Day 1 Introduction

Having started with humble roots and still finding myself humbled by better atheletes, I can empathize with the beginner cyclist. I can also identify with the elite class of riders, bike snobs, weight weenies and the likes. Having trained alongside top athletes, I am fully aware of the intimidation and anxiety felt when faced with the prospect of humiliation. Hence, I am not writing this training guide / blog from the perspective that you are looking to train alongside elite cyclists. I have watched many training DVD’s where the cast of cyclists are in the elite category, and to be honest, I have a difficult time training to these.

Cycling is an incredibly diverse and dynamic sport. It’s not just about pedaling. Through cycling, you can achieve so many benefits, it’s impossible to address them all. Health benefits include cardio vascular strengthening, muscle strengthening, and core strengthening, but, are not limited to these. Cycling provides an intense emotional satisfaction as well. A feeling of well being accompanies almost every ride. Endorphin production from the workout along with the rush of adrenaline from fast descents or a smooth draft behind a semi, provide a natural high that empowers you to further improve your life and your health. The camaraderie from other cyclists can provide a social outlet and a close personal bonding experience that builds long term relationships and reinforces the value of your identity. Further, the rapid weight loss that is observable through cycling provides an almost immediate gratification that substantiates the hard work and effort that you put into it

Almost a year ago at 53 my heart dr. said lose weight or die. Blood pressure was sky hi and i weighed 320 pounds. i got back on my bike. It was almost winter here in Amarillo so indoors I went. I found your web site bought one of your videos and then another. I have put over 3000 miles on my bike and so far have lost 95 pounds. Have gone from a 50 inch waist to a 36. Heart dr. is lowering the blood pressure meds and he says I might live a little longer. So I wanted to say thank you for all of your efforts to provide such a great product! I'm attaching a before and after pic just so that you will believe me. Now the after pic. Next on my bucket list is to train and ride my first century in NM. "The Enchanted Circle Century. Thanks again Paul for your great videos like the one I just finshied tonight "Tour of the High Desert" - Kenny Price 2010

These blogs will target a range of training disciplines that are provided in the collection of videos I produce. I’d like to encourage you, in your initial approach, to find a way to make training fun and tolerable and not go all out and overboard all at once. Like a starvation diet, you can rapidly burn out if your training tactic is too difficult or too overwhelming, or worst of all, cuts into your daily routine requiring you to make too many time sacrifices. This blog takes into account and assumes that you have a life and you are not looking to make a complete life change to accommodate cycling. For the purpose of this blog, I am assuming that you will begin your training regimen on an indoor stationary bike or on your bike trainer.

This blog will divide cycling workouts into their component disciplines. These will be presented in a chronographic order establishing your first workout component first and your last workout component last. The goal to complete all is set at 6 months. The components include:

• Heart health (2 weeks)
• Aerobic conditioning and weight loss (4 weeks)
• Heart strengthening (2 weeks)
• Anaerobic conditioning and battling muscle fatigue (3 weeks)
• Muscle building and core strengthening (4 weeks)
• Preparing for cycling events  (6 weeks)
• Preparing to race (3 weeks)

Day 2 - The Gear

Let’s be honest with ourselves, we are not riding bikes to save the planet. Most of us are not cycling to be the next Lance Armstrong nor do we really care about racing. We are here to lose weight, get fit and reclaim our lost youth.

This leads us to the first step in beginning a cycling routine. You will need to go out and invest in the gear. And, I don’t mean going out and hesitantly buying the cheapest stuff you can find just in case you hate the activity. If this is your mindset, stop now and look for another activity. If you can’t commit to the proper gear, then, I guarantee, you will never find the health and fitness in this activity that results in a life change. Cycling is not a cheap way to get fit. But, then again, neither is a gym membership nor is health food cheap.

If you are buying a bike, expect to invest at least 1g for a new bike. Or, go on Craigslist and find a good used bike. But, be aware, the proper bike fit is first and foremost the most important consideration you will need to make. If you are unfamiliar with fitting a bike to your body geometry, it’s worth the investment to buy new. Additionally, buying a new bike usually comes with a year of free tune ups, a plethora of friendly knowledge and a group of cool people who are sympathetic to your cause. This is priceless.

