Prep +
Fast Fit Strong
CyclingMany cyclists struggle to maximise their potential during pre-season training because they don't have a structured plan or focus on the right areas. This can result in a lack of direction, wasted time and suboptimal progress. You might find yourself doing random workouts without a clear purpose or not seeing the improvements you want.
By following a specific plan that prioritises high-quality strength-training, you will make significant progress in the pre-season that will translate to improved cycling performances during the competitive season. My Preseason Prep plan provides a roadmap for your training that ensures you're focusing on the right things at the right time.
- On-bike sessions per week: 2-3.
- Off-bike sessions per week: 2-4 mainly including strength work, but there are also mobility and high-performance recovery training sessions throughout the phase.
- Typical time of year: Preseason. I recommend starting this around 6-8 weeks after the end of your previous season.
- Level of rider: Any.
- Level of gym: Beginner/Intermediate. Some strength training experience would be helpful.
Massage Therapy
A
👉 OPTION 1 - Professional Therapist. If possible, use a professional therapist to give you a full-body relaxing massage. 👉 OPTION 2 - Self Massage. Give yourself a gentle massage using a foam roller, massage stick, massage ball, etc.
Water Immersion
B
👉 OPTION 1 - Pool ◼️ 5-mins floating (as deep as possible) ◼️ 5-mins choice swimming (low to moderate intensity) Repeat x 2 👉 OPTION 2 - Home bath ◼️ 20-mins immersion in warm water (as deep as possible)
Contrast Bathing
C
👉 Alternate between 2-3-mins hot and 1-min cold for 2-4 repeats. 👉 The larger the temperature difference, the better. 👉 Whole-body immersion.
Controlled Meditation
D
👉 Many methods but the easiest way is to use a guided meditation app such as: ◼️ Calm ◼️ Headspace
RELEASE
A
🧘♂️ 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
B
🧘♂️ [RAMP] Hinge Mobility Warm-Up #02
👉 Complete the following movements: ◼️ Cat/Cow x 8-10 ◼️ Child's Pose to Cobra x 8-10 ◼️ Plank Ankle Taps x 8-10 ◼️ Wide Stance Hip Hinge x 8-10 ◼️ Kang Squat x 8-10
C1
Swiss-Ball Fall-Out
3 x 8
C2
3-Point Row
@ 80 %
D
Chest-Supported Row
@ 80 %
E1
Side-Plank
3 x 30
E2
Landmine Crossover Squat
@ 80 %
F
Deadlift
@ 80 %
G
Dumbbell Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift
3 x 10 @ 75 %
🧘♂️ RAMP WARM-UP
A
🧘♂️ [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
🚴 WU 20-Min
B
🚴 WU 20-Min
👉 Progressively increase the intensity, culminating in some very intense six-second efforts. ◼️ Use a relatively high gear, but one that allows the use of the same gear throughout. Example: large chainring, halfway up the rear cassette. 👉 Follow this timer: http://intervaltimer.com/timers/10371621 ◼️ 5:00 @ 90rpm ◼️ 2:00 @ 95rpm, 100rpm, 105rpm ◼️ 1:30 @ 110rpm, then 0:30 @ 120-130rpm ◼️ 2:00 @ 90rpm ◼️ (0:06 @ Max rpm (rev out), 2:00 @ 90rpm) x 3 ◼️ 0:42 @ 90rpm
🚴 Tempo Intervals
C
🚴 Tempo Intervals
👉 Follow this timer: http://intervaltimer.com/timers/11372920 ◼️ 10-min @ HRZ-3 ◼️ 5-min Easy Spin ◼️ 10-min @ HRZ-3 ◼️ 5-min Easy Spin ◼️ 10-min @ HRZ-3 ◼️ 10-min Cool Down
🧘♂️ Full Body Foam-Roll
D
🧘♂️ 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
Recovery
A
🧘♂️ [RAMP] Mobility Warm-Up #06
👉 2x (4x Lateral Hip Drops into 2x Kneeling Lat Stretch) 👉 5x Groiner 👉 5x Hip/Ham Stretch 👉 10x Glute Crossover 👉 2x (10x Calf Pump into 5x Spiderman Twist)
Recovery
B
💪 McGill Big 3
👉 McGill Big 3 ◼️ 4x McGill Curl Up with 10s pause ◼️ 30s x Side-Plank ◼️ 4x Bird-Dog with 10s pause Repeat x 3 circuits
Recovery
C
💪 Shoulder/Posture Circuit #01
👉 Shoulder/Posture circuit: ◼️ 5x Reverse Pec Deck to Y ➡️ Keep your core & glutes engaged ◼️ 5x Cuban Superman ➡️ Move from your shoulder girdle ◼️ 10x Blackburns ➡️ Maximum ROM Repeat x 3 circuits
Recovery
D
💪 High-Threshold Stimulation #01
👉 Complete the following circuit: ◼️ 3 x Split-Jump (es) ◼️ 3x Press-Up Jump ➡️ Concentric only ◼️ 15m x Farmer's Walk ➡️ Only take small steps to avoid wiggling your hips 👉 Repeat x 3 sets
Cool-Down
E
👉 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 👉 5x Wall breathing
RELEASE
A
🧘♂️ 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
B
🧘♂️ [RAMP] Squat Mobility Warm-Up #02
👉 Complete the following movements: ◼️ Banded Ankle Mobilisations x 60-90 seconds per side. ◼️ Banded Hip Mobilisation x 60-90 seconds per side. ◼️ Step-Downs x 10-15 reps per side. ◼️ KB Weight Shift x 60-90 seconds per side. ◼️ Spanish Squat x 10-15 reps.
C1
Front Plank
3 x 20
C2
Tall-Kneeling Landmine Press
@ 80 %
D
Bench Press
@ 80 %
E1
Half-Kneeling Pallof Press
3 x 8
E2
Landmine Cossack Squat
@ 80 %
F
Back Squat
@ 80 %
G
RFE Split-Squat
3 x 10 @ 75 %
🧘♂️ 40-MINUTE FULL-BODY MOBILITY
A
👉 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
🧘♂️ Ramp Warm-Up
A
🧘♂️ [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
B
🚴 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.
🚴 Base Endurance Ride - 2hr+
C
🚴 Base Endurance Ride - 2hr+
◼️ For the first hour, simply stick to the HRZ/PZ 1-2 ◼️ During the next hour + add in a 10-second max effort sprint every 10-minutes. ◼️ Cool down for the final 10-minutes by gradually reducing your heart rate.
🧘♂️ Full Body Foam-Roll
D
🧘♂️ 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
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.
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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