TRAINING
CERVÉLO
TRAINING PLAN
COACH DERMOTT HAYES
LEARN TO TRAIN
WITH POWER
12-WEEK PLAN
Want to train with power but don’t know where to start?
Well hang on to your Lycra, as we give you a 3-month training
plan that’s guaranteed to transform your performance
90 / / November 2019
12-WEEK POWER PLAN
I
t’s fair to say that In fact, using power on an indoor
triathletes love a bit of tech, trainer is more reliable as there
especially cyclists! In recent are no external environmental
years, without doubt, the factors to get in the way.
biggest change in training When starting out, you’ll need
and racing technology has been to set new training zones by
time poor?
the emergence of power meters, conducting a Functional
Struggling to find the which can fit on the pedal crank, Threshold Power test, or FTP. This
time to train? Check out the wheel hub, or on your pedals. is a 20min test that should be
Tim Don’s tricks for But what is power and, more repeated approximately every 6-8
balancing training and importantly, how do we use it? weeks to ensure you’re working to
family, on p98. In its most basic form a power the correct numbers. In essence,
meter will measure your true rate your FTP figure is the highest
of work and tell you how many power that you can maintain in a
watts you’re producing, with the semi-steady state for 1hr of
beauty being that there’s no cycling without fatiguing. An
cheating. A power meter will explanation of how to conduct the
increase your accountability in test is in Table 1, below.
every single bike session. In Once the test is completed you
comparison to using heart rate as can work out your power zones,
the indicator of work rate, a power see Table 2 below, which also
meter will tell you exactly what includes a Rate of Perceived
you’ve achieved in that session, Exertion figure for training and
whereas heart rate can be affected racing on feel.
by sleep levels, stress, illness and This 12-week plan is by no
fatigue. Therefore power is far means an in-depth assessment of
more reliable in the long term. power training, but for those
The 12-week training plan that looking to see what all the fuss is
follows will help you use power about it’s a great introduction into
more regularly in your training; if a new world of data. It takes time
you have access to a power meter to move across to using power as
on your road bike you can take the the determining factor of work
sessions outside as well. If rate, so trying this now gives you
training indoors, you should find time to make a few mistakes and
that most bikes in a gym will be not get bogged down with speed
able to record and display power. and performance.
COACH’S TIPS HOW TO COMPLETE AN FTP TEST
Record the average watts produced during the 20min test and then
multiply by 0.95 to create your FTP figure.
0-15mins Gradually build intensity from RPE:5 up to RPE:8
15-25mins 2 x (1:30 @ RPE:9 / 1:00 @ RPE:5)
2 x (1:00 @ RPE:9 / 1:30 @ RPE:5)
25-28mins Steady spin @ RPE:6-7
28-48mins 20min FTP Test
48-60mins Gradually reduce intensity and cool down @ RPE:5-6
POWER-BASED TRAINING ZONES
ZONE Description % of FTP RPE
1 Active Recovery <55 <2
2 Endurance 56-75 2-4
3 Tempo 76-90 4-6
4 Lactate Threshold 91-105 6-7
5 VO2 Max 106-120 8-9
