Base +

Fast Fit Strong

Cycling

Coach

Scott Pearson

Do you struggle to maintain stamina and endurance during long rides? Have you noticed that you tire easily, even during shorter rides? If so, you may need to work on building a solid foundation for your cycling fitness.

The Base Builder phase is designed to address this common issue by helping you build your aerobic fitness and endurance. By gradually increasing your time on the bike and intensity, you will be able to ride longer and with less fatigue. This phase lays the groundwork for the rest of your training, ensuring that you have a solid foundation to build upon.

On-bike sessions per week: None, although there are 1-2 cross training sessions and an optional Free Ride.
Off-bike sessions per week: 5 mainly including strength work, but there are also mobility and high-performance recovery training sessions throughout the phase.
Typical time of year: Off-Season. I recommend starting this around 2 weeks after the end of your previous season.
Level of rider: Any.
Level of gym: Beginner/Intermediate. Some strength training experience would be helpful.

$28

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Proven results on and off the bike

Whether you're aiming for podiums, or just enjoying your weekend ride, your strength improvements will make you feel better and transfer to better performances on the bike.

Enhanced injury resilience

Reduce your risk of injury and maintain your training consistency with a focused programme that builds mobility, stability and strength.

Greater flexibility & mobility

Move more freely and maintain better posture with exercises that increase mobility and flexibility, allowing you to take on longer, harder rides with ease.

Features

Access to your coaches

Coaches who will hold you accountable and provide the feedback you need to grow

Programming 7 days per week

Seven sessions, blended with cross-training, mobility, recovery-training and regeneration are combined with a sample riding plan.

Increase injury resilience

Lower your risk of injuries, allowing you to train consistently and reach your goals.

Progressively challenging strength sessions

Challenge yourself and make progress with structured and progressive strength sessions specifically designed for this stage of the season.

Improved mobility & flexibility

Move better on and off the bike, improving your overall performance and reducing your risk of injuries.

Sample cycling plan to support off-bike work

Maximise the benefits of your off-bike work with a phase-specific cycling plan to support your goals and progress.

Delivered through TrainHeroic

Get the best out of training with long-term, consistent improvements by tracking your progress in the best training app around.

Equipment

Required

Dumbbells // Bench // Bands

Recommended

Cable Machine // Bar & Discs // Cross-Training Equipment (any)

Sample Week

Week 1 of 4-week program

Sunday

🧘‍♂️ [MOBILITY] 25-MIN FULL-BODY CIRCUIT #01

🧘‍♂️ Warm-Up - 30:10 x 2

👉 Complete the following exercises x 2 rounds - work for 30 seconds with 10 seconds rest between each. ◼️ Lying Hip CARs (change side on the second round) ◼️ Wrist Figure 8. ◼️ Kang Squat

🧘‍♂️ Primary Circuit - 40:10 x 3

👉 Complete the following exercises x 3 rounds - work for 40 seconds with 10 seconds rest between each. ◼️ Book Opener (swap sides after 20 seconds) ◼️ Heel-Sit T-Spine Flexion-Extension ◼️ Downward Dog

🧘‍♂️ Secondary Circuit - 45:15 x 2

👉 Complete the following exercises x 2 rounds - work for 45 seconds with 15 seconds rest between each. ◼️ Prone Blackburns ◼️ Lying Figure 4. ◼️ Spinal Wave into Squat

🧘‍♂️ Finisher - 60:30 x 2

👉 Complete the following exercises x 2 rounds - work for 60 seconds with 30 seconds rest between each. ◼️ Inchworm

🧘‍♂️ Cool-Down - 30:10 x 1

👉 Complete the following exercises x 1 round - work for 30 seconds with 10 seconds rest between each. ◼️ Prone Scorpions ◼️ Child's Pose ◼️ Pancake Stretch

Monday

💪 [STRENGTH] 1.1-A1

RELEASE

🧘‍♂️ Full Body Foam-Roll

👉 Use a foam roller on the following body parts: ◼️ Thoracic Spine (Upper Back) x 15-20 ◼️ Lumbar Spine (Lower Back) x 15-20 ◼️ Glutes x 30s per side ◼️ Calves x 30s per side ◼️ Quads x 30s per side

RAMP WARM-UP

🧘‍♂️ [RAMP] Squat Mobility Warm-Up #01

👉 Complete the following movements: ◼️ Floor Slide x 5 ◼️ Book Opener x 8-10 per side ◼️ Groiner x 8-10 per side ◼️ Spiderman x 5 per side ◼️ Squat Prying

