Chapter Two : Different Types of Training

By understanding how the different forms of training work out for cyclists and actually how can it benefit us will be a one big thing to learn because it shall enable you in determining the correct training intensity for the different types of training.

I'll start things with the basics ...

1) Recovery Training : This is carried out inorder for athletes to recover from preceding training sessions. The intensity is very low, and the training volume is limited too. Such training sessions has a favourable training impact on removing the waste products in the muscles. Every cyclist tends to underestimate the importance of this training as the eventual training impact can only be realised during the recovery period. Each recovery training session never lasts longer than 30 to 90 minutes and STILL there are cyclists training at low intensity for 2 to 3 hours which will caused the body unable to obtain complete recuperation. In bad weathers, it will be recommended to train on rollers or gym.

2) Aerobic Endurance Training : Perfect means of reaching your aerobic endurance capacity is aerobic endurance training as this training is the most important physical characteristic that a cyclist should develop because it builds up the base for all other intensive training types. In this training, the oxygen burns two large energy reserves in the human body, "fatty acids and carbohydrates" . Difference between energy which is provided by oxidation of carbohydrates and fatty acids is important because fat store is much larger than carbohydrate store but more oxygen to obtain the same amount of energy from oxidation of fatty acids than from carbohydrates. Hence, during a very intense effort the carbohydrate store will be first addressed.

Simple to say... Human body taps on Carbohydrates first for energy and when the supply is enhausted after approximately 90 minutes of intense efforts, it switches to oxidation of fatty acids for energy. The moment of switching is known as "the wall" . Normally the aerobic endurance capacity will be tested on athletes through VO2 Max Test as how many liters of oxygen they can consumed per minute.

3) Threshold Training : This refers to training sessions being carried at threshold, using repetitions of about 5 to 15 minutes. These are intensive training sessions which especially have a favourable influence on oxidation of carbohydrates as energy source in the body. You should distinguish threshold training on flat track from threshold training uphill. On flat track, the intensity is just below and on the threshold. On inclined track the training heart rate will be higher (therefore above threshold) because more muscle groups are cooperately active in making the effort together when cycling uphill. Upon reaching serious fatigue, rest must be done inorder not to hit the wall and breakdown.

4) Submaximal Interval Training : In this training, the load is systematically varied with (active) recuperation. Intensity is above threshold but remains submaximal. Duration of the strain amounts to 30seconds to 5 minutes, the number of repetitions is rather high and the recovering time between the efforts is short.

Basically these are the four simple types of training we must understand and of course there are much more types of training. Hope these are fruitful informations for you all to read on. Cherious!

See you guys again ...