers were to go on journey and follow the results then you should perk up and pay attention. But to my knowledge no study has been done looking at sweet spot training to build one’s aerobic endurance in the off and pre-season and then a switch polarised training pre competition and in season.
No study except for the fact that hundreds of my coaching colleagues training athletes with this methodology to help athletes of all abilities from average Joes to World Tour Pros’ ride their bikes faster.
A super digression! I apologize, I was going to talk with you about the Long Ride and I just went on a huge rant pitching scientists against coaches. I think the holy grail is an experienced coach rooted in science (like most of my colleagues) Real world experience with a scientific background. But if I had to choose one or another, I’d choose the experience coached over what the science says every single time. And I’m a scientist!
But the honest truth is that when I went to research the benefits of the long ride I wasn’t satisfied sharing the results of a paper in the Journal of Sports Med citing the increase in mitochondrial density from aerobic endurance training. Rather let me simply share 20 years of professional coaching experience with you – what works and I won’t even mention what does not. And because I’ve gone on a rant let’s skip the review of the week and announcement. Subscribe, leave us a review, engage with us – we want to help you ride your bike faster!
We as Coaches know what works.. Why? Because we’ve done that ourselves and have monitored hundreds of athletes over the years that have benefited from long endurance ride training.
And when I say endurance I’m talking about your aerobic endurance and you are ‘aerobic’ between Zones 2 thru sweet spot. Even Zones 4 & 5 are aerobic just not for long. Therefore I like to have athletes do three type of long rides in a progression.
The first is the zone 2 ride the 2nd is the sweet spot TSS ride and the third is the AmEx TSS ride.
Start with the zone 2 ride then move onto a long sweet spot ride and finally if your training has been going really well move onto the long Amex ride. Save the Amex rides for when your goal event is close. The Zone 2 and sweet spot long rides are off and pre-season and even in season.
Zones 2 is zone 2 – fairly straightforward , steady constant pedalling and avoiding any forays above zone 2 – oftentimes facilitated by choosing to ride on flat terrain.
The Sweet Spot ride is actually zones 2 through Sweet Spot for the sweet spot TSS ride and Zones 2 – zone 5 for the AmEx ride. And we’ll even sprinkle in a little organic zone 6, especially if they are a road, crit, mtb and cyclocrosser.
Backing up we are coming up on the end of winter where everyone needs (this is free coaching advice) to get off their trainer and increase their riding volume. One hour a day is fine 18+ weeks out from their goal event but the progression to your training from increasing the intensity and frequency of intervals only takes one so far. In other words, there’s only so far you can ‘get’ from one hour trainer rides.
The next step is to increase your riding volume. And for most of us weekend warriors that comes from the long ride on the weekend. 2-3 hours at first and then add 30 minutes each successive weekend to work your way to a 5 hour ride.
I think the five hour ride is within all cyclists of all abilities: young, old beginner, advanced. This is why centuries are so popular bc 20mph for 5 hours = a 100 mile century. This is also why the pros do long rides. They just do a lot of long rides to add up to some 20-25+ hour weeks.
So get off your trainer, put on some cold weather riding gear and double the longest ride you’ve done on the trainer this winter. Say that is 1.5 hours indoors so ride 3 hours outdoors. Ride 3.5 hours the next weekend and keep going to 4 > 4.5 and 5 hours each weekend. That is a 5 week progression.
Why 5 hours? 2 reasons: #1 5 hours is specific to many of the events we are training for like an 80-100 mile road race, a gravel race, fondo, century, etc…
#2 5 hours is a large dose of training (lotta mitochondrial biogenesis) but not so large that we can’t recover from. For example – the first time you do a 5 hour ride you are going to be smashed from it the next day. But the next time you do a 5 hour ride you’ll be less tired the next day and less tired the next time. A 5 hour zone 2 ride will incur a training stress score of roughly 250 or 50 TSS / hour. Experienced cyclist know they can recover from that. Especially when they’ve done 350 – 400 Sweet Spot TSS rides or events and have experience of what that felt like.
The single day long ride progression is to go from not one long 5 hour ride on the weekend but TWO . That’s another 5 week progression after the aforementioned 5 week progression.
For example – so now you are doing regular 5 hour rides every Saturday. On Sunday’s you are going to go from 2.5 hour ride and increase the duration by 30 minutes each successive Sunday on up to 5 hours.
Now you are talking two long rides over the weekend for 10 hours of training + the 3 – 5 you are getting in during the week which adds up to close to are 12-15 hour training week. That’s a lot of mitochondria. And that’s how you build endurance.
FTP gets a lot of hype while endurance is the ugly step sister. Let me tell you without ‘endurance’ your FTP is going to be subject to fatigue during your event. Aka that 300 watt FTP at the beginning of a 4-6 hour event will be 200 watts or less in the final hour.
Scenario: If you have only been riding one hour a day 5-6 days a week for a total of 6-8 hours of weekly training for 6+ weeks and your FTP is over 300 watts that is great. But when you start getting into your Springtime and Summer events that require endurance, that 300 watts FTP will decrease each hour going to 275 and 250 and on down and the miles roll on.
However for the athletes that have put in the time in the saddle training 8 – 12 hours per week their FTP is going to decrease less over the course of a long endurance event. Remember our podcast with Peter Stetina? He finished Unbound with the equivalent of a 170 watt FTP as measured by his normalized power in the final hour. And he finished 3rd! And he has incredible endurance from his training and years as a world tour pro.
That race is truly a test of endurance and FTP much less so. And here’s my coaching experience for ya: you can incur less fatigue and have less FTP decline during an event from doing regular long rides. No scientific paper proves or disproves that – that’s just common cycling knowledge. The cyclists are ahead of the science.
The long ride is the quintessential workout of aerobic endurance training for an aerobic sport. Dr Andy Coggan famously exclaimed way back, ‘its an aerobic sport, damit’ referring to the fact that event pursuitors whose event is less than 5 minutes benefit from endurance training.
Even MvDP and Wout van Aerto go do 20-25 hour weeks in Majorca in December to get ready for 1 hour event in January. Because it is an aerobic endurance sport. And that’s also why they are such good road racers. Side note who do you think will win Strade Bianchi this weekend?
Even Criterium racers and XC mountain bikers with events less than 2 hours do long rides because its an aerobic endurance sport.
Time trialists and hill climbers benefit from long rides because its an aerobic endurance sport. And of course gravel fondo and century riders need and benefit from long rides because its specific to the event! The event is a long ride.
As the expression goes, ‘long live long rides’ because they are fun, can be adventurous and honestly what I’m looking forward to this Spring and Summer. In the mountains of course.
Thanks for listening to my rant and be sure to subscribe because next week we’ll be podcasting about switching from base to race part two – and our regular Ask a FasCat user submitted questions # 17 !
And if one of your buddies or the internet argues with you say in your best Big Lebowski voice ‘mitochondrial biogenesis man’
Do your long rides and remember to “Work Hard, Ride Fast, Have Fun and as always FtFP”
To practice: ride your Gravel Bike on trails! Descending! I’m gonna give you all my cyclocross skill tips here: Steam crossings + Roots and Mud: Copyright © 2021 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
To talk with a FasCat Coach about your long rides, please fill out a New Athlete Questionnaire to set up a complimentary coaching consultation.
The post Long Rides, Coaches v Scientists, Sweet Spot AND Polarized appeared first on FasCat.
Spring is around the corner and that means dried-out roads, sunshine, and GRAVEL. While gravel riding and racing is super hot right now in the cycling world, there are still a lot of cyclists who are intimidated or unfamiliar with how it all works. So, in this episode, Coach Frank breaks the gravel skills down and offers some of his tried and true tips for gravel riding and racing as a veteran of the gravel scene (he’s been doing it since before it was “cool”).
61385Gravel Training Plan to help you practice what’s described in this podcast! In this podcast, Coach Frank covers:
- pack riding skills
- maintaining a line of sight
- body position and english on the bike
- braking
- cornering
- descending
- roots and mud
Thanks to everyone for tuning in, subscribing and reviewing on Apple Podcasts, and for engaging in our forum! Save 25% on your next training plan with code 25podcast
Let me start with the 3 different types of gravel courses that different kinds of gravel skills apply to:
the Boulder Gucci gravel What I jest about here is that the dirt roads around Boulder, CO are practically paved because out West Boulder County grades the dirt with giant tractors and treats the dirt by spraying the road with magnesium chloride (I think) to help bind the dirt and when the conditions are right – its smooth and hard pack just like a rough paved rough.
Incidentally for those of you who live or have ridden in Costa Rica, you know many of the roads are dirt and they are treated with molasses to bind the dirt and keep the dust low. So riding in Costa Rica smells like pancakes. But I digress….
In either place not many gravel skills are necessary and I know that because I’ve ridden a road bike on these roads just as I would ride a road bike. In fact Boulder has historically held a road race called the Boulder-Roubaix on the Boulder gucci gravel and we all used our road bikes with maybe 25mm slick road tires. And nobody got hurt. The skills required are the same skills you need for road racing:
- To be able to ride in a pack, group, peloton
- Draft wheels
- Conserve energy from drafting and maneuvering in the pack to travel faster with less energy expenditure
When I say draft I am speaking about the fact that aerodynamic drag is 30% less riding directly behind a rider in front of you than it is riding with no rider in front of you aka breaking the wind.
Over 3-4-5-6 hours + that 30% adds up alot and you can travel farther and faster by riding in a group. Having a good group to ride with during a gravel race is kinda the holy grail to your performance especially in the final quarter of the race when you are really tired. You’ll go faster and be more motivated than being stuck out there by yourself in no man’s land questioning your life’s decisions.
How do you work on your pack riding gravel skills: why by George practice by riding in groups. This where a lot of roadies excel and why you see a lot of them coming over to gravel. That and they are aerobic endurance monsters.
So to practice you need to seek out opportunities to work on you drafting and your pack riding skills. This is why we are such fans of the weekend group rides and the weeknight crits and group rides.
I said crit – yes – crit racers are some of the best drafters in the sport of cycling (trackies too) but a good crit racer can draft like nobodies business and out sprint , out kick you on the last lap. Want to improve your pack riding, drafting gravel skills – do a crit. Or a road race – that counts too.
In fact, the first 30-60 minutes of a gravel race is just like a fast paced road race. Therefore seek out road races to work on your gravel skills. Of course you can do gravel races to work on your gravel skills because by doing you are practicing. And with more practice you’ll improve and become more comfortable riding at speed in close proximity to other riders. All the while it is dusty and bumpy.
Familiarity plays a big factor. So practice practice practice. I’ll give you an aside about pack riding skills to put it in perspective for gravel racing. When I worked for USA Cycling and Directed the US National Women’s Team at all the world cups like Flanders, Drenthe Plouay, etc… pack riding skills was many time the rider’s biggest challenge.
The US National Team would take the best riders in the US used to slower speeds, bigger roads and a not as tight of a pack and put them on narrow unfamiliar roads, higher speeds , closer quarters and that was their biggest challenge. That’s also why racing in Europe is important for athlete development – its a skill that comes from doing. There’s no practice or drill or workout that is a substitute for riding in the European peloton.
The point I want to make is to practice by doing when it comes to your gravel skills. The more gravel races you do the better you’ll become at them, including our gravel pack riding skills.
Okay – that covers the chaotic first 30 minutes of a gravel race but what about after that?
After that you will be lucky to be in a smaller group of 6 – 12 riders. Same skills apply it is just not as scary. Your line of sight is much better!
Let’s talk about your line of sight because this is a big gravel skill. Your line of sight is drafting and looking ahead at the road/trail and seeing the smoother path. The path of least resistance AND making changes to your line to avoid that rock, or that hole in the dirt or the muddier line.
Your line of sight is easier to see when you are out there all by yourself in the latter portion of the race but at the beginning of the race see the dirt is blocked by the pack and your attempt to draft better. Know why there are so many flats in the first two hours of the Dirty Kanza/Unbound? Because riders are desperate to find a better draft and don’t see the sharp rock because they are literally glued to the wheel in front of them.
What’s the skill? Eyes up #1. Don’t just look at the wheel just in front of you – looking ahead and around.
Look Around # 2 – if possible – you’ll be able to see better by riding an inch or two to the left or the right of the wheel in front of you – riding just to the side gives you a better line of sight. Sometimes that line of sight comes at the expense of the draft so its a balance. Do you trust the wheel, the rider in front of you and follow them verbatim or do you ride just a little off to the side? Its a balance – but don’t use your brute strength in the first few hours of the race riding off to the side because that will come back to bite you in the last quarter of the race when you are dog tired.
One final gravel skill or tactic is when riding in a group of 20 for example position yourself towards the front but not on the front for a better line of sight. You’ll still have a good draft but less likely to be surprised by a rock, a rut, root, patch of mud etc… Kinda like the Paris-Roubaix entering the Ardennes Forest – be up front. But not on the front….
That covers the roadie esque portion of your gravel skills. You’ll use those at nearly all your gravel races.
Let’s shift over to the gravel skills per the terrain – the gravel conditions getting away from the Boulder gucci gravel course and on to the medium and chunky sections – even sections that are like mountain biking.
For these sections of a course line of sight is critical and the draft is not that important. In fact you will negotiate these sections better by not being around other riders. For example – you’re riding in a pack, drafting well , traveling faster and life is good but you come to a singletrack section:
The skill here is to enter that section first out of the group you are with or if not give the rider in front of you space ahead – like 3-5 bike lengths so you have a clear line of sight to handle the turns, the rocks, mud, slick section, roots, etc….
Often times these sections are only a small fraction of the whole race so my best piece of advice is to try to negotiate them safely and then you can put the hammer down when the technical aspect is over and the gravel road is in better conditions.
In cyclocross we use the adage, “you know what’s slower than riding a section carefully? Crashing.” Crashing is slower and often costly to you and your equipment. I know its cool and all to rail a section like Matthew van der Pool or Christoper Blevins but remember from our podcast with Amity Rockwell – the tortoise beats the hare every time. Your goal for these sections is to safely steadily negotiate your way thru.
Gravel Skills include: * Check your speed before entering a technical section * Eyes up – look ahead * Ride light – and by that we mean get up out of the saddle so if you do need to roll over a rock or a root your whole weight sitting on the bike does not compress the tire and potentially damage your rim, cause an flat etc… * While you are out of the saddle use your knees and elbows like shock absorbers. Let the bike move up and down and around underneath you while your arms and legs are extending at your knees and elbows. * I took a mountain bike lesson from 2000 World Downhill Mountain Bike Champion Myles Rockwell and he said – ‘dance with the trail’ let the bike move underneath you while you are stable
To practice: ride your Gravel Bike on trails! Yea, its fun and will help you train and practice for these portions of your gravel race. So for the Boulder gucci gravel riders – head over to Dowdy Draw where the xc mountain bikers go and practice riding your gravel bike on the singletrack.
This reminds me of the announcer of the Crusher and the Tushar which is billed as ‘no matter what bike you choose, you’ll be dead wrong at some point in the race’ – and of course this was in the early days of gravel racing when some choose to ride a mountain bike and some choose to ride a cyclocross bike – the crusher had/has mountain bike sections and road bike sections.
These days ride your gravel bike on mountain bike terrain as well as the road. Be diversified. The more you do it the better you’ll become.
Back to the more in the moment skills here are a few more tips to consider and implement when you are out there getting your groad on:
Use your rear brake more than your front brake unless the traction is good and consistent. Like 70 % rear 30% front.
This is especially important for descending and corners. Again criterium racers and cyclocrossers have the upper hand here and often times take their skills for granted.
For cornering – my number 1 tip is to check your speed before you enter the corner. While you are coming up on the corner read the line and the terrain. Is it loose and dusty, muddy slick or buttery smooth? How tight is the corner what are the safe speeds?
At the Crusher the corners come in the form of switchbacks on the descents and the speeds are really slow. At Steamboat Gravel the corners are more like bends in the road and the speeds are high and some don’t even require braking at all.
Just remembering the tortoise and the hare its better to go thru a corner safely than by crashing. No one ever finishes a gravel race wishing they’d of cornered faster.
Descending! I’m gonna give you all my cyclocross skill tips here: Keep your weight back and feather your front break, use your rear brake more. To get your weight back even further stand up and get your hips behind your saddle over the back wheel. Keep your elbows loose to dance with the terrain and avoid having a death grip on the handlebars. Be loose and flowy so the bike can move underneath over rocks, roots, etc… Avoid the death grip.
Hand position: hoods are ok but for better brake modulation be down in the drops – the curly bars as the enduro folk poke fun of us endurance types.
To practice: descend! For the Bouder gucci gravelers – descending down the gravel section of Sunshine Canyon – it has similarities to Steamboat and the Crusher. The gravel road at the Crusher get chewed up big time and stutter bumps forms as well the corners get loose. So descend Sunshine when its like that : awful.
You can let off the brakes more in the straight sections and check your speed as you enter the corners. Even in the drops keep your elbows and shoulder loose. If you can remember to laugh and flap your arms like a chicken you’ll get bonus points.
Steam crossings + Roots and Mud: Gravel skills for stream crossings mostly depends on how deep the water is, visibility and the conditions at the bottom. At the legendary Winter park Tipperary Creek MTB race way back when, Lance Armstrong was racing and came to the famous Tipperary Creek crossing in the lead of the race. In late summer the water was still running pretty high and there was no visibility to the rocks below. Rumor has it Big Tex did a full on superman endo with a full face plunge into the water. Local honch Jimi Killen who was about a minute or two behind dismounted and overtook Lance for the w.
The point here is safe passage is faster than crashing. There’s a lot of stream crossing at Unbound and a lot of flats after because the visibility is poor a riders slam a rock underneath. So run your big tire and don’t be afraid to get off your bike if you can’t see you line.
Roots! There’s dry roots and wet muddy slick roots. I still have PTSD from racing the NorBA Nationals at Mount Snow and in West Virginia. If at all possible square off and ride the roots perpendicular. Whatever you do try to avoid riding a root diagonally because the chances are much higher for the rubber tire to slip sideways on the smooth wet muddy root. That is nearly impossible at Mt Snow or West Virginia but thankfully I do not know of any gravel course that gnarly.
Pick your way over these sections. Light out of the saddle eyes ahead, feather the front brake and this is where doing a course inspection will help a ton. Ie. riding the course and knowing about the sections coming up.
Finally let’s talk about mud! I think we’ve all seen the picture from the Mid-South last year – just soul crushing slow peanut butter heavy mud. The biggest mud riding skill is a light gear and to keep your momentum, moving forward. Once you stop or dab you are going to probably need to get off an run to a less muddy section or expend a lot of energy to get going again.
Fortunately for most of the gravel races out west you’ll be battling dust rather than mud. But races further east have the potential to be muddy and that means slower speeds and more patience is required.
That is more tactics but skills are to simply keep your arms and shoulder loose – and honestly let the bike slide underneath you and keep your center of gravity overtop the bottom bracket. Avoid the death grip. Letting the bike slip around in the mud is for sure an acquired skill so how do you practice? That’s right ride in the mud. 10,000 muddy miles for mastery. ha!
Alright that’s all the gravel skills I have for you in this podcast, if I missed some please let me know in the comments. My biggest take home point is that gravel skills is like riding a bike – the more you do it the better you’ll become. So while you are out there FtFP’ing weave 10-20 minutes here and there to ride singletrack or mountain bikey terrain. Use your long gravel simulation rides not only for the physiological aspect of the training but for the skills practice too. Not only uphill but downhill as well!
Copyright © 2021 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
To talk with a FasCat Coach about Over Under intervals for your training and racing, please fill out a New Athlete Questionnaire to set up a complimentary coaching consultation.
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“Happy spouse, happy house” is an important mantra to keep in mind as a cyclist. Training and racing can be a selfish endeavor, and it’s often easy to get sucked into the tunnel vision of goals and TSS and forget about the home life. Coach Frank shares some Valentine’s Day wisdom for finding and keeping balance in the household while still hitting your cycling goals!
59525Sweet Spot part 3 top off your base!” We are having a 30% off Valentine’s Day sale! Use the coupon code FAST30 for 30% any training plan on FasCatCoaching.com. Note: if you’ve already used your limit 1 25podcast coupon this is your 2nd chance to save again.
Thanks to everyone for tuning in, subscribing and reviewing on Apple Podcasts, and for engaging in our forum!
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Welcome to the 16th edition of our “Ask a FasCat” podcast series, where we gather questions from our forum, website, and social media to help you ride faster! This round Frank and Lacey dive into questions ranging from course pre-riding, long term development in cycling philosophy, starting training again after a crash, and tons more. Thanks to everyone for the thought provoking questions!
58364Sweet Spot part 3 – as mentioned in the podcast!” The FasCat community now has access to discounts on Stages products, learn more by clicking on the Stages logo in our latest power based training tip “Top 10 Reasons to Ask Santa for a PowerMeter”
Show Notes:
Leaving post-activity comments: https://fascat.wpengine.com/tips/how-to-leave-post-activity-comments-for-your-coach-and-be-coachable/
Secret Training: To Race or Not To Race: https://fascat.wpengine.com/tips/secrettraining-to-race-or-not-to-race/
How to use the VIPR tube: https://fascat.wpengine.com/tips/how-to-use-a-vipr/
Use 25podcast to receive 25% off your first training plan!
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
Copyright © 2021 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
The post Ask a FasCat #16 appeared first on FasCat.
Show Notes: This week on the podcast we are talking about ways to help you stay motivated! That’s right motivational tips and tricks to beat the mid-winter blues and follow your plan. Coach Frank with sound bites from Coaches Isaiah & Jake expand on using these 18 examples to stay motivated in order to achieve your goals:
- 57324Sweet Spot Part 3 with Over Unders and Criss Cross Intervals
-
- Remember your Goals
- Set a Daily Goal to FtFP (General McRaven’s Make your Bed EveryDay)
- Make it Turn Green – same as above, daily goal
- Indoor Training – lower the barrier to completion
- If you have a 3 hour ride on your plan ride 1.5 hours one way so that you have to ride 1.5 hours to make it back home!
- Ride a different bike than the day before
- Ride in a new place or new route
- Set an FTP – plan a 20 min field test and or a Strava PR into your plan
- Travel to somewhere warm and sunny
- Ask yourself what would Alaphilippe Do (WWAD)?
- Coach Jake :: Zwift Meetups / Group Rides
- Coach Jake :: get to Daylight Savings
- Coach Isaiah : focus on progression goals
- Coach Isaiah :: focus on feeling faster / improvement sensations
- Sweet Spot TSS rides when there are no group rides
- Watch a Pro Race – like the World CX Champs in Ostend this past weekend
- Buy a Training Plan
- Hire a Coach
Watch the podcast here: Listen on Spotify: Phil’s Everesting Video with Coach Frank
Dr. Michale Roshon’s VeloNews about early season racing
Previous Podcast Episode on Motivation
Indoor Workout Motivation
Don’t forget Ask a FasCat # 16 is coming up and the deadline to submit your training and racing questions is 5pm mst February 4th.
Thanks to everyone for tuning in, subscribing and reviewing on Apple Podcasts, and for engaging in our forum!
Save 25% on your next training plan with code 25podcast
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The recipes in our Winning in the Kitchen Meal Plans are designed to be template guides for meals and have nearly endless variations to fit your preferences and tastes. In this episode, Frank and Jackson discuss how to adapt a few of the recipes to change them up and how to approach incorporating the 5 key food groups for meal planning. Listen in to hear how to keep the kitchen exciting if you’ve been feeling uninspired with your meals!
56075Winning in the Kitchen Meal Plan! Show Notes: Meal Prep Guide: https://fascat.wpengine.com/tips/meal-prep-guide/
Eggs and Kale recipe: https://fascat.wpengine.com/tips/what-to-eat-for-breakfast/
Chipotle Rice Bowl: https://fascat.wpengine.com/tips/chipotle-burrito-bowl/
Salmon Watts: https://fascat.wpengine.com/tips/salmon-watts/
OG Winning in the Kitchen Podcast: https://fascat.wpengine.com/tips/winning-in-the-kitchen/
Thanks to everyone for tuning in, subscribing and reviewing on Apple Podcasts, and for engaging in our forum! For more things cycling training, visit http://fascat.wpengine.com.
Save 25% on your next training plan with code 25podcast
The post Winning in the Kitchen Recipe Variations appeared first on FasCat.
How about a little anaerobic work to go with your sweet spot base training? At FasCat in the wintertime we like to caress and nurture our athlete’s anaerobic system. One training myth we’d like to dispel is to only do base training for 2-3 months. Why not do both simultaneously, in the right amounts. We’ve long been fans of fast fun wintertime group rides for the short 10 – 20 second forays above threshold we see in athlete’s power data. While not a ton of time is spent above threshold there is value and benefit to including anaerobic work to your base training. After all, isn’t this how the sport of cyclocross was invented? 54547Wintertime Intensity Training Plan. 1 hour workouts Zwift Compatible. This year a number of athletes are missing group rides not only for the social aspect but also for the training. And not only the base miles training and TSS but the anaerobic component that makes these group rides so beneficial. Doing a group ride on Zwift (not a race) over variable terrain with mixed high and low power output is OK but not quite the same as these 5 workouts we are presenting below.
First, what is ‘Wintertime Intensity’? Wintertime Intensity is 2 – 4 cumulative minutes of zone 6 work per hour. Two to four minutes is not a lot considering a one hour criterium or cyclocross race has more than half or 30 minutes spent in one’s zone 6. Wintertime Intensity as you would guess is prescribed in the second half to final third of one’s aerobic endurance phase or CTL build. As in our sweet spot part 3 plan or our new wintertime intensity plan.
These variable power wintertime intervals mimic the power demands of road, mountain bike, gravel, fondo, cyclocross and even punchy time trials. In this training tip, we’ll describe the how, what, where, and why of wintertime intervals and give you five progressive workout examples plus a link to our WinterTime Intensity Training Plan that includes these 5 workouts* in an easy to follow, simple and affordable training solution.
*surges in the peloton, steep pitches up climbs, switchbacks, and technical singletrack, cyclocross accelerations
** compatible with Zwift and others 3rd party riding app.
The Wintertime Intervals are what we call variable power workouts and they have 5 main benefits:
- Specificity of real world conditions
- Help the time pass quicker during indoor training sessions!
- Concise short high quality 1 hour workouts (designed for indoors and ERG mode) but just as easily performed outside with longer zone 2 warm up and cool downs.
- Nurtures your Anaerobic System
- Provides an introductory amount of intensity to one’s base training before the high intensity interval training phase
Wintertime intervals are structured over under or criss cross style workouts with short 10 – 20 second efforts at the beginning and/or the end of the interval. For example 10 seconds @ 150% on FTP followed by 2 minutes and 40 seconds at Sweet Spot wattages and/or heart rates followed by 10 more seconds @ 150-200% of one’s FTP before a 1:1 work to rest ratio 3 minute recovery. Then repeat.
