Masters 40+ Cross Country Mountain Bike Build, Peak and Race Training Plan

this is by Lynda Wallenfels

Consistency – Strength – Skills – Intensity - Recovery
This plan is designed specifically for the Masters athlete. A 20 year old athlete has different natural abilities and training requirements than a 40 year old athlete and will thrive on a different training plan. The most obvious change with age is a slowdown in recovery. With age there is less time and room to absorb training mistakes. A Masters athlete excels on a targeted and specific plan. This LW Coaching Masters XC Build, Peak and Race training plan works on a three week training cycle, two training weeks then one recovery week, to match fitness development and recovery cycle of the Master athlete.
Athletes “age” at different rates. This Masters 40+ plan might be appropriate for a 30 year old with natural slow recovery.
This plan is designed to progress to after completing the 12 week LW Coaching Masters 40+ Cross Country Mountain Bike Base Training Plan.
Consistency: This the most important factor for a Masters athlete. “Use it or lose it” is a big element in continued performance with age. The more frequent recovery weeks in this plan promote increased consistency by keeping the athlete below the overtraining, injury and burnout threshold.
12 week strength maintenance program: This Masters build, peak and race training plan contains a 12 week strength maintenance program to maintain muscular strength and bone density established during base training. Muscular strength increases resilience to injury, contributes to consistency and keeps you in the game as you age.
Weekly technical ride skills practice: Weekly skills practice is in this plan. Use it or lose it definitely applies to technical mountain bike ride skills for Masters racing at cross country speeds. This build, peak and race plan focuses on technical riding skills at XC race pace. Stay smooth and fast when heart rate is pegged.
Weekly intensity sessions: This build, peak and race plan contains weekly on the bike intensity sessions to build speed and power on top of base training fitness. XC race pace and XC race start practice, VO2max intervals and threshold sessions prepare the Masters athlete to peak their XC race performance in plan week #12.
This plan is paced by Power (watts), heart rate and perceived exertion. A heart rate monitor is recommended to follow this training plan. A power meter is an optional (and highly advantageous) extra. A power meter is not required to successfully follow this training plan. Most cycling workouts in this plan contain both power and heart rate pacing instructions. In week one you will set heart rate zones, power training levels (if you have power available) and a performance benchmark with a field test. This test is repeated in weeks 6 to track performance improvements, power increases and check your heart rate zones are accurate.
Visit the LW Coaching website http://lwcoaching.com/ to ask training plan questions on our forum, read mountain bike specific training articles, learn new workouts and see what events our coaches and athletes have been racing.

Sample Workouts:

Workout #1: Strength

Planned Time: 0:45:00
Focus: Maintenance of strength established in Base training plan. Warm up with 5 minutes of cardiovascular exercise. Then do 2 sets of maintenance weight lifting; squat, power clean, bench press, cable row. First set is light (12 reps with 15RM load). Second set is heavy (3-6 reps with 6RM load). 1-2 min rest between sets. Lift with good technique and at a comfortable speed. Do the exercises in this order: 2 sets of squats, 20 x crunches, 20 x oblique crunches, 2 sets of power clean, 20 x back extensions, 2 sets of bench press, 2 sets of cable row. Then for 10 mins do core work or strengthen a personal weakness or complete personal rehab exercises. Finish with 5 minutes of stretching. NOTES: Power clean demo video here http://www.coreperformance.com/knowledge/movements/power-clean.html Crunches and back extensions are with body weight only.

Workout #2: Other

Welcome to week #1 of the LW Coaching Masters Cross Country Build Peak and Race Training Plan. Please take a minute to register at the LW Coaching Forum.: http://www.lwcoaching.com/?page_id=311 Here you can get training plan and racing questions answered.

