Cycling Training: 26 Best Training Plans For Hitting Your Goals
Feb 5, 2025
Cycling Training: 26 Best Training Plans For Hitting Your Goals
Feb 5, 2025
Cycling Training: 26 Best Training Plans For Hitting Your Goals
Feb 5, 2025
Looking to improve your cycling performance? This comprehensive "cover-all" guide offers 26 training plans suited for cyclists of all skill levels.
Whether your goal is to increase endurance, elevate your Functional Threshold Power (FTP), or get ready for an upcoming event, you'll find specialized plans tailored to your specific needs.
We explore various training styles, including interval, strength-based, endurance, and recovery routines, and explain how to select the most suitable plan to suit your cycling goals.
What is a Cycling Training Plan?
A cycling training plan is a systematic program that specifies workouts and goals aimed at improving different aspects of your cycling performance. These plans are usually designed to meet specific objectives, such as increasing endurance, boosting Functional Threshold Power (FTP), preparing for competitive events, or even just beating your buddies.
Each plan is structured into phases, focusing on a variety of intensities to ensure a balanced approach that includes:
Endurance
Speed
Recovery, and
Strength training, just to name a few.
By following a professionally designed cycling training plan, cyclists can progress steadily, build fitness, reduce the chance of injury, and effectively achieve their personal cycling goals.
The Fundamentals of Cycling Training
Before starting any intense exercise, it’s important to understand some foundational basics. Below, we look at five simple yet critical tips that can help you maximize your cycling potential by following these ideas.
1. Training Mechanics
Training naturally leads to fatigue, but the real gains in performance come during the recovery phase. This principle is rooted in the "super-compensation effect," a concept that, despite its prominence, is often misunderstood (even among some world tour riders and coaches).
In simple terms, the physiological progressions that improve performance happen during the recovery period, not during the training sessions themselves. As a result, riders must refrain from starting another training session while still in recovery. The goal should be to train when the body has fully recovered and reached a state of super-compensation for optimal performance gains.
The timing of peak readiness for following training sessions is contingent upon individual recovery rates and the intensity of the previous workout. As fitness increases, recovery tends to accelerate, enabling a higher training load and, thus, progressive adaptations.
2. Consistency
Regardless of what level you are at, one of the most fundamental principles in training is consistency. Before delving into advanced topics like intensity distribution, tapering, or periodization, it's essential to create a reliable and consistent training routine.
For example, inconsistent training, such as alternating between a week of high volume and a week of rest, can delay fitness progress. To encourage continuous improvement, it's important to establish regular training sessions.
3. Specificity of Training
In endurance sports like cycling, one of the key principles is specificity. This means that to improve a particular area, such as cycling performance, you need to focus on relevant actions rather than unrelated sports.
For example, training for cycling will not be beneficial if you are engaging in activities like ski jumping, which could hinder your progress. If your goal is to participate in Unbound Gravel, you should concentrate on training that builds endurance. Long-distance training sessions are critical in this context.
It's important to understand that there is no single "cookie-cutter" workout; success comes from a well-designed training plan that considers your current fitness level, as well as your strengths, weaknesses, and goals.
4. Training Zones: Heart Rate vs. Power
Defining training intensities through training zones is critical. While both heart rate and power can be used to establish these zones, power-based metrics are often more effective. Both methods depend on identifying a functional threshold, either the heart rate or Functional Threshold Power (FTP), which can be determined through laboratory tests or a DIY 20-minute field test.
5. Understanding the Difference Between Heart Rate and Power Zones
It's important to remember that heart rate and power zones do not always correlate perfectly. Attempting to align the two can lead to false and sometimes completely misleading interpretations.
Several factors can influence heart rate, including:
Prior training,
sleep quality
Stress levels
caffeine and alcohol intake, and
Hydration levels
Similarly, power readings can vary, reflecting fluctuations in daily performance. While tracking trends over multiple training sessions can indicate improved performance, it's important to approach isolated metrics with caution. This understanding allows us to make better-informed training decisions and accurately assess individual performance.
Additionally, power zones allow for differentiation above 100%, as heart rate response often lags behind exertion. For example, during high-intensity efforts, such as sprints lasting around 40 seconds, heart rate may not accurately reflect immediate effort due to this delayed response.
