Cycling Training Tips and Advice

To get the most out of your training there is more to do than simply just turning up to ride. Simple planning before your cycling training can ensure that you gain the optimum benefit from each session. Having a specific strategy that will address what you are aiming to get out of a day on the bike will go along way to your achieving success.

Discipline is everything. All great sports people have discipline, though they may be very different in all other ways. Great sports people do not wonder whether they will get up early during the dead of winter or whether they will just give it all a big miss in humid weather! They have made the decision to train ahead of time, and this attitude should be our model. So decide now that this is what you will do and don't give yourself license to have the internal discussion anymore. What makes good athletes turn into great athletes? In a word, discipline.

Everyone benefits from a little extra motivation to train. This includes cyclists, even serious cyclists who seem totally committed to training regularly. The best way that I have found to combat lapses in commitment is to train as part of a group. I recommend a group of no less than four and no more than six cyclists of a similar fitness level to yourself. If you miss a day, you want to be missed and chased up: this is accountability. We all need to be kept accountable and this will cause you to keep up your regular training regime.

Being part of a small cycling training group offers huge advantages. A bit of healthy competition is helpful in pushing us out of our comfort zones to achieve our personal best. Variety is the spice of life and small groups bring various opinions and experiences which will keep life interesting. Benefit from other's ideas about routes, strategies and techniques. Why not set a time limit to reach a certain destination and pit yourself against the others? This competition can be conducted in a friendly manner which still respects each other and ensures any criticism or advice is both gentle and constructive.

When riding in a group, consider carefully the various abilities within the group. Not everybody will be identical in strength, endurance and mental stamina, but everybody can have a useful ride. Make sure the youngest and fittest members of the group are lead wheel and that you are training in a time trial formation. Then go for it! Weaker riders should stay at the back for longer stretches. Sometimes you can adapt so that the fittest riders reach the top of steep hills first, then turn back and rejoin the rest of you before heading to the top again. This way everyone gets a work out.

It is only natural that there will be differences in the cyclists you train with. Some will be best at climbing, others will be great sprinters and others may do everything consistently well and show great stamina. It is possible to please everybody when training and learn from each other's strengths and weaknesses. For example, go out of your way to encourage hill-haters and spur on the non-sprinters. Change your route sometimes. If you've never organised a loop circuit you don't know how much fun it can be when hill training. It works well for cyclists of differing specialties because fast riders can go hard and re-catch the group, resulting in everyone feeling like they're pushing themselves at their own level. Another way to achieve this is through handicapped sprints, especially useful at the conclusion of your training session.

Fun is really important when training in a group situation. Strengthen relationships within your group by conducting other events with whole families. Partners and children can be brought along to some cycle tracks for a day to remember. Dine out together and discuss training strategies informally. The closer your group becomes, the more accountability you will all feel. It is commonly accepted that athletic performance (like all achievement in life) is enhanced by healthy relationships and strong bonds with others in the team. Isn't it interesting that some of the best personal times are achieved by runners, swimmers and cyclists in relays or team events! Even if you are an individual competitor, your performance will no doubt be enhanced by the proximity and encouragement of your training buddies.

Set yourself up to succeed by ensuring that you have all the physical requirements and advantages before, during and after training. Assess individually what your body requirements are by experimenting with differing quantities of food and liquid intake. Amino Sports Fuel drinks will ensure maximum output of energy as well as replacing vital ingredients such as electrolytes that the body has sucked from you under physical exertion. Use these before and definitely during competition and training. I also cannot stress highly enough the need for a protein shake after cycling. Preferably within 30 minutes after exercise. Protein drinks will significantly assist your muscle recovery, growth and repair. Don't waste your training! Get the most out of your hard work and sacrifice.

Keep safety as a priority. Before a single pedal has turned, quickly discuss the safety issues of the route - transition points, equipment, high traffic areas, weather conditions and clear signals that all the group can understand and react to. Be aware of when others and yourself are becoming fatigued. Let each other know. Accidents invariably occur when riders' reactions and senses are marred due to physical stress and exhaustion. That's why it's good to finish with a predetermined safe stretch home.

Cycle training is not something you should do solo. It is most effective in a group situation and it is most fun when you share it with others. Never set off on a training regime without considering all the factors involved with training and determine to implement them consistently. Your degree of success will be directly linked to your organization, and your level of determination. I say good on you for gathering tips and gleaning advice! It's the perfect way to start on the road to achieving your personal best.

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