That’s a 3 minute variable power sweet spot effort with 20 seconds total (10 second before and 10 second afters on zone 6 work of zone 6 work. One can do 6 of these in a one hour workout for 18 minutes of ‘wintertime intensity’ split 88 % sweet spot and 12 % anaerobic zone 6. Or 16 minutes of sweet spot work and 2 minutes of anaerobic work. That’s a perfect ratio for your wintertime base training Dec-Jan-Feb. Now the progression lies in spending more time in sweet spot and more time in zone 6 in the context of a one hour workout.
To get started with your wintertime intensity interval training we have the FasCat #1 Sweet Spot Cheetah Pounce” 4 x 6 minutes. We like to have a little fun with sports psychology and animal imagery in these workouts. And of course we are talking about the world’s fastest land mammal, the cheetah.
Carefully sweet spot stalk your prey (your prey being your training goals) at sweet spot wattages and/or heart rates for 5 minutes and 40 seconds and the “pounce!” on them for the final 20 seconds at a 115 – 150% FTP Zone 6+ effort. Pounce out of the saddle as if you were going for the win and and uphill sprint. Really give’er here because you have a 3 minute recovery interval after. Take a 2:1 work to rest ratio 2 minutes recovery and repeat 3 more times. If all goes well and you FtFP your power and heart rate data will look like this:
note the ‘extra credit’ watts for the last Pounce – we encourage this!
In total this will be 24 minutes of WTI with 94% or 22.66 minutes being Sweet Spot and 6 % and 1.34 minutes being Zone 6 Anaerobic.
ERG mode is fantastic for these variable power workouts but toggle if OFF to be able to get ‘EXTRA CREDIT” with more watts for the Pounce
Pro Tip: Shift Down 3-4 seconds ahead of the pounce to be able to respond to to load
the FasCat #2 Sweet Spot “Cheetah Pounce: is 6 x 4 minutes broken up into 2 sets
Its a progression from the Cheetah Pounce # 1 Again visualize yourself as a cheetah stalking your prey, which is your A#1 training goal and sweet spot for 3 minutes and 40 seconds. Then just like #1 pounce out of the saddle for 20 seconds at a 115 – 150% FTP Zone 6+ effort. Again really get after the pound effort because you have a 2 minute recovery interval to catch your breath after.
Little known cheetah exercise physiology nugget: Cheetah are all fast twitch and anaerobically gifted but at the expense of their endurance. A cheetah is wicked fast for 30 – 60 seconds but if the antelope can outrun the cheetah for longer than that cheetahs lose their speed quickly. Would make a terrible endurance athlete but a world class obviously kilo and pursuit rider! Cheetahs need more sweet spot training! … but I digress.
Continuing on with the Cheetah Imagery theme is the FasCat # 3 Sprint > Stalk > Kill: 2 sets of 3 x 3 minutes. The progression of # 3 come from added in a 10 second anaerobic out of the saddle sprint to the beginning of the effort like a traditional over under. The Sprint Stalk Kill Goes like this:
Sprint out of the saddle for the first 10 seconds of each interval @ 150% of FTP. Then settle back in the saddle to sweet spot stalk your prey (your goals) before going for the KILL with an out of the saddle > 150% FTP sprint!
Really visualize your goals here – it is a crit and cyclocross race and mountain bike course – think and see yourself in the crux moment of these races making this kind of power. Please pardon the KILL’ing reference but that’s how it is in the Serengety and if you bring a killer mindset to your racing you’ll make Eddy Merckx (the cannibal proud).
the FasCat # 4 Sprint > Stalk > Kill: is 2 sets of 5 x 2 minutes and is a progression from # 3
Same deal, sprint out of the saddle at 150% of FTP settle back in the saddle to sweet spot stalk your goal before going in for the KILL at 200% of FTP for the final 10 seconds.
Visualize your Goals to Sprint FAST like a Cheetah! Accelerate, Settle In to your Sweet Spot and then go Full Gas for the KILL! I believe Duran Duran says it the best ‘Hungry like the Wolf”. To our knowledge no cheetah has made it into pop music culture .
The Sprint > Stalk Kill # 3 contains 18 total minutes of wintertime intensity with 88% and 16 minutes being sweet spot and 12 % and 2 minutes begin anaerobic.
The Sprint > Stalk Kill # 4 progresses to 20 minutes of WTI with 83.3% and 16.6 minutes of Sweet Spot and 16.7% and 3.4 min of anaerobic zone 6. The progression comes from a little bit less sweet spot and a little bit more anaerobic.
Finally! If you know us well you know we always include a ‘Diabolical’ workout version for all the young buck whippersnappers out there who can handle the load and want to get their cat 2 upgrade.
Now the FasCat # 5 Diabolical “Cheetah Pounce” is diabolical because you don’t have time to catch your prey with sweet spot – you need to stalk them faster at threshold watts! There’s is no set break either in order to get 8 reps in an hour workout.
The FasCat # 5 Diabolical Cheetah Pounce goes like this: 8 x 3 minutes with 10 seconds zone 6 followed by 2 minutes and 40 seconds at zone 4 followed by 10 seconds at 200% of FTP. There’s a 1:1 work to rest ratio to enable you to complete the workout but the 8 reps add up – pace yourself especially for the first 2 or 3 because the last 2 reps, 7 & 8 will hurt!
compliments of Coach Isaiah taking a diabolical one for the team
Caress and nurture your anaerobic system this winter with these 5 wintertime intensity workouts. Get on the bike, get down to work, get off, go win in the kitchen and go on about your day.
Copyright © 2021 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
To talk with a FasCat Coach about your wintertime intensity, please fill out a New Athlete Questionnaire to set up a complimentary coaching consultation.
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Happy 2021! Coach Frank is back in action to talk about what’s coming down the pipeline for podcasts over the next few months of the new year. Winter training, nutrition challenge, and more! Frank also revisits an episode he recorded earlier in 2020 discussing the importance of measuring and tracking your FTP (functional threshold power) with a 20 minute field test, an essential metric to focus on in the beginning of a new year.
53820Six Weeks till the Sweet Spot Part 1 Base Training Plan Reference: A 20 minute Power-Based Field Test
As always, thanks to everyone for tuning in, subscribing and reviewing on Apple Podcasts, and for engaging in our forum! For more things cycling training, visit http://fascat.wpengine.com.
Save 25% on your next training plan with code 25podcast
Copyright © 2021 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
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The post What’s Ahead on the Podcast in 2021 + FTP Testing appeared first on FasCat.
I wrote this five years ago in 2016 and have been living it since – cycling is a lifestyle and in this training tip I’ll share that lifestyle with you – Frank Overton Jan 9, 2020
Five year’s ago my new year’s resolution was to double down and make 2016 my year to have a great cycling season. You know, ‘get serious’. The motivation came from two cyclocross seasons of getting my ass kicked. That was not fun at all. Like cross the finish line, go back to your car, get in and drive away. So I woke up on New Year’s Day 2016 and went for a ride. Then the next day I went for another ride and the next day and so forth. Training consistently was my first goal and I knocked that out in January – I got back to being a cyclist, just like you. As I look back on 2016 and the 4 years since then, I more than accomplished my goal to have a ‘great season’ and as a coach I want to tell you how I transformed my cycling so you will know how coaching can help you for 2020 and beyond!
Here are 8 next level approaches to your training and two things I learned about myself that I’ll share with you:
#1 Consistency: I made getting on my bike a daily priority, whereas before I let work, kids and weather be an excuse. 1 hour a day Tues/Wed/Thurs, indoors or out. We’ve since adopted the phrase “FtFP” which is like Velomanti’s Rule #5, HTFU. Here FtFP means Follow the F&*#’ing Plan. 100% of our athletes report back that having a plan to follow helps them get on the bike and accomplish their workout each day. Having a coach to hold you accountable to that plan and consequently those goals is also next level.
3864Start Sweet Spotting your way to your best cycling season ever. #2 Zwift: speaking of indoors, I hadn’t trained indoors in years. Maybe it was that 4 hour roller session I did as a youngster that scarred me? Enter Zwift. Try it, its fun and you’ll no longer use weather and daylight as an excuse. Zwift enables you to #FtFP. Last winter was the first winter in a long time where if it was sloppy cold outside or I couldn’t ride till after dark due to work, that I would move onto plan B and get on the KICKR and Zwift. Fun and productive, 1 hour: one and ‘dun’ where I whole heartedly went for KOMs, rode hard and made a lot of sweat, aka TSS. Exporting your workout from TrainingPeaks to Zwift is incredibly easy and straightforward, we’ve documented it over in our athlete support forum.
In January I established consistency and in February Zwift enhanced that consistency. By March, I stepped it up group rides. And you know what, this is where my training an goals became F-U-N.
#3 Group Rides: by March I had 2 previous months of fitness to propel me on the group rides. I also had the cyclocross season in my back pocket where the fitness carries over. This gave me the ability to not just hang on, but to take pulls and ride harder without having to worry about getting dropped. You know what’s not fun? Hanging on for dear life on a group ride. You know what’s ‘funner’? Going faster. Improving is fun. During these group rides, I was able to generate more TSS, raise my CTL higher and higher all the while having F-U-N. Hard as heck, shattered afterwards but Fun with a capital F. I kept going and the training snowballed from consistency, Zwift and the group rides.
#4 CTL: Speaking of CTL , I took mine from 22 on 1/1/16 to 113 on 6/23/16 (2 weeks prior to my first A race). This was all made possible from 1, 2, & 3 and of course sweet spot training. We’ve since podcasted on using the performance manager chart to build a big aerobic engine as well as manage your training load – TSTWKT is truly a next level approach to your training.
#5 Winning in the Grocery Store/ Kitchen: I’ve always eaten well but I knew eating better was key to my performance and the lofty goals I had set. Better nutrition was going to help me lose weight, fuel my workouts and help me recover better. Back in my younger days I used to race at 148 – 154 lbs but over the 10 yrs since my ‘retirement’ the weight had crept up. So I resolved to eat better on January 1st, 2016. I ate more veggies and started cooking more. I also cut sugar completely out of my diet and cut back on beer. The sugar was easy; the beer was tough. But there’s 3-500 empty calories in every beer and going down to a few a week instead of 1-2 every night made a weight loss relatively easy. Oh and I started planning out my meals and cooking more, thus paving the way for what would be a major theme within our coaching philosophy: which was a relief. Athletes – I encourage every one of you to get more in tune with your nutrition by going to the grocery store yourself and cooking your own meals. It will be such a phenomenal shift in the way you eat, that you can’t help but get faster.
All these dietary changes took me from 168 to 158 lbs by Memorial Weekend and I felt great, setting Strava PR’s because my power to weight ratio was way up. Overall, I lost a little less than 2 lbs per month for 5 months. Not dieting per se, just cleaning things up. Better food choices an eliminating empty calories. Basically practicing what I’ve always preached as a coach here. My threshold power was up too and my confidence really began to sky rocket. Then during the Tour inspired by Chris Froome, I took my diet and weight loss to the next level:
Winning in the Kitchen: under cut my daily caloric requirements by 250-500 calories per day. Basically, I ate a ton of fish, veggies and salad + some carbohydrate the night before hard training rides. In July and August I went from 158 to 150 lbs, super lean and was absolutely crushing it on the bike. I started intervals in August so my power went up even more buoyed by the CTL I built up thru June. Less on the denominator and more on the numerator = significant power to weight improvement. Like back to where I was 10 years ago when I was racing NRC’s at the professional level. I don’t recommend trying losing weight during your season but remember, this was pre-season for me at the time because the cyclocross season was yet to start. To recap, I lost another 8 lbs (ontop of the 10 lbs by Memorial Weekend) and went from 12-14 % body fat to roughly a 5% lean, mean, cyclocross racing machine . 18 lbs total since January – had to buy a new belt!
Not surprisingly the cyclocross season went well and I had the season I’ve always wanted to have. Hanging out after the races and swapping war stories. I podiumed in my first 6 race weekends, winning one race and nearly missing out on 2 other ‘w’s’. Wow. New year’s resolution complete.
#6 Yoga I had taken yoga classes in years past and remembered how good I felt after the classes and how it helped with proprioception for better bike handling. So I started again and sure enough, it was helping with my recovery (like stretching) and I started handling the cyclocross bike better especially leaning the bike over in the corners. I started with YogaGlo on the iPad at home and then upgraded to studio classes. At first once a week then up to 2-3 times per week, primarily on my off days when I had a recovery day on the bike. Along the way I found my ‘breath’ and when I was doing intervals for ‘cross, I could literally slow down my breathing and ‘relax’ during the interval and in the race. Yoga is like moving meditating for me (just like riding) and the benefits spilled over to my mental toughness during the races.
#7 Strength and Conditioning: I enlisted the help of a personal trainer to put me thru the paces in Sept and October. I saw amazing gains in my explosive power which I put to use with the accelerations I needed for cyclocross. It was all about getting the glutes engaged and utilizing this muscle group for power production. This year (2017) I’ll integrate this work + squats, hip thrusts & plyometrics into my cyclocross off season Feb/Mar and then again July/Aug – earlier than this past year so I can recover and still deliver the power on the bike.
What else? Sleep. Oh yes, sleep – the best recovery aid there is.
#8 Sleep. Best recovery tool in the business. Everything else is secondary. In 2015, I got a Fitbit with my daughter for Christmas and what I found most helpful was tracking my sleep hours. 8 hours a night and I’m good, nine and I’m gold. 7 and I feel it and 6 or less and I’m absolute garbage the next day. Since that Fitbit in 2015, I’ve upgrade to using the Whoop which is a 24/7/365 wearable device that records my daily strain, my HRV and sleep to measure my recovery. Big data type of stuff but the Whoop distills it all down to a daily recovery score: red, yellow, or green that helps you adjust your lifestyle and training load in order to keep recovery (and keep getting faster).
Lastly: all the stuff you already know: intervals, motorpacing, training hard, life balance and working on my cyclocross skills with our annual cyclocross camp. Overall I mostly trained 8-12 hour per week with the occasional overload 14 – 16 week before a regeneration block. I did do one 20 hour week over the Memorial Day long weekend.
I made some mistakes along the way because I was self coached but I have the data and experience that I’m going to correct and use to my advantage in 2017. For example:
#1 Not raise my CTL so high by Memorial Day (I was 109) – rather a more gradual ascent this winter and spring. And that means less forcing training days and more time snowboarding over the winter. I was pretty cooked from training so hard in June that I didn’t quite have the snap for my A race that I had in May. Patience – it takes time and consistency. As I age I may set a CTL of 100 as the high end of what is good and beneficial to my goal events.
#2 Prepare for my A race by doing a training race. Probably the Haute Route – its a great overload and timed perfectly to end 2 weeks before the Crushar. I’ll simply recover and taper into peak form.
Coaching is so much more than a training calendar and power files. Its a relationship with an expert invested in your goals ready to share their experience to help you. Granted a well thought out scientifically designed training calendar and power based training are fundamental but the 9 items I described above are next level. Its like the home depot commercial, “You can do it, we can help”. It takes time and it was hard but ho. lee. moo. lee. it was worth the effort and every single bit of TSS. And the podiums.
Copyright © 2021 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
Frank is the founder and owner of FasCat Coaching in Boulder, CO. Frank and the FasCat Coaches have been talking the talk and walking the walk [FasCat Core Value #7] for over 15 years. To talk about transforming your cycling and having your best season, you can email frank@fascat.wpengine.com , call 720.406.7444, or fill out a New Athlete Questionnaire to schedule a Coaching Consultation.
Comments The post Transform your Cycling with a Next Level Approach appeared first on FasCat.
Welcome to another Q&A session of the FasCat Podcast, where we gather questions from our forum, website, and social media to help you ride faster! This round Frank and Lacey dive into questions ranging from tips for young cyclists, heart rate behavior during workouts, tapering, frequency of field testing, data fields to display, long term race goals, Haute Route nutrition, and so much more! Thanks to everyone who contributed questions, and congrats to the lucky winner of the Stages Dash head unit!
52180The one and only “Six Weeks to the Sweet Spot Training Plan” The FasCat community now has access to discounts on Stages products, learn more by clicking on the Stages logo in our latest power based training tip “Top 10 Reasons to Ask Santa for a PowerMeter”
Show Notes:
Scientific Basis for Pre Competition Tapering Strategies, Mujika & Padilla, Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 35:1182-1187, 2003
Tapering
Using Zwift to FtFP
Strava-Vals
The Performance Manager Chart Podcast
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
Comments The post Ask a FasCat #15 appeared first on FasCat.
The Performance Manager Chart in TrainingPeaks and WKO is one of THE best tools athletes can use for their training and performance. Coach Frank busts out the pocket protector to explain and describe this impulse-response performance model. Athletes and coaches may use the model to plan training and therefore predict performance! One can literally design more watts into their annual training by using the PMC Chart. It also a dashboard to monitor training stress, training load, acute training stress and the almighty: form – the balance between your training load and short term daily side effects from training.
Frank covers everything you need to know about the PMC: what it is, why you should care about it, and most importantly, how you can use it to take your training and performance to the next level!
For the scientific literature reference please see read visit the story behind the development of the PMC Chart here.
As always, thanks to everyone for tuning in, subscribing and reviewing on Apple Podcasts, and for engaging in our forum! For more things cycling training, visit http://fascat.wpengine.com.
Save 25% on your next training plan with code 25podcast
Copyright © 2021 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your PMC Chart, FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going faster on the bike!
The post The Performance Manager Chart appeared first on FasCat.
It’s December, which means next year is upon us and thoughts are quickly shifting towards the race season. What are you doing to ensure an improvement over last year? What kind of training are you doing? Are you just winging it? There’s a certain combo of art and science to the base building phase of a training calendar, and in Coach Frank’s extensive experience of coaching cyclists he’s come up with a healthy dose of each to help you go faster. What’s the key component? Sweet spot training.
32655The one and only “Six Weeks to the Sweet Spot Training Plan” We’ve talked about sweet spot a lot on the show and it’s weaved into almost everything FasCat does, but this week on the last episode of the year, Coach Frank breaks down how and why you should be incorporating sweet spot training into your plan to build a bigger and better base for 2020. He’ll cover:
What is Base Training?
Why Sweet Spot is Better than Zone 2 for Base Training
Power Based Sweet Spot Metrics – Quantitate the SIZE of your base
How many weeks to Sweet Spot?
What training plans to do to get your Sweet Spot on
What Sweet Spot base Building looks like day-to-day in a training plan
And plenty more. Also, for even more sweet spot nerdiness check out our youTube channel and video training tip on Why Sweet Spot training is better than Zone 2.
You may also find the Fatigue Dependent Training Plan Design tip a helpful read.
As always, thanks to everyone for subscribing and leaving a review on Apple Podcasts, your support this year has been incredible! We’re extremely grateful, and excited about what’s to come in 2021. Now go ride your bike and begin sweet spot training!
Copyright © 2021 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
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Coach Frank drops some wisdom about what types of training we recommend for the next 22 weeks. Why 22 weeks? Well, that’ how long it is from now until mid-May, where you likely want to be fast, faster, peaking, or crushing your A race.
We’ll also touch on: what if you have 25 – 26 weeks, which is the Memorial Day Holiday, traditionally a big event week? Or training for the June 5 Unbound Gravel – formerly the Dirty Kanza. And accordingly, we know some of you out there are chomping at the bit to start racing in mid March which is in 14 weeks.
This is part 2 of our OG “Timing is Everything” Podcast and an amalgamation of previous podcast about what training you should do and when and how much of. This podcast also address the existential “should you lift weights or not?” and talks about saving your form for later on in the year by way of sharing the Stanford Marshmallow Experiment.
This podcast is broken down into 3 parts:
** Your training for the next 22 weeks
** Your training for the next 14 weeks if you are an early season racer
** And your training for the next 26 weeks and beyond if your goals later on in the year.
50726Weights + Base is Your Winning Combo! Thanks to everyone for tuning in, subscribing and reviewing on Apple Podcasts, and for engaging in our forum! For more things cycling training, visit http://fascat.wpengine.com.
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The post 22 Weeks of Training this Winter appeared first on FasCat.
From the FasCat family to yours, thank you! For tuning in to the podcast, for letting us help you get faster on the bike, we’re grateful to serve you. This week’s show, the FasCat coaches + Jackson share short messages of gratitude for you, the listener!
49244Shop our off-season resistance training plan. It’s a privilege to do what we do as coaches, and despite the uncertainties and madness of 2020, we want to take a moment to remember why we’re doing this and how lucky we are to be in our position. Hope your holiday season is positive and healthy!
Thanks to everyone for tuning in, subscribing and reviewing on Apple Podcasts, and for engaging in our forum! For more things cycling training, visit http://fascat.wpengine.com.
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The post Thanksgiving Gratitude Podcast from the FasCat Team appeared first on FasCat.
Coach Isaiah comes on the podcast today to explain whether or not you should be doing specificity training year round. Isaiah defines ‘specificity’ in terms of power output, skills, training on (or up/down) certain terrain, equipment, nutrition and of course duration. We also break down which specifics apply to what phases of your training such as off season weights, sweet spot base, intervals or in season racing.
48934Shop our off-season resistance training plan. It’s a good time of year to start thinking about the demands your target races will require and how you might train specifically for them. From nutrition to skills and drills, specificity is one thing you can control during the hectic uncertainty of 2020!
Thanks to everyone for tuning in, subscribing and reviewing on Apple Podcasts, and for engaging in our forum! For more things cycling training, visit http://fascat.wpengine.com.
Save 25% on your next training plan with code 25podcast
The post Should You Be Doing Specificity Training Year Round? with Coach Isaiah appeared first on FasCat.
Welcome to another episode of the FasCat Podcast! This week Coach Frank and Coach Jake explain how you can use Zwift to FtFP your FasCat Training plan. During the episode they touch on:
- How to FtFP
- Zwift Training
- Zwift Group Rides & Zwift Racing
- Analyzing your racing or training
- Jake’s two favorite workouts specific to Zwift Racing
We will also be hosting a FasCat meet up via Zwift next week, so be sure to listen (or read the transcript below) to find out more details!
48474Zwift Training Plan + Outdoor Workouts Transcript to the Podcast: 1. How to FtFP
The most important thing is to use Zwift to follow your plan & work for your goals. It is easy to get caught up in every race, every event, chasing riders, KOM’s and etc. The most important thing is to still FtFP – follow your plan.
But over the course of this 1 hour podcast lets not forget that we still advocate riding outdoors. Zwift is good for those who can not for whatever reason. This is just another tool in the tool box.
With our FasCat plans you can easily follow your training plans right in Zwift. If you are unfamiliar with this, check out our training tip & video for How to sync your TrainingPeaks account to your Zwift Account.
Zwift has a workout menu where you can choose a number of workouts including the workouts that are from FasCat that you have loaded into TrainingPeaks. The only caveat to this is you can only choose that day’s workout. You can not just choose another workout from the week or month. But since you are FtFp’ing this should not be a problem.
With these built in workouts Zwift will give you a list on the screen of upcoming power targets and time for each one. As you complete them it will give you a star. So you don’t even have to think or remember and just complete the effort.
Let’s use a traditional week from a plan as an example. Export workouts from your plan Tues/Wed, maybe freestyle Thursday and Group Ride Saturday [for example]. Options on Sunday.
2. Zwift Training
So along with choosing a workout you can also freestyle your workout which I am a much bigger fan of personally and even recommend it to my athletes. We try to find ways that are more fun, while being just effective, to complete the training and not make it feel like a trainer workout. This is probably the greatest benefit of Zwift. You can do this with group rides or races that we will get into later but you can also freestyle it.
And what is freestyle? Just ride?
If you are having to do tempo or sweet spot intervals at a specific duration you can try to match it up with a climb or segment in Zwift. This way you are not just looking at a timer you can just look to go bottom to top, complete a loop or do a segment. There are numerous routes you can do. So find one that may be the best for the type of workout you are doing.
Like the Sweet Spot TSS Rides?
One neat feature you can do on Zwift is pull up a graph that will show you the zones you are riding by color at the bottom of the screen. It will show you a rolling 10 minute graph. Gray is zone 1, blue is zone 2, green is zone 3, yellow is zone 4, red is zone 5 and reddish pink is zone 6+. I joke with one of my athletes about zone 2 as we refer to it as the blue lagoon. It’s hard just riding zone 2 on the trainer let alone Zwift.
3. Zwift Group Rides & Racing
With Zwift racing and group rides the most important thing you need to know going is what is your watts per kilo at each zone.
Power to Weight Ratio
This will help you determine the best ride and category to join based on the training you are looking to get in. If you are in the base phase you should look more towards the group rides while approaching an interval plan can look at racing. Know if you are looking for a zone 2 type of effort or a sweet spot effort. Remember you can also ride in a lower category so it’s not a full on racing effort. Make sure you know what course the event is taking place on. Is it flat? Climbing? This will also let you know the type of effort it may be. I find that if the course has some climbing it is far easier to get more sweet spot effort in. If it is flat you should be able to find a category to join or a group and roll mostly zone 2.
One bonus to these events and races is that they will repeat on the same days or time. So get familiar with what events and races may work for particular training days.
Where is the best place to look at the group ride and race schedule? In App or a website?
Zwift companion app. Or the website.
This goes with analyzing which we will get into. Riding with others, like an outdoor group ride, can be more motivating but only be effective if you let it work with your training.
There are also time trial events. I find these to be the best to get in sweet spot or threshold workouts. They range from 15 – 30 minutes typical. Just very motivating again by completing an event start to finish as opposed to looking at a timer. Just important to not get carried away with your effort. Having the zone graph up while you race and really help you stay on track.
Another great feature is the meetup feature. You can meet up friends and set up your own group ride or training.
We should do a FasCat meetup Zwift ride!
- Nov 12th – 7pm est / 5pm mst
- Every 2nd Thursday of the month
- Follow Jake Rytlewski on Zwift
- Chat feature
4. Analyzing your Data
This is important because you need to know if the training is effective, and if you are using Zwift to follow your plan and make trainingpeaks workouts turn green!
But also if you are looking for results you can see what type of effort it will take by analyzing the racing.
Analyzing* your Zwift Racing Data:***
Most Zwift racing is not like any other outdoor races you will do where you can sit and truly benefit from a draft. Most Zwift racing is a steadier effort that averages 90 – 105% of FTP. So a lot of time in sweet spot and zone 4. Basically the old 40km TT type of effort. Of course there are accelerations at the start [vo2 effort], over climbs or even around corners but a lot of times in the events that are under 60 minutes you will be going as hard as you can. This is why after doing a particular event you analyze the data to see what type of training you are getting.