Workout #3: Bike

Planned Time: 1:30:00
Heart rate, Power and Performance Field Test. If you are continuing on from the LW Coaching Masters Base Training Plan then you did this test last week. There is no need to repeat it this week. Instead do the below workout - do not do the test and the workout today, choose one! If you are new to LWCoaching training plans, do the test today to set your heart rate training zones, power levels and performance benchmark. Do a long deep warm up prior to the test. Then time trial 20 minutes on a flat out-back course or up a continuous gradual climb. Pace the 20 minutes evenly with a maximal effort. Record average power, average heart rate and distance covered in the 20 minutes. Finish ride time with a long easy cool down. Use the LW Coaching Heart Rate Zone and Power Training Level Calculator at this link to calculate your training zones/levels: http://lwcoaching.com/trainingplans/levelCalcs.htm . Prior to conducting this test review the Testing Guidelines doc found at this link: http://lwcoaching.com/?p=138

Workout #4: Bike

Planned Time: 1:30:00
Miss out this session if you do the 20 min test today. Warm up well then do 3 x 12 minutes at power Level 4 or in heart rate zone 4 with 3 minute recoveries in heart rate Z1 or power L1 between intervals. Finish the ride in heart rate Z1 or Power L1. Record power and heart rates for post workout analysis and comparison with future workouts. Immediately on ending this ride replenish your muscle glycogen stores with a recovery drink containing both carbohydrate and protein such as Ultragen, Recoverite or Endurox or eat real food. Fast recovery after today's session is crucial to be able to put out a quality session tomorrow. Read this Recovery Strategies Doc: http://lwcoaching.com/?p=137 today and use every recovery method available to you.

Workout #5: Strength

Planned Time: 0:45:00
Focus: Maintenance of strength established in Base training plan. Warm up with 5 minutes of cardiovascular exercise. Then do 2 sets of maintenance weight lifting for deadlift, push press barbell and dumbbell snatch. First set is light (12 reps with 15RM load). Second set is heavy (3-6 reps with 6RM load). 1-2 min rest between sets. Lift with good technique and at a comfortable speed. Do the exercises in this order: 2 sets deadlift, 60 second plank, 2 sets push press barbell, 10 x each leg box blast, 2 sets 20 x each side dumbbell 1-arm snatch, 10 x each side 1-leg glute bridge. Then for 10 mins do core work or strengthen a personal weakness or complete personal rehab exercises. Finish with 5 minutes of stretching. NOTES: Plank, box blasts, glute bridge are body weight only. Pushpress barbell (demo video here http://www.coreperformance.com/knowledge/movements/push-press-barbell.html), glute bridge 1-leg (http://www.coreperformance.com/knowledge/movements/glute-bridge-one-leg.html), box blast (demo video here http://www.coreperformance.com/knowledge/movements/box-blast-continuous.html), dumbbell 1 arm snatch (see demo video here http://www.coreperformance.com/knowledge/movements/snatch-1-arm-dumbbell.html).

Weight Loss and Mountain Bike Base Training Plan

this is by Lynda Wallenfels

This plan is for the cyclist who wants to achieve the double goal of losing weight and building an aerobic base. Once this plan is completed the athlete will be in a perfect position to kick off their best ever race season. Each day has a daily diet goal to check off, a specific training ride and on some days weight loss focused cross training. A little running is in the plan to boost metabolism and hot yoga or Bikram yoga is in the plan to burn off calories.
The bike training part of the plan focuses on building aerobic base with big calorie burning steady continuous type workouts. This plan does not have high intensity sessions due to the weight loss and aerobic base focus.
The goal for this plan is to lose 12lbs in 12 weeks and be ready to take on your best race season ever.
Visit the LW Coaching website http://lwcoaching.com/ to ask training plan questions on our forum, read mountain bike specific training articles, learn new workouts and see what events our coaches and athletes have been racing.

