Time for a winter training question? (Carmichael tapes)

[Spectrum Bob]

I have not been around the forum much lately so if this has been discussed recently please direct me to the thread.
My wife and I are planning our winter torture so we can to try to be in some kind of shape come spring. We have used different purchased programs in the past that has helped us. We need a change and were considering purchasing the Carmichael Progressive Power 5 disc set? Has anyone had experience with these workouts?
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Bob

[Tandem Rider]

Not to start a war here, but google Chris Carmichael + juniors + doping and decide if that is where you want to send your money.

Plenty of other videos out there.


Mods, Let me know if this is out of line please.

[Spectrum Bob]

Tandem Rider, that is an interesting perspective I never considered. What would be a good alternative to the Carmichael tapes?
Bob

[oldpotatoe]

Tandem Rider, that is an interesting perspective I never considered. What would be a good alternative to the Carmichael tapes?
Bob

Buy some rollers, get some videos like Stars and Watercarriers, Le Course en tete, put on some good music and ride those things.

Since 'shape' is the most important thing, ride...or get a wreck-bike and ride outside.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BcHekNAfOo

[AgilisMerlin]

what potato said.

buy some rollers

and videos abound http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRzomXXsauw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0de_RTkq4U&feature=related

[oldpotatoe]

what potato said.

buy some rollers

and videos abound http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRzomXXsauw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0de_RTkq4U&feature=related

And

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ktTXjSqvJc

Love the wrench with a stencil brush and probably diesel in a pan...

[AgilisMerlin]

look at the shape of those chainstays :banana:

[Tandem Rider]

HR monitor or power meter, trainer or rollers (or both) a good plan based on your goals for next year (remember, BABY steps in the winter). Most "training" videos are too short, you have to go through it 2 or 3 times per workout. When was the last time you did a 30 minute event? Put something on that will last the duration of the workout that you can stand. Watch something you like to watch, good movie, old race videos, last years TDF, suit yourselves. DVD's, Netflix, YouTube, etc. Don't let someone else's $ goals change your riding.


Don't be afraid to mix it up and take advantage of opportunities when they come up. For example, plan is 15 minute intervals @ LT. It's January warm spell, 55deg. outside and windy, go outside and do them into the wind, recover with the wind. Big attitude improvment, same workout. A few miles of short steep hills are short intervals. If you get snow where you live go x-country skiing too (probably the best cross training there is for cycling).

Make it fun
Have fun
Go

[mike p]

Plenty of vid's and Cd's of many types on the bay.

Mike

[Ti Designs]

If a season of just riding doesn't make you any stronger on the bike, what would make you think an off-season of just riding would do anything other than bring burn-out on sooner?

I find that a season of riding leaves me with good fitness but poor strength and even worse technique. Pushing big gears wrecks my leg speed, lack of muscle isolation leaves me without strength or fatigue resistance and my in-season diet doesn't allow me to control my blood sugar as well as I could back in May. It's time to return to base building.

In the winter I break down cycling into it's component parts and work each one harder than I could just by riding. Let speed - you can't come into the season with too much leg speed. Most will argue that nobody really uses anything beyond 110 RPM, I see it as a gauge of economy. If you can sit there at 110 RPMs and your heart rate stays low, anything you put in beyone that creates power at the rear wheel. If on the other hand your heart rate rises just by keeping the pedals turning, there's less left to generate wattage. Strength - I use machines at the gym to isolate large muscle groups within the same range of motion they're used on the bike. Your muscles have a tensile strength limit, go beyond that in you create tears. Your body reads this as fatigue while you ride. A good weight training program with a number of weight increases over time will put that tensile strength limit of the muscle fiber outside of the range of tension you can generate on the bike. Endurance - base mileage on a set feeding schedule. Pedal stroke drills are where I perfect my pedal stroke, base mileage is the endless problem set that makes it all second nature. Base mileage is also where I figure out my feeding schedule and the changes I can make to give me a little extra boost when I need it. Skills - most of my skills are pretty sharp after a full season, but I still do skills practice. Technique work - this is something that starts taking over as the season nears. Climbing out of the saddle is one of those things that's a real struggle at first, I need to devote a couple of weeks in March to just that. Lastly there are combinations like speedwork and weight training. Speedwork will tell you where the weak points are...

Then again, I'm probably the slowest rider here...

[Spectrum Bob]

Thanks all for you responses.
Just a little history since I am not here on the forum so much for the last 6 or 8 years and I only remember a few of you. I do have both rollers and trainers with old bikes on them. I have two set up side by side so my wife and I can suffer together. I am using indoor rock climbing to cross train in the winter and ride out side down into the 20s as long as I am not concerned with ice. We do well with a structured program that we like to start in January. All of the strength and flexibility training is being done with our climbing. What we like about the Carmichael tapes is that it was a series of 16 one hour long workouts we could do twice a week along with every thing else. We are really looking for something a little more structured that just race videos which I truly enjoy watching anyway.
So what else is out there besides Carmichael, Spinervals and Gram Street?
Best,
Bob

[dougf]

Have you looked at the SufferFest videos?
http://www.thesufferfest.com/

[FlashUNC]

I'd go with Sufferfest. I wouldn't give Carmichael a nickel of my money.

[dekindy]

I have a plan for this Winter but will probably try this next year. You can search the forum and find some comments.

http://www.trainerroad.com/

[flydhest]

Have you looked at the SufferFest videos?
http://www.thesufferfest.com/

Bob-a-loueee

This.

Will be fun for you and Beth.

[rustylion]

The Charmichael series - and there are a couple - are definitely part of my winter "go-to" training resources. They are a worthwhile investment.

Watch for online deals - I have seen them discounted by CTS. I also bought some on eBay.

I have not been around the forum much lately so if this has been discussed recently please direct me to the thread.
My wife and I are planning our winter torture so we can to try to be in some kind of shape come spring. We have used different purchased programs in the past that has helped us. We need a change and were considering purchasing the Carmichael Progressive Power 5 disc set? Has anyone had experience with these workouts?
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Bob

[dogdriver]

what would be a good alternative to the carmichael tapes?
Bob

pugsley!!!

[azrider]

Have you looked at the SufferFest videos?
http://www.thesufferfest.com/

big fan of these vid's