26 Cycling Training Plans and Approaches
We’ve compiled our 26 popular cycling training plans. Each plan explains what it focuses on and how it can help improve your cycling skills and performance.
If you’d like help picking a plan, visit our training plan selector.
1. FTP Training Plan
This plan aims to enhance your Functional Threshold Power (FTP) through structured intervals. By concentrating on extended, steady efforts near your threshold, you can progressively increase your sustained power, enabling you to ride harder and faster over time.
2. Zone 2 Training Plan
Focusing on endurance and aerobic efficiency, the Zone 2 Training Plan includes low-intensity rides designed to improve fat metabolism. These sessions allow for longer rides at a comfortable pace while also facilitating recovery.
3. Cycling Strength Training Plan
Off-the-bike cycling-specific strength training is essential for enhancing power and stability. This plan emphasizes compound movements, such as squats and lunges, to improve pedal efficiency, reduce fatigue, and support overall endurance.
Cycling strength training plan
4. Sweet Spot Training Plan
Training in the "sweet spot," which is around 89-93% of your FTP, boosts power and stamina. This moderate-intensity approach provides significant aerobic benefits without the need for extensive recovery periods.
5. VO2 Max Training Plan
The VO2 Max Training Plan is designed to elevate your maximum oxygen uptake through high-intensity intervals. This type of training is crucial for sustaining higher efforts during climbs, sprints, and race surges.
6. Interval Training Plan
By incorporating short, intense bursts of effort followed by recovery periods, the Interval Training Plan improves speed, stamina, and endurance. It maximizes cardiovascular benefits and improves overall performance across various distances.
Interval training plan
7. Polarized Training Plan
This plan emphasizes a balance between low-intensity and high-intensity efforts while avoiding the moderate-intensity zones. Polarized training fosters both endurance and power by alternating easy base mileage with intense, short intervals.
8. Over Unders Training Plan
The Over Unders Training Plan involves alternating efforts that are slightly above and below your threshold. This method increases lactate tolerance and builds resilience for race surges, helping you maintain power on challenging terrain.
9. Endurance Training Plan
The Endurance Training Plan focuses on long, steady rides at moderate intensities to build aerobic capacity and improve endurance. It prepares your body for sustained efforts and long-distance riding.
10. Building Base Training Plan
The purpose of a base training plan is to create a strong foundation for fitness by performing low-intensity, high-volume rides. This type of training significantly enhances aerobic efficiency, which is crucial for success in upcoming high-intensity workouts.
11. Tempo Training Plan
Tempo training focuses on riding just below your threshold for extended periods. This method effectively builds aerobic endurance and increases stamina without overly taxing recovery. It is particularly beneficial for enhancing medium-distance performance.
12. Threshold Training Plan
This training involves pushing to your threshold to improve lactate clearance and maintain high power outputs. Engaging in threshold training will enhance your endurance at faster paces, preparing you for race-level intensity.
13. Training with a Power Meter
Utilizing a power meter can significantly enhance your training regimen by allowing you to track and adjust your efforts based on precise wattage data. This approach helps you optimize your training zones, ensuring each session is targeted and effective.
14. Heart Rate Training
Implementing heart rate zones is an excellent way to manage training intensity on a personalized level. Workouts based on heart rate facilitate the monitoring of exertion, allowing you to adapt sessions according to your fitness levels and recovery needs.
15. Cycling Recovery
Recovery should be a priority in any training plan. Engage in active rest, focus on nutrition, and incorporate low-intensity rides. Effective recovery is vital for achieving peak performance and facilitating long-term progression, helping to prevent burnout and injury.
16. Beginner Cycling Training Plan
This plan outlines a structured and progressive approach for novice cyclists to build foundational fitness. It emphasizes steady rides that gradually increase in distance and intensity, ensuring a safe and effective introduction to cycling.
Beginner cycling training plan
17. Century Ride Training Plan
Designed for cyclists preparing for 100-mile endurance rides, this plan focuses on long, steady-distance training and effective fueling strategies. It encourages increasing weekly mileage, culminating in rides that approach the target distance to build the necessary stamina.