Sample Workouts:

Workout #1: Other

Welcome to the LW Coaching Base Training and Weight Loss Plan. Please take a minute to register at the LW Coaching Forum.: http://www.lwcoaching.com/?page_id=311 Here you can get training plan and racing questions answered. Diet Plan: Purchase the book The Paleo Diet: http://www.thepaleodiet.com/paleo_books/paleodiet.shtml by Dr Loren Cordain. Ingest and implement the contents. The basics of The Paleo diet are fruits, vegetables, lean meats, fish, seafood, eggs and nuts. Follow a strict Paleo diet for the next 12 weeks, except for where noted in your daily log workout schedules. Dietary Analyses. It is tough to know what changes you need to make until you know exactly what you are getting through your current diet. Register at <a href= "http://www.fitday.com/WebFit/Login.html">FitDay Diet Journal.</a> Enter your statistics in the user profile. Then under the Weight tab enter current body weight and weight loss goals. Under the Activities tab read your total calories burned today divided up by Basal metabolism, lifestyle and activities. Does this jive with your daily intake?

Workout #2: Bike

Planned Time: 1:00:00
DAY #1: Ride for one hour at a moderate pace. Read through this Training Intensity Guidelines Doc: http://lwcoaching.com/?p=132. To learn what easy, moderate, moderate-fast and fast riding should feel like. You will test for heart rate training zones and power training levels (optional for those athletes with the advantage of a power meter) on Saturday.

Workout #3: Strength

Planned Time: 0:34:59
DAY #2: Ideally do this session first thing in the morning and do the ride later in the day. Running early in the morning will boost your metabolism for the day. Warm up with five minutes of running at an easy pace. Do not run longer if this is your first run in a long time. If you are a regular runner you can add another 5 minutes of running if you have the time to get everything else done today. Make sure you are wearing good running shoes. If you don't have good running shoes go to a running store and buy a pair. You will be running more as this plan progresses. Running is the top activity to stimulate weight loss. After the 5 minute run do 30 minutes of a variety of exercises for your hip, abdominal and lower back muscles. Examples are bridging, pillar exercises, crunches, back extensions, Pilates. Follow this link for exercise suggestions: Core Training for Mountain Bikers: http://lwcoaching.com/?p=210

Workout #4: Bike

Planned Time: 1:00:00
DAY #2: Warm-up well. Then ride 30 minutes non-stop at a moderate intensity or heart rate zone 2-3 zone or power level 3 on a mostly flat course. 90 - 100 rpm. Easy spin cool down.

Workout #5: Custom

DAY # 2: Peform a self Dietary Analyses. Start a three day food and activity journal today at <a href= "http://www.fitday.com/WebFit/Login.html">FitDay Diet Journal.</a> Under the food tab log everything you eat and drink. Under the Activities tab log every calorie burned with exercise.

Core Strength for Mountain Bikers

Power in cycling comes from the legs but cannot be transmitted into the pedals unless there is a strong core platform to push off. If the center of your body turns into a noodle after thirty minutes of riding, power and endurance carefully developed in your arms and legs cannot be used. Efficiency is a big part of being fast when mountain biking. A strong core and upper body is needed to drive your bike through technical terrain without losing momentum. Endurance mountain biker racers need a huge reservoir of core and upper body strength to maintain control of the bike for 12-24 hours of off-road pounding.
Core strength means hips, butt, lower back and abdomen. It means flexing and extending the trunk as in back extensions and crunches. It also means stabilizing against a force such as gravity in exercises such as bridging. Integration exercises that work the abdominal, back, hip and butt muscles all at the same time are the best core strengthening exercises.

Tips for core strengthening exercises
Contract your abdominal muscles throughout all exercises. Think of keeping your belly button pressed into your spine. This keeps you muscles close to your spinal column and provides spinal support.
2.        During exercises when both feet are up off the floor, keep your belly button pressed into your spine and your spine pressed into the floor to support your lumbar spine.
3.        During exercises when both feet are on the floor, keep your hips and spine in a neutral position.
4.        Move fluidly without and throwing and jerking motions.
5.        Breathe slowly and smoothly throughout exercises.
6.        Add lots of variety into your core training routine.
7.        Target your whole core by alternating abdominal, back and side exercises. Use both mobility and stability exercises.

As with all new exercises, start slowly and avoid any movement that causes pain.  If you are not confident with your technique, seek the services of a certified personal trainer.

