The ‘Norwegian Method’ of training is a hot topic at the moment, particularly among runners and triathletes. However, there’s relatively little information about how this method could be used in cycling. So we thought we’d take an in-depth look at this exact topic! In this article, we’ll cover the following areas:  What is the Norwegian Method? How did it come about? An example training week Evidence & theory to support the Norwegian Method Nuances of the Norwegian Method Example workouts Is the Norwegian Method suitable for everyone? Conclusion What is the Nor ..read more

This article is a follow-on from our earlier article on Zone 2 training and the thoughts of Dr Iñigo San Millán, who is coach of Tadej Pogačar, head of performance at UAE Team Emirates, and professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. In this follow-on post, we wanted to discuss some differing perspectives around Zone 2 training and give a balanced viewpoint based on the existing evidence.  As a reminder, San Millán is very much in favour of Zone 2 training (i.e. riding at an intensity very close to the maximum rate of fat oxidation, or the so-called ‘aerobic threshold’). O ..read more

More often than not, the winning moves in a cycling competitions are made in the closing stages of an event. The ability to keep producing high power outputs after several hours of riding is a key cycling ability, commonly referred to as ‘endurance’, ‘fatigue resistance’ or ‘durability’.  Most common cycling tests are performed in a ‘fresh’ state, or in other words, with minimal pre-existing fatigue. These tests tell us little about an athlete’s ability to resist fatigue and perform well after prior work during tough races and challenges. However, a recent study (Muriel et al., 2022) sugg ..read more

Recently, there has been a surge in interest in the benefits of ‘Zone 2’ training, spurred in part by the success of Tadej Pogačar and recent interviews with his coach Dr Iñigo San Millán, who has espoused the benefits of Zone 2 training.  As head of performance at UAE Team Emirates, and professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, San Millán certainly has some insightful points to make. So in this article, we’ll sum up the key information from some of his most prominent interviews, and also discuss our own thoughts on some of the nuances of San Millán’s advice, and address ..read more

Carbohydrate loading is a concept most cyclists will be familiar with and is common-practice before many cycling events. However, there’s new evidence to suggest that some cycling disciplines might actually benefit from ‘carbohydrate unloading’ - i.e. the intentional restriction of carbohydrate intake in order to reduce muscle glycogen levels before competition. In this article, we’ll take a look at this theory, and how it might translate into real-world best practices.  What is carbohydrate loading? Carbohydrates are a primary source of fuel when cycling, particularly at high intensitie ..read more

For cyclists looking for a step-up from FTP testing, then power profiling is one option to glean more insight about your strengths and weaknesses as a rider, and how your fitness is changing over time.  Although FTP tends to correlate with endurance cycling performance and is a useful fitness parameter to track, in reality it tells us relatively little about the type of rider you are, and how your fitness is changing over time. For example, we have no idea whether an increase in FTP is caused by an improvement in VO2max, better fat oxidation, or something else entirely. Nor do we have any ..read more

Self-coached athletes can be well placed to know what training activities are best suited for them on any given day provided they have a certain set of abilities and can avoid making common mistakes that many of those who coach themselves are particularly prone to! Let’s take a look at what these key abilities are and how a self-coached cyclist can exploit some of the advantages they have. 1: Objectivity One of the main reasons athletes hire coaches is to add a level of ‘objectivity’ to their training.  This can help them to avoid making harmful decisions which they wouldn’t necessarily ..read more

‘Writer’s block’ is a well-known problem and there’s plenty of advice out there on how to move past it, including tips like breaking the writing task into small parts, or “prepping the page”, i.e. writing out a skeleton framework to fill in later. Similar struggles apply to other people and fields though, including endurance sports coaches and self-coached athletes as it happens! Instead of a blank page and a flashing cursor, we’re faced with a calendar of empty days asking to be filled in with structured workouts which then need to all fit neatly together into mesocyclones and logical phas ..read more

Cycling ramp tests are simple protocols that can offer valuable insights into a number fitness and performance markers. They aren’t too taxing, and allow you to spot changes in variables like ventilation, blood lactate concentrations, muscle oxygenation, O2/CO2 consumption, or simply to predict various threshold powers and heart rates.  Here are 10 tips to help you improve your ramp tests and get more practically useful data from them. 1: Use appropriate ramp protocols Broadly-speaking there are two types of ramp test; maximal ramp tests and sub-maximal ramp tests.  ‘Maximal Ramp ..read more

The Study Power Production and Biochemical Markers of Metabolic Stress and Muscle Damage Following a Single Bout of Short-Sprint and Heavy Strength Exercise in Well-Trained Cyclists  Quick Synopsis  This study looks at markers of fatigue and stress after two different types of training session that are often employed by endurance cyclists.  The two sessions were:  Heavy-load strength training (squats, leg press and a hip flexor exercise, each comprising 3 sets of 6 reps, where the eccentric phase was performed slowly over 2-seconds and the concentric phase was performe ..read more