Most of the cycling season is behind you - an ideal time to put your training programme to the test: How much fun did you have during your training blocks? How successful were your competitions?
Before you start analysing your data in depth, you should review the basics of your everyday training routine. Which of the Ten most common training mistakes are causing you problems?
The 10 most common training mistakes
1. too little rest
Regeneration after hard exercise is essential for the body to gain strength. This is because performance only increases during a break. Frequent cyclists often improve when they train less and recover better, because they can then train better and harder the next time. Recovery is important in the weekly cycle, but also in longer periods. What is the rest day during the week is a relaxed month at the end of the season to catch your breath and recharge your batteries.
2. too irregular
Continuity is a very important factor in endurance training. Once you have recovered, the next exercise stimulus should follow. If this does not materialise, it is unlikely that your form will continue to improve - a training mistake. To improve in the long term, you have to train steadily. Isolated strength training sessions can provide peak stimuli, but are no substitute for continuous build-up through regular training.
3. too many competitions
You can't be in top form all the time. Too many competitions harbour the risk of burning out and not being able to recover sufficiently between the stresses and strains. For frequent competitions, you need a very solid foundation, i.e. a long-term, steady build-up. Alternatively, you can prepare specifically for one or two main competitions and only use other competitions in your preparation to sharpen your form. This method allows you to dose the load better than if you compete in two races every weekend.
4. impatience
Building up form takes time, form only develops steadily at the beginning. If you are better, your performance tends to improve in waves and takes five to six weeks to change noticeably. It takes patience to reap the rewards of training. If you test yourself on every ride and always push yourself to the limit, you will not reach top form and will make a training mistake. Patience is particularly important after increased exertion such as training camps. Give yourself time to digest the training stimulus.
5. too monotonous
Always doing the same laps at the same pace bores your mind and body and provides no training stimulus. Vary the distance and pace to achieve new adaptations. Build up continuously, for example by regularly increasing the distances, lengthening tempo intervals, etc.
6. too little sleep
Don't sacrifice sleep to be able to train for longer. The repair processes that turn tired muscles into strong legs take place during sleep.
7. training in case of illness
Illness is stress for your body. Don't add to it by training while ill. This is a fatal training mistake. If you are ill, you should use all your resources to get better as quickly as possible. This is the best thing you can do for your form.
8. not specific enough
Competition-specific stimuli help when preparing for an event. Always training at 30 km/h and wanting to ride at 45 km/h in competition does not work and if it does, then only with great pain. Anticipate the stresses and strains of the competition. Not necessarily over the full distance, but at least in small bites. The closer the competition gets, the more specific the training should be. Ideally, the pieces of the training puzzle will then come together on race day to form a complete work of art.
9. underestimated everyday stress
It's not just training that tires you out. So do everyday tasks. Keep an eye on your overall workload and reduce the intensity of your training if the stress factors outside of sport are high. Use sport in such a way that you can draw new strength from it.
10. orientation towards others
Every athlete is different. There are tried and tested recipes such as the sequence of exertion and recovery. But everyone has to find the right balance for themselves. Don't squint at the heart rate of your fellow athletes. That would be a training mistake. Better: develop your body awareness. What is good for you, what is not? Pursue your individual strategy and sharpen your senses for your body.
