For those of us in the northern hemisphere, the days have begun to shorten and the temperatures cool. As autumn begins, bringing with it cool, crisp mornings, and more golden hours to ride, now is the time to begin strength training for next year’s cycling season.For many cyclists, the fall and winter seasons mean strength training. Here are 3 considerations to take, which will allow you to get the most out of your strength training this winter, and for the coming year.Take the time to “unwind” your body from the seasonPerhaps the most overlooked step in strength training, especially for cyclists, is what Tudor Bompa calls Anatomical Adaptation. This first phase, which an athlete should pass through in every training year, should occur as the very first phase of the new year. Usually, after some time off and away from the athletes chosen sport.For some, this may mean 2-3 weeks completely off the bike, which is common for many pro cyclists in October or November. For others, this may mean a few weeks of unstructured riding. The latter option may be especially preferred for older cyclists, who likely experience less ability to recover lost fitness from extended time off. Whatever the case, this break serves 2 purposes:To allow the body time to physically repair itself from the rigors of a long seasonTo allow the individual to mentally refresh.Both of these are important, and must be respected in the right amount, for your needs from the most recent season.Within this time,…
Pez Cycling News