Pillar Ball Twist
Get in the push-up position with your feet flat (shoelaces to ball) on top of a stability ball. Place your hands the same width apart they are on the handlebars. Keep your body rigid with legs and feet squeezed together. Rotate your torso to the left turning your belly button to face the wall while rolling onto the side of your left foot. Hold in place for a second and then rotate your feet back to the shoelaces on the ball position with your belly button pointing at floor. Hold for a second and then repeat rotation to the right side. Any butt swinging or bending at the hips or knees is cheating. Make your shoulders and torso do the work. This is a killer exercise for mountain bikers. Ten reps to each side should be tough.

Pull-Ups
Do your pull ups palms facing away from the body (like you are holding your handlebars).

Push-Ups
Face down, body held rigid in plank position, lower chest to floor and raise up. If you need to, start out building push-up strength on your knees and work up to toes.

Psoas Crunch
Kneel on all fours with one end of an elastic exercise-band (swim cords work great here) tied to your right ankle and the other end to an attachment point beyond your feet. Extend your left arm and right leg out and then crunch them in bringing your right elbow towards your left knee. Round your back, exhale and pull your belly button hard up to your spine as you crunch in, hold for two seconds and repeat.

Glute Bridge
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Extend one leg and then raise your hips up using the strength of the opposite hip only. Hold for 10 seconds and lower. Repeat 10 times on each side. Keep the hips level and in line with your torso. Weakness will show up by one hip jutting out to the side or dipping lower than the other.

Crunches
Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat on floor. Lift head and shoulders off the floor and then lower. Keep your neck in neutral and don’t pull on your head. Vary tempo. Increase intensity by lifting feet off the floor.

Oblique Crunches
Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat on floor. As you lift your head and shoulders, rotate your torso to the side bringing the opposite knee and hip towards each other. Then lower. Keep your neck in neutral and don’t pull on your head. Alternate sides. Vary tempo.

Side Lifts
Lie on your side, legs straight, arms relaxed. Lift shoulders and legs at same time then lower. Vary tempo.

Superman’s
Lie on the floor face down with your arms extended overhead. Using your core lift your arms, shoulders and legs off the floor and fly like Superman then lower. Vary tempo.

Reverse Crunch
Lie on back, press lower back into floor, lift legs with a 90 degree bend at the hips and knees. Curl tailbone off the floor using lower abs then lower while maintaining the 90 degree bend at hips and knees.

Standing Trunk Twist
Hold a stick on your shoulders behind head (not on your neck). Twist torso to one side then the other like a periscope. Keep hips facing forward. No rotation in legs and knees.

Hanging Knee Raise
Hang from pull up bar or dip station. Contract core muscles. Lift knees as high as you can without throwing them. Control the motion while you raise and lower. Vary tempo.

Seated Knee Raise
Sit at the very end of a bench. Lean back slightly. Round your lower back slightly. Lift both feet two inches off floor. Pull one knee towards your chest then extend back to start. Alternate legs. Keep your core contracted and do not let your back arch.

Dumbbell Side Bend
Stand with a dumbbell in your right hand. Lower dumbbell down thigh as far as you can without leaning forward or back. Return to upright.

Roll-Ups
Lie on your back with your legs straight and arms extended overhead. Exhale as you begin to roll up. Lift your arms, then head, then shoulders. Continue to roll up articulating your spine one vertebrae at a time up and forward. Inhale as you stretch forward keeping your belly button pressed to your spine. Exhale and roll back down slowly with control, exhaling throughout the whole movement. Stretch tall, inhale. Exhale and roll back up. Think of curling yourself forward, stretching then slowly uncurling back down to the mat. Move with a smooth fluid motion at a constant speed. Avoid throwing your body up, or allowing it to flop down. Keep your heels on the floor at all times.