Besides looking at the overall average norm power and intensity factor I like to look at the power by zones distribution chart. Then you can see what zone you actually spent the most time in. Was it more anaerobic than aerobic? Was it more Zone 2 or sweet spot? Again this is why it is important to choose the right category and remember which event may be the best for the training you are doing.
Let’s not kid ourselves. Zwift racing is starting to become more than just a training tool. There are numerous racing leagues, national events and even a world championship! Also with the current world situations many are turning to Zwift to get their fill of competition and racing. So analyzing the data can be even more important!
If you look at a Zwift race file again the start is very hard. This is where the initial separation will take place. The other places separation takes place are over the climbs. Most climbs will start hard and settle. Also throughout a race there will be accleartions from corners or even just the smallest bump in the road. Knowing this can help you determine the best training to do!
6. Specific Zwift workouts:
#1 Sweet Spot Bursts
#2 Threshold Over Unders
A couple of workouts that can be really beneficial sweet spot burst and threshold over unders. With sweet spot burst you ride at sweet spot but do a burst of 8 to maybe as much as 30 seconds at anaerobic power then settle back to sweet spot so staying on the gas. So like a Zwift race you are steadily on the gas but making these burst efforts to stay with the accelerations. In a typical road race or criterium you have a lot of time in zone 1 and zone 6, but after looking at your file in a zwift race you will find you are more likely to be on the gas for most of it, so mostly zone 4 – 6.
With the threshold over unders you will start and finish each threshold effort with a 15 – 30 second full gas effort. I find these simulate zwift climbing really well, or even the starts. You go hard to make the separation, hold it and then final push over the top.
The post Using Zwift to FtFP appeared first on FasCat.
Welcome to another Q&A session of the FasCat Podcast, where we gather questions from our forum, website, and social media to help you understand training plan design and to help you get even faster on the bike. This go around we touch on a range of topics, including TT fits, fueling indoor workouts, and how strength training increases your FTP!
Here are the questions and answers from the podcast:
- Neil: I’m just over 50 years old and I would love to continue to get better. But as i do that my question is this: Every training plan I see for progressing involves 5-6 sessions/wk. With my job I can only do 3: one long (up to 5 hr) and 2 short ones at about 90 min. How do I adapt a standard plan into my schedule for maximum effectiveness?
48244Lift Weights & Sweet Spot Base! (& recipes)
Well, I guess you could simply skip the workouts that you can not do because of work. However, I feel compelled to share this an old coaching expression I heard at a USA Cycling Coaches Conference years ago: 3 to train 4 to gain – talking about # of days per week it takes to improve. I think your 3 days a week even with the 5 hour ride will be ok but you’ll be stuck like Sisyphus pushing the rock uphill and having it roll back downhill each week with those off days.
If you can’t carve out an extra hour a day (do you work all day?) to hit 4 or 5 workouts per week you are 100% a candidate for a custom coaching solution. That or maybe taking some strategically timed vacation days to help you achieve the desired amount of training to improve.
- Rob Davis (FasCat from Erie, Colorado): Last year was my 2nd year doing the offseason plan. About halfway through, things were feeling easy. I decided to keep the # of reps the same but up the weight incrementally for the hypertrophy and strength phases. Was pushing my limits a good idea? Or would it be more beneficial to FTfP to a Tee even if it felt easy?
Why on earth would you ever want to not FtFP
Remember, you are not a weight lifter, you are a bike racer and you don’t need nor want to feel demolished walking out of the gym. Bank those adaptations without the extra physiological stress and you’ll have higher quality on the bike workouts on the days afterwards. Combine the two together an you’ll get faster, aka increase your power output, FTP, endurance, etc….
So for this year – do a good Adaptation phase and set your 1 RM accurately and your next 3 phases should be just the right amount of lifting. It could have been last year you improved so much that your 1 RM increase during and that’s why it felt easy.
- Josh Richardson (FasCat Athlete & Winning in the Kitchen Meal Plan User, Rhode island): Indoor trainer sessions: Is there a need to fuel at say the half hour mark with a gel for these sessions or if I am winning in the kitchen should I be covered?
It depends on the length of that training session and what type of workout you are doing. Really you should treat indoor workouts the same as you would outdoors. So if you are doing an hour of zone ⅔ and are winning in the kitchen you could go without fueling. But if you are doing and hour and a half of SS you should be aiming for 25-40g of carbs per hour.
Remember… the term winning in the kitchen captures all of the fueling you do both on and off the bike. That is why all of the meal plans include that allotment for ride fuel!
Hydration: How much, how often, mixes, no mixes, carbs, electrolytes, etc. We have gels, blocks, bars covered pretty good in the, “what to eat on the bike episode”.
2 water bottles per hour when exercising strenuously and sweating a lot
Indoor training is a great opportunity to hydrate 100% fully bc ‘hydration logistics’ aren’t difficult as opposed to outside rides.
Water, electrolytes for short easy Zone 2 rides
Water and GU Energy Drink Mix for intensity harder than zone 2
Roctane for your 200+ TSS and Simulation Ride
- Nat Orpen-Palmer (FasCat from London): I had a TT fit with a new fitter recently who recommended I do neck strengthening exercises to be able to hold a ‘turtle’ position for extended lengths of time. Do you have any advice on this or could you point me in the direction of some resources?
Here’s how I have my time trial athletes practice their ‘‘turtling’: while they do their threshold intervals. That means
1) Practice while you are doing your TT specific threshold intervals
2) Get down in the aero position
3) Scrunch your shoulders up to your ears to punch as small of a hole in the wind as possible.
4) Lower your head as low as possible – look at the ground directly in front of your wheel – eyes down.
5) Use a mirror to visualize this body position aerodynamic optimization
6) Now – this is the turtling part: because your head is so low your eyes can’t see in front of you – crick your neck back as much as you can without raising your head. Use a mirror for this in front of you indoors while you are on the trainer.
7) Then to keep your head as low as possible look out of the tops of your eyebrows to see as much of the road ahead of you.
8) This is where you’ll actually be exercising your eye muscles and may be a tad sore the next day. You’ll be practicing getting your neck in the right position too – probably what your fitter was talking about.
9) Use a mirror to hold this position for the entire threshold interval session.
10) Once you start going hand the natural tendency is to pop-up and be less aero – see that and concentrate on getting back down low.
11) I don’t have athletes perform any neck strengthening exercises, rather practice while performing their threshold TT intervals
- Adam DeVoe (FasCast from Denver, Colorado): I know you highly recommend squats on a regular cage, but is the smith rack a reasonable alternative? What are the downsides to the smith rack?
YOU can do a good weight lifting program with a smith rack. It isn’t ideal but neither is 2020. The difference between a smith rack and a free squat is that the smith machine is like a crutch in that it does force you to engage your core and balance the bar in a 360 plane. Because the smith machine moves only up and down you are more likely to develop poor squat form – so use a mirror and get some feedback on your form if possible.
Good luck. I used a smith machine for the first 4 years I did the weight program bc I was new to squats and was intimidated by the free squat.
- David Kunz (FasCat from California): I’m 36, am in school, have a full time job and family. I have ~8-10 hrs a week to train, can you make a recommendation for how many events I should do in a season and the length of gravel event that I would most likely be competitive in?
Right on David – go for it. So the number of gravel events you should do is up to you! YOu can do whatever you want. For years, I’d do one a summer – the Crusher in the Tushar and that race was my #1 sole focus 365/24/7.
It also depends on where you live in proximity to the races. Big gravel events or smaller regional ones.
Being in SoCal definitely do the BWR – that’s one of the biggest baddest gravel events of all time. For distance choose the one you want – maybe the wafer to see how it goes and then the following year the full distance waffle. Maybe you dive right into the waffle – there are no rules its just whatever you want.
As for # of events it really depends on your personal situation – could be just the BWR. Could be the BWR + more. Could be the BWR and then another one in the Summer/Fall.
Abstain from more than one a month sustained for six months, I think.
A big factor for many athletes is how much travel or not is involved to do the race. The closer it is – the more gravel racing you can do. The further away, the less.
- Josh Van Cleff (FasCat athlete from North Carolina): For a Training Plan athlete, what’s the best way to approach a vacation or travel week where a bike isn’t going to be along?
Depends on where this vacation falls in relation to your annual training plan and the timing in relation to your goals. The most serious cyclists take their vacations after the season is over and avoid vacations before their A events.
Some general guidelines is no non bike vacations 6 – 12 weeks prior to your A event.
If you go on vaca 12-24 weeks prior to your A event bring the bike (who goes on vacation without a bike?!) But even still – how are you travelling with the pandemic right now? If by car – bring yo’ bike!
When you take your vacations is VERY important and to answer your question – I’d have to look at your training plan in relation to the timing of your goals – inside 6-9 weeks and we’d have to take aggressive measures to counterbalance the offset of the 3 days but beyond 6-9 weeks I think you could make it up before and after. Its not FtFP’ing but you do get credit for thinking in advance and planning to make a plan.
- With the meal plan are the ingredients only measured in cups or also in European grams and milliliters? I live in Europe and I’m not familiar with American servings.
For the meal plan, most of the ingredients are measured in cups. Adding the metric equivalent to each ingredient would cause the recipes to look overly crowded/confusing. However converting the recipes to metric is pretty simple.
You can find a ton of conversion charts, but this one is pretty straightforward. Here is also a website where you can enter the quantities and it will do the conversion for you!
- Submitted via instagram (@vittorio_james1): If it is a nice day out and you are feeling good, can you spend additional time on the bike in zone 2 and still #ftfp?
It depends. Zone 2 still carries physiological stress. So you are adding stress to a plan that was designed with a keen eye on enabling one to recover from and keep progressing. The additional riding may upset the fine balance.
The bigger problem is that sometimes feeling good doesn’t mean ride more. Because you can’t go back in training when you’ve dug a hole and are feeling poopy and take back those days when you rode more.
30 minutes here and there of happiness watts are fine and especially fine if you can get to bed and achieve 8+ hours of sleep and win in the kitchen. Winning in the Kitchen takes time so if riding more causes you to cut corner in the kitchen – don’t do that.
Think of the extra riding like carbon offset credits – you ride 30 more minutes if and only if you can ALSO win in the kitchen more and sleep that equivalent time more that evening or have the prior evening.
If you are losing in the kitchen or not getting enough sleep each night, rather than ride more – use that time to work on your nutrition and recovery.
This is where having a coach is extremely helpful but as a self coached athlete my biggest piece of advice is to pay close close attention to your recovery and ability to hit your power downstream in your plan. If your legs aren’t feeling crisp with lots of watts x-nay the extra zone 2 -ay. Pay attention to your FtFP carbon offset credits.
10. Submitted via instagram (objektivgesehen): I purchased the foundation plan for my upcoming three weeks but I’m unsure how or even if I could integrate some running training into the training plan. Do you have any tips/ideas?My biggest tip, sorry, is that there is no running in this plan. In order to FtFP – no running. Now I can see Jackson rolling his eyes but seriously be disciplined.
If you are a ‘runner’ I’d give you a much different answer. But the single sports cyclists I know that run, injure themselves. Myself included. And I used to run in high school! And that means time off the bike and time off the bike is not FtFP’ing
Running is great especially for cross training in the winter and colder temps just be careful and start gradually and work your way up. If you are a multisport athlete that is also a different answer.
11. Submitted via instagram (benjahughes1980): What would you suggest as a good progression of plans for a 24 hour MTB race (A+ goal Race) over 12 months? Build to 1 peak or multiple peaks in the year?
A good progression is what we talk about when we say Off Season training. Lift weights and build a big aerobic engine. To do so takes consistent work and approximately 28 weeks: 10-12 weeks for the weights and 12-18 weeks for the base. All those plans are on our site. Start there and do some interval training and then 24 hour specific training.
As for a 1 peak or 2 peak season – that is much much more complicated and requires a whole separate podcast to answer or really hiring a coach. My advice is to use the performance manager chart to track your training load, plan your builds, your periodization and of course your overloads, tapers and peak. Everyone pays attention to the CTL but remember the whole entire purpose of the performance model is the optimize your form on the day(s) of your event – so pay attention to your TSB – training stress balance to model out a 1 or 2 peak season. Again – a whole nuther podcast.
- Chad Grice (FasCat from Canada): I’m a 35-year-old male with an FTP just under 4 w/kg. I have a harder time than I think I should in my zones. As an example 2h of zone 2 is a struggle and even race files from last year don’t show a normalized power higher than zone 2. My peak 60min is also near zone 2 and I don’t believe that I could hold my FTP for an hour to save my life. I’m worried that I test well or my 20 min of suffering is really good compared to the rest of my curve. What should I do? FTfP and see when I fail or lower my FTP for the training and if so how much?
Something is amiss because zone 2 is your all day endurance pace, should be a 4-5-6 out of 10 Rate of Percevied Exertion with 1 being the easiest and 10 being the hardest.
I’d start by re- calibrating everything including your zones with a field test. If you can’t hold your FTP for an hour that is not your FTP.
In the meantime, today, go back in the past 3-4 months of your power data and find your peak 60 minute power – call that is your FTP (until you test again). Then your zone 2 is 60 – 75% of that number.
- William Diaz (FasCat from Westminster, Colorado): When should you stop doing repeats (intervals)? Can you do too many intervals where it’s not helping you anymore?
Yes, you will get to the point with interval training where you plateau out and no longer realize further gains. 6 weeks is great for example our sport specific interval training plans. After that you may want to re-load your CTL with some sweet spot training or get into an interval training plan that has less intervals and more recovery to achieve higher form. These are out ‘race n recover’ plans meant to be followed during your race season. For example right now if you are cyclocross racing or if you were doing weekly criteriums, time trials, road races and so forth – even gravel.
- Roston Nordell: I’m looking into starting the 32 week resistance + sweat spot base, But I’ve done some research and every thing I read says I need to maintain the resistance training or else the benefits will go away, so could I get some information on when not continuing the resistance training how the muscles will be maintained?
As a bike racer it is also a matter of how your time is best spent – lifting or riding. We assume you are short on time so we’ve come up with a solution.
https://fascat.wpengine.com/tips/video-should-you-strength-train-during-the-season/
Our approach acknowledges that after you complete the 10 week resistance training in the plan then your time is best spent riding as much as possible (sweet spot base) but doing strength and conditioning mobility exercises from your yogaglo, revo & foundation will help you maintain those strength gains and not provide so much that you can recover and ride as much as possible
The full gas intervals you do after this plan will also help maintain strength gains.
Then do this plan again next off season to rebuild any loses that may have occurred over the racing season.
- John Michael Gray via Instagram (@Ridebikeseatfood): Will/how does strength training increase your FTP?
In 3 easy steps!
#1 build muscle – this is hypertrophy phase
#2 trains that new and existing muscle to produce great force – strength phase
#3 trains the new muscle that can now produce great force to make that force fast in speeds specific to cycling – this is your power phase.
Force = mass times acceleration and Power = Force times velocity! [my 11th grade Physics teacher would be so proud]
Evan with those physical equations, its not as simple as that – you need to train your muscles aerobic and anaerobically. So lift weights first, do your sweet spot and then don’t forget your full gas interval training. Combine the 3 together et voila – that’s how you increase your FTP!
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Here are Frank’s Four Favorite and Fun Indoor Cycling Workouts:
- Sweet Spot Bursts
- Criss Cross ‘Micro’ Intervals
- Over Unders
- Zwift!
48013Works on Zwift and includes Frank’s 4 Favorite Indoor Cycling Workouts My four favorite workouts are all one hour and have a plethora of variations to last you all winter and to help make indoor training diverse, fun and motivationally stimulating. I prescribe variations of these workouts Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday and longer outdoor sessions without any structured intervals on the weekends. One of my biggest rules to make indoor cycling fun and productive is to avoid steady power output – that tends to be boring. For example 4 x 8 minutes on 4 minutes off – booooooring. Productive yes, but with a little tweak this workout can become more realistic and dynamic by adding bursts which help the time pass by quicker.
One last aspect of indoor training during your base season – hold off on the macho full gas go as hard as you can crazy hard workouts. Concentrate on good old fashioned aerobic endurance using your zones 2, three (tempo), and of course sweet spot. Bursts and short durations above your FTP are fine and good, but save the hard effort for late winter, early Spring.
P.S. Don’t forget Coach Jake’s (the King of Indoor Training) 5 tips to help make indoor cycling more fun and productive
Here are Frank’s Four Favorite and FUN 1 hour Indoor Workouts: 1. Sweet Spot Bursts: 4 x 8 minutes w/ a burst every 2 minutes
The tried ‘n true sweet spot intensity: not too hard and not too easy, goldilocks. This is ‘base season’ after all and not a time to be going full gas with hardcore threshold, VO2, and anaerobic intervals. During each 8 minute sweet spot interval ‘burst’ out of the saddle for 5 seconds at 200% of your FTP every 2 minutes. The bursts mimic getting out of the saddle up a switchback on a climb, a rise in the road or an acceleration in the peloton. The catch is to go back to sweet spot after the burst and not a recovery intensity. Adding in those simple 2 minutes bursts will make each 8 minute interval whiz by!
2. Criss Cross Micro Intervals: Tempo > Zone 6 (20 sec) 5 x 7 minutes
This workout looks more intimidating on paper than in practice. The 20 second forays to anaerobic watts every 2 minutes during a 7 minute interval are great for cyclocrossers, mountain bikers, road, gravel, time trial – just about every discipline of cycling. Like the sweet spot bursts the catch is that you go back to tempo watts and not a recovery interval like a traditional steady state interval. Your heart rate will climb over the course of the interval because 3 x 20 sec anaerobic efforts add up. You can apply extra credit to your workout by going full gas for the last 20 seconder because each criss cross interval ends with a traditional recovery – but only for 2 minutes!
3. Sweet Spot Micro Over-Unders: 2 sets of 5 x 2 minutes
Like the criss cross workout above we are using the 20 second foray up into Zone 6 to mimic a short punchy climb. The sweet spot intensity is harder than that of tempo but the intervals are over in 2 minutes. 2 min on 2 min off with Zone 6 in the beginning and the end. The set break in the middle allows for a higher quality 2nd set than without. The challenge of these over unders is to not go too hard for the 20 seconds and to hold the sweet spot for 80 seconds in the middle. ERG mode gets a bad wrap, but honestly this workout using the ERG mode is money – the smartTrainer changes the resistance and power so all you have to do is jam out to your tunes and pedal!
4. Zwift!
I like Zwift (for many reasons) because it is a great way to get in an unstructured, fun, quality one hour of variable power endurance training – much like the Sweet Spot TSS Ride. The key is to not race! That’s right – save the zwift racing for your interval training later in your annual training progression after you’ve built your base. Zwift racing tends to be full gas for the whole one hour and that kind of training needs to be used at the right time of the year and certainly not regularly in the winter.
Concentrate on group and solo rides using the terrain on Zwift to match your training goal for the day. For example – use the flat Richmond course to pedal out a fun quality zone 2 workout. Use the New York’s Central Park to hammer out some TSS sweet spot style on Saturday’s if you can’t ride outside. Choose a group ride on Zwift, but give yourself some cushion so that you can actually sit in a little bit rather than being forced to ride all out as hard as you can. For example, if your FTP is 3.5 watts / kg , choose the “C Ride” between 2.5 – 3.1 w/kg and get in some fun advanced aerobic endurance training.
The possibilities on Zwift are really as endless as the variations of the three structured interval workouts above! What’s even better is that exporting these TrainingPeaks workouts to Zwift for the ultimate indoor riding experience is a piece of cake. It only takes a few clicks and then all you have to do is pedal! Below is a quick demo from our friends at TrainingPeaks that shows you how to sync your TrainingPeaks account to your Zwift account and follow your training plan using Zwift:
Set yourself up for success! Make sure you have everything you need for your trainer session to make it as fun, comfortable and effective as possible! Indoor training does not need to be one of Dante’s nine circles of hell, it can just be another stroll in the park doing what you love! So get out there, or better yet… Get in there and ride!
Copyright © 2020 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
Comments The post Frank’s Four Favorite and Fun Indoor Cycling Workouts appeared first on FasCat.
With the offseason approaching, we’re thrilled to release our Winning in the Kitchen Weight Loss Meal Plan! Get your nutrition habits dialed this offseason so you can hit your goals in 2021. Created by Registered Dietitian Lacey Rivette, these custom meal plans take the guesswork out of weight loss for cyclists and take into account your training, weight, and goals to provide an approachable and easy to follow weight loss plan with custom recipes and meal prep instructions.
On the pod, Lacey and Frank break it all down and give you the deets on what you need to know, from some example recipes to how athletes should approach weight loss.
Show Notes: Meal Prep Guide: https://fascatcoaching.com/blogs/training-tips/meal-prep-guide
You Ate App: https://youate.com/
MyFitnessPal: https://www.myfitnesspal.com/
Thanks to everyone for tuning in, subscribing and reviewing on Apple Podcasts, and for engaging in our forum! For more things cycling training, visit http://fascat.wpengine.com.
Save 25% on your next training plan with code 25podcast
This post appeared here first: https://fascatcoaching.com/blogs/training-tips/weight-loss-meal-plan
We’re now well in to October, which is traditionally the offseason period for most of the cycling community (except you ‘crossers!) and so it’s time to start thinking about at home strength training. This is something that can make a huge impact on your cycling performance, but with the current COVID pandemic, going to gyms is a tricky situation. So we’ve adapted and created a special, effective at-home weight lifting plan that uses affordable and minimal equipment to make sure you can still get it done this winter and be back and ready for when racing returns.
47564Weight Lifting (at Home) for Cycling Training Plan In the pod today, Coach Frank breaks it all down, the equipment you’ll need, and what to expect with this unique strength plan. For more on strength training, go back and check out our old episodes on the subject to learn more about why it’s important in the annual periodization.
Thanks to everyone for tuning in, subscribing and reviewing on Apple Podcasts, and for engaging in our forum! For more things cycling training, visit http://fascat.wpengine.com.
Save 25% on your next training plan with code 25podcast
The post Optimize Your At Home Weight Lifting This Offseason! appeared first on FasCat.
Weight Lifting this winter will make you faster! More strength = more power = higher FTP = riding our bikes faster. However this is not your high school weight lifting plan; its designed for cyclists! “Speeds specific to cycling” is the secret sauce of this program: the velocity of the lifts plus the neuromuscular sprint workouts that are coupled to the Strength and Power Phases make this 10 week plan effective for endurance cyclists.” On this week’s podcast, we break down all you need to know about incorporating a cycling-specific resistance training program into your offseason.
9139Take the guesswork out of your off-season with one of our best-selling off-season plans. For more info, check out our training tip: https://fascat.wpengine.com/tips/weight-lifting-for-cycling/
And the Weight Lifting for Cycling training plan: https://fascat.wpengine.com/training-plans/weight-lifting-for-cycling/
Follow us on social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fascatcoaching/
Instagram: @fascatfh Twitter: @FasCat and YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/FasCatCoaching
Intro music: David Cutter Music // https://davidcuttermusic.com/
Copyright © 2020 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
The post Weight Lifting for Cycling appeared first on FasCat.
This week, Jackson and Lacey take over the pod to talk about their favorite subject: performance nutrition. A major theme of this show, we get lots of questions in the forum and through our new meal plans, so we thought we’d touch on a few of the commonly asked questions, such as weight loss, carbohydrate periodization, white vs. brown rice, and more.
The offseason is approaching and it’s the ideal time to start dialing in your nutrition strategy so you don’t fall behind! Be sure to check out our Winning In The Kitchen meal plans to get the ball rolling. If you have questions on nutrition and performance, ask away in our dedicated athlete forum at forum.fascat.wpengine.com.
47142Complete Fall and Winter Training Plan! Big thanks to WattBike for sponsoring the show. WattBike is the ultimate indoor cycling experience to take your winter training to the next level. With super accurate power readings, integration with Zwift and TrainingPeaks, WattBike makes your pain cave riding much more enjoyable. Check ’em out at wattbike.com/us.
Thanks to everyone for tuning in, subscribing and reviewing on Apple Podcasts, and for engaging in our forum! For more things cycling training, visit http://fascat.wpengine.com.
Save 25% on your next training plan with code 25podcast
The post Winning In The Kitchen FAQ w/ Jackson and Lacey appeared first on FasCat.
As the age-old adage goes, timing is everything. As we’re winding down the 2020 “season” and beginning to look towards 2021, it’s a critical thing to consider when planning our calendar. Choosing A vs. B races, when to start the weight lifting and base phases, and how to approach a peak and taper all come down to timing. With a little bit of preparation and planning, and a tip from Goldilocks, we can come into the 2021 season not too hot, not too cold, but just right.
24742Begin your 2021 campaign with our Sweet Spot Part 3 Training Plan In this episode, we cover:
- ½ life of aerobic endurance adaptations
- Goldilocks Principle – porridge too hot, too cold, just right
- 42 day time constant in TrainingPeaks CTL TSTWKT chart
- Half Life of Weight Lifting
- Coaches anecdote – find that most athletes peak better in the first ½ of the season (first peak attempt) than the second because the half life from weight lifting, and build a true base are further than the 1st peak
- The Group Ride HERO
- Examples of TIMING – what to do and WHEN and how much of.
Be sure to listen to our previous and relevant podcasts:
Planning your upcoming race season
Post-Season Break
Weight Lifting for Cyclists
Remember to use code 25podcast at checkout to save 25% off your next plan…and don’t procrastinate!
The post Timing is Everything: The What, When, and How of 2021 Training appeared first on FasCat.
Welcome to another periodized Q&A session of the FasCat Podcast, where we field listener questions from our forum, website, and social media to help you get even faster on the bike. This go around we touch on a range of topics, including thoughts on at-home gym setups, carbohydrates, how to train when smoke is in the air, and more.
Here are the links we mentioned in the Podcast:
- Build Your Own at-home strength setup
- Pogacar’s Strava file
- Phil’s Tour of California file analysis
47019Complete Fall and Winter Training Plan! If you want to get a question answered in the next one, be sure to sign up for our forum over at forum.fascat.wpengine.com to hop in the conversation. Thanks to everyone who contributed!
Big thanks to WattBike for sponsoring the show. WattBike is the ultimate indoor cycling experience to take your winter training to the next level. With super accurate power readings, integration with Zwift and TrainingPeaks, WattBike makes your pain cave riding much more enjoyable. Check ’em out at wattbike.com/us.
Thanks to everyone for tuning in, subscribing and reviewing on Apple Podcasts, and for engaging in our forum! For more things cycling training, visit http://fascat.wpengine.com.
Save 25% on your next training plan with code 25podcast
The post Ask FasCat #12 — at-home strength setups, carbohydrates, and training in the smoke appeared first on FasCat.