18. Winter Training Plan
The Winter Training Plan is designed to help individuals maintain their fitness during colder months. It incorporates indoor cycling sessions, strength training, and various cross-training activities. The primary goal of this plan is to preserve current fitness levels and create a foundation for enhancing performance in the spring.
19. Altitude Training
For athletes looking to acclimate to higher elevations, the Altitude Training Plan recommends a gradual increase in altitude exposure. This plan includes short, high-intensity efforts at altitude to improve oxygen efficiency and overall endurance, making it suitable for those preparing for competitions at elevation.
20. HIIT Bike Workout Training Plan
Focused on High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), this plan alternates between quick bursts of intense effort and recovery periods. HIIT workouts are highly effective for boosting aerobic capacity and burning calories, making them ideal for individuals with limited training time who still want to achieve significant fitness gains.
HIIT bike workout training plan
21. Indoor Cycling Training Plan
This plan helps cyclists maintain their fitness levels indoors through structured sessions utilizing smart trainers or apps. By focusing on specific workouts, individuals can enhance endurance and strength even in confined spaces.
22. Road Cycling Training Plan
The Road Race Training Plan combines endurance, interval, and sprint workouts to prepare athletes for competitive races. This multifaceted approach emphasizes power, tactical skills, and speed, equipping participants to handle the diverse demands of road racing.
23. Gran Fondo Training Plan
Designed for long and challenging rides, the Gran Fondo Training Plan focuses on endurance sessions and hill repeats. This plan highlights the importance of pacing, fueling strategies, and stamina to ensure an enjoyable experience during lengthy cycling events.
24. Cyclocross Training Plan
The Cyclocross Training Plan integrates strength, endurance, and handling skills essential for cyclocross races. It includes sessions devoted to dismount practice, sprints, and technical drills, aiding cyclists in navigating challenging and varied terrains.
25. Mountain Bike Training Plan
This plan aims to enhance power and technical skills through a combination of off-road intervals, climbing practices, and strength training. The Mountain Bike Training Plan is geared towards improving agility and stability, which are critical for performance on rugged trails.
26. Gravel Bike Training Plan
Targeting mixed-surface riding, the Gravel Bike Training Plan includes endurance, handling, and interval sessions. This training enhances stability, adaptability, and comfort on rough and unpredictable terrains, preparing cyclists for the unique challenges of gravel riding.
Choosing the right Cycling Training Program for You
When choosing a cycling training plan, consider several key points. First, identify whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or advanced cyclist. This will help you select a program that keeps you engaged while avoiding the risk of overtraining. Next, determine your goal by assessing whether you want to improve endurance, increase speed for races, or lose weight.
Check your weekly schedule to see how many days you can dedicate to cycling, ensuring that the plan fits into your lifestyle. Choose a program that gradually increases the intensity and duration of your rides, and look for a plan that focuses on specific skills you wish to enhance, such as climbing or sprinting, and set measurable goals to track your progress.
Cycling Training Workouts
Selecting the appropriate cycling workouts is essential for achieving your specific fitness goals and accommodating your current fitness level. A balanced training approach can effectively enhance your endurance, power, and speed while also minimizing the risk of burnout.
If your objectives include improving long-distance stamina, engaging in high-intensity speed training, or developing overall fitness, it's important to choose workouts that resonate with your individual needs. Consider exploring our workout gallery, which features structured sessions aimed at optimizing your training and ensuring continuous progress in your cycling journey.
Measuring Your Progress
To effectively evaluate your progress, it's important to determine how long you can sustain a specific power output. A widely accepted method for this is to measure the maximum average power you can maintain for 20 minutes.
FTP Test
For an accurate result, you'll need to keep the following in mind:
Conduct your test under consistent conditions
Use the same power meter for each test
Follow a uniform warm-up routine
Allow for adequate rest before each test
We recommend performing this evaluation indoors on a smart trainer, as outdoor conditions can introduce variables, such as weather and traffic, which may affect your results.
While the 20-minute power output provides valuable insights, its relevance depends on your individual goals. If your aim is to excel in climbs lasting between 15 to 40 minutes, this metric is particularly significant. However, if you are training for a longer event, such as a 200 km ride that includes shorter climbs, the Functional Threshold Power (FTP) value may be less critical.