McGill Curl-Up

3 x 4

Half-Kneeling Single-Arm Shoulder Press

@ 75 %

Bench Press

4 x 8 @ 75 %

Half-Kneeling Pallof Hold

3 x 20

Cossack Squat

@ 75 %

Back Squat

4 x 8 @ 75 %

Dumbbell Split-Squat

3 x 12 @ 70 %

Tuesday

🔥 [CARDIO] TEMPO INTERVALS #01

RELEASE

🧘‍♂️ Full Body Foam-Roll

Use a foam roller on the following body parts: 👉 Thoracic Spine (Upper Back) x 15-20 👉 Lumbar Spine (Lower Back) x 15-20 👉 Glutes x 30s per side 👉 Calves x 30s per side 👉 Quads x 30s per side

RAMP WARM-UP

🧘‍♂️ [RAMP] Standing Mobility Warm-Up #01

Perform each of the following movements for approximately 30 seconds each before immediately moving to the next. 👉 Alternating Knee Hugs 👉 Alternating Quad Stretch 👉 Alternating Piriformis Stretch 👉 Standing Leg Swings (each leg) 👉 Reverse Lunge with a Twist 👉 Arm Circles

Conditioning

🔥 Tempo Intervals #01

👉 Work for 12-seconds @ 70% of your max speed/intensity 👉 60-seconds ACTIVE rest (goal = get your heart rate down as low as possible) 👉 Repeat x 5 working through the suggested exercises below. Repeat for 5 sets (total = 29 minutes) 👉 Use this timer: http://intervaltimer.com/timers/10486346 Suggested exercises: ◼️ Walk-out Jump ◼️ Alternate Split-Squat Jump ◼️ Sit Through ◼️ Broad Jump Backpedal ◼️ Ski Chop

Wednesday

🟢 HPRT #1.1

BREATHING

👉 6x Quadruped breathing ➡️ Focus on full exhalation Repeat x 3

RAMP WARM-UP

👉 6-8x KB Pullover with heels on box 👉 8-10x Groiner Repeat x 3

CARDIAC OUTPUT

👉 5-min x Bodyweight Calisthenics ➡️ HR at top of recovery zone for circuit ◼️ Glute Bridge Matrix ◼️ Plank Matrix ◼️ Lunge/Squat Matrix ◼️ Hop & Hold 👉 5-min x Med Ball Throws or Prowler Push 👉 5-min x Jump Rope or Jogging Repeat x 2

HIGH-THRESHOLD STIMULATION

👉 The aim here is to stimulate the higher-threshold motor units with minimal damage to the muscle fibres. 👉 Any muti-joint concentric-only exercise will do, here are some examples, superset the following: ◼️ 3x Barbell Deadlift @ 85% ◼️ 5x Hand Release Press-Ups ➡️ Concentric only if possible Repeat x 2

COOL DOWN

👉 3-5-mins x Aerobic Exercise ➡️ Use any aerobic equipment, such as bike/rower/treadmill ➡️ Gradually reduce HR to the bottom of the recovery zone

FOAM ROLL

🧘‍♂️ Full Body Foam-Roll

👉 Use a foam roller on the following body parts, this should be gentle and stimulating, NOT PAINFUL: ◼️ Thoracic Spine (Upper Back) x 15-20 ◼️ Lumbar Spine (Lower Back) x 15-20 ◼️ Glutees x 30s per side ◼️ Calves x 30s per side ◼️ Quads x 30s per side

Thursday

💪 [STRENGTH] 1.1-B1

RELEASE

🧘‍♂️ Full Body Foam-Roll

RAMP WARM-UP

🧘‍♂️ [RAMP] Hinge Mobility Warm-Up #01

👉 Complete the following movements: ◼️ Blackburns x 10 ◼️ Glute Crossover x 10 ◼️ Lateral Hip Drop into Lat Stretch x 2 ◼️ Hip/Ham Stretch x 8-10 per side ◼️ Back-Roll V-Sit x 8-10