It’s about that time! With all the craziness and uncertainty of 2020, we still believe in the importance of taking an actual “off season” to bring some certainty to the cycling season periodization. So how should that look? What should you do? Today on the podcast is a continuation of our 2018 episode about the post-season break where we talked about the 3 core tenets of a good offseason break:
- Taking 2 weeks off from following a training plan
- Re-establishing Life Balance
- Soul Rides
46786Complete Fall / Winter Training Plan: Weights + Sweet Spot Base In this podcast we give seven more performance enhancing, non biking activities to consider as you take some time away from structured, dedicated training. They are:
- Nutrition/ Winning in the Kitchen
- Yoga
- Foundations
- MTB’ing (riding a different bike)
- Relationships
- Back to School/Family
- Goal Setting
Announcements:
Our Phils’ Fondo Training plan Starts Sept. 14th – you can sign up for the FREE Phil’s Bake your Own Cookie Fondo at philsfondo.com
We are working on two new training plans:
#1 the at home resistance training plan
#2 Lacey’s Winning in the Kitchen Weight Loss Plan
Next week is our regular Ask a FasCat Q&A podcast :: please submit your training questions to help@fascat.wpengine.com or on our forum forum.FasCatCoaching.com by next Wednesday Sept 16th. The most thoughtful question will win a pair of GravelKING SK’s and a GUEnergy prize pack!
This podcast is brought to you by WattBike, the solid dedicated at home training bike to get some offseason training at home this winter! Check them out at wattbike.com.
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
The post What to do during your 2 week post-season break appeared first on FasCat.
The three musketeers of FasCat training plan and coaching design, Frank Overton, Jake Rytlewski, and Isaiah Newkirk stop by the studio to discuss an ever-important topic: When to Hire a Coach or Follow a Training Plan? This question is extremely individualized and complex, so the three coaches break it down and talk about the reasoning behind both so you can be better equipped to decide what’s best for you. As 2020 looms, it’s time to start really planning out the details of the season and how you’re going to approach those goals. We hope this helps you FtFP even better next season!
For more on our training plans and coaching, visit http://fascat.wpengine.com and ask away in our exclusive forum at http://forum.fascat.wpengine.com.
31972Complete Fall / Winter Training Plan: Weights + Sweet Spot Base Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
The post When to Hire a Coach or Follow a Training Plan w/ Coaches Frank, Jake, and Isaiah appeared first on FasCat.
This week we dive into the background of “FTFP”, or Follow the F@#%&^* Plan! Following the well designed training plan is paramount to success as a cyclist, and there’s many layers that go into it. Coach Frank and Jackson discuss the key components to making training efficient and effective, and the 8 habits of successful cyclists.
19803Start building fitness and increasing FTP with our best-selling Sweet Spot plan. Remember to use code 25podcast at checkout to save 25% off your next plan…and don’t procrastinate!
If you’d like more help #FtFP’ing consider our Coaching Subscription or hire a FasCat Coach!
Find the FasCat podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. Follow us on social: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Intro music: David Cutter Music.
The post FTFP and Developing Good Training Habits appeared first on FasCat.
As the offseason for most cyclists (sorry, ‘crossers) and fall approaches, it’s time to look back and reflect on your season to see what worked and what didn’t, take stock of your nutrition and training strategies, and use that data to make 2020 even better. This week on the podcast we discuss 4 key areas of this review:
- Your Training: Volume, CTL, Intervals & Power Output
- Your Nutrition / Winning in the Kitchen – Weight Loss
- Skills – makes a huge difference!
- 4 Training Ideas to Get Faster for 2020
Other podcasts mentioned that are relevant to this episode:
Winning in the Kitchen: https://fascat.wpengine.com/tips/winning-in-the-kitchen/
Strength Training: https://fascat.wpengine.com/tips/weight-lifting-for-cycling/
Weight Loss for Cyclists: https://fascat.wpengine.com/tips/weight-loss-for-cyclists/
We are also hosting a podcast appreciation ride this Sunday, September 8th at 9am, leaving from 3107 Bluff St in Boulder. We’ll have pastries and coffee, and will do a chill spin up to Jamestown. Hope to see you there!
23721Are you interested in adding structure and FOCUS to your off-season? Our best-selling 32-week off-season plan is your ticket to ride. For more conversation, don’t forget to check out our forum at forum.fascat.wpengine.com and fascat.wpengine.com for more training tips. Enjoy the offseason!
The post Reviewing Your Season to Be Faster Next Year appeared first on FasCat.
This Fall, for those of you with big goals and aspirations, NOW is the time to get on a plan and start training. Right now cyclists have a huge opportunity to begin their off season training to take their performance to the next level in 2021. Here is our description of ON (off) season training for cyclists because there is no off season for better results next year.
As coaches, we look forward to the offseason because it is a time when we can work on athletes’ weaknesses without having to worry about their performance in upcoming races. As a result, we can start with the basics and methodically take athletes thru a 4-6 month offseason training program that elevates their performance. There’s a saying “the off season is where you can make the greatest gains” and we couldn’t agree more.
2190Purchase this best-selling 32-week off-season training plan today! The goal of our offseason training program is to increase the athlete’s power at threshold and race-specific power outputs. Our offseason training program is divided into 5 phases that as a whole are much greater than the sum of the parts. To measure improvement we test at the end of the resistance training phase, end of the sweet spot build and right before the first race with expectations of a 3-20% increase in power at threshold. Thereafter we monitor race data to track improvements in FTP and power.
The 5 Annual Training Plan Phases are: 1. Annual Training Program (ATP) (planning) 2. Fall Foundation, Aerobic Endurance & Muscle Tension Intervals. 3. Resistance Training: 10 Week, 4 Phase, Cycling Specific. 4. Sweet Spot Part 1, 2, and 3: building a “Hemi-Powered Aerobic Engine”. 5. Race Specific Intervals.
For more information about the COMPLETE FasCat Off-Season Program, please read the descriptions below.
- Annual Training Program (ATP) The image below is an example of an Annual Training Plan in TrainingPeaks that we develop for our athletes. This is the 10,000-foot view that outlines goals and when the 4 training phases will occur. We use this overview to identify timeframes for performance testing, and to work backwards from “A” races. A common coach question is ‘when do you want to be your fastest?” When is your “A race”. These answers help determine when to begin the on season training, when to build base, and when to switch from base to race.
We call this a worksheet because it is a work in progress, its fluid and may be changed. Goal setting is a process, often times an athlete’s race program is ironed out by late February here in Colorado. 2021 may be much different. Earlier for warmer weather states such as California, Texas, & Arizona. We use the ATP to stay focused as the coach & athlete designing training programs in 4-week blocks.
- Fall Foundation, Aerobic Endurance The Fall time frame is an opportunity to work on one’s weaknesses and carry a level of fitness into the winter months. It may be a time to start losing weight, ride a fixed gear or get in some big rides before the winter forces many of us indoors. For some athletes cyclocross racing may be used for training. We also use this time for muscle endurance work in the form of Muscle Tension Intervals aka MTi’s. It is VERY IMPORTANT to note that this is a time where our coaches are creative with training and flexibility is key. Compared to the Spring, training is relaxed and low key. Our coaches tend to stay away from intervals and instead encourage fun group rides, riding from the bottom to top of various climbs, “Strava Hunting”, and so forth. If the athlete is a ‘roadie’ he or she may be encouraged to mountain bike or to dabble in cyclocross racing. If an athlete’s climate dictates short rides over the winter, we will use the Fall as a time to ‘get fit’ so as to carry a significant amount of adaptations into the winter months. For those familiar with TSTWKT we will raise the athlete’s Chronic Training Load (CTL), prescribe a regeneration block and test at the end of the block to set an off season power at threshold (FTP) benchmark.
(Purchase the 3 week $29 Training Plan HERE)
For our athletes that are severely affected by daylight savings (Sunday November 1st, 2015) we will often schedule the Fall Foundation to end just prior to daylight savings so that the next block of training (Resistance Training) occurs in the gym where daylight is not a factor.
- Resistance Training, 10 weeks & 4 Phases: Cycling Specific Adaptation > Hypertrophy > Strength > Power with the last two phases coupled to on the bike neuromuscular work. Anyone can lift weights but remember that our 10-week cycling specific resistance program is speed specific and therefore effective for improving power output on the bike. We also use this time to work on muscle imbalances, core strength and flexibility.
(Buy our 6 week Training Plan HERE)
We work with our athletes to time the resistance training program to overlap with the worst weather riding months. It’s important to remember that resistance training is not for everyone and we interview our athletes carefully before recommending the training.
If you want fight age related decline in performance (the O.L.D.s) lift weights. You’ll also improve your sprint, climbing, ability to attack & counterattack – to be explosive, then our resistance training program is the place to start.
- Advanced Aerobic Endurance: “Base”: building a “Hemi-Powered Aerobic Engine” We take the traditional ‘piles of miles’ and use power based training & metrics to help you make the most out of your time to train. After all, who’s got 12 hours or more a week to train like the pro’s? Our training plan design follows a fatigue dependent model starting with Sweet Spot methodologies to raise CTL (Chronic Training Load). Ramp rates are specific to how much time the athletes has to dedicate to training each week. We spend a significant amount of time determining the athlete’s work & family schedules to create a balanced and productive training plan.
(View our 6 week Sweet Spot Part 1 Training Plan HERE)
(After completing our 6 week Sweet Spot Part 1 plan, move on to Sweet Spot Part 2: Training Plan)
(When you complete Sweet Spot Part 2, buy the Sweet Spot Part 3 Training Plan HERE)
During the work week, Monday thru Fridays (for those of us with traditional 9 to 5 careers) we focus on shorter, highly focused advanced aerobic endurance workouts: sweet spot and tempo steady state and variable power all suitable to be completed outdoors or indoors or Zwift. On the weekends, athletes do their longer rides whether those are in small groups or solo by TSS or AmEX rides. During the “Base” Phase we use every creative trick in the book to plan out the best custom training program for each athlete we work with. We track the size of the athlete’s base with the performance manager chart in TrainingPeaks – one’s Chronic Training Load or CTL.
The bigger the base an athlete can build the faster and more powerful they will be. Building a big base takes time and that’s why we are talking about it in August. How much time? Approximately 18 weeks or 4 1/2 months. Athlete’s could build less base but they will be less fast. Those that carve out the time including the time to lift beforehand are the ones that reach their potential. The athletes that shortcut their ‘base’ are the ones that miss the opportunity to perform with a hemi-powered aerobic engine.
- Pre-Season Interval Work to Increase Race Specific Power Output This is the final phase of the off season where we dot the “i”s and cross the “t”s. By this time frame we have identified what kind of races and events the athlete will compete in and we prescribe intervals to increase their ability to make power for the durations specific to performing well in those events. Aka race winning power output. We employ a race specific interval training program to take athletes to their next level. For those with powermeters, these are the workouts we’ll monitor closely to measure improvement and stay on top of fatigue.
(During the pre-season, you’ll be ready to move on to our 6 week $49 Interval Plan HERE)
As an example, for athletes whose goals involve criteriums we’ll work heavily on their anaerobic power outputs. For time trialists, we’ll concentrate on threshold intervals down in the athlete’s aerodynamic position on the time trial bike. Lastly, this is the phase where we’ll prescribe a field test or have athletes come into the lab to determine their maximal lactate steady state (MLSS). In our experience we are used to seeing improvements in power at threshold anywhere between 3 and 20%.
When the off season is all said and done, athletes begin the cycling season with an increased FTP (Functional Threshold Power) and an increased ability to produce power specific to their goals. Additionally, athlete’s are more confident and optimistic about the season and are likely to enjoy the sport more.
2190Ready to get started? Purchase our complete 32-week off-season training program today! Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
Show Notes: Post Season Break
Review Your Season to Set Goals for Next Year
Master’s CTL Podcast
Weight Lifting for Cycling
Switch from Base to Race
Race Specific Intervals
Wattbike
https://wattbike.com/us?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=FasCat&utm_con- tent=01_september_2020
Comments The post Off Season Training for Cyclists appeared first on FasCat.
Perhaps #crossiscoming. Perhaps #crossisnotcoming. Regardless, we are going to have some fun with this one. We’ve created a 6 week Strava CX challenge to keep you motivated, inspired and ready to race just in case it’s necessary. Here’s the deal: each week builds off the previous with the goal of making you smoother, more efficient and ultimately faster. Follow the directions below and add this to your training plan or talk with your coach on how to incorporate this into your current plan. Feel free to ask us any questions and let us know how it’s going in the FasCat Forum! Good luck and have fun!
Week 1: Set Up Your Practice Cyclocross Course
Warm up in zone 2 by riding over to your local cyclocross practice area (course, park, school, etc.) and lay out a ~ 5 minute cyclocross practice lap. Features to include, if possible, are:
- A bazillion corners
- Mixed terrain: grass, dirt, pavement, sand pit, singletrack, ditches, gullys, stairs, logs, retaining walls, etc.
The course you design needs to be one that is easily replicable for the next 4 weeks because you are going to repeat this course each week to gauge your improvement.
Use this day to re-familiarize yourself with getting ‘crossy: bike handling, getting on and off the bike, accelerating, tire pressure, etc.
Week 2: 5 Lap Strava Segment CX Set Up
Head back over to the CX course you designed last week to set up your Strava segment.
Make sure you have an adequate warm up.
Ride 5 laps for time at about 90-95% CX race pace. Make it fast, yet fun.
Afterwards upload to Strava.
Create the 5 lap (not 1) strava segment per this training tip, podcast & video.
This ride will establish the ~ 25 minute segment so that you have a time to race against using live segments next week
Star this segment and sync your Strava account to your bike computer to use the live segment next week.
45609 Cyclocross Strava Race and Skills Plan Week 3: Strava CX Race
3rd week progression: Warm up in zone 2 by riding over to your cx course and this week you are going to race your 5 lap strava segment for your best time. This should be a cyclocross time trial.
Use Strava’s live segment feature to verify you are ahead of your 90-95% pace from last week – but this week let it all hang out: GO FULL GAS, as fast as you can at your CX race pace for roughly 25 minutes!
Afterwards upload to Strava and this should be your PR/KOM !
Week 4: Heart Rate Ceiling of 150bpm
By now you’ve got your “Svenness” and have every nook and cranny of your course dialed
Today you are going to work on riding faster by being smoother. To force you to slow down and ride smoother we are putting a governor on your engine!
That’s right: You may not exceed a heart rate of 150 bpm for these 5 laps. It will feel slower and probably be slower on Strava, but the point is to carry more of your momentum and speed out of the corners. This prevents you from riding like a bull in a china shop and bashing your way around the course by brute force.
Carve those turns and carry your speed and we’ll go back next Wednesday with the very same 150 bpm criteria to measure your 5 lap Strava segment improvement not in watts, but in smoooooothness
10 second penalty for each time your heart rate exceeds 150 bpm!
Week 5: Ride at 150bpm MAX – try to beat last week’s time
Try to beat last week’s Strava segment time, but you must ride at a heart rate of no greater than 150 bpm. Remember: smoother is faster !
The key to riding your segment faster is by cornering smoothly, dismounting and remounting smoothly and handling your bike smoothly.
Week 6: Strava CX Race!
Week 6: Finale – put all your cornering skills and watts together and absolutely annihilate your Strava PR/KOM from week 3. Use Strava’s live segment features to check if you are ahead or behind your segment PR as motivation and as a carrot to dig that much deeper. Upload your ride data to the strava segment leaderboard and voila – there’s your race result!
Bonus: If at any point along these six weeks you want to share your cyclocross course with your friends, teammates, community: simply share the link to the strava segment and let the leaderboard take care of the heckling, podiums and results
Copyright © 2020 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
The post #secrettraining: How to have a Cyclocross Race Season appeared first on FasCat.
Ever struggle to get yourself out the door and on the bike? Ever feel burnt out? Want to find even more motivation and ensure you #FtFP on a regular basis? Well you have come to the right place! Here are our top five tips that will help you do just that:
(Tips 1-2 come from our Dietitian and Community Manager, Lacey. Tips 2-6 are from Coach Jake)
1. Train in the Mornings! Do we sound like a broken record yet? We preach this all the time because it is our #1 tip for nailing your workouts. You might even remember it from our Seven Habits of Highly Successful Masters Athletes training tip! Why do we recommend this? Becasue training in the morning means you #FtFP before anything can get in your way. Whether that be a family emergency, work obligations or the fun afternoon showers we get here in Colorado. Training in the mornings is also a great way to increase your energy and mood so that the rest of your day is productive and pleasant. Many athletes get grumpy when they can’t ride their bikes or have to wait to ride… and who wants to be a grumpy pants all day?!
46075Champions are made in the Off Season: Lift Weights and Build a Big Base 2. Plan For Success The night before: Lay out all of your clothes, plan your route, upload it to your wahoo/garmin if you need, mount your computer on your bike, make sure your bike lights, powermeter and computer are charged, air up your tires, fill up your bottles, grab your GU gels, prep your post ride meal, and any other little things that will save you time in the morning. That way when you wake up, you know all you have to do is put on your clothes and head out. You know you are already
3. Change things up Do a different route! Some riders get stuck in a funk and ride the same routes day in and day out. Use the Strava route builder to plan out a new route. If you don’t have time to do that, ride your usual route backwards or look at a map and find new roads to ride on. Really you are only limited by your own imagination!
4. Do Stravals or Bottom to Top Intervals You can still #FtFP by trying to accommodate these type of efforts, plus they add some fun and friendly competition to your ride! Be sure to find segments that match the time of your intervals, then just focus on finishing the segment as opposed to a time. Same goes with a climb. Just go from bottom to top.
5. Go off the beaten path Do some off-road riding! You can do mountain biking, gravel riding or etc. Don’t just do all the same type of riding if you can help it. When you are on the MTB, you go off of heart rate and/or perceived exertion as opposed to staring at your power data the entire time, which can help change things up.
6. Ride with Friends While we aren’t advocating for group rides right now, they can be a great way to get you excited to go ride. MTB rides are typically easy to socially distance on… But if you don’t feel that you can practice social distancing or are wanting to stay as safe as you can, plan a group ride on zwift or even set up a Strava route for all of your friends to go out and complete. Heck, make it a time trial if you like! Again, you are only limited by your imagination. Here is a podcast for how to fit group rides in when you are following one of our training plans!
We hope these tips help you find that little bit of extra motivation that you need. If there are some other tips you have, feel free to drop them in the comments below!
Copyright © 2020 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
Lacey provides education and guidance to athletes about how to make healthy food choices that supports their performance goals, aids in sustainable weight loss, and improves their recovery. We are currently in the process of developing custom nutrition plans and one-on-one counseling with her, so keep your eyes out for those to be released in the near future!
The post Motivational Tips to Help You to Follow the Plan appeared first on FasCat.
Welcome to another periodized Q&A session of the FasCat Podcast, where we field listener questions from our forum, website, and social media to help you get even faster on the bike. This go around we touch on a range of topics, including how best to prepare for a race, interval specificity, gas station bonking, ‘cross training, and more.
Here are the links we mentioned in the Podcast:
- 20 Minute Power Based Field Test
- Phil Gaimon’s Advice to New & Experienced Cyclists
- FasCat’s Coaching Philosophy
- Seven Habits of Highly Successful Master Cyclists
Supplemental Oxygen Reference where the BigCat was a research subject:
Randall L Wilber, Paige L Holm, David M Morris, George M Dallam, Andrew W Subudhi, Dennis M Murray, Samuel D Callan, “Effect of FIO2 on oxidative stress during interval training at moderate altitude” Med Sci Sports Exerc . 2004 Nov; 36(11):1888-94.
Conclusion: Supplemental oxygen used in conjunction with high-intensity interval training at altitude (“live high + train low via supplemental O2” (LH + TLO2)) results in a significant improvement in exercise performance without inducing additional free radical oxidative stress as reflected in hematological and urinary biomarkers.
If you want to get a question answered in the next one, be sure to sign up for our forum over at forum.fascat.wpengine.com to hop in the conversation. Thanks to everyone who contributed!
As we mentioned at the beginning of the episode, we are deeply saddened and shocked at the passing of our friend and two time podcast guest, SBTGRVL founder and great human, Mark Satkiewicz. The cycling community lost a truly generous and passionate member and our thoughts are with his family. If you want to support, the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club has set up a Mark Satkiewicz Memorial Fund to support young athletes. Learn more: https://www.sswsc.org/support/donate-now
45926More Bang for your Training Buck Thanks to everyone for tuning in, subscribing and reviewing on Apple Podcasts, and for engaging in our forum! For more things cycling training, visit http://fascat.wpengine.com.
Save 25% on your next training plan with code 25podcast
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Ever since we began talking about Winning in the Kitchen two years ago you all have been asking for us to create a cookbook and we thought that was a great idea. But since adding Lacey Rivette, a Registered Dietitian, to the FasCat team we began to brainstorm and realized we could come up with something even better. Enter FasCat Meal Plans! These plans are uniquely designed by Lacey to give guidance to even the most unexperienced of cooks so that they can start eating better and riding faster!
How is FasCat’s Intro Winning in the Kitchen meal plan different than others?
Unlike most meal plans, FasCats meal plans are delivered directly into your TrainingPeaks Account so that you get email notifications each monday about what you need to eat or meal prep. You also get PDF’s of your meal prep guide, recipes and grocery list to print out to keep with you when you don’t have access to your phone or computer.
Whats even better is that the meal plans match your training plans, providing more food on days when the training load is heavier (Tuesdays, Wednesday’s & the weekends). Plus are even tips included for how to eat while on the bike to ensure you feel your best and are able to #FtFP. You won’t find anything like it anywhere else!
What if I am plant-based or have special dietary restrictions?
No worries! All of the meals in our plan are dairy free, gluten-free (when you purchase indicated GF items) and include directions to make all of the meals plant-based. If you have other dietary restrictions, shoot Lacey a question in our nutrition forum or consider signing up for one-on-one nutrition coaching with her.
45301Win in the Kitchen to Ride Faster Meal Plan How are the meal plans structured?
During weeks 1-3 of the plan you will be introduced to 3-4 new recipes. You will make these for all your meals that week so that you can gain confidence in cooking from scratch, learning your portion sizes and decreasing the amount of time it takes you to prepare the meals. Lacey is a big advocate for making nutrition simple and sustainable, which is why you will find 1-2 “flex meals” (not cheat days) on the weekend to allow you to enjoy food with your family and friends or to satisfy that craving you built up from #FtFP’ing your training all week!
In week 4, we begin to encourage you to adjust the recipes based on your preferences and really start testing your own meal planning and cooking skills based upon what you have learned. Don’t worry though, we still provide you with a suggested meal plan in case you still need a little guidance.
What is Meal Prep Monday?
Throughout the plan, you will have specific days (mainly Monday/Sunday) that you meal prep your staple foods like rice, chicken and tofu, which allow you to prepare the majority of your meals in less than 10 minutes. This is KEY to winning in the kitchen, because let’s be honest… If the food is in the fridge almost ready for you to eat, you are much less likely to grab something on your lunch break or on your way home. Plus, you don’t want to let all that healthy food you worked hard on to go to waste!
What do I do once I perfect these meals?
After you complete this meal plan you can move onto our advanced winning in the kitchen meal plans and our weight loss meal plans that will be released in the upcoming weeks! You might even consider signing up for one-on-one nutrition counseling with Lacey if you have specific goals, want to lose weight, need more guidance for how to fuel during training or if you have any specific dietary restrictions.
Copyright © 2020 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
Lacey provides education and guidance to athletes about how to make healthy food choices that supports their performance goals, aids in sustainable weight loss, and improves their recovery. We are currently in the process of developing custom nutrition plans and one-on-one counseling with her, so keep your eyes out for those to be released in the near future!
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As we continue to navigate the weirdest cycling season in history, one of the greatest training tools out there, the group ride, has also been affected. With social distancing rules, group rides are generally a no-go in today’s climate. So how can we mimic the huge benefits of smashing it with your friends on your weekly group ride? Frank and the team of FasCat coaches have 3 quality workout ideas to satisfy the group ride itch while giving you a very similar training stimulus to your favorite weekly throwdown. So, in this episode, Coach Frank and Jackson break down simulating the group ride and how to perform these workouts:
- Jake’s Diabolical “Kitchen Sink” workout
- Isaiah’s 4 hour, 4 intervals pain cave sesh
- Frank’s Freestyle Fartlek / AmEx ride
Remember that just because races and group rides as we know them are cancelled doesn’t mean that training hard and smart is cancelled. Keep pushing the pedals and finding ways to keep working hard and building fitness. FtFP!
45238From the Home of Sweet Spot, Sweet Spot #4 Polarized will take your game to the next level. Quickly! Thanks for listening, and subscribe to the podcast to hear more! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fascat-cycling-training-tips-podcast/id1381614039
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What do you do when the whole season is cancelled because of a global pandemic? Keep calm and FtFP on, duh, because bike riding ain’t cancelled! Coach Frank revisits the topic after we discussed back when COVID-19 first exploded in the U.S. in March and put many things in question, and my how times have changed…
Frank shares his expert covid summertime coaching advice to help you keep the motivation rolling, what training should look like right now, some ideas for challenges and ways to use your fitness, and more. Remember to stay positive and embrace this current moment; it’s still such a gift to be able to ride at all!
44449More Bang for your Training Buck SBTVRTL: https://sbtgrvl.com/sbt-vrtl/
How to Taper https://fascat.wpengine.com/tips/tapering-in-cycling-for-peak-performance/
Using the Performance Manager Chart to Peak https://fascat.wpengine.com/tips/realtstwkt/
Thanks to everyone for tuning in, subscribing and reviewing on Apple Podcasts, and for engaging in our forum! For more things cycling training, visit http://fascat.wpengine.com.
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Join Jackson for a short, 10 minute guided meditation to use while on a ride to cultivate more awareness, mindfulness, and concentration. For more of Jackson’s thoughts on meditation, check out his podcast In The Flow.
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Meditation has become a buzzword in the mainstream, and you’ve probably heard about elite athletes like LeBron James, Kate Courtney, and others espousing its benefits. But what actually is meditation? Why should we consider starting a meditation practice? What are the benefits?
Today on the show, we discuss this topic at length and get into why you should consider leaning in to this ancient practice for your mental health, athletic performance, and managing stress in these crazy times. We’ll talk:
- how meditation works
- some common misconceptions
- why athletes could benefit from incorporating meditation practices into their routines
- and more!
Jackson also shares a short, 10 minute guided moving meditation to listen to while on the bike at the end, so stick around! We’ll also release that as a standalone episode. Let us know how you’ve used meditation in your life in the forum at forum.fascat.wpengine.com.