Roll-Over
Lie on your back with your arms by your sides and legs held up towards the ceiling. Inhale to prepare. Exhale slowly, contract your lower abs and peel your spine off the mat one vertebra at a time from your tailbone. Inhale when you have lifted as far as you can. Exhale as you lower to the starting position with your legs straight up towards the ceiling. Control the movement avoiding any throwing or jerking. Move fluidly. Do not roll onto the back of the neck, balance on the shoulders instead. Make sure you are lifting from the back of your hips and not simply allowing the weight of your legs to pull you over. Move with your exhale. Only curl your pelvis up as much as your muscle strength will allow.

Roman Chair Back Extensions
If you have access to a Roman chair, back extensions are great to build strength. Bend all the way forward and when you lift up, do so only to a neutral spine position. Avoid hyper extending (bending back too much) your spine. Start with 3 X 10 and build up to 3 X 20. I don’t like adding weight to this exercise but prefer adding various rotation movements. As you lift turn your shoulders to the side or try figure of eight rotations with your shoulders.

Swimming
Lie on stomach, completely outstretched. Reach your fingertips for the wall on front of you. Hold your head in a neutral spin position (don’t look up). Pull your belly button up in to your spine to activate your transverse abdominis muscle and then bring right arm and left leg up while simultaneously lifting chest off the mat. Switch arms and legs while holding chest up and transverse abdominis muscle tight (just keep your belly button pulled into your spine to do this). Continue beating arms and legs up and down in opposition while holding core strong and stable. Imagine you are balancing on a rock in the water and need to keep the movements controlled so you don’t slip off. Complete 20 beats slowly, 20 beats quickly and another 20 beats slowly with no rest.

Breaststroke
Lie on your front with your arms stretched out overhead. Pull your abdominal muscles in towards your spine and keep them locked in throughout the whole exercise. Lift your arms two inches off the ground then arc them around to your sides in a breaststroke fashion while lifting your chest and chin. Hold here for a few seconds, then dive your head down and your arms forward again in a breaststroke fashion back to the start. Breathe as if in water. Inhale as you lift and stroke back and exhale as you dive forward.

Heel-Beats
Lie on your front with your arms stretched out overhead. Pull your abdominal muscles in towards your spine and keep them locked in throughout the whole exercise. Straighten your arms and legs and keep them straight throughout the whole exercise. Raise your arms and legs two inches off the floor. Clap your heels 20 times. Rest, stretch and repeat 4 -5 times.

Crawl
Lie on your front with your arms stretched out overhead. Pull your abdominal muscles in towards your spine and keep them locked in throughout the whole exercise. Raise your arms and legs two inches off the floor. Hold your left arm and both legs still. Drop only the fingertips of your right hand to the floor and lightly drag them along the floor towards your right shoulder. Raise your elbow up as high as you can towards the ceiling as your arm comes in. Continue dragging your fingertips along the floor and graze your thumb along your side until your arm is straight. Pause here and feel the opposition stretch with your left arm reaching forward and your right arm stretching back. Reverse the finger drag making sure to keep your elbow high. Repeat with left arm. Exhale as you stroke back and inhale as you stroke forward. To reduce the intensity keep your legs on the floor.

Front Pillar or Front Plank
Hold a push-up position for 30 – 60 seconds. Keep head in line with spine and don’t sag or bend.

Side Pillar or Side Plank
Balance on your left side supporting yourself with your left hand and both feet. Left arm is straight without a locked elbow. Right foot is stacked on top of left foot. Legs are straight. Keep hips pushed forward and don’t sag or bend. A straight line is formed from feet to neck. Hold for 30 – 60 seconds then switch sides. Only the side edge of your bottom foot and your left hand should be in contact with the floor.

Ball Pikes
Start in push-up position with legs together and shins resting on top of a physioball. Slowly raise hips up to the ceiling rolling the ball towards your shoulders then lower back to start position. Repeat ten times. Legs remain straight and together throughout the movement.

Handwalk
Stand with your legs straight and hands on the floor in front of your feet. Keeping  your legs straight, walk your hands forward until they are in front of your head. Your body should be in an extended push up position. Then, keeping your arms and legs straight, use little steps to walk your feet forward up to your hands.