Power Profile
A power profile is a graph or table that illustrates your peak power output over specific time intervals, typically ranging from 10 seconds to 3 hours. It tracks your best efforts over the past three months or your all-time highs, helping you assess progress in key cycling performance areas.
To make the most of your power profile, regularly test your efforts across different time intervals, such as a 10-second sprint, a 5-minute climb, and a 20-minute endurance effort. Compare your results over time to identify strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement.
While power profiles are useful for tracking performance, they don't tell the full story. In races or long rides, fatigue plays a significant role. Instead of just focusing on peak numbers, consider how well you maintain power after prolonged efforts, especially when tackling multiple climbs or riding deep into a race.
Action step: Record your power data from structured workouts or races and compare it over time. If possible, analyze how your power holds up late in a ride to understand your endurance capabilities.
How to Build a Cycling Training Plan
Creating an effective cycling training program requires a thoughtful balance among endurance, speed, and recovery, tailored to your fitness level, goals, and available time. Follow these steps to structure your training effectively:
Define Your Goal
Before structuring your plan, determine what you want to achieve. Are you training for a long-distance event, improving your climbing ability, increasing sprint power, or building general fitness? Your goal will shape the type, intensity, and duration of your workouts.
Structure Your Weekly Training
Start by building your aerobic capacity with long, steady rides at a low to moderate intensity (typically in Zone 2). This foundational phase should last about 4 to 6 weeks. Gradually introduce high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and tempo rides to develop power and speed. Schedule lower-intensity days and at least one full rest day per week to prevent overtraining and support recovery.
Include Key Training Components
Endurance Rides: One longer ride per week to build stamina.
Interval Training: 1-2 days of short, high-intensity bursts (such as sprints) with recovery periods to enhance power and speed.
Tempo Efforts: Rides at a moderately hard pace (20-40 minutes) to improve stamina and prepare for sustained efforts.
Off-Bike Training: Core and lower-body strength exercises to improve stability, posture, and power on the bike.
Use Periodization
Divide your training into structured phases to maximize progress:
Base Phase: Focus on endurance and aerobic conditioning.
Build Phase: Gradually increase intensity and volume.
Peak Phase: Maintain high intensity and volume while fine-tuning performance.
Taper Phase: Reduce volume to stay fresh leading into a race or event.
Adapt as Needed
Listen to your body and adjust your training schedule when necessary. If you're feeling fatigued, incorporate additional rest or active recovery days to avoid burnout. Stay flexible and make changes based on your performance and commitments.
Improve Faster with Adaptive Training Plans
JOIN offers a unique approach to cycling training by tailoring your training plan to your availability in real-time. It monitors key factors such as effort, recovery, and overall progress, ensuring that you train at the appropriate intensity to enhance performance while minimizing the risk of burnout or injury.
One of JOIN's standout features is Readiness. By evaluating muscle soreness and fatigue levels, JOIN automatically adjusts subsequent training sessions to align with your recovery needs. This functionality promotes a more efficient training regimen, allowing you to ride with both strength and intelligence.
Unlike other training apps, JOIN adapts to your life and schedule. It doesn't demand you fit your life around a rigid training plan.
Take a free trial and experience the difference for yourself.
Looking to improve your cycling performance? This comprehensive "cover-all" guide offers 26 training plans suited for cyclists of all skill levels.
Whether your goal is to increase endurance, elevate your Functional Threshold Power (FTP), or get ready for an upcoming event, you'll find specialized plans tailored to your specific needs.
We explore various training styles, including interval, strength-based, endurance, and recovery routines, and explain how to select the most suitable plan to suit your cycling goals.
What is a Cycling Training Plan?
A cycling training plan is a systematic program that specifies workouts and goals aimed at improving different aspects of your cycling performance. These plans are usually designed to meet specific objectives, such as increasing endurance, boosting Functional Threshold Power (FTP), preparing for competitive events, or even just beating your buddies.
Each plan is structured into phases, focusing on a variety of intensities to ensure a balanced approach that includes:
Endurance
Speed
Recovery, and
Strength training, just to name a few.