43692More Bang for your Training Buck More info on meditation:
Harvard Medical School: https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2018/04/harvard-researchers-study-how-mindfulness-may-change-the-brain-in-depressed-patients/
Mindfulness Mechanisms in Sports: Mediating Effects of Rumination and Emotion Regulation on Sport-Specific Coping: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5605575/
Thanks to everyone for tuning in, subscribing and reviewing on Apple Podcasts, and for engaging in our forum! For more things cycling training, visit http://fascat.wpengine.com.
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They say that the true gains made in sport performance come not from the hard training, but from the rest and recovery from the training – the adaptation. This becomes more and more important as we get older, and in order to continue training hard and enjoying the sport of cycling, we absolutely must prioritize recovery. This week on the show, Coach Frank breaks down the three main principles of master’s recovery:
- Sleep
- Nutrition
- a Well-Designed Masters-Based Training Plan
Frank dives into thoughts on meditation, winning in the kitchen, and training less (crazy right?) to maximize recovery and thus get faster on the bike, basically for free!
Our Father’s Day sale is in full force this weekend, so pick up those #DadWatts by using code FASTERDAD at checkout to save 50% off your next training plan. Put that recovery to good use!
42594More Bang for your Training Buck We say ‘master’s recovery’ as opposed to most recovery recommendations you hear in the popular media that pertain to younger athletes (who recover faster and better). Or ‘elite athletes’ in the scientific literature. This podcast is a continuation of the June 12th, 2018 podcast Jackson and I recorded for our 4th ever episode way back when. Go back and give that podcast a listen but know that here today I will mainly be speaking about recovery as it pertains to adults, ‘weekend warriors’ as recovery relates to their lifestyles. These days, successful upwardly mobile people lead stressful busy lives. So much so, that I think back to my life in my 20’s and 30’s that was so simple and I sleep like a champ, ate well and recovered great. In fact recovery wasn’t even an issue. I just thought that’s how it was.
Add in a few kids, a stressful job, a relationship with your spouse, a pandemic, your career, and age related decline and whammo – that’s what we are talking about today. So much so that for the athletes I coach who are over 40 and the questions we field about training there are 3 VERY important aspects of training that pertain to masters athletes. They pertain to all ages athletes but I’m specifically going to talk from my experience as an athlete and a coach who is over 40 dealing with and working on these three (Sleep, Nutrition & Training Plan)
Thanks to everyone for tuning in, subscribing and reviewing on Apple Podcasts, and for engaging in our forum! For more things cycling training, visit http://fascat.wpengine.com.
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Welcome to another periodized Q&A session of the FasCat Podcast, where we field listener questions from our forum, website, and social media to help you get even faster on the bike. This go around we touch on a range of topics, including the most “coachable” traits in athletes, following the plan in the heat or sacrificing sleep, recovery, weight loss and treats, and even a question from Phil Gaimon.
If you want to get a question answered in the next one, be sure to sign up for our forum over at forum.fascat.wpengine.com to hop in the conversation. Thanks to everyone who contributed!
41957More Bang for your Training Buck Thanks to everyone for tuning in, subscribing and reviewing on Apple Podcasts, and for engaging in our forum! For more things cycling training, visit http://fascat.wpengine.com.
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Now that you’ve been building a big base, summer is here, and you’re wanting to “sharpen the sword”, we’ve designed a brand new addition to the Sweet Spot training plan fleet: Sweet Spot Polarized. This style of training is developed to perfectly balance sweet spot and VO2 work to make you go even faster using a “fresher is faster” dependent training plan design. So on the pod today Coach Frank breaks down the philosophy and plan in detail, what to expect and how to get it done. For more info on it, check out https://fascat.wpengine.com/training-plans/sweet-spot-part-4-polarized/
41798More Bang for your Training Buck Show Notes:
Next week we’re doing another episode of Ask FasCat! Submit your questions through the forum @ forum.fascat.wpengine.com or help@fascat.wpengine.com.
TSS Training for Cyclists
How to Perform VO2max Intervals
Tabatas
Thanks to everyone for tuning in, subscribing and reviewing on Apple Podcasts, and for engaging in our forum! For more things cycling training, visit http://fascat.wpengine.com.
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Strava Racing: Using the technology of Strava routes and segments + their live segments feature you can create and simulate race courses. And best of all, use the segment’s leaderboard for the ‘race results’. Coach Frank and Jackson share the scoop with the FasCat Nation so you can make the most out of the summer!
Be sure to check out FasCat’s very own Strava Racing Challenge here: https://fascat.wpengine.com/tips/strava-segment-challenge/
And of course continue the conversation in our active forum @ http://forum.fascat.wpengine.com
Thanks to everyone for reviewing the show on Apple Podcasts and subscribing wherever you get your pods! Consider sharing the show with a friend or teammate to help them get faster.
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It’s our 2 year anniversary! Hard to believe, but we’ve officially been podcasting for over 2 years. Almost 100 episodes, equaling around 100 hours of audio content to make you a faster cyclist! So today we celebrate by looking back on some of our favorite episodes, the themes that have emerged, and what to look forward to in the next phase of the FasCat Podcast! We also discuss the exciting new FasCat Strava Segment Challenge, Phil Gaimon’s insane Everesting world record, and much more.
We want to give a huge shoutout to the entire FasCat community, from the podcast listeners to the forum users, for joining us in this journey and for giving us the inspiration for many of our episodes and content, and for supporting our work! We’re honored to serve your cycling goals, and will stay committed to that goal.
40668More Bang for your Training Buck Episodes mentioned:
Winning in the Kitchen, ep. 2
The Origins of FTFP
Sweet Spot Invention
Gravel Training
Timing is Everything
Ask FasCat #1
Strava Segments/Strava-Vals
Also be sure to check out the brand new FasCat Strava Segment Challenge!
We’re hiring a Community Manager! Want to contribute to the mission of FasCat Coaching and work from home? Check out our job posting here: https://fascat.wpengine.com/tips/careers-community-manager/
Thanks to everyone for tuning in, subscribing and reviewing on Apple Podcasts, and for engaging in our forum! For more things cycling training, visit http://fascat.wpengine.com.
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One key question we ask ourselves as coaches at FasCat, is if the athlete is responding to the training we have prescribed. Aka, are they getting faster? Our favorite “experiment” to answer this question is a good old fashioned 20 minute power based field test, which is free and can be conducted anywhere and anytime appropriate.
Reality Cycling In a former life and career, I conducted hundreds of experiments as a research scientist in biotechnology and academic medical research laboratories designed to answer specific questions about the research projects I was working on. Spinal cord research, cancer, and novel cancer cures to name a few. At FasCat, we still perform “experiments” designed to evaluate our athletes’ current physiology as it relates to their cycling performance. Still to this day the most practical, most relevant test of all is a 20 minute power based field test. With the exception of the gold standard, 40k time trial.
1463Increase your FTP with our Hill Climb Intervals Training Plan. In the past we have conducted MLSS tests in an exercise physiology lab, but the reality is that cyclists need to test two to three times per year which is cost prohibitive and not practical for many athletes. Plus indoor power tends to be slightly less that outdoor power. A properly conducted field test cuts to the core of cycling performance and gives a great physiological assessment of the athlete (1), making it an indispensable tool for our coaches or the self coached athlete.
How Do I Conduct a Field Test? In essence, a 20 minute power based field test is riding as fast as hard as you can for exactly 20 minutes. Just like a 20 minute time trial. Record your average power output and use that number as a benchmark and to determine your wattage based zones. When available we’ll recommend a steady grade hill free of stop signs, descents and any section of road that requires the athlete to stop pedalling. Ideally a 2-3% steady grade hill like this Strava segment*. Steeper climbs tend to bog athletes’ cadence down which skews the test results. Conversely, some athletes make greater power uphill than they can on the flats. Whichever you choose, it is absolutely imperative that you ensure your test is repeatable, accurate and reliable. Apples – apples.
Here’s how: For the road cyclist and mountain biker an all out effort similar to your time trial pace of 20 minutes elicits a physiological response that has been found to be “the single greatest determinant of cycling performance in mass start cycling events” (1). We have experimented with 60 minute Field Tests and honestly not that many athletes can sustain that sort of mental effort for the full 60 minutes. If they can its a mental match we don’t want to burn. On the other hand if we know the athlete can do a 60 minute field test once a year, it is the coaches discretion to prescribe one. It is especially beneficial to compare 60 minute field test data to ~ 60 minute 40k time trial data.
When choosing the roads for your field test let the terrain you have available dictate the specifics of your test (working within the 20 min range). After all, going for it from the bottom of a climb all the way to the top is more stimulating than working off your stopwatch. It may even be specific to your target event(s). For instance, a climber targeting a race with a decisive climb will want to specifically perform their test on a climb similar to the one found in the race. Heck, if you live nearby the race course, test on the race course! Conversely you may not even see a climb longer than one or two minutes where you live. That’s cool; then find a stretch of road to measure how far you can ride in 20 minutes. If this is the case, pay special attention to the wind and humidity which will affect your aerodynamics and thus time. As long as you come back to the very same piece of road and start from the very same spot, under the same test conditions, your test will be repeatable.
*We take the average 20 minute power and subtract 5 – 10% to arrive at an athlete’s 60 minute “Functional Threshold Power” or FTP. As a generally rule of thumb we use 5% for slow twitch aerobic athletes and 10% for athletes that have a well developed anaerobic system. We’ll subtract 7.5% if we don’t know about the athlete’s anaerobic capacity.
Repeatability Whatever you have nearby, find a stretch of road free of stops signs, intersections and corners — anything that would slow you down. In essence: go as hard as you can! Don’t hold back one bit, go for it! Now here’s the catch: remember everything about this test and duplicate it for your next test.
Items to keep the same (& ensure repeatability) include: * Your powermeter! Calibrated of course. Different powermeters unfortunately produce different results * Your bike: weight (including water bottles), body position, tires, tire pressure. * Your kit: jersey, shorts, helmet – – essentially you want to have the same aerodynamic characteristics from test to test. * Wind and weather conditions: test on a windless day under the same humidity – air density affects aerodynamics too! * Temperature: avoid testing between extreme temperature differences. * Come into the test rested, properly fueled, well hydrated with tons of motivation (you gotta go full gas!) * Perform the exact same warm up before each field test. * In a nutshell keep everything the same except for your fitness – that is the variable you are testing for.
Being able to compare tests and controlling for all other variables except your physiology or fitness allows you and your coach to interpret the efficacy of your training. These details may seem picky but are necessary to draw accurate comparisons.
Your results: Test at the beginning of your training and then again after 8-12 weeks to measure your improvement. If your power goes up, guess what? Your training is working, keep going. If your power goes down or stays the same, guess what? Your training is not working and you need to change what you are doing. Its as simple as that.
All of our Six Week $49 Training Plans culminate with a field test so you can measure how much faster you’ve become!
Test not once, but twice, or more If you have a new powermeter or are beginning a training program, perform a “baseline” field test for two reasons:
• To determine your wattage based training zones
• To establish a benchmark to measure future improvement
For a good test ‘performance’, approach the day with a minimum of 24 hours rest and go absolutely as hard as you can during the test. If you don’t, the results will be inconclusive. Record the average power and continue with your next training cycle. Come back to the very same field test in 6-8 weeks under the same rested conditions and go for it again. By comparing the two average power outputs, you will be able to draw useful conclusions about your training. i.e. is it working? Test periodically throughout the year (we recommend no more than 3 times*) and carefully record your results in your training log. This will paint a big picture that is extremely useful when plotting out your next move and planning your next winning season.
Regular testing is THE BEST way to track performance and we do not recommend using mean maximal, mFTP or power profile charts that cull non “as hard as you can go” power outputs. By performing 20 minute tests, you’ll also be able to compare this data with race data. For example, time trials where you went as hard as you could for 20 minutes or breakaways and long climbs.
Summary • Go as hard as you can for the full 20 minutes
• Upload your data and analyze the average power output
• Make sure the test is 100% repeatable to eliminate all variables except your average power output improvement
• For indoor 20 minutes tests, see our indoor cycling 20 minute tip
Finally, testing yourself is a great start, but remember the ultimate measure of performance is performance itself. So get out there in a race, go hard, and duke it out! For further reading, please read the “Determining Threshold Power” training tip on VeloNews.
Reference E.F. Coyle, A.R. Coggan, M.K. Hopper and T.J. Walters, “Determinants of endurance in well-trained cyclists.” J Appl. Physiol 64:2622-2630, 1988
Copyright © 2020 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
Comments The post A 20 Minute Power-Based Field Test appeared first on FasCat.
We don’t always have to perform an FTP field test in order to measure our performance. We you may use normalized power during hard effort 20-60 minutes in length, or similar durations during group rides or races to track your performance and FTP over time using real world examples. This is a hot topic so we’d love to field your questions at forum.FasCatCoaching.com
14440Interested in a FasCat training plan? Use code 25podcast at checkout to save 25% on your first plan! – Join the discussion on the FasCat Forum –
Thanks for listening!
Find the FasCat podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. Follow us on social: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Intro music: David Cutter Music.
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One of the most popular topics we talk about on the podcast is nutrition, and specifically our philosophy of “Winning in the Kitchen”. We’ve podcasted about breakfast, dinner, on the bike nutrition, winning in the grocery store, weight loss, and now we bring you a conversation about SNACKS!
40045More Training For Your Limited Time Snacks are a challenging aspect of nutrition for many people, athletes included. So we try and simplify it and help you make better choices and build better habits by crafting snacks in a healthy and sustainable way to keep your nutrition game strong!
Previous Winning in the Kitchen podcasts/videos worth checking out: Winning in the Kitchen
Weight Loss for Cyclists
Breakfast
Winning in the Kitchen 30 Day Challenge
Go Fast Food Choices
Winning in the Grocery Store | Nutrition for Cyclists
Thanks to everyone for tuning in, subscribing and reviewing on Apple Podcasts, and for engaging in our forum! For more things cycling training, visit http://fascat.wpengine.com.
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This week, we discuss how Strava live segments can “hack” your interval performance by increasing motivation, positive reinforcement, and therefore your power output. A Strava-Val is going as hard as you can like an interval but using the live Strava segment for motivation. Knowing in real time if you are ahead or behind your PR is good for 10-20 more watts of motivation. Kind of like a group ride of one. You can do VO2 Max intervals, anaerobic intervals, climbing intervals, breakaway intervals, time trial intervals and of course sweet spot intervals with this style of training. The choices are endless and at this time of the year, mid-summer, variety is the spice of life and being motivated to go hard is more than half the battle to staying sharp.
21766Follow the plan that Phil uses to get KOMs across the globe. Here’s how to perform a Strava-Val:
#1: Create a Strava account The basic is free and the premium (“Summit’ for $8/month) gets you live segments. The live segment feature is highly effective for turning yourself inside out during your effort to get your PR. Therefore as a coach, since I like when athletes turn themselves inside out, I like the strava live segment feature a lot The key feature that I’m talking about is knowing how many seconds you are ahead or behind of getting your PR or that KOM of the segment you are using for an interval.
#2 Choose and Star your Segment in Strava Remember the duration of the segment you choose forces specific physiological adaptations:
20 – 60 second segment(s) train your anaerobic ‘glycolytic’ pathway
3 – 6 minute segment(s) train your VO2 Max
8 – 60 minute segment trains your threshold power (TT & Climbing)
Choose 20 – 60 second segments if you are a criterium, flat road racer or cyclocross racer
Choose 3 – 6 minute segments if you want to raise your FTP and compete in hill road races with 3 – 6 minute climbs
Choose 8 – 60 minute segments if you want to climb faster, time trial better or work on your threshold power.
Choose 1 – 3 hour segments for gravel or marathon mtb racing
Or choose any segment that motivates you!
#3 design your workout We recommend Strava-Vals at the point in the season when we think you do not need to do 2 sets of 3 x 3 minutes on 3 minutes off with a 6 minute set break between 265 – 305 watts. All you need to do is sharpen the sword with 2 or 3 really REALLY hard similar length efforts.
Thus – find your segment and plan to go as hard as you can on it two or three times. Really hard – harder than normal intervals hard because a) you are only doing 2 – 3 and b) because Strava , haha.
Warm up well in Zone 2 while riding over to your segment and go for it. After 2 or three of these your ‘interval’ workout is down and you can cruise back home.
You can also mix multiple types of energy system efforts based on different segments within each workout to mix it up and replicate race specific efforts…the options are unlimited!
Group Ride Strava-Vals for extra credit: I don’t recommend the live segment feature during the effort because you are riding in a group and want to be as safe as possible. Plus if its cyclocross or mountain bike training there may be some technical riding where you want to keep your eyes on the trail! Still, going for that PR and ‘winning your group ride’ is the extra motivation that makes the group ride all the more better.
Try it out the next time you want to get that extra 1-2% out of your next interval session!
For more podcasts and training tips, visit fascat.wpengine.com/tips!
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This week we sit down with Jim Miller, USA Cycling’s Chief of Sports Performance and coach to many of USA’s greats such as Tejay van Garderen, Kate Courtney, Kristin Armstrong, and Lawson Craddock to name a few. Jim is the ultimate “coaches coach” and has been coaching elite level cycling for nearly 2 decades, and his work has developed amazing athletes and superstar performances, including world championships and Olympic medals.
39934More Training For Your Limited Time Frank and Jim discuss everything from his coaching philosophy, athletes’ least favorite workout, float tanks, embracing failure, and the approach going into Tokyo 2021.
Past Training Tips referenced in the podcast: Whoop Recovery
Float Tanks
VO2 Intervals: 5 on 5 off (Hickson Holloszy paper)
MotorPacing
Thanks to everyone for tuning in, subscribing and reviewing on Apple Podcasts, and for engaging in our forum! For more things cycling training, visit http://fascat.wpengine.com.
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This week Frank talks about the 3 ways he advises athletes to use Zwift as a Training Tool. They include:
#1 Using Alpe Du Zwift
#2 ERG Mode
# 3 Group Rides and Races
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39836More Training For Your Limited Time What if you had a one hour climb out your backyard to train on? Well now you do with Zwift’s Alpe D Zwift. We’ll talk about using the Alpe du Zwift as a training tool – not necessarily playing the game and racing… but as a training tool to help you follow your training plan and workout better. Bringing some enhancements to FTFP’ing. The Alpe is a great way to use terrain to help you make better watts.
Thanks to everyone for tuning in, subscribing and reviewing on Apple Podcasts, and for engaging in our forum! For more things cycling training, visit http://fascat.wpengine.com.
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We are honored to talk about sweet spot training with Dr. Andy Coggan, Ph.D on this podcast. Dr. Coggan is an Associate Professor of Kinesiology at Indiana University’s School of Health and Human Sciences. IU has a doctoral program in Kinesiology so if there’s a young cyclist out there that wants to study how to get faster, IU’s Department of Kinesiology could be the place for you.
39701More Training For Your Limited Time Andy and Frank go way back to the early days of USA Cycling Coaches Education Program primarily from the power based training seminars and clinics. In 2004 Andy presented at the Coaches Summit at USA Cycling’s headquarter’s in Colorado Springs, CO and introduced a power based impulse – response performance model. The term sweet spot training was born a few months later from a group of coaches working to validate the model which would later become the Performance Manager Chart in TrainingPeaks and WKO. Andy is also the co-author of “Training and Racing with a Powermeter” along with Hunter Allen.
Of course we reference the sweet spot graph, address the arbitrary units from the y-axis and the expected physiological adaptations from training in Zones 1 – 7.
We also reference two important OG exercise physiology studies here:
Effect of training on enzyme activity and fiber composition of human skeletal muscle Gollnick PD, Armstrong RB, Saltin B, Saubert CW 4th, Sembrowich WL, Shepherd RE. J Appl Physiol. 1973 Jan;34(1):107-11.
Linear increase in aerobic power induced by a strenuous program of endurance exercise. Hickson RC, Bomze HA, Holloszy JO. J Appl Physiol Respir Environ Exerc Physiol. 1977 Mar;42(3):372-6.
You can read about and listen to the story behind the performance manager chart, TSTWKT, here.
Thanks to everyone for tuning in, subscribing and reviewing on Apple Podcasts, and for engaging in our forum! For more things cycling training, visit http://fascat.wpengine.com.
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The podcast this week is another installment of our Ask FasCat series, where we answer listener questions! Thank you to everyone who submitted questions via our forum, and congratulations to the 3 question-askers we selected to win a FasCat T-shirt! Listen in to see if you won…
This go around we answered questions ranging from FTP adjustments for indoor vs. outdoor riding, making the jump from a new cyclist into a cat. 2 or 3, nutrition during the Coronavirus outbreak, moving to elevation from sea level, going after KOMs in training, and plenty more!
Thanks to everyone for tuning in, subscribing and reviewing on Apple Podcasts, and for engaging in our forum! For more things cycling training, visit http://fascat.wpengine.com.
39556Gravel Team T-Shirt Show Notes, Training Tips & Previous Podcasts Referenced:
Timing is Everything
FTP is Alive and Well
The Effect of Altitude on Cycling
Bassett, D.R. Jr., C.R. Kyle, L. Passfield, J.P. Broker, and E.R. Burke. Comparing cycling world hour records, 1967-1996: modeling with empirical data. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 31:1665-76, 1999.
Using the Performance Manager Chart
The 20 minute Field Test
Indoor 20 minute Field Test
Amity Rockwell and Peter Stetina Podcasts on Dirty Kanza pacing
Strava-Vals
Interval Intensity: going as hard as you can
Gravel Then and Now, Pearl iZUMi blog post
Save 25% on your next training plan with code 25podcast.
Our Gravel Team’s Jersey, Bibs, Hats and T Shirts are in stock and shipping out daily!
The post Ask FasCat #9 — FTP Indoors vs. Outdoors, Corona Nutrition, and Timing is Everything appeared first on FasCat.
The whole gravel team is here to check in with the FasCat community about setting intermediate goals using virtual communities to keep the motivation high and training moving forward for the next few months. You still have your A race goals and long term goals, we just don’t know (yet ) how the timing of those goals relates to your training. So in the meantime we present ways to have fun, ride alone, stay fit and improve while we get thru this pause and quarantine!
We share what is going in our own communities, our coaching goals with our athletes, the benefits of Strava and Zwift in current times, how our recent Cervelo Gravel Rush Zwift event went, and plenty more. It was a fun conversation – we hope this brings you some entertainment and wisdom to your day.
You still have your A race goals and long term goals, we just don’t how the timing of those goals.
39182Gravel Team T-Shirt Show Notes
Use: FasCat2020 to buy your Panaracer GravelKings
Join the FasCat Strava Club
Whoop Recovery Group: Use Team code = ‘COMM-7F3229
Join Us next Thursday April 2nd @ 1:10 MDT for the ‘Zwift // Cervelo Gravel Rush Series:
“Beat Coach Jake Challenge”
Watopia “Sand and Sequoias” Route :: 12.6 miles – Beat Jake’s time of 31:32 309watts
Watopia Alpe Du Zwift :: 7.5 miles – Jake’s time of 39:48 330 watts
Reminder we’re doing a Q&A episode next week – submit your questions! Via Instagram, the forum, or help@fascat.wpengine.com. And as always, help us out by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts and save 25% on your next training plan with code 25podcast.
Our Gravel Team’s Jersey, Bibs, Hats and T Shirts are in stock and shipping out daily!
The post Setting Intermediate Training Goals using Virtual Communities appeared first on FasCat.
When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade as the saying goes. With the cycling season put on hold until May () there’s now plenty of time to get faster. Two life situations dictate your training approach:
- do you have less time to train + more stress / more ‘life stuff’
- do you have more time now that you’re working from home
Depending on your life situation, we recommend adopting a training style and strategy to match what you have going on plus what you have once this is all over:
- a low volume/ high intensity interval style of training or
- a sweet spot part 3 style more base/ more CTL training strategy
We’ve even created a Corona Training Plan, (which is free with discount code #FtFP at checkout) to help you follow the plan. But this conversation extends beyond a global pandemic affecting our training and racing, lots of things can impact our consistency, such as weather, races being cancelled for a variety of reasons, or even just “life stuff”.
We discuss the differences between indoor and outdoor training plans, the specifics of the Corona and Sweet Spot plans, and even throw in some tips on keeping up the Winning in the Kitchen habit during quarantine
36616Weather the Coronavirus with our Indoor Corona VO2 Plan. The Corona Style of Training uses a ‘fresher is faster’ training plan design model – the traditional low volume. high intensity approach. Other key features are:
- the 3 > 4 > 5 VO2 Progression (see below)
- AmEX Rides
- Using your power data from a 2 x 10 workout to pace yourself properly for a 20 minute field test
- why we use heart rate during the prescribed Zone 2 rides
The FasCat Gravel Team’s Hat T Shirts and Cycling Jerseys we mentioned in the pod may be purchased thru the links – order up , we are shipping daily!
For more, check out all of our training plans, training tips, gravel team merch, and more over at http://fascat.wpengine.com
The post COVID-19 Training appeared first on FasCat.
In light of the recent COVID-19 outbreak, the timing of your training for the 2020 cycling season has changed. Races are in question, stress is high, and a lot of us are wondering how to proceed with our seasons with so much being up in the air. So we decided to sit down and chat about the age old question: what should we do when our races get cancelled? How do we proceed when plans change? A lot of us are in this position, so we hope that this clears some of the worry and unknown when it comes to the next few weeks of the season. #KeepCalmAndFtFPOn .
Here are 3 training scenarios if your plans have changed per our “Timing is Everything” Podcast:
35684Start building fitness and increasing FTP with our best-selling Sweet Spot plan. #1 your next race is in 6-10 weeks (and/or you have MORE time to train): Keep raising your CTL (Chronic Training Load) – everybody benefits from a ‘bigger base’ so keep building. In other words go from ‘race’ back to ‘base’ [reverse!] . In this case we advocate a Sweet Spot Part 3 training plan approach. With a ramp rate of 3-4 TSS per week you now have the opportunity to take your CTL 12 – 16 TSS/day higher from 75 – 90 (for example) which will make a big difference in not only your endurance but also your power output. #2 your next race is in 6-10 weeks (and you have LESS time to train): For example, your kids are home from school and you can’t ride outdoors like normal. In this case you may adopt a ‘go harder to compensate for less time to train’ approach to your goals from an interval training plan like the ones here. #3 you are a cyclocross’er in the off season and don’t want to go to the gym anymore [#flattenthecurve] We advocate making your own home gym with the strength and conditioning movements we prescribe in our 10 week resistance training plan. You’ll have to let go of the squat, leg press and leg curl from the plan and double down on these strength and conditioning movements and routines
- Nino’s
- Coach Brandon’s #secretTraining 5 minute Plank
- Your REVO Physiotherapy Hydrate & Skate band exercises
- EC Fit Strength and Conditioning App
- YogaGlo
I feel great and FAST Right Now: Good (!) & congratulations! Sounds like your training is working (you’ve been #FtFP’ing). Here are a few things you can do to flex your muscle:
#1 measure how much faster you are with a 20 minute Field Test – not the ‘funnest’ so perhaps # 2 is your jam
#2 go for your favorite Strava segment for a PR – take a page out of FasCat Athlete Phil Gaimon’s playbook and test yourself agains your previous best.