The bike is not the end of your purchase. Set aside another $500 for clothes and gear. Key to your first purchase are bike shoes, cycling shorts (yes, Lycra!) and gloves. Now, I hear you complaining about the Lycra, and yes, it is Lycra, not Spandex. If you feel uncomfortable, buy a pair of sweats to wear over them. If you’re not wearing Lycra, you will regret it. I’m not going to go into the details of why you need to buy shoes, gloves and Lycra, ask the sales rep when you get your bike.

Lastly, you will need a heart rate monitor. We will be talking about heart rate over and over until the term “percent of max” is completely engrained in your memory.  Without this training device, you might as well be driving with your eyes closed.

So, this is your first goal; get the gear:

• Bike (check!)
• Cycling shoes (Check!)
• Lycra (Check!)
• Gloves (check!)
• Heart rate monitor (check!)
• Helmet – if you’re riding outdoors

Day 3 – Heart Health

I can’t emphasize enough the importance of consultation with a doctor if you are building a workout routine after years of being sedentary or having had cardiovascular complications, diabetes, active chronic disease or any medical concerns. This is a no brainer. You must know your limits and those limits will be provided by your physician.

Once you are prepared to move forward and begin a routine, if you meet the guidelines set forth in this blog, you will be among the top 50% of Americans with respect to maintaining the recommended level of activity set forth by the AHA. Not bad for a couple of weeks of work, eh? This means that 50% of Americans do not meet the minimum recommended amount of activity on a weekly basis.

What this means is, by just starting to workout, you will be at the top of the bell curve and soon after will be in a category of athletes that is not shared by the bulk of Americans. There are some pros and cons to this. The pros are obviously the health benefits you will achieve and the fact that you distinguish yourself by your commitment to a healthy lifestyle. The con is not so obvious. In some cases you will feel alienated by your friends. Many people who you meet will look at you with some form of resentment. You will be in a minority of people and you will experience prejudice as a result.

Ready to move forward? Great! I’m tired of being in the minority.

For the next 2 weeks, set aside 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. That’s it. The AHA provides a simple outline. 3 days a week you perform a moderate routine for 30 minutes. Two days a week you perform a more intense routine for 20 minutes. Let’s break this down.

You have your heart rate monitor, your Lycra, your trainer and your bike. The first thing we need to do is establish your max heart rate. There are many ways you can do this. The safest and most effective way is to visit your physician and obtain a stress test. From this your max heart rate can be determined. Basically, your max heart rate is a rate in beats per minute (BPM) that you cannot exceed. This is an all out sprint for 30 seconds until you want to die.

Your heart rate as a result is about as close to your max as you’re gonna get. Interestingly, your max heart rate is not a fixed value. You can, and will increase your max capacity through training diet and exercise. Just because you’re getting older doesn’t mean you max will decrease. The rule of thumb is that your max is 220 minus your age. I’m 43, so, my max should be 177 BPM, however, the last I tried, I achieved a heart rate of 195 BPM. I don’t like this rule of thumb because the difference between a few beats per minute can make or break you. If my max was actually 170BPM and I used 177 as my target, I would be in a world of hurt and training at level of intensity much too high for my goals. Once you have found your max, write it down and calculate your training zones. Many heart rate monitors will do this for you and will also convert your heart rate into a percent of max.

Your heart rate as a percent of max is easy enough to calculate. Simply take you current heart rate and divide it by your max. Take that number and multiply by 100. Hence

(177/195)=0.90
0.90x100=90
90%

We’re going to create 5 heart rate zones based on a percent of max (POM)

As you can see, each zone defines the level of effort you are placing on your body and in turn, the amount of effort you are asking your heart to put forward.

For the first 2 weeks, we are going to almost be exclusively training in Zones 1 and 2. I have designed 2 videos for indoor training that focus on these 2 zones. Extreme Calorie Burner 1 and Extreme Calorie Burner 2 http://www.cyclingvideosonline.com/xcb.html I would recommend nothing else. Both DVD’s are plenty long enough so that you can finish both and it will take you the full 2 weeks and then some to watch both. Begin with XCB1. This is a gentle roll along the Turnagain Arm just South of Anchorage Alaska. Most of the ride is in zone 1 and 2, but a few sections jump into zone 3. I just want you to get comfortable on the bike. Learn to get your legs turning, acclimate your posterior to the saddle, and become familiar with how you feel when your heart is working in those two zones.