By following a professionally designed cycling training plan, cyclists can progress steadily, build fitness, reduce the chance of injury, and effectively achieve their personal cycling goals.
The Fundamentals of Cycling Training
Before starting any intense exercise, it’s important to understand some foundational basics. Below, we look at five simple yet critical tips that can help you maximize your cycling potential by following these ideas.
1. Training Mechanics
Training naturally leads to fatigue, but the real gains in performance come during the recovery phase. This principle is rooted in the "super-compensation effect," a concept that, despite its prominence, is often misunderstood (even among some world tour riders and coaches).
In simple terms, the physiological progressions that improve performance happen during the recovery period, not during the training sessions themselves. As a result, riders must refrain from starting another training session while still in recovery. The goal should be to train when the body has fully recovered and reached a state of super-compensation for optimal performance gains.
The timing of peak readiness for following training sessions is contingent upon individual recovery rates and the intensity of the previous workout. As fitness increases, recovery tends to accelerate, enabling a higher training load and, thus, progressive adaptations.
2. Consistency
Regardless of what level you are at, one of the most fundamental principles in training is consistency. Before delving into advanced topics like intensity distribution, tapering, or periodization, it's essential to create a reliable and consistent training routine.
For example, inconsistent training, such as alternating between a week of high volume and a week of rest, can delay fitness progress. To encourage continuous improvement, it's important to establish regular training sessions.
3. Specificity of Training
In endurance sports like cycling, one of the key principles is specificity. This means that to improve a particular area, such as cycling performance, you need to focus on relevant actions rather than unrelated sports.
For example, training for cycling will not be beneficial if you are engaging in activities like ski jumping, which could hinder your progress. If your goal is to participate in Unbound Gravel, you should concentrate on training that builds endurance. Long-distance training sessions are critical in this context.
It's important to understand that there is no single "cookie-cutter" workout; success comes from a well-designed training plan that considers your current fitness level, as well as your strengths, weaknesses, and goals.
4. Training Zones: Heart Rate vs. Power
Defining training intensities through training zones is critical. While both heart rate and power can be used to establish these zones, power-based metrics are often more effective. Both methods depend on identifying a functional threshold, either the heart rate or Functional Threshold Power (FTP), which can be determined through laboratory tests or a DIY 20-minute field test.
5. Understanding the Difference Between Heart Rate and Power Zones
It's important to remember that heart rate and power zones do not always correlate perfectly. Attempting to align the two can lead to false and sometimes completely misleading interpretations.
Several factors can influence heart rate, including:
Prior training,
sleep quality
Stress levels
caffeine and alcohol intake, and
Hydration levels
Similarly, power readings can vary, reflecting fluctuations in daily performance. While tracking trends over multiple training sessions can indicate improved performance, it's important to approach isolated metrics with caution. This understanding allows us to make better-informed training decisions and accurately assess individual performance.
Additionally, power zones allow for differentiation above 100%, as heart rate response often lags behind exertion. For example, during high-intensity efforts, such as sprints lasting around 40 seconds, heart rate may not accurately reflect immediate effort due to this delayed response.
26 Cycling Training Plans and Approaches
We’ve compiled our 26 popular cycling training plans. Each plan explains what it focuses on and how it can help improve your cycling skills and performance.
If you’d like help picking a plan, visit our training plan selector.
1. FTP Training Plan
This plan aims to enhance your Functional Threshold Power (FTP) through structured intervals. By concentrating on extended, steady efforts near your threshold, you can progressively increase your sustained power, enabling you to ride harder and faster over time.
2. Zone 2 Training Plan
Focusing on endurance and aerobic efficiency, the Zone 2 Training Plan includes low-intensity rides designed to improve fat metabolism. These sessions allow for longer rides at a comfortable pace while also facilitating recovery.
3. Cycling Strength Training Plan
Off-the-bike cycling-specific strength training is essential for enhancing power and stability. This plan emphasizes compound movements, such as squats and lunges, to improve pedal efficiency, reduce fatigue, and support overall endurance.
Cycling strength training plan
4. Sweet Spot Training Plan
Training in the "sweet spot," which is around 89-93% of your FTP, boosts power and stamina. This moderate-intensity approach provides significant aerobic benefits without the need for extensive recovery periods.
