| Crash training is a little know technique to get big | | | | By mid week you probably won't want to even look at |
| jumps in you cycling fitness in a short period of time. It | | | | your bike but keep at it. |
| involves a week of increased volume and intensity, | | | | Follow these guidelines when setting up a Crash week. |
| well above your current training level. The Crash week | | | | - You want to start a Crash Week Fresh so make |
| will be any where from 50-100% above your current | | | | sure the previous week was a lighter training load. |
| level. This can be pretty to easy to implement if you | | | | - Take a week following at 50 % of the load you did |
| are only riding 3-4 days per week. Just ride 7 days | | | | during your Crash Week. |
| straight and you will have dramatically increased your | | | | - Limit High Intensity intervals to once or twice during |
| volume. The pros do this regularly in the spring when | | | | the Crash Week as part of longer ride. |
| they do 7 day stage races. A week of race pace | | | | - Keep the ride pace under control. Don't go on group |
| does wonders for their fitness. | | | | rides unless others agree to the goal of the ride. Group |
| This is an advanced technique that is best done under | | | | rides often go too hard to be done daily. It should be a |
| the supervision of an experienced coach but for those | | | | steady, pace with constant tension on the pedals. |
| of you who are self-coached it is a technique you can | | | | Focus on keeping your cadence up to 90-100 RPMs. |
| experiment with. Just make sure you use good | | | | Keep the intesity level to the Aerobic or Tempo level. |
| judgement and back off if you are going beyond just | | | | - Outside of training try to make everything in your life |
| basic fatigue. You want to come into the week fresh | | | | for that week about recovery. This requires your |
| and have a lighter week following at around 50% of | | | | family to be on board to help you. Go to bed early, |
| the volume you did during your Crash week. | | | | hydrate well and make sure to stretch. The nice part |
| After a week of Crash Training you will see a big | | | | of this technique is that it doesn't require long hours of |
| increase in endurance and recovery ability. | | | | training every week. You can't fit this type of training in |
| You want most of the increase to be in volume not | | | | your lifestyle most of the time but a couple of times a |
| intensity. Increase the length and frequency of your | | | | year can usually be arranged for most people. And |
| aerobic and tempo rides. These are rides that are | | | | unless you are boarderline overtrained to begin with, |
| below your functional threshold (Max 60 minute | | | | one heavy week won't lead you into over training. Just |
| power). Limit high intensity intervals to once or twice | | | | think, this is what they are doing with the contestants |
| during the week. Due to the volume you are trying to | | | | on the Biggest Loser and they are probably starting in |
| accomplish you will do any intervals during a longer ride. | | | | much worse shape than you are. |