Bird-Dog Legs

3 x 4

Dumbbell Row

@ 75 %

Chest-Supported Row

4 x 8 @ 75 %

Side-Plank

3 x 30

Crossover Squat

@ 75 %

Deadlift

4 x 8 @ 75 %

Single-Leg Hip-Thrust

3 x 12 @ 70 %

Friday

🧘‍♂️ [MOBILITY] FULL-BODY 40-MINUTE

🧘‍♂️ 40-MINUTE FULL-BODY MOBILITY

👉 Belly Breathing x 5 👉 Neck Nods x10 👉 Neck Turns x10 👉 Cat/Cow x10 👉 Heel-Sit T-Spine x10/10 👉 Side-Lying Shoulder Rotation x10/10 👉 Deadbug 👉 Narrow Stance Rocking x10 👉 Wide Stance Rocking x10 👉 Posterior Pelvic Tuck x5/5 👉 90/90 Hip Stretch 👉 90/90 Switch x 10 👉 90/90 Pigeon Stretch x10 👉 Glute Bridge x10 👉 Rocking Calf/Ankle Stretch x 10/10 👉 Half-Kneeling Ankle Stretch x 10/10 👉 Standing Internal/External Rotation x 10 👉 Squat Prying x 2 👉 Reverse Lunge to Overhead Reach x 10/10 👉 Alternate Lateral Lunge x 10 👉 Alternate Cossack Squat x 10 👉 Inchworm, Spiderman Lunge, Hamstring Stretch x10

Saturday

🚴 [ROAD] FREE RIDE

🧘‍♂️ Ramp Warm-Up

🧘‍♂️ [RAMP] Standing Mobility Warm-Up #01

👉 Perform each of the following movements for approximately 30 seconds each before immediately moving to the next. ◼️ Alternating Knee Hugs ◼️ Alternating Quad Stretch ◼️ Alternating Piriformis Stretch ◼️ Standing Leg Swings (each leg) ◼️ Reverse Lunge with a Twist ◼️ Arm Circles

🚴 Road Warm-Up

👉 Spend the first 10-15 min of your ride gradually working through the gears and increasing your cadence. Increase the heart rate gradually to the stated zones. 👉 If the main content of the session requires time in Z3 or 4 then add a couple of 6-second hard efforts to your warm-up.

🚴 Free Ride

Find a fun route on the surface of your choice and go for a 60-100-minute ride. 👉 Don't worry about training zones, just take in the view and enjoy yourself. 👉 If the weather is nasty, feel free to substitute a turbo session (still keep it light and easy!!). Alternatively, repeat one of the other aerobic sessions from this week.

🧘‍♂️ Full Body Foam-Roll

Coach

More from Fast Fit Strong

Scott Pearson

Scott has worked in pro sport since 2003 and is known for his work with British Cycling, coaching Olympians and Paralympians in preparation for the 2016 games in Rio. While working full-time, Scott also commits himself to his professional development, having completed a Masters degree in Strength & Conditioning and becoming a certified strength and conditioning specialist by the UKSCA.

Be the rider you want to be 😎

Proper off-bike training is the key 🔑 to becoming robust, efficient and powerful in the saddle. I look forward to working with you and having us join our community of strong cyclists all over the world. See you on the inside! 🚴💨

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FAQs

Why can't my bike coach just plan my strength training?

I'm a strength & conditioning specialist, who's coached some of the best cyclists in the world to Olympic, World, Continental and National titles across several disciplines. I offer the best cycling-specific strength coaching there is; so if that's what you want, this is the plan for you!

Is this program suitable for beginners?

This program is designed for intermediate and advanced riders who are looking to start their gym training journey. I've listed alternatives for each strength exercise, so you can get the benefits regardless of your experience or the equipment you have access to.

Will this plan help me prevent injuries?

Yes, by incorporating exercises that improve range of motion, stability, and balance, you can reduce your risk of injury and improve overall performance on the bike. Additionally, the progressively challenging sessions build muscular strength and joint health, further reducing the risk of injury.

Do I have to do all the sessions?

I’m realistic enough to understand that life often gets in the way…even pro riders don’t do EVERY session! The key thing is to be as consistent as possible; this maximises the benefits of the program and limits your risk of injury and/or muscle soreness.

Do I need any special equipment for this plan?

Access to a gym with basic strength training equipment would be ideal, but I've listed alternatives for each strength exercise, so you can get the benefits regardless of your experience or the equipment you have access to.

The Proof

Dannielle Khan

U23 National & European Champion 🇬🇧

Verified Athlete

"I had the pleasure of working with Scott during my time as both a sprint and endurance athlete at British Cycling. He transformed my gym work both technically and physically, resulting in numerous personal bests on and off the bike. For me, this was the key thing to why I improved so much."

Francisco J Garza

Amateaur Cyclist 🇲🇽

Verified Athlete

"Has been great to have Scott’s support and guidance to improve my strength, performance and quality of life. Despite being in different countries, we have managed to have a personalized training plan and his knowledge, flexibility and drive have made a big difference in my health improvement."

Helen Scott MBE

Paralympic & 8x World Champion 🇬🇧

Verified Athlete

"Scott helped me prepare for the Paralympic Games in 2016, which resulted in a Gold & Bronze medal. There's no doubt he played a huge part in us being in the best shape of our lives to achieve my dreams. Anyone who works with Scott will achieve their goals and have a great time whilst doing so!"