6 Anaerobic Capacity 121-150 9
7 Neuromuscular Power N/A 10
November 2019 / / 91
TRAINING
TRAINING PLAN - WEEKS 1 TO 4
MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY
WEEK 1 – OUR WEEKLY PLAN BEGINS ON A TUESDAY, BUT YOU CAN START ON ANY DAY OF THE WEEK
REST DAY BIKE – RP RUN BIKE REST DAY RUN BIKE
4mins Z3/4mins 4 x 800m Anaerobic 4x 4 x [12mins Z2;
Z4/2mins vigorous; Intervals 1.5km 3mins Z3]
Z2/3mins 60secs RI 3 x [2:30mins moderate;
Z3/5mins • Z5/2:30mins 500m
Z4/2mins 800m easy Z2] vigorous;
Z2/2mins recovery • 500m easy
Z3/6mins • 6 x [1min recovery
Z4/2mins Z2/ 4 x 800m Z6/4mins Z2]
3mins Z3/5mins vigorous; • SWIM
Z4/2mins 60secs RI 3 x [2:30mins
Z2/4mins Z5/2:30mins 4 x 400m
Z3/4mins Z2] steady
Z4/2mins Z2
WEEK 2 – DON’T FORGET, RP = RACE PACE, RI = REST INTERVAL
REST DAY BIKE – RP SWIM BIKE REST DAY RUN BIKE
As Tuesday, 150m building Anaerobic 12km steady 4 x [12mins Z2;
Week 1 pace; 3 x Intervals Focus on a 3mins Z3]
200m 3 x [2:30mins sustainable
moderate, Z5/2:30mins pace
20secs RI; Z2]
6 x 100m • SWIM
vigorous; 6 x [1min
20secs RI; Z6/4mins Z2] 1 x 400m
3 x 200m • increase pace;
moderate; 3 x [2:30mins 1 x 800m
20secs RI; Z5/2:30mins steady; 1 x
150m decrease Z2] 400m
pace decrease pace
WEEK 3 – ALWAYS INCLUDE A WARM-UP: 5-8MINS OF GRADUALLY BUILDING INTENSITY FROM EASY TO VIGOROUS
REST DAY BIKE – RP RUN BIKE REST DAY RUN BIKE
As Tuesday, 4 x 800m Anaerobic 5 x [1.2km 4 x [12mins Z2;
Week 1 vigorous; Intervals moderate; 3mins Z3]
45secs RI 3 x [2:30mins 400m
• Z5/2:30mins vigorous;
800m easy Z2] 400m easy
recovery • recovery]
• 6 x [1min
4 x 800m Z6/4mins Z2] SWIM
vigorous; •
45secs RI 3 x [2:30mins 4 x 500m
Z5/2:30mins steady
Z2]
WEEK 4 – ALWAYS INCLUDE A COOL-DOWN: 3-5MINS OF EASY CARDIO FOLLOWED BY STRETCHES
REST DAY BIKE SWIM BIKE REST DAY RUN BIKE
Race Pace 150m building Anaerobic 8km steady 50km steady
Tempo pace; 3 x Intervals Focus on a •
5 x [2mins Z3; 200m 8 x [2mins Z5; sustainable Just ride
4mins Z4; moderate, 3mins Z2] pace Keep the route
2mins Z2] 20secs RI; flat
6 x 100m SWIM
vigorous;
20secs RI; 800m/600m/
3 x 200m 400m/200m
moderate;
20secs RI; All steady pace
150m decrease with 30secs RI
pace
92 / / November 2019
12-WEEK POWER PLAN
TRAINING PLAN - WEEKS 5 TO 8
MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY
WEEK 5 – YOU’LL NEED TO SET NEW TRAINING ZONES BEFORE YOU START, SEE P89
REST DAY BIKE RUN BIKE REST DAY RUN BIKE
Race Pace 5 x 800m Anaerobic 4 x [1.5km 3 x [16mins Z2;
Tempo vigorous; Intervals moderate; 4mins Z3]
2 x [6mins Z4; 60secs RI 3 x [3mins Z5; 500m
2mins Z3; • 2mins Z2] vigorous;
2mins Z2] 800m easy • 500m easy
• recovery 2 x [1min Z6/ recovery]
2 x [8mins Z4; • 3mins Z1/
2mins Z2] 5 x 800m 1:20mins Z6/ SWIM
• vigorous; 2:40mins Z1/
60secs RI 1:40mins Z6/ 4 x 400m
2 x [6mins Z4; steady
2mins Z3; 2:20mins Z1/
2mins Z2] 2mins Z6/
2mins Z1]
WEEK 6 – YOU WILL FIND POWER FUNCTIONALITY ON MOST GYM BIKES
REST DAY BIKE SWIM BIKE REST DAY RUN BIKE
Race Pace 200m building Anaerobic 12km steady Repeat 3 x
Tempo pace Intervals Focus on a 16:00 @ Z2 /
2 x [6mins Z4; • 3 x [3mins Z5; sustainable 4:00 @ Z3
2mins Z3; 8 x 200m 2mins Z2] pace
2mins Z2] vigorous; •
• 30secs RI 2 x [1min Z6/
2 x [8mins Z4; • 3mins Z1/ SWIM
2mins Z2] 200m 1:20mins Z6/ 1 x 400m