Burpee
Start standing with hands at sides. Bend forward at the waist and place hands on the ground in front of feet. Jump both feet back at the same time into the plank (or push-up position). Your body should now be straight and tight in a flat plank. Jump both feet forward landing behind hands. You should now be in a low squat position. Explosively jump up as high as you can.

Training for single speed and geared MTB racing

Question: How can you juggle the different training demands between mountain bike single-speed cross country racing and geared ultra-endurance racing? I want to be successful at both disciplines.

Answer: Training and racing shorter distances on a single-speed bike is first class preparation and training for ultra-endurance racing on a geared bike. Racing single-speed will strengthen your muscles and increase top end aerobic power. In your weekly training schedule plan your recovery rides and endurance rides on gears and your technical skills and shorter rides single-speed.
A great way to time your race season is to focus early season on single-speed cross country racing and schedule your higher priority ultra-endurance geared events later in the season. As the longer races approach on the calendar, taper down the amount of time spent on your single-speed and increase the amount of time on gears.
A great mid-season combo is to race a short track mid-week series event at max effort on your single-speed and do a longer race or training ride on the weekend with gears.
Cross country and short track single-speed racing exerts high forces on muscles and creates micro tears in muscle fibers. Schedule your final high effort single-speed ride 10-12 days out from your *A* priority ultra-endurance geared race to have strong muscles at full power on race day.

Testing Guidelines for Heart Rate Zones, Power Training Levels and Performance Benchmarks

There are two reasons to conduct cycling performance field tests:

1. To set a performance benchmark  After future tests you can compare performance benchmark data to check you are improving or see if you are not improving and need to make changes to your training plan. Keeping tabs on performance benchmarks gives a good reality check. Maximum distance ridden or average power output over a specific duration is standard.
2. To set training zones to follow during workouts  Average heart rate from a 20 minute time trial is used to estimate lactate threshold heart rate and set heart rate training zones. Power training levels are set with average power output from a 20 minute time trial.

Conduct accurate tests!

To test accurately you must limit as many variables as possible. Follow these testing guidelines each time you test:

• Arrive at the test in a rested state, ready to ride fast.
• Arrive at the test adequately fueled, hydrated and ready to ride fast. During the last 45 minutes before you test, drink a sports drink to boost energy levels along with aiding in hydration.
• Use the exact same course every time you test. A 10 minute out, then 10 minute back course or continual gradual climb is optimal. No traffic stops is an essential. A road course is the best idea as it is difficult to control trail conditions from month to month off-road. Put slicks on your mountain bike to test on the road or use a road bike if you have one.
• Test under the same conditions. A calm day is optimal.
• Always conduct the same warm-up routine before every field test of at least 30 minutes warming up with at least one effort near lactate threshold.
• Select a gear that allows you to maintain a cadence between 95 and 100 rpm. Avoid the impulse to mash a big gear at slow rpm – the greater resistance will build more leg-burning lactic acid. The secret is to use the gearing that is most efficient for your personal riding style. Most athletes will respond better to using a slightly lighter gear than what you are accustomed to. Settle into your pace and avoid any power surges or accelerations. Pace at the maximum effort you can sustain at an even pace for 20 minutes – don’t blow up halfway!

Data to record

• Distance covered in 20 minutes. This is your key performance benchmark number.
• Average heart rate from the  20 minutes. This is used to estimate lactate threshold heart rate and to calculate your heart rate training zones using the Heart Rate zone calculator.
• Average power from the 20 minutes, used to calculate Functional Threshold power and set power training levels.
• Perceived exertion (scale of 1-10) at the end of the test.
• Weather conditions.
• How you felt on test day.
• Any other information relevant to the test outcome.

Calculate Heart Rate Training Zones

• Use this training level and heart rate zone calculator.  Enter your average HR from the 20 minute time trial to calculate your heart rate training zones.

Calculate Power Training Levels

• Use this training level and heart rate zone calculator.  Enter your average watts from the 20 minute time trial to calculate your power training levels.

By Lynda Wallenfels Google+