5. VO2 Max Training Plan
The VO2 Max Training Plan is designed to elevate your maximum oxygen uptake through high-intensity intervals. This type of training is crucial for sustaining higher efforts during climbs, sprints, and race surges.
6. Interval Training Plan
By incorporating short, intense bursts of effort followed by recovery periods, the Interval Training Plan improves speed, stamina, and endurance. It maximizes cardiovascular benefits and improves overall performance across various distances.
Interval training plan
7. Polarized Training Plan
This plan emphasizes a balance between low-intensity and high-intensity efforts while avoiding the moderate-intensity zones. Polarized training fosters both endurance and power by alternating easy base mileage with intense, short intervals.
8. Over Unders Training Plan
The Over Unders Training Plan involves alternating efforts that are slightly above and below your threshold. This method increases lactate tolerance and builds resilience for race surges, helping you maintain power on challenging terrain.
9. Endurance Training Plan
The Endurance Training Plan focuses on long, steady rides at moderate intensities to build aerobic capacity and improve endurance. It prepares your body for sustained efforts and long-distance riding.
10. Building Base Training Plan
The purpose of a base training plan is to create a strong foundation for fitness by performing low-intensity, high-volume rides. This type of training significantly enhances aerobic efficiency, which is crucial for success in upcoming high-intensity workouts.
11. Tempo Training Plan
Tempo training focuses on riding just below your threshold for extended periods. This method effectively builds aerobic endurance and increases stamina without overly taxing recovery. It is particularly beneficial for enhancing medium-distance performance.
12. Threshold Training Plan
This training involves pushing to your threshold to improve lactate clearance and maintain high power outputs. Engaging in threshold training will enhance your endurance at faster paces, preparing you for race-level intensity.
13. Training with a Power Meter
Utilizing a power meter can significantly enhance your training regimen by allowing you to track and adjust your efforts based on precise wattage data. This approach helps you optimize your training zones, ensuring each session is targeted and effective.
14. Heart Rate Training
Implementing heart rate zones is an excellent way to manage training intensity on a personalized level. Workouts based on heart rate facilitate the monitoring of exertion, allowing you to adapt sessions according to your fitness levels and recovery needs.
15. Cycling Recovery
Recovery should be a priority in any training plan. Engage in active rest, focus on nutrition, and incorporate low-intensity rides. Effective recovery is vital for achieving peak performance and facilitating long-term progression, helping to prevent burnout and injury.
16. Beginner Cycling Training Plan
This plan outlines a structured and progressive approach for novice cyclists to build foundational fitness. It emphasizes steady rides that gradually increase in distance and intensity, ensuring a safe and effective introduction to cycling.
Beginner cycling training plan
17. Century Ride Training Plan
Designed for cyclists preparing for 100-mile endurance rides, this plan focuses on long, steady-distance training and effective fueling strategies. It encourages increasing weekly mileage, culminating in rides that approach the target distance to build the necessary stamina.
18. Winter Training Plan
The Winter Training Plan is designed to help individuals maintain their fitness during colder months. It incorporates indoor cycling sessions, strength training, and various cross-training activities. The primary goal of this plan is to preserve current fitness levels and create a foundation for enhancing performance in the spring.
19. Altitude Training
For athletes looking to acclimate to higher elevations, the Altitude Training Plan recommends a gradual increase in altitude exposure. This plan includes short, high-intensity efforts at altitude to improve oxygen efficiency and overall endurance, making it suitable for those preparing for competitions at elevation.
20. HIIT Bike Workout Training Plan
Focused on High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), this plan alternates between quick bursts of intense effort and recovery periods. HIIT workouts are highly effective for boosting aerobic capacity and burning calories, making them ideal for individuals with limited training time who still want to achieve significant fitness gains.
HIIT bike workout training plan
21. Indoor Cycling Training Plan
This plan helps cyclists maintain their fitness levels indoors through structured sessions utilizing smart trainers or apps. By focusing on specific workouts, individuals can enhance endurance and strength even in confined spaces.
22. Road Cycling Training Plan
The Road Race Training Plan combines endurance, interval, and sprint workouts to prepare athletes for competitive races. This multifaceted approach emphasizes power, tactical skills, and speed, equipping participants to handle the diverse demands of road racing.
