Apr 11
26
Today we will look at the three advanced abilities, what they are, how and when you should train them, and in which circumstances each ability is needed.
So we’ve covered the 3 basic abilities of road cycling training: Endurance, Force and Speed Skill. Today we will be looking at the three advanced abilities, Muscular Endurance, Anaerobic Endurance and Power. I will repeat what I said in the other post now, because it is very important!
Only start training the advanced abilities once you have a firm foundation of the basic abilities. Think of the parable of the wise man and the foolish man, don’t build your house on the sand!
Force + Endurance = Muscular Endurance
Muscular endurance is the ability to turn a high gear for a long duration. Muscular endurance is the most important ability a road racer must develop. By developing muscular endurance, you will be able to ride in a road race or fast pace line without suffering, time trial faster, and stay ahead of the group on a long climb.
Speed Skill + Endurance = Anaerobic Endurance
Anaerobic endurance is the ability to work at a very high intensity, above lactate threshold, for a relatively long period of time. Anaerobic endurance is needed in criteriums, where there are lots of accelerations and attacks, long sprints over several hundred meters, bridging a gap between groups and climbing steep 2 minute hills.
Force + Speed Skill = Power
Power is the ability to quickly apply maximum force to the pedals. Power is needed during short sprints, climbs and accelerations.
Training Muscular Endurance
You will develop a good amount of muscular endurance simply by focusing on training force and endurance. To specifically train muscular endurance, you must do long intervals in a higher gear than you would normally use. Early in your training year, muscular endurance training is done below lactate threshold, however, as you get stronger and the year progresses, muscular endurance intervals should be completed above lactate threshold.
Training Anaerobic Endurance
If you are in your first year of training, do not do any anaerobic endurance training, you will most likely not be ready for it, and risk over training and injury. Anaerobic endurance can be trained by doing short 3 minute intervals, with 3 minute recovery, at 103 – 105% of your lactate threshold heart rate. Anaerobic endurance can also be trained by doing short 60 second intervals with <60 seconds of recovery between intervals.
Training Power
Power can be trained by doing all-out efforts, lasting 8 to 12 seconds with a long recovery period between efforts. A heart rate monitor will not be needed for these workouts, since the interval will not be long enough for your heart rate to respond. You must be well rested before attempting to improve your power, otherwise you risk over training or burning out.
So those are the advanced abilities, and how you should train them, make sure you have trained your basic abilities first! You will only benefit from training your advanced abilities if you haven’t neglected your base training.
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