We hope these suggestions and podcast help – that’s what we’re here for: to help you go faster on the bike. Should you have anymore questions, concerns, dilemmas, obstacles, etc… reach out to your FasCat Coach, hire one or goto our athlete forum and post your question – we’d be glad to try and help!
The post What to Do When Your Race is Cancelled appeared first on FasCat.
We’re starting a gravel team! That’s right, the FasCat Coaching Gravel Team will be a thing this year, and we’re here to tell you all about it! Coaches Frank, Jake, Isaiah, and Jackson will be traveling to six gravel events this year, including Mid-South, Belgian Waffle Ride, Dirty Kanza, Crusher in the Tushar, Steamboat Gravel, and Rebecca’s Private Idaho. With the help of some awesome brand partners, a sweet FasCat sprinter van, and an Apple Genius Bar-esque expo set up, we’ll be out at the races walking the walk to help you get faster. We’ll be providing expert level guidance on training, nutrition, and equipment, providing Normatec recovery, and more.
35426Make 2020 your best gravel season ever with FasCat’s Gravel Racing Plan. The goal is to engage with YOU, the race participants to share war stories from the races, connect with the awesome gravel community, represent our brand partners, and support your training and racing goals. For all things gravel team related, including the team, more on our brand partners, and training, check out our page at https://fascat.wpengine.com/gravel-team/
The FasCat Gravel Team is made possible by our fantastic podcast listeners, training plan customers, forum users, and our amazing brand partners:
Excel Sports
Cervelo Bicycles
Panaracer
GU Energy
PEARL iZUMi
Normatec
HED Wheels
We’ll see you on the groads!
The post Announcing the FasCat Coaching Gravel Team appeared first on FasCat.
This week Frank and Jackson sit down to help each other out and answer some questions. Jackson is training for his first Dirty Kanza, and asked Frank to coach him through the overview of the next 3 months of preparation. Things like:
Macro-scale training plan design, weekly and monthly hours on the bike
Training camp ideas
What DK simulation rides should look like
How to incorporate intensity and tapering for an event like Dirty Kanza
35024Make 2020 your best gravel season ever with FasCat’s Gravel Racing Plan. And then to repay Frank’s wisdom, Jackson helped Frank with some questions about plant-based nutrition, such as:
How much protein should I have per meal?
What are some potential things I may be missing?
What about the Impossible Burger? Is it healthy?
We have a great back and forth conversation about these topics, and hopefully you can glean some valuable information for your own training, racing, and nutrition goals!
Notable resources and mentions:
DK talk with Amity Rockwell and Pete Stetina
Vitamin B12: https://plantbaseddietitian.com/vitamin-b12-recommendations/ and Jackson’s preferred supplement: https://lovecomplement.com/
Jackson’s podcast: http://bit.ly/intheflowpod
Idiot’s Guide to Plant-Based Nutrition
Plant Based Sports Nutrition
NutritionFacts.org
The post Frank and Jackson Talk Dirty Kanza and How to Go Plant-Based appeared first on FasCat.
Coach Frank “BigCat” Overton drops some knowledge and watt bombs about his top 3 go-to interval workouts this week on the pod. Threshold, VO2 and Anaerobic Capacity/Zone 6 intervals. It’s that time of year to start thinking about switching from base to race with early season races looming on the horizon, so intervals are the prescription. In this podcast, Frank shares some wisdom on his top 3 interval workouts that are versatile to a variety of races and cycling disciplines, so that you can feel more confident in your training this year:
- Zone 4: 3 x 8 minutes ON 4-8 minutes off.
- Zone 5: 2 sets of 2 x 3 min On 3 min OFF
- Zone 6: 2 sets of 3 x 1 min On 1 min Off , 115 % of your FTP and higher like 150%
For more on interval training go back and listen to our 5th episode ever:
How to Perform Intervals Podcast [Episode 5], June 21, 2018
Intervals 101 Podcast March 7, 2019
The Right Way To Perform VO2 Max Intervals with Your PowerMeter
Snoop Dogg’s Hollywood Star Speech https://youtu.be/NfF3bThOW0Q
Thank you for listening and as always we’d love for you to give us a review on iTunes AND to ask us follow up questions and start a discussion in our athlete forum: forum.FasCatCoaching.com
34684Prep for road season with our Road Racing Intervals Plan. As a reminder, use code 25podcast for 25% off any training plan on fascat.wpengine.com that implement the very same training methodologies we talk about here in our podcast.
We’ll be back next week to help you get faster on the bike!
The post The Big Cat’s 3 Go-To Interval Workouts appeared first on FasCat.
This week we’re excited to bring you a conversation with Amity Rockwell, the 2019 winner of Dirty Kanza and overall gravel hitter. Amity has a unique and interesting path into the sport of cycling after growing up in the Bay Area to ultrarunner parents, and her philosophy around the sport and mindset towards training and racing are powerful. Frank and Amity talk about her upbringing and how it developed her love and physiological talent for riding long distances. They also get into what her training and mental preparation looked like for her 2019 Dirty Kanza victory, and what she’s looking forward to in 2020. For more on Amity, check her out on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amityvil
Subscribe and leave us a review to support the show! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fascat-cycling-training-tips-podcast/id1381614039
34437Make 2020 your best gravel season ever with FasCat’s Gravel Racing Plan. The post Amity Rockwell appeared first on FasCat.
Perhaps the two most important pillars of the FasCat Coaching ethos, following the plan and Winning in the Kitchen go very hand in hand. We’ve podcasted about them separately but realized that they fit together nicely, so we have a bit of a combo episode for you today to revisit these topics to keep you inspired as winter rages on. Winning in the Kitchen is about choosing go fast foods and setting the conscious intention to prioritize nutrition as part of you training – and sticking to that plan, just like #FtFP when it comes to training.
The origin of FtFP comes from our coaching experience and noticing bad training habits. #FtFP is having a training plan and following it. This is also where we got the expression “If you can follow a plan, you can get faster” – this is based on being able to FtFP:
- Planning
- Commitment
- Sacrifice
- Dedication
- Vacations
- Time Management
- Life Balance
- Having your ducks in a row
- Having the mindset you are going to follow the plan come hell or high water
- Not #FtFP’ing:
Very rarely does anyone miss a workout intentionally. It’s the details of what they do/don’t during that workout – Missing 15 minutes of a workout here, or not having your ducks in a row there. Great example is of a new training tip from Coach Isaiah “Know your zones” https://fascat.wpengine.com/tips/know-your-zones/
Show Notes: – What Plans Should I Do if I got into the Dirty Kanza – good forum thread:
https://forum.fascat.wpengine.com/t/get-into-dk-what-plans-to-do-from-feb-may-30th/4619
– What Plans Should I do if I got into Leadville – also on the forum
– What Plans Should I do for Steamboat Gravel? – foooooRUM:
https://forum.fascat.wpengine.com/t/guidance-on-training-plans-for-sbt-grvl/4441
“How to Pair and Sequence the FasCat Training Plans” podcast from January 2019
Winning in the Kitchen Recipes:
General Tso’s Tofu – amazing and doesn’t take that long! This recipe comes from a google search arriving at https://veganhuggs.com/general-tsos-tofu/
Vegan Mac n Cheese inspired by: https://minimalistbaker.com/vegan-green-chili-mac-n-cheese/
34255Shop our Road Racing Intervals Plan and take the guesswork out of your interval training in 2020. The post #FtFP Meets Winning In The Kitchen: Recipes! appeared first on FasCat.
WorldTour veteran and recent convert to the gravel scene, Pete Stetina, drops by the FasCat pod to share his wisdom and power data into some of the biggest races on the calendar like Belgian Waffle Ride, Dirty Kanza, and others. A longtime road cyclist and previous member of the Trek-Segafredo squad, Pete has made the switch to #ProGroad and has quickly established his dominance. Frank and Pete chat about all things cycling, including his Dirty Kanza power data with reference to his Intensity Factor in the first 50 miles and the final 14 miles during the infamous “Twizzler Incident”.
Frank also asks Pete if he #FtFP’s as well as Wins in the Kitchen. Overall you hear what he loves about gravel racing and if you listen carefully you’ll even hear what Pete’s spirit animal is.
For Pete’s Paydirt Gravel Race on September 19th in Carson City, NV: Registration opens March 23, with a cap of 400 registrants
Follow along on the ‘grams [Insta] @StetinasPaydirt
For more on Pete’s adventures, check him out on Instagram @pstetina and Strava: https://www.strava.com/pros/pstetina
33891Looking for a Gravel Racing Plan to focus your gravel training in 2020? The post Peter Stetina on Dirty Kanza Power Data, Nutrition Philosophies, and Spirit Animals appeared first on FasCat.
We’re back with our 8th edition of Ask FasCat, where we field listener questions to help you become a faster cyclist. This time, Coach Isaiah is in the house to help break down questions ranging from Dirty Kanza training, the utility of plyometrics, training camp thoughts, polarized training vs. sweet spot talk, and plenty more. Thanks to everyone who submitted questions!
Should You Strength Train During the Season https://fascat.wpengine.com/tips/video-should-you-strength-train-during-the-season/
Volume versus Intensity Debate: https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1113/JP277633
As always, you can submit questions through our engaging forum over at forum.fascat.wpengine.com and please consider subscribing to the show and leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts.
The post Ask FasCat #8 — Dirty Kanza Training, Polarized vs. Sweet Spot, and More! appeared first on FasCat.
This week on the pod, Coach Isaiah returns to share his takeaways and lessons learned from his recent USA Cycling Coaches Level 1 Education Course, and how it applies to YOUR cycling training. Isaiah shares a lot of powerful insights on training and racing philosophy, coaching science, and more, and really brings you into the mind of a high-level cycling coach.
For more on Isaiah, check out his coaching bio at https://fascat.wpengine.com/coaches/isaiah-newkirk/
And as always, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and share the show with your training buddies! Thanks for listening.
33420Get started with our best-selling Sweet Spot 1 Training Plan. The post Inside Coach Isaiah’s Mind: Takeaways from USAC Level 1 Coaches Education appeared first on FasCat.
It’s late December, early January and time to get serious and make the most of the remaining months of the offseason to come into the gravel calendar swinging. Coach Frank and Jackson sit down to discuss their top tips and considerations for offseason gravel training, including:
- 32352Looking for the perfect off-season Gravel Plan for January? Here it is.
- 10 Weeks Resistance Training
- Sweet Spot Base
- Gravel simulation rides
- strength + conditioning
- periodization
- gravel training camp
- and of course, #WinningInTheKitchen
It’s a great conversation that will hopefully get you psyched for the upcoming season and add some extra motivation for those winter trainer rides coming up.
The post Off Season Gravel Training appeared first on FasCat.
We’re back at our favorite local bike shop, Excel Sports for a LIVE podcast sharing FasCat’s picks for the holidays if you or someone you know is a cyclist! Coach Frank breaks down everything from bikes to tires to nutrition products, and we even gave away a Wahoo ROAM for the livestream! If you’re looking for some really solid gifts for the cyclist in your life this season, look no further.
To find all of the products mentioned in this podcast, visit our friends over at Excel Sports: http://excelsports.com.
Products mentioned:
- Cervelo Aspero gravel bike 1
- GU nutrition products – gels, chews, stroopwafels, Roctane
- NormaTec recovery boots 1
- Panaracer GravelKing SK/SK + tires
- Wahoo ROAM / BOLT GPS cycling computers
- Castelli baselayer 1
- Assos chamois cream
- Wahoo KICKR smart trainer
Thanks for listening/watching and congrats to the winner of the ROAM! To win a pair of Panaracer Gravel KINGS SK, 35mm head over to forum.FasCatCoaching and answer the trivia question in the podcast! (Where are carbohydrates absorbed in your body?)
To take advantage of an extra 15% off Normatecs email jmiller@normatecrecovery.com and reference “NormaTecsForFasCat”
The post FasCat Holiday Buyer’s Guide LIVE from Excel Sports appeared first on FasCat.
It’s the week of Thanksgiving and Boulder is being covered in snow, so Coach Frank checks in with the podcast to share what he’s grateful for, share the details of our Black Friday/Cyber Monday deal, and how to stay sane and train this holiday season. Remember to use code Fast50at checkout to save 50% off any plan, today through end of day Monday, Dec. 2nd. And have a fantastic Thanksgiving!
Check out our sweet selection of training plans for every kind of cyclist: https://fascat.wpengine.com/training-plans/
The post Thanksgiving Gratitude & Black Friday Show appeared first on FasCat.
Coach Isaiah is back to chat about his new transition from professional road cyclist into the gravel scene, and how his training and outlook on the sport has shifted. We talk about:
- cross training
- planning out a gravel race calendar
- how CTL is affected by gravel-specific training
- why strength training is particularly important for gravel racers
- and more!
It’s a good conversation, and we’re super excited to see Isaiah throw down in some of the gravel races this year coming off a road career. For more on Isaiah, check out our previous episodes with him:
- TT training and racing: https://fascat.wpengine.com/tips/time-trial-training-racing-w-coach-isaiah/
- Tour of Utah review + Offseason tips: https://fascat.wpengine.com/tips/isaiah/
- Plant-based nutrition for cyclists: https://fascat.wpengine.com/tips/plant-based-nutrition-for-cyclists/
And don’t forget to take advantage of our Black Friday/Cyber Monday training plan sale! Starting on Tuesday, November 26 and going through Tuesday, December 3rd, we’re giving 50% off all training plans with code Fast50. Now’s the time to start getting faster!
The post Coach Isaiah Newkirk on the Transition from Pro Road to Pro Gravel and How to Train appeared first on FasCat.
In case you’ve been living underneath a rock, gravel racing is hot AF right now. It’s registration season for the 2020 calendar, and races are filling up faster than a Walmart on Black Friday. One of our favorite races of 2019 and a first year event in our backyard, Steamboat Gravel, was a smashing success and it’s back with more ambition and awesome for next year. Frank sat down with one of the brains behind the event, Mark Satkiewicz to chat about the state of gravel racing, how SBTGRVL went this year, and what new changes to expect in 2020. Plus how to register for next year’s race. For all things SBTGRVL, check out https://sbtgrvl.com/ and we’ll see in Steamboat!
If you’re enjoying the podcast, consider rating and reviewing the show on Apple Podcasts and subscribe wherever you listen so you don’t miss the latest episode! Visit our thriving forum at forum.fascat.wpengine.com to continue the conversation, and save 25% on your next training plan by using code 25podcast at checkout @ fascat.wpengine.com. Thanks for listening!
28566Training for SBT Gravel? Click here to buy the plan for 2020! The post A Conversation with Steamboat Gravel Founder, Mark Satkiewicz appeared first on FasCat.
This week is a conversation with recently retired pro cyclist and FasCat Coach Allie Legg, who raced for the Twenty20 Sho-Air women’s professional cycling team after getting started in cycling at a young age in the sport of BMX racing. Allie has recently joined the team at FasCat as a coach, and has a tremendous amount of experience to share thru her coaching. Coach Frank and Allie discuss BMX racing, life in the pro peloton, coaching, gravel racing, offseason training, yoga, and a ton more. Read more of Allie’s coaching bio here.
Thanks as always for listening and leaving us a review on the Apple Podcasts store, and subscribing to the show wherever you listen. You can also save 25% on your next training plan by using code 25podcast at checkout!
28158Looking for an off-season training plan to keep you focused on 2020? Check out this best-selling plan. The post Coach Allie Legg : Life in the Pro Peloton, Gravel Racing, and Offseason Training appeared first on FasCat.
This week we are talking about the new Netflix documentary The Gamechangers, plant-based Frank, Zwifting, the Excel Sports discount, Ray Dalio’s book, Principles, and Jackson’s morning routine. We hope you enjoy!
If you are a training plan customer or FasCat Athlete, don’t forget to check out Excel Sports (excelsports.com) and select FasCat Coaching under the how did you hear about us? dropdown menu for some wicked discounts! And continue the conversation in our exclusive forum at forum.fascat.wpengine.com.
27878Buy our most popular off-season training plan today. The post Grab Bag: Gamechangers, Zwifting, Principles, and Morning Routines appeared first on FasCat.
We’re back with another discussion of one of FasCat’s main training philosophies: Sweet Spot. A big question we receive by athletes is “how much sweet spotting should I actually be doing?” In fact, our training tip on the subject remains one of our most popular. So today we break it all down and explain how much is enough for the pre-season, during the base build, and in season race mode. We’ll talk about how sweet spot applies to the different disciplines within cycling, and share our top tips.
We highly recommend going and listening to our episode on the invention of Sweet Spot where Frank discusses the basis of the philosophy. As always, thanks to everyone for rating and reviewing the pod on Apple Podcasts, sharing with a friend or teammate, and continuing the conversation in the forum.
As a FasCat Coached athlete and training plan customer, you can now take advantage of our new partner Excel Sports with a FasCat team discount. Instructions are on our forum and are provided at the time of purchase.
The post How Much Sweet Spot Should You Do? appeared first on FasCat.
We’re back with another installment of our Ask FasCat series, where we take listener questions submitted via our forum and add our take to help make you faster. This time, the focus is cyclocross training, as the season is in full swing. We hit questions ranging from offseason ‘cross training, fueling for race day, to the best way to quantify cyclocross training and more. Thanks to everyone who submitted questions, and be sure to check out our forum for more cycling conversation @ forum.fascat.wpengine.com.
25924Looking for that perfect in-season CX training plan? Click here to start fast. Shownotes:
Fatigue Dependent Training Plan Design and Podcast
The Perfect Cyclocross Pre-Race Routine
Better Metrics for Cyclocross than TSS/CTL > Whoop Reference
Mid-Season Cyclocross Break and Peaking for CX Nationals
If you want to help us out, you can leave us a review on the Apple Podcasts app or in iTunes and let us know what you like about the show, what topics you’d like us to cover next, or areas we can improve. It helps us out a ton! You can go straight there by clicking here.
The post Ask FasCat #7 – the Cyclocross Edition appeared first on FasCat.
We’re back with another #WinningInTheKitchen special, serving up a conversation about where this all begins: the grocery store. It doesn’t matter how dialed your kitchen is or how motivated you are to cook healthy food if you don’t bring it home from the grocery store first. So we’re here to share our Go Fast Foods grocery list and share some of our favorite tips and foods to help you on your offseason nutrition plan. Our focus is discussing the main areas to shop for:
- Greens
- Vegetables
- Fat
- Protein
- Carbohydrate
- Fruit
For more on this topic, check out our previous podcasts, videos and training tips:
- Go Fast Food Choices: https://fascat.wpengine.com/tips/weight-loss-go-faster/
- Winning In the Kitchen (read, watch & listen) https://fascat.wpengine.com/tips/winning-in-the-kitchen/
- Weight Loss for Cyclists (read and listen) https://fascat.wpengine.com/tips/weight-loss-for-cyclists/
- 30 Day Winning in the Kitchen Challenge https://fascat.wpengine.com/tips/winning-in-the-kitchen-challenge/
Remember (!) What Would Alaphilippe DO?!?!
25610Use code 25podcast at checkout to save 25% on your next plan so you can put your new nutrition game to use! Thanks for listening y’all, we really appreciate it! Copyright © 2019 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
The post Winning in the Grocery Store | Nutrition for Cyclists appeared first on FasCat.
If you want to win on your bike, you’ll have to win in the kitchen first.
We’re back with another #WinningInTheKitchen special, serving up a conversation about where this all begins: the grocery store. It doesn’t matter how dialed your kitchen is or how motivated you are to cook healthy food if you don’t bring it home from the grocery store first. So we’re here to share our Go Fast Foods grocery list and share some of our favorite tips and foods to help you on your offseason nutrition plan. Our focus is discussing the main areas to shop for:
- Greens
- Vegetables
- Fat
- Protein
- Carbohydrate
- Fruit
For more on this topic, check out our previous podcasts, videos and training tips:
- Go Fast Food Choices: https://fascat.wpengine.com/tips/weight-loss-go-faster/
- Winning In the Kitchen (read, watch & listen) https://fascat.wpengine.com/tips/winning-in-the-kitchen/
- Weight Loss for Cyclists (read and listen) https://fascat.wpengine.com/tips/weight-loss-for-cyclists/
- 30 Day Winning in the Kitchen Challenge https://fascat.wpengine.com/tips/winning-in-the-kitchen-challenge/
And don’t forget to continue the conversation in our forum at http://forum.fascat.wpengine.com and use code 25podcast at checkout to save 25% on your next plan so you can put your new nutrition game to use! Thanks for listening y’all, we really appreciate it!
Remember (!) What What Alaphilippe DO?!?!
The post Winning in the Grocery Store | Nutrition for Cyclists appeared first on FasCat.
Since we talked about timing as it relates to training last week, this time is all about the timing of strength training/weight lifting for cyclists as it’s the perfect time to get started on that. In this episode, Coach Frank breaks down the FasCat 10-week strength training for cyclists training plan, and how to use it most effectively. We discuss:
- The fundamentals of our strength training philosophy and the three main exercises for this program
- The 4 phases: Adaptation > Hypertrophy > Strength > Power
- What to expect going through the plan and how to approach each week
Don’t get behind the curve and start strength training when it’s too late!
Training Tip: https://fascat.wpengine.com/tips/weight-lifting-for-cycling/
Last year’s Podcast: https://fascat.wpengine.com/tips/resistance-training-for-cycling/
Nino’s Circuit Training: https://fascat.wpengine.com/tips/ninos-circuit-training/
If you want to try our weight lifting for cycling training plan for yourself use the coupon code 25podcast to get 25% off your weight lifting for cycling training plan and you yourself can #FtFP!
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by Jake Rytlewski, September 2019 If you have ever heard of or been to Kalkaska, Michigan chances are you have done or heard of the Iceman Cometh. The Iceman Cometh is a 27 mile point to point mountain bike race in northern Michigan held yearly on the first Saturday of November. What started off as a small event with only a handful of races has turned into an end of the year party drawing over 4,000 racers. Even though there is a lot of talk about the after party, many riders like to finish of the year on a high note with a good result.
2757But how do you train for the Iceman Cometh MTB race? Here is a six week training plan showing you how! Of course the biggest variable is the weather where it can be anywhere from 70 degrees to 20 degrees and 6 inches of snow or anything in between. In our Iceman training plan, each week has a day dedicated to mountain bike skills. Try to ride in different trail conditions such as sand and mud so you will be ready and confident.
Iceman is said to be a road racers course with all the two track and dirt roads. You will need a huge aerobic engine (hint hint: sweet spot training) as you will be spending a lot of time riding as close to your FTP as possible, while being able to make those anaerobic efforts getting over the short steep climbs.
From the start you have to be ready to go Full Gas. This is true regardless if you are looking for a result or just to do personal best time. There is a holeshot at the start into the singletrack: get in position to hit the trails in the front, and for those looking for a fast time you will want to take advantage of the draft from the other riders. You will be sprinting off the start line and fighting for position to get to and stay near the front for the first 2 miles. Once you hit the trails it is single file and there is very little passing. Without a good position you can find yourself losing the leaders, and or being held up by slower riders and crashes. With Iceman being more a road course it is crucial to draft and stay with the leaders. You don’t hit the first single track until 8 miles into the race.
You get 2 miles of single track after the fast start and need to keep up. Again any mishaps or slow up will cost you as the race heads for Steve’s secret and some tough climbs before opening back up on some two track and dirt roads. After 4 miles of fast two track and dirt roads you will be approaching the Williamsburg road crossing. This is a great opportunity to get a feed or make sure are eating and topping off with fuel (click here for our fueling recommendations) . You will then have a fast mile or two before hitting the Vasa Trail.
The Vasa Trail can either be your friend or enemy! If you have been able to sit in the draft, been staying fueled and have put in the training you can really enjoy the last 8 miles. Here you will find many little climbs that can make or break you race. These hills will take you 1 – 4 minutes at a full gas effort. You want to stay smooth through here and keep the pressure on over the top of the climbs. Use the last ones as a launch pad to try to separate yourself from the rest. You’ll want to be in the front before you hit the last twisty mile through the camp ground as you will find little opportunities to pass.
For the first build cycle of this training plan you will be focusing on your aerobic engine with just hint of anaerobic efforts. You will begin with sweet spot and some long tempo intervals to help build up your aerobic engine to be ready to race hard for 2 – 3 hours. The plan mixes in the anaerobic efforts with tempo burst workouts during the week and the weekends mix in Zone 5 and 6 efforts in with aerobic intervals. In a race you will very rarely just sit at a steady pace throughout. By mixing in these surges it trains your body to be able to respond and recover between harder anaerobic efforts.
During the second build cycle you will start working on your FTP with threshold intervals. Having a high FTP for Iceman is important as you will be spending a lot of time at it and above. The sweet spot intervals will continue during this phase as well, but they will be longer. You will be doing up to and over an hour total of sweet spot riding on your weekend rides. Really helping you be prepared to put in over 2 hours of hard race. These efforts are going to carry you through the fast two tracks and dirt roads. By the end of this cycle you start some Zone 5 intervals.
Come the third build cycle you will be focused on intensity! You will be 4 weeks from the race and it is time to lower the duration a bit and ramp up the intensity. It is the time you want to be making hard race like efforts. You will be doing Vo2 Max and Zone 6 anaerobic intervals. These are going to help prepare you for the race surges and many short steep hills you will find on course including Steve’s Secret and on the Vasa Trail. These are the efforts you will be making though out the race from the start to the last hills on the Vasa Trail.
Coach Jake racing to a 7th place PRO finish in the 2009 IceMan
You can mix your riding on and off road. Just make sure that you are getting in the skills day. Even though the course is mostly two track there are sections you will to be ready for so you don’t lose valuable time or energy. Also every 4th week is a rest week! Make sure to take it easy and let your muscles regenerate from the accumulative training stress. This is when you get stronger and ready for the coming up training block!
How to ride in the sweet spot Sweet spot is a training term and intensity you will frequently see in this training calendar. To ride in your sweet spot, adjust your pace between medium and maximal, in a zone you’d call “medium hard.” By power or heart rate, sweet spot is between 83 and 97 percent of your Functional Threshold Power (FTP). If you have a power meter, you can use it to pace yourself between 91 and 105 percent of your FTP, or even more if your form is good.
Setting your FTP You will want to have a properly set FTP to help set up your training zones. You may already have one set from a long year of racing. You can use your peak 1 hour norm power or 95% of your peak 20 minute average power. Look to race files for possible peaks. Or you could conduct your own field test.