23. Gran Fondo Training Plan
Designed for long and challenging rides, the Gran Fondo Training Plan focuses on endurance sessions and hill repeats. This plan highlights the importance of pacing, fueling strategies, and stamina to ensure an enjoyable experience during lengthy cycling events.
24. Cyclocross Training Plan
The Cyclocross Training Plan integrates strength, endurance, and handling skills essential for cyclocross races. It includes sessions devoted to dismount practice, sprints, and technical drills, aiding cyclists in navigating challenging and varied terrains.
25. Mountain Bike Training Plan
This plan aims to enhance power and technical skills through a combination of off-road intervals, climbing practices, and strength training. The Mountain Bike Training Plan is geared towards improving agility and stability, which are critical for performance on rugged trails.
26. Gravel Bike Training Plan
Targeting mixed-surface riding, the Gravel Bike Training Plan includes endurance, handling, and interval sessions. This training enhances stability, adaptability, and comfort on rough and unpredictable terrains, preparing cyclists for the unique challenges of gravel riding.
Choosing the right Cycling Training Program for You
When choosing a cycling training plan, consider several key points. First, identify whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or advanced cyclist. This will help you select a program that keeps you engaged while avoiding the risk of overtraining. Next, determine your goal by assessing whether you want to improve endurance, increase speed for races, or lose weight.
Check your weekly schedule to see how many days you can dedicate to cycling, ensuring that the plan fits into your lifestyle. Choose a program that gradually increases the intensity and duration of your rides, and look for a plan that focuses on specific skills you wish to enhance, such as climbing or sprinting, and set measurable goals to track your progress.
Cycling Training Workouts
Selecting the appropriate cycling workouts is essential for achieving your specific fitness goals and accommodating your current fitness level. A balanced training approach can effectively enhance your endurance, power, and speed while also minimizing the risk of burnout.
If your objectives include improving long-distance stamina, engaging in high-intensity speed training, or developing overall fitness, it's important to choose workouts that resonate with your individual needs. Consider exploring our workout gallery, which features structured sessions aimed at optimizing your training and ensuring continuous progress in your cycling journey.
Measuring Your Progress
To effectively evaluate your progress, it's important to determine how long you can sustain a specific power output. A widely accepted method for this is to measure the maximum average power you can maintain for 20 minutes.
FTP Test
For an accurate result, you'll need to keep the following in mind:
Conduct your test under consistent conditions
Use the same power meter for each test
Follow a uniform warm-up routine
Allow for adequate rest before each test
We recommend performing this evaluation indoors on a smart trainer, as outdoor conditions can introduce variables, such as weather and traffic, which may affect your results.
While the 20-minute power output provides valuable insights, its relevance depends on your individual goals. If your aim is to excel in climbs lasting between 15 to 40 minutes, this metric is particularly significant. However, if you are training for a longer event, such as a 200 km ride that includes shorter climbs, the Functional Threshold Power (FTP) value may be less critical.
Power Profile
A power profile is a graph or table that illustrates your peak power output over specific time intervals, typically ranging from 10 seconds to 3 hours. It tracks your best efforts over the past three months or your all-time highs, helping you assess progress in key cycling performance areas.
To make the most of your power profile, regularly test your efforts across different time intervals, such as a 10-second sprint, a 5-minute climb, and a 20-minute endurance effort. Compare your results over time to identify strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement.
While power profiles are useful for tracking performance, they don't tell the full story. In races or long rides, fatigue plays a significant role. Instead of just focusing on peak numbers, consider how well you maintain power after prolonged efforts, especially when tackling multiple climbs or riding deep into a race.
Action step: Record your power data from structured workouts or races and compare it over time. If possible, analyze how your power holds up late in a ride to understand your endurance capabilities.
How to Build a Cycling Training Plan
Creating an effective cycling training program requires a thoughtful balance among endurance, speed, and recovery, tailored to your fitness level, goals, and available time. Follow these steps to structure your training effectively:
Define Your Goal
Before structuring your plan, determine what you want to achieve. Are you training for a long-distance event, improving your climbing ability, increasing sprint power, or building general fitness? Your goal will shape the type, intensity, and duration of your workouts.