Split up your cycling workout to include only 3 days and ride ½ hour each of the 3 days. The other 2 days you should mix it up with a different workout. Take 20 minutes and go walk the dogs, or, play with your kids, or go to the gym and spend 20 minutes on the treadmill. Here’s the routine:

Week 1

Week 2 (Repeat)

Day 4 Burning Calories and Losing Weight

As with any new activity, you must become proficient before you will see any real benefits. The first couple of weeks on a bike can feel pretty awkward, from getting used to the saddle, knowing the true meaning of chaffing and understanding the premise of chamois buttr, to figuring out how to clip in and more importantly, clip out, admiring your chain ring tattoo and understanding the importance of frequent gear changes. Once you acclimate to a bike, you may begin using this machine to accomplish your fitness goals. Once your muscles acclimate to the motions and once you can endure more than 30 minutes on a trainer, the true benefits will begin to reveal themselves. The first being weight loss.

As a personal trainer and producer of cycling fitness videos, I have heard many incredible and motivating stories of people who seemed to be a mere heartbeat away from death reversing their health condition by simply riding a bike. I’ve received 100’s of emails from clients who have given me credit for their rapid change in improved health. I wish I could take credit, but, the credit goes to them and their ability to make changes in their lives. I’m not pedaling the bike for you, this you must do on your own. I just try and make the activity of indoor cycling a bit more enjoyable. This is simply a testament to the incontrovertible reality that if you ride a bike, you will lose weight and it all begins here and now.
Let’s break this down.

Weight loss is not just about burning calories, it’s not just about eating less and it’s not just about exercise. All these are important, yes, but, you must discover a balance. Balance is critical. You will not lose weight if you cannot stay motivated. You will not lose weight if you are not willing to make a few sacrifices. But, making sacrifices is demotivating. How do we maintain balance? No fitness guide is complete without the suggestion of maintaining a healthy diet.

My first cardinal rule of diet and exercise is, if you begin a workout routine, don’t change your diet. I know, I know, this sounds bad. If you are eating Mickey D’s every day, it pains me to say this, keep eating at Mickey D’s. Our body acclimates to a specific diet and learns how to most efficiently utilize the food you eat to keep you running. If you suddenly change your diet to include meals consisting of only chicken breast and salads, you will feel miserable and your body will not perform. Your diet should change gradually and you should only slowly make sacrifices while you are working out. For example, stop drinking soda and get an iced tea with your Big Mac and fries.

There are 2 things to consider when you are working out:

1. How much fat you’re burning and
2. How many calories you are burning.

Fat and calories are not the same thing. A calorie is actually a unit that defines heat production. A hamburger has so many calories as it can release a stored amount of energy (heat). So, a calorie is not a magic word that dissolves fat and makes you skinny. However, you only have a set amount of energy stored in the lunch you ate. When you exceed that amount, your body looks for energy elsewhere; usually this is in your fat cells.

Your target heart rate will define whether you are burning calories or fat or both. There are no absolutes to this. Many guides suggest that to burn fat, your heart rate needs to be in the fat burn zone (60%-69% max). Others suggest that to lose weight you should be burning more calories by increasing your intensity (70%-85% max). In truth, these are both correct. However, these percentages do not take into account longevity or motivation. Simply put, if you want to lose weight and burn fat, you simply have to workout for extended periods of time (1.5 hours or more) and do this on a regular basis. So, if by working out at higher efforts you can only go for 30 minutes, you’ve defeated the purpose of a weight loss workout. You need to pick intensities that will provide you with the longest workout you can endure. Your body needs the time to look for fuel in other places besides the 2000 calorie double Whopper with cheese. It’s simple math.

I recommend 2 staple weight loss specific videos, “Xtreme Calorie Burner 1” (1hr 50minutes) and “Xtreme Calorie Burner 2” (3 hours). The second in the series raises the bar a bit and focuses on working in the aerobic zone providing our bodies the opportunity to metabolize fat (aerobic) instead of burning the nutrients in our cells (anaerobic). This does not mean, however, that we can be complacent setting our heart at 69% max cruise control. We must make demands to our bodies and then rest them to accomplish the “EXTREME” part in extreme calorie burning. For the next 4 weeks, you should have in your collection the following videos:

 

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6