Text: Melvin Keppel, Rhino sports care

Train hard but don't forget what it's really about, recover smart!

Fortunately, there are also many ways to train. Below I explain what you should pay attention to when training in winter.

Digital training.

Nowadays it is easy to cycle comfortably indoors. There are various online tools to give training more structure or make it more social. Below I will tell you more about the most well-known tools. The most obvious option is to use your own bicycle on an indoor trainer, which can be one where you put the rear wheel in or where you have to remove the rear wheel from your bicycle.

Zwift

An online environment for virtual (group) rides. Also great to use for your own training. Less suitable for drawing up a training program.

Trainerroad

Visually and socially a lot less attractive than Zwift, but with a very clear structure in the training. Very suitable for drawing up and implementing a training program.

Sufferfest

Perhaps a bit unknown, but certainly no less. The structure of the training is good, beautiful and challenging training programs. The disadvantage is that there is little variation in the training.

Spinning or Wattbike

You may be familiar with spinning, cycling for a long distance with a heavy flywheel in a room with loud music and a trainer for the group. Wattbike is similar in that respect, the bikes are very different. Where you maintain spinning momentum through the flywheel, with a Wattbike you have more of the feeling that you are on a real bicycle.

My preference is for Wattbike training, which is more specifically aimed at improving your cycling technique.

MTB

If you want to improve your cycling technique, mountain biking is very suitable. You are often on a different bike than the one you cycle the miles on in the spring. When you get better at mountain biking, you will notice that you can quickly transfer this to your racing bike.

Compose your own week

Finally, some tips for making your own weekly schedule. As mentioned earlier, you mainly need time for a good foundation. Unfortunately, for mortals, this is a luxury we have limited access to.

although interval workouts There is a limit to making yourself stronger quickly. Do 2 to a maximum of 3 interval training sessions per week, for a period of 6 weeks before trying anything else. Whether these are the first, last or first and last weeks of your winter doesn't matter much, there is no definitive right or wrong here. The workouts can be short (45 minutes) or long (90 minutes). Intensity can vary and range from 90-100% of your maximum heart rate.

Endurance training can always be done, build this up slowly. Start with 1-2 hours and when you have the time you can extend the workouts to 4-6 or perhaps 8 hours. Intensity is preferably below 75% of your maximum heart rate

Recovery training. A bit of a misnomer if you ask me, every training disrupts the balance. With this training, the intensity and volume are so low that it does not hinder your recovery. 30 min. with a maximum intensity of 60% maximum heart rate.

The most important thing is that you stay fit and healthy, you have to enjoy every training and be eager to have a great season. Train hard but don't forget what it's really about, recover smart!

Would you like to read the frequently made mistakes again?
Training in winter: How do you do that?

Text: Melvin Keppel, Rhino sports care

Where there is training, mistakes are made.

Unfortunately, basic fitness is not something you can build up in a few months, laying a good foundation takes time, a lot of time. Of course, this does not mean that nothing can be done about it in the winter.

Most cyclists like to cycle on beautiful asphalt, nice sunshine, perhaps some height difference and, above all, not too much wind. Not really the most common conditions in the cold, flat Dutch landscape in the period November to March.

Good basic fitness takes many years to build up and you can do this in many ways. Cycling is a non-impact sport (if you do it right), which means that you do not have to absorb your body weight with every step or revolution you take. This allows you to do much longer training sessions compared to, for example, running.

Aerobic engine

Cycling is an aerobic sport par excellence. Most energy is released with the help of oxygen. And if this is not the case, you need oxygen to process the acidification after, for example, a sprint.

An aerobic engine consists roughly of your muscles, heart and lungs. How much air can you inhale, absorb into your blood, pump around your body and be used by your muscles. This interplay is the basis for all your fitness.

This entire system can be trained in many different ways, later I will explain how you could approach this.

Common mistakes

Where there is training, mistakes are made.

Progression

The whole idea of training is that you keep increasing the load so that your body continues to adapt. If you train hard in the winter, you will also have to train hard or even harder in the spring or summer. Take this into account when making a weekly schedule. Don't make the workouts too long in the winter. 2 to 3 hours is long enough for winter training.

Law of diminishing returns

When you are becoming a better cyclist, you need more and more training to get a little bit better. This ensures that the progression discussed above is always difficult to achieve. So don't start training too early.

Specific or non-specific training

Non-specific training can also be called cross training, not to be confused with CrossFit. This activity is far removed from the main activity. For example, running does not necessarily make you a better cyclist. If you go mountain biking, this is also on 2 wheels, but the position is often different. This may be deliberately for variety, or perhaps you want to learn new things. Train sufficiently under similar conditions in which you want to improve. At least 2 times a week.

Numbers

Don't pay too much attention to numbers. Train when you feel like it, don't make it a must. Training under winter conditions is really different from riding a cyclo in nice weather. Make sure you continue to enjoy it and if a training takes a little shorter than planned or you cannot achieve the specified intensity. Then don't hold on to this too much.

Do you want to know how to train?
Training in winter: This is how it should be done