Optimize your cycling training with basic knowledge

At its core, cycling is a simple sport. All you need is a bike and an open road. But if you’re looking to take your training to the next level, there are a few things you should know. By understanding the basics of cycling science, you can optimize your training and ride faster and stronger than ever.

Cycling training should not be made more complicated than it already is. Consider how many cyclists have won great races, championships, and honour without knowing anything significant about cycling training principles, nutrition, or planning (not to mention heart rate monitors, power meters, etc.) On the other hand, there are a lot of athletes having success because they have talent and do a lot of clever things without knowing it: They train hard, rest, and eat proper amounts of food.

Thus, they make above 95% of their potential performance by doing these things right. Of course, advanced training methods can only add a few watts to this, but these can be crucial in tough competitions. But for a beginning, it can be valuable to read these articles to avoid the most common mistakes and understand the basic principles of high-quality cycling training:

Recovery Tips for Cyclists

Basic Principles of Cycling Training

Heart Rate Monitor Training Mistakes

Strength Training Mistakes

Jesper Bondo Medhus

I am a medical doctor with a special interest in cycling training. I work at the Hospital of Vejle using clinical physiology and nuclear medicine to diagnose cancer and heart patients. I have written two e-books: Time Effective Cycling Training and 12-Week Winter Training Program.

View Comments

  • That's true and makes a good motto: Train hard, rest easy, eat healthy.

    Riders should try to master the basics before going crazy over power meta data analysis!

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