• decreasing 2:40mins Z1/ increase pace;
2 x [6mins Z4; pace 1:40mins Z6/ 1 x 800m
2mins Z3; 2:20mins Z1/ steady; 1 x
2mins Z2] 2mins Z6/ 400m
2mins Z1] decrease pace
WEEK 7 – IF YOU HAVE ACCESS TO A POWER METER YOU CAN TAKE YOUR SESSIONS OUTSIDE
REST DAY BIKE RUN BIKE REST DAY RUN BIKE
Race Pace Repeat 5 x Anaerobic 5 x [1.2km 3 x [16mins
Tempo 800m Intervals moderate; Z2/4mins Z3]
2 x [6mins Z4; vigorous – 3 x [3mins Z5; 400m
2mins Z3; 45sec RI 2mins Z2] vigorous;
2mins Z2] • • 400m easy
• 800m easy 2 x [1min Z6/ recovery]
2 x [8mins Z4; recovery 3mins Z1/
2mins Z2] • 1:20mins Z6/ SWIM
• Repeat 5 x 2:40mins Z1/
1:40mins Z6/ 4 x 500m
2 x [6mins Z4; 800m steady
2mins Z3; vigorous – 2:20mins Z1/
2mins Z2] 45sec RI 2mins Z6/
2mins Z1]
WEEK 8 – IT TAKES TIME TO MOVE ACROSS TO WORKING WITH POWER, SO STARTING IN THE OFF-SEASON IS IDEAL
REST DAY BIKE SWIM BIKE REST DAY RUN BIKE
Race Pace 200m building Anaerobic 8km steady 50km steady
Tempo pace Intervals Focus on a Just ride
5 x [2mins Z3; • 8 x [2mins Z5; sustainable Keep the route
4mins Z4; 8 x 200m 3mins Z2] pace flat
2mins Z2] vigorous;
30secs RI SWIM
•
200m 800m/600m/
decreasing 400m/200m
pace All steady pace
with 30secs RI
November 2019 / / 93
TRAINING
TRAINING PLAN - WEEKS 9 TO 12
MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY
WEEK 9 – ENJOYING TRAINING WITH POWER? FIND OUT MORE HERE: BIT.LY/2KHDZPV
REST DAY BIKE RUN BIKE REST DAY RUN BIKE
Race Pace 5 x 800m Anaerobic 4 x [1.5km 2 x [25mins Z2;
Tempo vigorous; Intervals moderate; 5mins Z3]
3 x [3mins Z3; 45secs RI 5 x [3mins Z5; 500m
10mins Z4 • 2mins Z2] vigorous;
@85-95rpm; 400m easy • 500m easy
2mins Z5; recovery 5mins Z3 recovery]
5mins Z2] • •
5 x 800m 10 x [1min Z6; SWIM
vigorous; 2mins Z1] 4 x 400m
45secs RI steady
WEEK 10 – REMEMBER, A POWER METER WILL TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT YOU’VE ACHIEVED IN THE SESSION
REST DAY BIKE SWIM BIKE REST DAY RUN BIKE
Race Pace 200m building Anaerobic 12km steady 2 x [25mins Z2;
Tempo pace Intervals Focus on a 5mins Z3]
3 x [3mins Z3; • 5 x [3mins Z5; sustainable
10mins Z4 16 x 100m 2mins Z2] pace
@85-95rpm; vigorous; •
2mins Z5; 20secs RI 5mins Z3 SWIM
5mins Z2] • • 1 x 400m
200m 10 x [1min Z6; increase pace;
decreasing 2mins Z1] 1 x 800m
pace steady; 1 x
400m
decrease pace
WEEK 11 – WHILE NOT AN IN-DEPTH GUIDE TO POWER TRAINING, THIS SHOULD’VE BEEN A GREAT INTRO TO A NEW WORLD OF DATA
REST DAY BIKE RUN BIKE REST DAY RUN BIKE
Race Pace 5 x 800m Anaerobic 5 x 1.2km 2 x [25mins Z2;
Tempo vigorous; Intervals moderate; 5mins Z3]
3 x [3mins Z3; 30secs RI 5 x [3mins Z5; 400m
10mins Z4 • 2mins Z2] vigorous;
@85-95rpm; 400m easy • 400m easy
2mins Z5; recovery 5mins Z3 recovery
5mins Z2] • •
5 x 800m 10 x [1min Z6; SWIM
vigorous; 2mins Z1] 4 x 500m
30secs RI steady
WEEK 12 – YOU’VE COMPLETED THE 3-MONTH PLAN, NOW SIGN UP FOR SOME 2020 RACES AND GET READY TO SMASH YOUR PB!
REST DAY BIKE SWIM BIKE REST DAY RUN BIKE
Race Pace 200m building Anaerobic 8km steady 50km steady
Tempo pace Intervals Focus on a •
5 x [2mins Z3; • 8 x [2mins Z5; sustainable Just ride
4mins Z4; 16 x 100m 3mins Z2] pace Keep the route
2mins Z2] vigorous; flat
20sec RI SWIM
• 800m/600m/
200m 400m/200m
decreasing
pace All steady
pace;
30secs RI
94 / / November 2019