This is a 6 week training plan. You will be doing race specific intervals. Make sure you have a recovery drink and food ready at the completion of each workout. Also be sure to staying hydrated and fueled during your workouts. Not only will it help you that day, but it also keeps you from falling in a deficit, especially as the workload increases.
Work, family, and other commitments can make completing every workout a challenge. Even if you can only ride for one hour, perform the intervals and try to balance your time so that you can consistently ride each training day. It’s better to ride for one hour each training day rather than three hours one day a week. Set a personal goal for your own Iceman because improving as a cyclist is all about setting goals and working toward them.
Copyright 2019 , FasCat Coaching
Jake is an Associate Coach with FasCat Coaching. He is a full time professional USA cycling and TrainingPeaks certified coach and finished 7th overall in the 2009 IceMan. To talk with Jake about racing the IceMan, and building power on the bike fill out our New Athlete Questionnaire to set up a Coaching Consultation.
Comments The post Training for the Iceman Cometh MTB Race appeared first on FasCat.
Phil returns to the FasCat Podcast to chat about his upcoming fondo happening in 6 weeks! Frank and Phil talk about his comeback from a terrible crash suffered earlier this year, what the vibe is like at the fondo, the food to expect, the training you need to do and much more! For more info, check out https://www.philsfondo.com/route-profiles-1#chocolate-chip
24136Click here to purchase the Phil’s Fondo Training Plan! Frank’s Phil’s Fondo Strava File: https://www.strava.com/activities/1232388406
Frank’s TrainingPeaks Power/GPS/Ride data: http://tpks.ws/C7MSXLCJIKUD2D2CNZVMRNK72A
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This week, Coach Frank sits down with Dirk Friel, the co-founder and Chief Evangelist of TrainingPeaks…the essential software for athletes. It’s what we use to coach our athletes, and what is used by countless other coaches, athletes, and pros to quantify and track their training.
Frank and Dirk talk about the origins of TrainingPeaks, Dirk’s background in racing and coaching, the future of the software, Skimo racing, and more. It’s a great conversation with a legend in the world of endurance sports and training!
As always, please subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast app, and leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts if you’re enjoying the pod
And for more training tips, podcasts, and videos, check out all things FasCat at http://fascat.wpengine.com
23423Make it your best off-season with our best-selling 32-week resistance training and Sweet Spot training plan. The post Dirk Friel, Co-Founder of TrainingPeaks appeared first on FasCat.
It’s a busy time of year for cycling, so we’re back at it with a 3-part podcast covering 3 very different but interestingly related topics: Steamboat Gravel [SBTG], cyclocross prep and the importance of taking an offseason as a road cyclist or gravel racer, and the role of USA Cycling in these changing times in cycling.
We cover our experience at the insanely awesome and inaugural SBT GRVL event this past weekend, breaking down Frank’s power data and what it’s like to race the 140 mile course. We then shift into the importance of shifting into an offseason this fall if you’ve been racing and training all year versus just getting started as a ‘cross racer. We then get philosophical and discuss how USA Cycling’s role has changed in this new chapter of cycling, and what we’d like to see from the organization in the future.
23184Looking for a structured plan to jump-start your off-season training? Check out our post-season break podcast: https://fascat.wpengine.com/tips/post-season-break/
Vote for us to do a Steamboat Gravel Power Data Analysis Podcast and Video
And continue the conversation in our awesome forum: http://forum.fascat.wpengine.com
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We’re back for a long awaited Q&A episode, answering questions about everything from weight loss to full gas intervals to altitude adjustment…it’s a good one (we even get a call from Mr. Gaimon)! Thanks to everyone for submitting questions through the FasCat forum, emailing in questions, or shooting us a message on social media.
Read Coach Jake’s Racing at Altitude Training Tip that we referenced here.
For more awesome podcasts, subscribe to the show wherever you listen to your favorite shows and be sure to share with a friend or training partner.
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Rebecca’s Private Idaho has quickly risen to one of the top gravel race weekends in the country. Based in the small ski town of Ketchum, Idaho, RPI was started by endurance mountain bike legend and Ketchum local, Rebecca Rusch. With sweeping views of the nearby Pioneer Mountains and endlessly beautiful gravel roads at altitude, it’s a must do event. Since Jackson was born and raised in Ketchum and competed in RPI many times, we’re here to bring on a deep analysis of this event from course dynamics, equipment considerations, and training recommendations.
We’ll talk about the key climbs and tactics for this specific course and walk through how to approach pacing and racing it by breaking key sections down. We’ll go into bike and tire choice, and how to stay on top of hydration and nutrition. Finally, we’ll share expert coaching advice for the weeks leading up to the race so that you can be best prepared to crush it on race day. For a visual “vlog” style video Jackson recently shot when in Idaho, check out what the course actually looks like:
And if you want to experience a more in depth analysis with video breakdown of Strava/TrainingPeaks data, check out the full podcast video here:
As always, be sure to subscribe to the FasCat podcast wherever you listen to podcasts, and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up to date with all the latest training tips for cyclists. You can continue the conversation at http://forum.fascat.wpengine.com.
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It’s August 1st, which means #crossiscoming in approximately 6 weeks. It’s time to get serious about training, honing cross-specific skills, and prepare the body for the demands of cyclocross. Have no fear our “oh shh*t six week cyclocross training plan is here! This week on the FasCat podcast, Coach Frank and Jackson talk about the 10 key cyclocross training components of our 6 weeks to cyclocross plan, which includes plyometrics, technique drills, cyclocross specific running training, and more. If you’re serious about cross, get out your notepad and find your local park. It’s training time.
6 weeks to cyclocross plan: https://fascat.wpengine.com/training-plans/cyclocross-training-plan/
Coach Brandon’s #secretTraining to race or not to race: https://fascat.wpengine.com/tips/secrettraining-to-race-or-not-to-race/
FasCat Cycling forum: https://forum.fascat.wpengine.com/
The post Six Weeks till Cyclocross – how to train for cyclocross appeared first on FasCat.
We’re about 3 weeks away from the inaugural Steamboat Gravel race, and Coach Frank recently pre-rode the critical 100 miles of the 140 race. From pacing and training to equipment and course conditions, we’re here this week on the podcast to break down everything you need to know about key preparation for this event.
In the podcast, we cover:
- The 3 “tricky” sections of the course and important notes about road conditions and climbs/descents
- What equipment to run: shoes/pedals, tires, and hydration and food systems
- Training: what specific training protocols to be done in this final block before August 18th
- Why Foundation Training will be a key factor: https://stream.foundationtraining.com/categories/freebies
Mid-Week Interval Workout: SBTG Ramps, 2 x 10 minutes:
For more info on SBTGRVL, check out https://sbtgrvl.com/ and their YouTube channel for some course clips: https://youtu.be/bGb04CCY6rg
And of course, for more training tips, discussions, and resources, check out http://fascat.wpengine.com and our forum, http://forum.fascat.wpengine.com.
The post Steamboat Gravel (SBTGRVL) Pre-Race Course Recon, Training, and Equipment Tips appeared first on FasCat.
This week on the pod, we have a special episode for you featuring our very own TT specialist, Coach Isaiah Newkirk! Isaiah races professionally for the 303 Project cycling team, and is a strong disciple of the time trial. Coach Frank and Isaiah sit down to discuss the in’s and out’s of time trial performance from training to equipment to racing.
Follow Isaiah on Instagram: @isaiah.newkirk
For more training tips, visit http://fascat.wpengine.com/tips
21133Check out our 40km Time Trial Training Plan if you’re looking to improve your TT this season. The post Time Trial Training & Racing w/ Coach Isaiah appeared first on FasCat.
Summer is here, which means training and racing on the bike is being ramped up, goals are being achieved, and we can finally be outside more. However, it’s also a time to revisit our nutrition and maybe lose those lagging couple extra pounds or just dial things in to train harder and recovery even better during big training and racing blocks.
Coach Frank and Jackson sit down to talk through 3 very important and relevant topics in this conversation:
- Using your powermeter to track caloric expenditure & quantify weight loss
- Fiber & satiety as it relates to healthy nutrition, and of course
- your #WinningInTheKitchen Grocery Shopping List
We’d love for you to join the discussion about our podcast on forum.fascat.wpengine.com It’s a great discussion that is always a popular topic, so please share with your friends, teammates, and family members who may need some extra nutrition help this season! Thanks for listening.
Find the FasCat podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. Follow us on social: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Intro music: David Cutter Music.
21127Shop our best training plan for in-season Gravel racing. The post Summertime Nutrition for Cyclists appeared first on FasCat.
We are asked constantly about different pieces of gear, what’s the best bang for your buck, what kind of cycling computer to buy, which tires to use for X race, etc. With the cycling season in full swing, we decided to stop by Excel Sports, our local cycling superstore to record a podcast walking through our favorite items at the $50, $100, $250, $500, and $1,000 price points.
The whole purpose is to share our recommendations as cycling coaches for products that have a very tangible and practical application for your training and performance, in order to ride faster and perform better. For this reason, we didn’t discuss carbon wheels or frames, pedals or shoes, but instead focused on the “little” things that you might not think about as essential items for cycling success.
For all your cycling gear needs, definitely check out Excel Sports and remember your FasCat Team Discount for being a part of our community. http://excelsports.com
Products mentioned:
$50
FasCat Training Plans
GU Roctane Ultra Endurance Formula
Wahoo TICKR
Spotify Premium
Whole Foods shopping
20958From the Home of Sweet Spot, Sweet Spot #4 Polarized will take your game to the next level. Quickly! $100
Panaracer GravelKing Tires
CamelBak Chase Hydration Vest
$250
Wahoo ELEMNT BOLT
WHOOP
$500
EVOC bike case
Ultegra Stages Powermeter
Instant Pot/Vitamix
$1000
Normatec MVP Recovery Boots
SciCon Bike Travel Case
Thanks for listening, and subscribe to the podcast to hear more! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fascat-cycling-training-tips-podcast/id1381614039
http://fascat.wpengine.com
The post Cycling Coach’s Buyer Guide! appeared first on FasCat.
Cyclocross is coming, and getting ahead of the curve this summer will set you up for success come the fall. Cyclocross racing legend and FasCat coach Brandon Dwight is in the studio this week to share some of his favorite summer cyclocross training secrets so that you can come into the season FLYING. For more info, check out our summer cyclocross training tip: https://fascat.wpengine.com/tips/ten-cyclocross-training-tips-for-june/
Thanks for listening, and continue the conversation in the new FasCat Coaching forum, where you can ask questions and even get more personalized help with training plan design and coaching support. http://forum.fascat.wpengine.com.
Find the FasCat podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. Follow us on social: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Intro music: David Cutter Music.
20286Get serious about Cyclocross season with our CX Summer Bundle! The post Summer Cyclocross #secrettraining w/ Coach Brandon Dwight appeared first on FasCat.
Greetings, fellow bicycle nerds! We’re back with another installment of our Ask FasCat Q&A series, where we answer listener questions from our forum and beyond. Today we dive into questions about altitude, mid-season breaks, recovering from big events, and more. Be sure to join our forum to get your questions in for the next round (in 4 weeks), and check out our new coaching subscription to help with your training plan design!
And of course, stay tuned to our YouTube channel for more live podcasts and videos, including a recap from our recent trip to the Haute Route Asheville.
Find the FasCat podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. Follow us on social: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Intro music: David Cutter Music.
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We’re here in gorgeous Asheville, NC for the Haute Route Asheville, a 3 day event through the Blue Ridge mountains. In today’s episode, we do a live podcast from the event HQ and break down each stage, discussing our strategy and plan for the weekend. Thanks again to the Haute Route crew for having us, and stay tuned for more video content coming from us.
Haute Route: https://www.hauteroute.org/
Be sure to continue the conversation in our brand new forum at http://forum.fascat.wpengine.com.
Find the FasCat podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. Follow us on social: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Intro music: David Cutter Music.
The post Haute Route Asheville Preview Show! appeared first on FasCat.
With the Haute Route approaching next week, we decided to sit down and talk about how to win at traveling to bike races, whether it’s via car or via plane. We discuss what to bring and how to avoid those last minute stressors to prepare best for your target races. Speaking of travel, you can listen to our live podcast from Asheville the day before the Haute Route here: https://youtu.be/PlekuP2Udks
Be sure to continue the conversation in our brand new forum at http://forum.fascat.wpengine.com.
Find the FasCat podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. Follow us on social: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Intro music: David Cutter Music.
The post How to Travel to Races Like a PRO appeared first on FasCat.
Carefully crafting the design of a training plan is a critical aspect of improvement and success as a cyclist. Coach Frank abides by the idea of “fatigue dependent” training plan design, which is the focus of today’s episode. We break down what this means and why it’s important for maximizing the time on the bike.
We provide some solid advice for following a fatigue dependent training plan, how to adjust your plan in different scenarios, and how it applies to different phases of the cycle of the training calendar. We hope you enjoy! Please consider subscribing to the YouTube channel where we’ll be broadcasting the episodes live every Thursday: http://youtube.com/c/FasCatCoaching.
The FasCat Athlete Forum is live! Join the discussion here.
Find the FasCat podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. Follow us on social: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Intro music: David Cutter Music.
The post Fatigue Dependent Training Plan Design appeared first on FasCat.
Gravel racing season is in full swing, and this week’s podcast is all about helping you crush your next race. We believe there are 4 key components to successful gravel racing — pacing, hydration, nutrition, and equipment — so we break down how to approach these things and apply them to your next race or looking back on previous events. We dive deep into these topics and talk about everything Gravel 101, such as hydration packs and aero bars, gravel simulation rides, nutrition plans leading up to race day, and more.
The FasCat Athlete Forum is live! Join the discussion here.
We are also switching over to YouTube to host our livestream video of the podcast, which we kicked off this week. Subscribe to our channel at http://youtube.com/c/FasCatCoaching to see all of our videos and jump into the live podcast every Thursday at 11am MST.
We hope you enjoy this week’s show, and thank you for listening!
15945Get the training plan designed by our coaches who are training and racing the biggest gravel events on the calendar. Find the FasCat podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. Follow us on social: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Intro music: David Cutter Music.
The post The 4 Key Factors for Gravel Racing Success appeared first on FasCat.
With another 4 weeks gone by in an instant, it’s time for another Q&A session! On this week’s show, we dive into listener submitted questions on topics ranging from fasting, avoiding cramping, using commuting as training, and more. Thanks to everyone who submitted questions!
We hope you enjoy the episode, and don’t forget to subscribe and use code 25podcastat checkout to save on your next plan.
The FasCat Athlete Forum is live! Join the discussion here.
Find the FasCat podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. Follow us on social: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Intro music: David Cutter Music.
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With the racing season in full swing, a big area of consideration and confusion for many cyclists is on the bike nutrition. We’ve talked at length about Winning in the Kitchen, but it’s an entirely different animal to fuel yourself on the bike in training and racing. We sit down to discuss the fundamentals of nutrition on the bike, and share the essentials of what you need to know. Here’s a short recap of what we covered: < 2 hours: 45 g of carbohydrates per hour (~ 180 calories/hour)
2-5 hours: 30-60g carbohydrates per hour (120 – 240 calories/ hour)
5+ hours: 60-90g carbohydrates per hour (240-360 calories/hour)
Every 30 minutes : gels > blocks > bars + Skratch Labs rice cakes
Speaking of the “Guaranteed Not to Bonk” Rice Cakes here’s Dr. Allen Lim’s recipe (Berry + Mint + Chocolate)
15680Shop FasCat’s Best-selling Gravel Grinder plan. We dig into many more specifics of what to eat, how often, and some more info on the science behind all of this. Listen in to dial in your nutrition plan for your next big training ride or race!
The FasCat Athlete Forum is live! Join the discussion here.
We hope you enjoy the episode, and don’t forget to subscribe and use code 25podcast at checkout to save on your next plan.
Find the FasCat podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. Follow us on social: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Intro music: David Cutter Music.
To talk with Frank about your cycling training and losing weight, please fill out a New Athlete Questionnaire to set up a Coaching Consultation. Otherwise keep #FtFP’ing and Winning In the Kitchen!
The post What to Eat on the Bike During Training and Racing appeared first on FasCat.
This week, Coach Frank outlines using the 4 components of monitoring training in his athletes to help you better provide feedback in the post-activity comments section of TrainingPeaks or other software so that you can communicate more effectively with your coach, progress as an athlete, and prevent setbacks or problems in training and racing. We talk about the importance of sports psychology, tracking fatigue, life stressors, and environmental conditions and then provide some insight on how to be “coachable” from the perspective of an experienced coach.
15530Train Less, Go Harder, Get Faster! We hope you enjoy the episode, and don’t forget to subscribe and use code 25podcast at checkout to save on your next plan.
The FasCat Athlete Forum is live! Join the discussion here.
Find the FasCat podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. Follow us on social: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Intro music: David Cutter Music.
The post How to Leave Post-Activity Comments For Your Coach and Be “Coachable” appeared first on FasCat.
Happy spring! To shift gears a bit, Jackson and Coach Isaiah come to your ears with a special edition of the podcast while Frank is on vacation for spring break. We dive into the fundamentals of plant-based nutrition for athletes, and discuss many aspects of our own diets and philosophies on food and fueling for cyclists. It’s a fun and educational conversation, so grab a pen and paper and take some notes! #WinningInTheKitchen applies to everyone, and if you’re curious about being vegan or vegetarian, or simply incorporating more plant-based meals into your routine, this episode is for you.
And as promised, here is the recipe for my famous smoothie bowl:
Join the discussion on the FasCat Forum.
15250If you’re looking for that perfect all-around training to help increase FTP, purchase & follow 18 Weeks to Sweet Spot! Thanks for listening, and don’t forget to share this episode with a friend or teammate.
Find the FasCat podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. Follow us on social: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Intro music: David Cutter Music.
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Welcome to another regeneration week (AKA our monthly Q&A episode)! We field questions from the FasCat community to provide our best responses to questions about training, racing, nutrition, and more every 4 weeks. We’re back with answers to questions like how to properly perform full gas efforts, thoughts on active recovery rides, what we eat after hard rides, and more. Thanks for listening, and for submitting your questions to help (at) fascat.wpengine.com or via social media.
– Join the discussion on the FasCat Forum –
Stay tuned for the video version of the podcast and for more training tips and training plans, visit fascat.wpengine.com.
Find the FasCat podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. Follow us on social: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Intro music: David Cutter Music.
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Continuing with the progression in early season training periodization, we’re now getting into the real work of the race season and everyone’s favorite part of training: intervals.
We did an episode way back in the beginning of the FasCat podcast on intervals, but we wanted to revisit the topic in order to prepare you for getting ready for your target races and to simplify this often overly complicated component of training. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the different types of intervals, the duration and setup of the workouts, and what kind of intervals to do for specific types of racing. Our goal with this podcast is to break it down so that you head into the interval season with more confidence.
We discuss the utility of zones 4,5, and 6 intervals and who they are for, and then the purpose of sprint workouts and tabatas on race performance. For more information and deeper dives into this topic, check out the interval section of our website.
14000FasCat Podcast listeners can save 25% on ANY training plan with code “25podcast”! – Join the discussion on the FasCat Forum – Thanks for listening!
Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/fascat-cycling-training-tips-podcast/id1381614039?mt=2
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2dCwiPGkiv3VJuSeJN957S?si=9a4xgP9eT26_YXp6ASOVNA
Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/fascat-cycling-training-tips-podcast
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fascatcoaching/
Instagram: @fascatfh Twitter: @FasCat , @FasCatCoaching and YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/FasCatCoaching
Intro music: David Cutter Music // https://davidcuttermusic.com/
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It’s getting to be that time of year when the first races of the season are quickly approaching, you’ve been (hopefully) putting in some solid base training, and your A race is on the foreseeable horizon. It’s time to start thinking about switching into race specific training with our sweet spot part 3 plan with over unders and criss cross intervals.
Coach Frank and Jackson are here to discuss the reasoning behind switching from base to race, building upon our Master’s CTL podcast. We break down calculating out when that time frame is, what kind of workouts or training plans you should be doing, and answer some listener questions.
If you’re enjoying the show, you can support what we do by sharing with a friend or teammate, leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, or subscribing. We appreciate the engagement, and don’t forget to use 25podcast at checkout to save 25% off any training plan.
– Join the discussion on the FasCat Forum –
Thanks for listening!
Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/fascat-cycling-training-tips-podcast/id1381614039?mt=2
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2dCwiPGkiv3VJuSeJN957S?si=9a4xgP9eT26_YXp6ASOVNA
Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/fascat-cycling-training-tips-podcast
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fascatcoaching/
Instagram: @fascatfh Twitter: @FasCat , @FasCatCoaching and YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/FasCatCoaching
Intro music: David Cutter Music // https://davidcuttermusic.com/
The post Switching From Base to Race Podcast appeared first on FasCat.
We’re back with another Q&A episode, taking questions from the FasCat podcast community to help you get faster!
We answer questions ranging from the proper usage of sweet potatoes to building watts/kg and everything in between. It’s a great episode, so thank you to everyone who contributed questions! Remember to send in your questions for our monthly Ask FasCat episodes, and share this episode with a friend or teammate and subscribe to all the usual places you listen to podcasts (links below). Time to get faster!
Subscribe to the show:
Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/fascat-cycling-training-tips-podcast/id1381614039?mt=2
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Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/fascat-cycling-training-tips-podcast
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Intro music: David Cutter Music // https://davidcuttermusic.com/
The post Ask FasCat #2 – Q&A! appeared first on FasCat.
Training camps are one of the quintessential components of cycling. Putting in a highly focused and productive week of training in a warm place, combined with good nutrition and recovery in the early season can pay off tremendously for the upcoming race season. In this episode, we recount some of our favorite training camp stories, how to best design your own personal camp, the three pillars of a successful camp, and also hear from Coach Isaiah about his recent team camp with the 303 Project Pro Cycling Team.
12797Sweet Spot Part 3 Training Plan Here is what our 3 Day Mill Valley Training Camp looked like after we ‘made it turn green’ in Training Peaks:
To replicate your own training camp in Mill Valley and get some ride route suggestions see Coach Frank’s Strava
Remember that you can save 25% off your next plan by using code 25podcast at checkout, so if you’re looking towards getting faster this spring, now’s your chance to get focused!
And next week, we’re recording our next monthly Q&A podcast, where you can ask Coach Frank and Jackson everything and anything regarding cycling training so send us an email to help@fascat.wpengine.com or ping us on social media. Thanks for listening!
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Intro music: David Cutter Music // https://davidcuttermusic.com/
Copyright © 2021 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike! To talk with a FasCat Coach about your wintertime intensity, please fill out a New Athlete Questionnaire to set up a complimentary coaching consultation.
The post How to Design Your Own Personal Training Camp appeared first on FasCat.
This week we are talking about the Haute Route (‘oat root’). We’re joined by cycling jedi master Colby Pearce (also a Haute Route Elite Ambassador) to discuss the Haute Route culture, training, and experience. Both Colby and Frank have multiple Haute Route events under their belts and have a wealth of knowledge, advice, and war stories from their experience.
We discuss what the Haute Route actually is, a ‘day in the life’ + what to expect from these events, and then jump into how to train and prepare and of course some great stories from the road.
To learn more, visit https://www.hauteroute.org/ and follow Colby on the socials: @CwPearce on Twitter and @colby_pearce on Instagram.
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Intro music: David Cutter Music // https://davidcuttermusic.com/
The post Everything You Need to Know About the Haute Route with Colby Pearce appeared first on FasCat.
You asked, we answered! Once a month, we will take questions fielded from the FasCat community (via email and social media) and spend the entire hour answering them! The entire purpose of this podcast is to help you go faster on the bike, and we want to be more engaged with our podcast community (YOU!) to achieve that goal.
This is the first installment in the Ask FasCat series, and we answer questions ranging from the rationale of openers to fueling for sweet spot, to fitting in fun group rides within a structured training plan, and everything in between. If you’d like to get a question answered next month, shoot us an email to help@fascat.wpengine.com or tag us #askfascat. Thanks to everyone who submitted questions, and thanks for listening!
Don’t forget to use code 25podcast at checkout to receive 25% off any training plan. Don’t get left behind and scrambling to get ready for your target event! Also, the full video version of the podcast will be on our YouTube channel, so please subscribe to see each episode in video form, and catch us live on Facebook every Thursday at 11am MST!
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Intro music: David Cutter Music // https://davidcuttermusic.com/
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We get a ton of questions about how best to pair and sequence our training plans to connect them through an entire season or a specific situation. With many permutations of how to combine plans over the course of a training and racing block, today’s podcast is about giving you the tools to decide how to approach it.
Don’t forget to use code 25podcast at checkout to save 25% off any of our training plans. Tis the season! Don’t wait until the last minute and “cram for the exam”. We’re also recording a Q&A podcast next week, so send in your questions to help@fascat.wpengine.com with any and all questions and we’ll answer them on air. You can also watch the video version (coming soon) of this podcast on our YouTube channel, and be sure to subscribe as we’ll be filming all forthcoming episodes. Enjoy the show!
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Intro music: David Cutter Music // https://davidcuttermusic.com/
The post How To Pair and Sequence Our Training Plans appeared first on FasCat.
We’re back with Coach Isaiah to discuss the value and importance of collegiate cycling not only for the development as a cyclist, but creating more long term enjoyment in the sport of cycling. We chat about our experiences from both the rider side (Jackson and Isaiah) and the coaching side (Frank) to share insight for young athletes and parents alike.
Use 25podcast for 25% off your next training plan
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Intro music: David Cutter Music // https://davidcuttermusic.com/
The post Collegiate Cycling: Perspective From Alums & former Coach appeared first on FasCat.
It’s officially 2019, and that means time for some reflection and some discussion about what’s next for the FasCat podcast. Frank and Jackson sit down to talk about some of their New Year’s resolutions and goals for the year, and then jump into the tentative content calendar for 2019 and what you can expect from the show moving forward. We’re beyond excited to roll the podcast into the new year and continue to help you get faster!
Please subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher to stay up to date with all of our episodes right when they are released.
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Intro music: David Cutter Music // https://davidcuttermusic.com/
The post New Year’s Show! What’s Next for the FasCat Podcast appeared first on FasCat.
Coach Frank sits down with FasCat athlete Phil Gaimon to discuss the current state of cycling, the gravel craze, training and racing, training with WHOOP, and the role of social media influence on cycling sponsorship and rider value. Plus more!
