Joe Friel training?

[BFIC]

Are there any other Serotta riders here who--like I-- follow Joel Friel's training program (or have thoughts about it)? Comparing notes would be helpful in planning and scheduling workouts.

I promise not to bore the general readership here with training talk; the discussion can move to email.

[Richard]

When I was really serious, I followed it (from his book, not his online system) and found that when I finally deciphered it, it produced very good results.

[dirtdigger88]

I try to follow a program based on his books. I am in the middle of base 2 right now. I only try for two peaks a season, since I do not really race, I just love to get faster.

[CIII_bill]

I am following it this winter. I am doing a combination of weights and riding. It's my first time doing training like this so I don't know what the results are going to be.

I started in Nov. and can tell you that I am much stronger than I was last season.

[SManning]

I also use Joe Friel for my training. The first year I used it, a friend of mine helped me to decipher it and coached me in order to gain experience to open a coaching business. I had phenomenal results from it last year, I took 15 minutes off of my time for my first time trial. (The previous year, I was in Grad school hell as well, which may have contributed to the poor race time as well as poor training techniques.)

Right now I'm finishing up Base 1, so I'll be a late bloomer this year but hopefully I'll have more energy for the end of the season. The Mtn. Bike season in Michigan starts in April and goes until Iceman on the first Saturday in November.
It's amazing to see how much weight I can lift this year in comparison to last year as well as the increase in training time. My friend is coaching me again this year, which really helps me to understand it and it also safeguards against mistakes.

[CIII_bill]

SManning,

It sounds like you are seeing a nice increase in your weight training in your second year of training. A buddy of mine experienced the same thing you are saying about weights in his second year also.

I saw an huge increase in my weight training during the 3 months of this my first year. That would be cool if I saw more even increases next year.

What weight exercises are you doing?

Bill

[cycler48]

I used Friel's method for cyclists over 50 when I was racing. I really liked the program and it definitely worked for me. One thing I noticed is that it seemed to make training less boring. I had a specific workout to look forward to each day and I usually went into each workout with more enthusiasm than when I had no training plan at all.

I feel overall it's a good program and it worked for me. There are probably other programs that will work just as well, some maybe even better.

[Len J]

I've used it with success.

First year I followed it religiously and had great results. Since then I've repeated what worked but not been as anal as year one. Better balance for me (a non-racer)

Hardest thing was doing Base, feeling like I wasn't accomplishing anything & haveing faith to stick it out. Ended up glad I did.

Good luck

Len

[SManning]

CIII_bill

As of now I'm in AA, getting ready to move to MS

I'm doing:
Squats
Chest Press
Leg Curl
Leg Extension
Back Extension
Seated Row
Abs
Heel raises

My coach and I took out some of the suggested excercises in Friel's book in order to minimize time in the weight room.

Sarah

[BFIC]

Sounds like the program is working. I am in my second year of using the book and will begin my second year of Masters racing.

I'm in Base 3, beginning to add in Force workouts and lengthening the Muscle Endurance work.

I've pretty much stayed to the daily menu suggested by the Training Bible, but wonder . . .

- when during the week should a person add the suggested (on the website) second M1 or M2 workout,

- what helps others recover, other than the obvious more sleep and non-consecutive HARD days,

--and how others blend types of workouts into one longer workout.