This is an interesting and engaging conversation that is perfect for your post-holiday travel. Learn more and connect with Phil:
http://philthethrill.net/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqI9HyfLvodz7bXFCI3PU2g
Instagram: @philgaimon
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fascatcoaching/
Instagram: @fascatfh Twitter: @FasCat , @FasCatCoaching and YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/FasCatCoaching
Intro music: David Cutter Music // https://davidcuttermusic.com/
Copyright © 2019 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
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The post Phil Gaimon (FasCat Athlete): State of the Cycling Union appeared first on FasCat.
photo: Snowy Mountain Photography
FasCat Athlete Sunny Gilbert recently had the ride of her life at the 2018 USA Cyclocross National Championships, netting second place in one of the most technical and demanding races in recent years. But what’s more fascinating is the path she’s taken to arrive at this place. A national champion in collegiate running, PhD level biochemistry science nerd, and a love for adventure, Sunny is the definition of a working-woman powerhouse athlete.
We sit down with Sunny and her coach, Isaiah, for a candid and hilarious conversation about evolving as an athlete, what it takes to be strong, and how to juggle everything in a busy life.
Keep up with Sunny’s adventures by following her on social media: @run4funner on Instagram and Twitter.
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Intro music: David Cutter Music // https://davidcuttermusic.com/
Copyright © 2019 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
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The post Sunny Gilbert: Cyclocross Success on a Different Path appeared first on FasCat.
Coach Frank drops a solo episode this week on the FasCat Podcast discussing how he “invented” Sweet Spot Training and how he integrates it into his coaching philosophy. Here is the training tip referenced in the podcast about the simultaneous development of Training Stress Score (TSS) and TSTWKT (the Performance Manager Chart)
10075Train Less, Go Harder, Get Faster! For more on Sweet Spot and to add it to your training, check out our entire Sweet Spot training tips section and our Sweet Spot training plans
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Intro music: David Cutter Music // https://davidcuttermusic.com/
Copyright © 2021 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
The post How I Invented Sweet Spot Training appeared first on FasCat.
Steamboat Gravel is shaping up to be 2019’s hottest new gravel event! This week on the podcast we sit down with Steamboat Gravel (SBTGRVL) founder Mark Satkiewicz to discuss 2019’s inaugural event, and what you can expect to encounter from the course this Summer. We dive into what inspired Mark and his team’s vision, what the different courses are like, and who you can expect to see show up at the start line. We’re definitely adding this one to the list next year, and you should too! Registration begins December 4th and we think its gonna fill up!
Sign up with your email to secure your spot and save 20% before registration opens this weekend! https://sbtgrvl.com/
Use SBTFASTCAT for a discount off your entry fee !!
Be sure to follow SBT GRVL on social media @SBTGRVL to stay up to date.
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Instagram: @fascatfh Twitter: @FasCat , @FasCatCoaching and YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/FasCatCoaching
Intro music: David Cutter Music // https://davidcuttermusic.com/
Copyright © 2019 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
The post Steamboat Gravel Podcast appeared first on FasCat.
A Thanksgiving gratitude podcast because we are thankful for our all awesome listeners! So we sit down and talk about how grateful we are for this podcast and for YOU, the audience! We also dive into a couple other topics to get you through the holiday weekend. Enjoy!
Jackson’s Ted talk: “Make Pooping Great Again” https://youtu.be/oVDh6w6secs
Why Sweet Spot is Superior to Zone 2 https://youtu.be/l61Rk8_SeOU
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Instagram: @fascatfh Twitter: @FasCat , @FasCatCoaching and YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/FasCatCoaching
Intro music: David Cutter Music // https://davidcuttermusic.com/
Copyright © 2019 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
The post Thanksgiving Special! appeared first on FasCat.
This week’s show is all about cyclocross. The final month of the season is upon us, so how can we make the most of it? What should we do to keep the momentum flowing into Nationals? Coach Frank sits down with FasCat coach and cyclocross crusher, Brandon Dwight**, to discuss this topic. The two discuss Secret Training techniques, how to do better when it’s cold out, and plenty more.
**Brandon is a 4 time Master Nationals Champion
‘Cross the Pond film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPxYIfEZbdg&feature=youtu.be
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Instagram: @fascatfh Twitter: @FasCat , @FasCatCoaching and YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/FasCatCoaching
Intro music: David Cutter Music // https://davidcuttermusic.com/
Copyright © 2019 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
The post Making the End of Cyclocross Season Count with Coach Brandon Dwight appeared first on FasCat.
This week we’re doing something a little different, and hosting a sort of “grab bag” podcast, inspired by listener and athlete questions we’ve received in the recent days. Typically our conversation revolves around a central topic, but instead we hit on four topics that are relevant to our entire podcast audience!
We discuss our new 30-day Winning in the Kitchen Challenge, how to effectively perform a 20 minute field test, avoiding a common coaching pitfall, and why taking a weekend off from racing to train in cyclocross can make you faster for the rest of the season. Thanks again for the great feedback and for sharing your questions with us via social media and elsewhere, it helps us develop the direction of the show! And of course, thanks for listening.
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Intro music: David Cutter Music // https://davidcuttermusic.com/
Copyright © 2021 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
The post Winning in the Kitchen Challenge, Coaching Pitfalls, and Field Testing | FasCat Grab Bag Pod appeared first on FasCat.
It’s beginning to become that time of year where the clocks change, the days get shorter and colder, and we inevitably spend more time inside on the bike. We can hear the groans of dread for the early morning trainer rides echoing across the northern climate cycling communities, but we promise it doesn’t have to be dreadful. With a few simple tips and some structure, you can make indoor cycling great again.
This week on the podcast, we share our advice for making the most out of the winter trainer season to not get burned out and instead get the most out of your trainer workouts. We break down things like the “trainer effect”, why consistency is king, and how to navigate the waters of Zwift. We also broadcasted this live on our Facebook page, so you can see us recording the podcast and answering listener questions in our Halloween costumes…watch it if you dare: https://www.facebook.com/fascatcoaching/
For more information on this topic and beyond, check out our Training Tip and website: https://fascat.wpengine.com/tips/indoor-cycling/
Check out our training plans: https://fascat.wpengine.com/training-plans/
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Intro music: David Cutter Music // https://davidcuttermusic.com/
Copyright © 2019 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
The post How to Make Indoor Cycling More Fun and Productive appeared first on FasCat.
Training with power has become the norm in the sport of cycling. Objectively speaking, it’s probably the most beneficial tool we have at our disposal for quantifying our training so that we may train smarter. But as Uncle Ben said in Spiderman, with great power comes great responsibility (pardon the pun). For those of us who are new to this tool and technology, it may feel easy to get overwhelmed but have no fear we’ll tell ya what to really pay attention to.
In today’s podcast, we break down the top 4 ways to use your new powermeter, and take listener questions from our live Facebook broadcast. Be sure to follow us on Facebook to see more live podcast shows!
#1 Perform a 20min Field Test:
#2 Power Based Training Zones
# 3 Use the Performance Manager Chart
# 4 TSS Training
Check out our training plans: https://fascat.wpengine.com/training-plans/
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Intro music: David Cutter Music // https://davidcuttermusic.com/
Copyright © 2019 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
The post Top 4 Ways to Use Your Powermeter appeared first on FasCat.
On this week’s podcast, we sit down to discuss how to plan your races for 2019. We break down all the races we are thinking about into A, B & C races and talk about what factors to consider when planning out your whole season. Coach Frank and Jackson walk you thru their choices for races like the Belgian Waffle Ride, Dirty Kanza, the Crusher in the Tushar and Rebecca’s Private Idaho.
What races are you planning for next year? Let us know in the comments, we’d love to hear what your goals are.
We also just want to extend a huge thank you to all of our listeners. It’s been a really fun project to create this show and help you get faster, and we’ve been blown away by the support and engagement!
Finally: who’s in for a Gravel Training Camp next June [2019] in Boulder, CO? Let us know and we’ll see about putting on together.
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Intro music: David Cutter Music // https://davidcuttermusic.com/
Copyright © 2019 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
The post How to Plan Your Races For 2019 appeared first on FasCat.
On a follow up episode from our extremely popular Winning in the Kitchen podcast, it’s time to dive into the world of nutrition and weight loss yet again. It may sound counterintuitive, but the time to lose weight is NOT during the peak of the racing season, but instead during the offseason and winter base period. This is an incredibly hot topic of discussion among cyclists and other endurance athletes, as power to weight is a critical factor for performance. However, there is both a wrong and a right way to lose weight, and our goal today is to offer up some of our thoughts on losing weight and eating well in a sustainable, effective, and healthy way. What would Alaphillipe do?
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Intro music: David Cutter Music // https://davidcuttermusic.com/
Copyright © 2019 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
The post Weight Loss for Cyclists appeared first on FasCat.
Following up after our last podcast with FasCat coach and professional cyclist Isaiah Newkirk, we bring him back to the show to discuss how Tour of Utah panned out, the major lessons learned, and what his favorite late night stage race snack is. We then dived into more talk on the topic of the offseason, and how Isaiah approaches it from both his personal perspective as a cyclist as well as a coach.
If you missed our first episode with Isaiah, you can find it here: https://fascat.wpengine.com/podcast11/
So tie your trail running shoes and listen in for another helpful conversation!
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Intro music: David Cutter Music // https://davidcuttermusic.com/
Copyright © 2019 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
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The post Tour of Utah Review + Offseason Tips with Coach Isaiah Newkirk appeared first on FasCat.
It’s that time of year when the racing starts winding down and all of our excitement and energy for the season begins to dwindle. Fall is nearing and we start thinking about other things than training and racing our bikes. Do you smell that? That’s the smell of offseason. Ahhhh.
However, there’s a right way and a wrong way to take a post-season break and shift into the offseason. By strategically planning out this period and getting a head start on planning for next year, we can hit the ground running and make big improvements when it’s time to start training again. Instead of just cutting things off without structure, what if we took this break a little more seriously and used it to our advantage?
In this podcast, Frank and Jackson discuss the importance of the post-season break and how to effectively use this time to go faster next year. We break down everything you need to know about this critical time of year for the cyclist. Check out our Training Tip for more details: https://fascat.wpengine.com/tips/post-season-break/
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Intro music: David Cutter Music // https://davidcuttermusic.com/
Copyright © 2019 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
The post Post-Season Break and Figuring Out Goals for Next Season appeared first on FasCat.
Cyclocross season is upon us, so it’s time to start thinking about your cyclocross skills. Cornering is a HUGE skill that can take your cyclocross racing to the next level. Think about it: you take two dozen or so turns per lap. Carrying your momentum thru the turn saves your energy that you would otherwise have to spend re-accelerating back up to speed.
In today’s podcast, Coach Frank talks with cyclocross powerhouse, Michael Robson. Frank and Michael discuss cornering and how carrying your momentum thru the corner can help you race faster and get better results.
We wish you speed and smoothness this upcoming ‘cross season, and hope you enjoy the show!
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Intro music: David Cutter Music // https://davidcuttermusic.com/
Copyright © 2019 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
The post Cyclocross Cornering to Carry Your Momentum and Save Your Energy appeared first on FasCat.
In this podcast we are talking about the wearable Whoop device. We consider the Whoop to be like a power meter for your recovery. The WHOOP is wearable designed for athletes that measures your sleep, strain, and cardiovascular parameters like heart rate variability and resting heart rate. The Whoop’s algorithm factor’s all those metrics to give you a recovery score. Simply, are you recovered like you think you are? Cool right? Here at FasCat we’ve been testing the WHOOP strap for 8 months and wanted to dive in and share our thoughts with the podcast community!
8799The one and only “Six Weeks to the Sweet Spot Training Plan” We’re also joined by the WHOOP content manager, Mark Van Deusen to hear how the WHOOP strap works. He’s also been generous enough to offer our listeners a free month of a WHOOP subscription with code ‘fascatwhoop‘ at checkout ($30 value)!
We talk about how using the WHOOP enhances our training and racing, what the different metrics mean, and a whole lot more. Learn more at whoop.com!
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Intro music: David Cutter Music // https://davidcuttermusic.com/
Copyright © 2021FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
The post How to Train with WHOOP — the Power Meter for Recovery appeared first on FasCat.
The Crusher in the Tushar brings the pain. We’ve had some time to process the pain and suffering of the 2018 Crusher in the Tushar gravel race, which was both Frank and Jackson’s target race for the season. We met so many people who listened to our first podcast on the Crusher, so we felt compelled to break down the experience and go through the data!
In this episode, we go through each of our races (Jackson in the pro field, Frank in the 45-49 field) and look at the TrainingPeaks data. We also filmed the episode, so head over to our YouTube channel to get visuals on the data!
We’re already planning how to do better next year…
Don’t forget to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and feel free to leave a question or comments in the comment section below, or ping us on social media. Thanks for listening!
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Intro music: David Cutter Music // https://davidcuttermusic.com/
Copyright © 2019 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
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The post Ep. 13: Breaking Down the Crusher in the Tushar Experience appeared first on FasCat.
MONZA, ITALY – MAY 06: (L-R) Eliud Kipchoge Zersenay Tadese and Lelisa Desisa run during the Nike Breaking2: Sub-Two Marathon Attempt at Autodromo di Monza on May 6, 2017 in Monza, Italy. (Photo by Pier Marco Tacca/Getty Images)
On May 6, 2017, Nike and a team of runners attempted to break the elusive 2 hour marathon barrier, which has never been done before. This was known as the Breaking2 Project, and Robby Ketchell played an integral role in its development as a sports scientist. Today on the podcast, we’re having a slightly different conversation than normal and delve into the world of running performance with Robby and lead Nike physiologist Brett Kirby to talk about Breaking2 and what went into creating this project. It’s a very fascinating conversation, and one that can be applied to any sport that involves optimizing human performance.
Thank you for tuning in to the podcast, and for all of the great feedback on the show. If you have questions, ping us on Twitter @fascat and @jacksonlong, or by commenting below. Don’t forget to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform, and leave us a review on the iTunes store with your favorite thing about the podcast or how we can improve!
Breaking2: https://www.nike.com/us/en_us/c/running/breaking2
Robby’s LuMind RDS Fundraiser: https://www.crowdrise.com/o/en/campaign/lumind-research-down-syndrome-foundation-nyc-2018/robbyketchell
Breaking2 National Geographic Show
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Intro music: David Cutter Music // https://davidcuttermusic.com/
Copyright © 2019 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
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The post Ep. 12: The Nike Breaking2 Project with Robby Ketchell and Brett Kirby appeared first on FasCat.
This week, Frank and Jackson sit down with FasCat coach Isaiah Newkirk, a seasoned performance coach and professional cyclist for the 303 Project Cycling Team, to talk about his training leading up to next week’s Tour of Utah. Isaiah is designated team leader, and will be hunting for a high overall placing at one of America’s toughest races.
We talk about Isaiah’s specific training, how training his gut has been a gamechanger for managing in race nutrition, and an overview of some of the key stages and what to expect for this exciting week long stage race.
Isaiah will also be contributing regular video updates from the race, as well as publishing his TrainingPeaks data so definitely stay tuned for more ToU content! Be sure to follow Isaiah and the 303 Project on social media to keep up with them during the race (links below). If you have questions for Isaiah for the post-Tour of Utah debrief, leave them in the comments below or via Twitter. Enjoy!
Thank you for tuning in to the podcast, and for all of the great feedback on the show. If you have questions, ping us on Twitter @fascat and @jacksonlong, or by commenting below. Don’t forget to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform, and leave us a review on the iTunes store with your favorite thing about the podcast or how we can improve!
Isaiah on social media:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ianewkirk
Instagram: https://instagram.com/isaiah.newkirk
303 Project:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/the303project
Follow us on social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fascatcoaching/
Instagram: @fascatfh Twitter: @FasCat and YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/FasCatCoaching
Intro music: David Cutter Music // https://davidcuttermusic.com/
Copyright © 2019 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
The post Ep. 11: Coach Isaiah on Racing Tour of Utah! appeared first on FasCat.
It’s the third rest day of the Tour, so we’re back for the final installment of our Tour de France podcast series with Coach Robby Ketchell! This time, we’re talking race tactics and how to apply the race strategies of the pros to your own racing goals.
It’s a great conversation that combines Tour commentary and insights into how to improve your racing tactics. Definitely don’t want to miss this!
Like we mentioned at the end of the show, leave a question for a future show in the comments below and we’ll answer them on the podcast.
Thank you for tuning in to the podcast, and for all of the great feedback on the show. If you have questions, ping us on Twitter @fascat and @jacksonlong, or by commenting below. Don’t forget to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform, and leave us a review on the iTunes store with your favorite thing about the podcast or how we can improve!
Follow us on social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fascatcoaching/
Instagram: @fascatfh Twitter: @FasCat and YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/FasCatCoaching
Intro music: David Cutter Music // https://davidcuttermusic.com/
Copyright © 2019 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
The post Ep. 10: Race Tactics – TdF Rest Day Show! appeared first on FasCat.
It’s Recovery Monday here at the FasCat HQ and a rest day in the Tour de France, so what better to do than record a podcast? We’re joined once again by Coach Robby Ketchell, who has spent time in many Grand Tours, including the Tour de France. We talk about all things rest day, including what riders actually do on these breaks from the race, how the techniques and concepts apply to amateurs, and a recap of some of the key moments of the race so far. We also give a bit of a preview into the next section of the Tour and what we predict will happen.
If you’re interested in working with Robby to improve your cycling performance, he’s now available as a FasCat coach! To get started fill out our new athlete questionnaire for a coaching consultation.
Thank you for tuning in to the podcast, and for all of the great feedback on the show. If you have questions, ping us on Twitter @fascat and @jacksonlong, or by commenting below. Don’t forget to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform, and leave us a review on the iTunes store with your favorite thing about the podcast or how we can improve!
Follow us on social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fascatcoaching/
Instagram: @fascatfh Twitter: @FasCat and YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/FasCatCoaching
Intro music: David Cutter Music // https://davidcuttermusic.com/
Copyright © 2019 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
The post Ep. 9: Tour de France Rest Day Show with Coach Robby! appeared first on FasCat.
The Crusher in the Tushar, one of the premier mixed terrain bike races in the country, is a cruel, brutal yet beautiful event. It covers 70 miles and 10,000 feet of elevation gain in the Tushar mountain range of Southern Utah, and is easily some of the most difficult 70 miles you’ll ever do. This week on the podcast, we break down the course and provide insight into the race strategy so you can crush with confidence. Coach Frank has attended multiple Crushers, and has won his age group as well.
We break down the course and what you can expect out there come race day. Be sure to check out the video version of this podcast on our YouTube channel for a more in depth look at the TrainingPeaks and GPS data from the race!
Thank you for tuning in to the podcast, and for all of the great feedback on the show. If you have questions, ping us on Twitter @fascat and @jacksonlong, or by commenting below. Don’t forget to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform, and leave us a review on the iTunes store with your favorite thing about the podcast or how we can improve!
Follow us on social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fascatcoaching/
Instagram: @fascatfh Twitter: @FasCat and YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/FasCatCoaching
Intro music: David Cutter Music // https://davidcuttermusic.com/
Copyright © 2021 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
The post How to CRUSH the Crusher in the Tushar appeared first on FasCat.
We’re excited to bring a bonus episode this week to your ears! We bring on a special guest, FasCat’s new coach, Robby Ketchell to talk all things Tour de France. Robby has worked at the highest level of the sport as a sports and data scientist for teams like Garmin Slipstream and Team Sky. He helped coach Ryder Hesjedal to victory at the 2012 Giro d’Italia and has been an integral component to the high performances of many professional cyclists.
Robby drops by the FasCat podcast to talk about his background and stories from behind the peloton, including a fantastic account of Ryder’s Giro win. We then dive into the 2018 TdF route and discuss some of the contenders and key stages, and what we can expect from this year’s race. If you have any questions for a future podcast with Robby, leave them in the comments below or on Twitter! We’re definitely bringing him back for more…
If you’re interested in working with Robby to improve your cycling performance, he’s now available as a FasCat coach! To get started fill out our new athlete questionnaire for a coaching consultation.
Thank you for tuning in to the podcast, and for all of the great feedback on the show. If you have questions, ping us on Twitter @fascat and @jacksonlong, or by commenting below. Don’t forget to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform, and leave us a review on the iTunes store with your favorite thing about the podcast or how we can improve!
Copyright © 2019 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
Follow us on social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fascatcoaching/
Instagram: @fascatfh Twitter: @FasCat and YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/FasCatCoaching
Intro music: David Cutter Music // https://davidcuttermusic.com/
The post Ep. 7: Tour de France Preview Show with Coach Robby Ketchell! appeared first on FasCat.
This week we’re diving into the rationale behind using a well-designed cycling training plan to pursue your goals as a cyclist. Training is both an art and a science, and having a professionally curated plan will ensure that you’ll go faster on the bike.
We talk about:
- How and why FasCat began developing our six week $49 training plans
- What’s included in the training plans
- How to choose, follow and get the most out of the plan
- And more!
Listen through the end of the podcast to get a special coupon code to save on your next training plan! And remember: if you can follow a plan, you can go faster.
Thank you for tuning in to the podcast, and for all of the great feedback on the show. If you have questions, ping us on Twitter @fascat and @jacksonlong, or by commenting below. Don’t forget to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform, and leave us a review on the iTunes store with your favorite thing about the podcast or how we can improve!
Copyright © 2019 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
Follow us on social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fascatcoaching/
Instagram: @fascatfh Twitter: @FasCat and YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/FasCatCoaching
Intro music: David Cutter Music // https://davidcuttermusic.com/
The post Ep. 6: Follow a Cycling Training Plan to Go Faster! appeared first on FasCat.
This week we’re going an inch deep and a mile wide on the science of intervals for each of the primary disciplines of cycling so you can train smarter! Intervals are an essential component of a well-designed training plan, and each event or sector of bike racing and training requires different kinds of intervals. In this episode, we talk intervals for:
- Criteriums
- Road races
- Time trials
- Stage races
- Hill climbs
- Cyclocross
- Cross country mountain biking
- Marathon/distance mountain biking
- Gravel/fondos
Now go do some intervals!
Thank you for tuning in to the podcast, and for all of the great feedback on the show. If you have questions, ping us on Twitter @fascat and @jacksonlong, or by commenting below. Don’t forget to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform, and leave us a review on the iTunes store with your favorite thing about the podcast or how we can improve!
Copyright © 2019 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
Follow us on social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fascatcoaching/
Instagram: @fascatfh Twitter: @FasCat and YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/FasCatCoaching
Intro music: David Cutter Music // https://davidcuttermusic.com/
The post Ep. 5: How to Perform Intervals for Your Races and Rides appeared first on FasCat.
This week on the podcast, we’re diving deep into recovery for cyclists. Have you ever heard the mantra, “Train hard, recovery harder”? It’s true; recovery is an absolute cornerstone for performing as an athlete, and it must be taken seriously. We walk through the fundamentals (the practices that make up 80-90% of recovery) plus the additional 10-20% “marginal gains” that can be added in to maximize recovery and performance as a cyclist. In this episode, you’ll learn:
- The top 3 fundamental components of optimizing recovery as an athlete
- What an ideal recovery routine looks like
- Some of Frank’s favorite recovery tools and secrets
- What’s up with Cryotherapy and sensory deprivation tanks?
- Plus more!
Thank you for tuning in to the podcast, and for all of the great feedback on the show. If you have questions, ping us on Twitter @fascat and @jacksonlong, or by commenting below. Don’t forget to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform, and leave us a review on the iTunes store with your favorite thing about the podcast or how we can improve!
Follow us on social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fascatcoaching/
Instagram: @fascatfh Twitter: @FasCat and YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/FasCatCoaching
Intro music: David Cutter Music // https://davidcuttermusic.com/
The post Ep. 4: Recovery Tips for Cyclists appeared first on FasCat.
Welcome to the third installment of the FasCat Training Tips Podcast! This week we’re pumped to bring you an episode on all things GRAVEL. Gravel cycling is so hot right now, and we felt like it would be a good topic to cover as we swing into the gravel riding and racing season. Both Frank and Jackson are avid #groaders and are both training for the upcoming Crusher in the Tushar race in about 6 weeks, so we go through everything you need to know about riding and racing gravel. We talk about:
– What is gravel riding?
– Equipment, fueling, training for gravel events
– The four main components to a successful gravel training campaign
– Expert recon for an example gravel race (Crusher in the Tushar)
– And plenty more!
Thanks to everyone for all the great feedback and response to the last two podcasts, we’ve been blown away by the support already! You can further your generosity by leaving a review on the iTunes store (which is free) or by sharing this episode with your friends and family. Also be sure to check out the gravel training plans at https://fascat.wpengine.com/training-plans/gravel-grinder/ & https://fascat.wpengine.com/training-plans/crusher-in-the-tushar/. Now go get your groad on!
Copyright © 2019 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
Follow us on social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fascatcoaching/
Instagram: @fascatfh Twitter: @FasCat and YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/FasCatCoaching
Intro music: David Cutter Music // https://davidcuttermusic.com/
The post Ep. 3: Gravel Training and Racing appeared first on FasCat.
Welcome to Episode 2 of the FasCat Training Tips Podcast! This week we’re talking Winning in the Kitchen. Performing as an athlete extends far beyond training. In order to perform like a Ferrari, you have to put in high-octane, Grade-A fuel! We talk about:
– The importance of periodized nutrition
– The core carbohydrate, protein, and fat sources
– Frank’s grocery list and how to hack the grocery store
Listen in to learn how you can win in the kitchen to win on the bike!
Follow us on social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fascatcoaching/
Instagram: @fascatfh Twitter: @FasCat and YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/FasCatCoaching
Intro music: David Cutter Music // https://davidcuttermusic.com/
Copyright © 2019 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
The post Ep. 2: Winning in the Kitchen appeared first on FasCat.
Welcome to the first episode of the FasCat Training Tips Podcast! We’re really excited to bring you a more in-depth look at our training tips and cycling experience through the podcast medium. Expect regular content covering everything from power and sweet spot training to winning in the kitchen.
In our first episode, Coach Frank and his co-host, Jackson Long, discuss FasCat’s 15-year history starting with how FasCat got its name. We talk about what you can expect from the podcast moving forward and why we decided to launch this in the first place! Definitely, let us know if you have any specific topics you’d like us to cover or questions to submit for future Q&A episodes of the show. We can’t wait to make you faster!
7796As a special introductory offer, you can save 25% on your first training plan purchase with coupon “25podcast”! Follow us on social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fascatcoaching/
Instagram: @fascatfh
Twitter: @FasCat
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/FasCatCoaching
Copyright © 2019 FasCat Coaching – all rights reserved.
Join our FREE Athlete Forum to nerd out with FasCat coaches and athletes about your FTP, race data, power based training, or anything related to going fast on the bike!
The post Ep. 1: FasCat’s 15 Year History appeared first on FasCat.