Structure Your Weekly Training
Start by building your aerobic capacity with long, steady rides at a low to moderate intensity (typically in Zone 2). This foundational phase should last about 4 to 6 weeks. Gradually introduce high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and tempo rides to develop power and speed. Schedule lower-intensity days and at least one full rest day per week to prevent overtraining and support recovery.
Include Key Training Components
Endurance Rides: One longer ride per week to build stamina.
Interval Training: 1-2 days of short, high-intensity bursts (such as sprints) with recovery periods to enhance power and speed.
Tempo Efforts: Rides at a moderately hard pace (20-40 minutes) to improve stamina and prepare for sustained efforts.
Off-Bike Training: Core and lower-body strength exercises to improve stability, posture, and power on the bike.
Use Periodization
Divide your training into structured phases to maximize progress:
Base Phase: Focus on endurance and aerobic conditioning.
Build Phase: Gradually increase intensity and volume.
Peak Phase: Maintain high intensity and volume while fine-tuning performance.
Taper Phase: Reduce volume to stay fresh leading into a race or event.
Adapt as Needed
Listen to your body and adjust your training schedule when necessary. If you're feeling fatigued, incorporate additional rest or active recovery days to avoid burnout. Stay flexible and make changes based on your performance and commitments.
Improve Faster with Adaptive Training Plans
JOIN offers a unique approach to cycling training by tailoring your training plan to your availability in real-time. It monitors key factors such as effort, recovery, and overall progress, ensuring that you train at the appropriate intensity to enhance performance while minimizing the risk of burnout or injury.
One of JOIN's standout features is Readiness. By evaluating muscle soreness and fatigue levels, JOIN automatically adjusts subsequent training sessions to align with your recovery needs. This functionality promotes a more efficient training regimen, allowing you to ride with both strength and intelligence.
Unlike other training apps, JOIN adapts to your life and schedule. It doesn't demand you fit your life around a rigid training plan.
Take a free trial and experience the difference for yourself.
Looking to improve your cycling performance? This comprehensive "cover-all" guide offers 26 training plans suited for cyclists of all skill levels.
Whether your goal is to increase endurance, elevate your Functional Threshold Power (FTP), or get ready for an upcoming event, you'll find specialized plans tailored to your specific needs.
We explore various training styles, including interval, strength-based, endurance, and recovery routines, and explain how to select the most suitable plan to suit your cycling goals.
What is a Cycling Training Plan?
A cycling training plan is a systematic program that specifies workouts and goals aimed at improving different aspects of your cycling performance. These plans are usually designed to meet specific objectives, such as increasing endurance, boosting Functional Threshold Power (FTP), preparing for competitive events, or even just beating your buddies.
Each plan is structured into phases, focusing on a variety of intensities to ensure a balanced approach that includes:
Endurance
Speed
Recovery, and
Strength training, just to name a few.
By following a professionally designed cycling training plan, cyclists can progress steadily, build fitness, reduce the chance of injury, and effectively achieve their personal cycling goals.
The Fundamentals of Cycling Training
Before starting any intense exercise, it’s important to understand some foundational basics. Below, we look at five simple yet critical tips that can help you maximize your cycling potential by following these ideas.
1. Training Mechanics
Training naturally leads to fatigue, but the real gains in performance come during the recovery phase. This principle is rooted in the "super-compensation effect," a concept that, despite its prominence, is often misunderstood (even among some world tour riders and coaches).
In simple terms, the physiological progressions that improve performance happen during the recovery period, not during the training sessions themselves. As a result, riders must refrain from starting another training session while still in recovery. The goal should be to train when the body has fully recovered and reached a state of super-compensation for optimal performance gains.
The timing of peak readiness for following training sessions is contingent upon individual recovery rates and the intensity of the previous workout. As fitness increases, recovery tends to accelerate, enabling a higher training load and, thus, progressive adaptations.
2. Consistency
Regardless of what level you are at, one of the most fundamental principles in training is consistency. Before delving into advanced topics like intensity distribution, tapering, or periodization, it's essential to create a reliable and consistent training routine.
For example, inconsistent training, such as alternating between a week of high volume and a week of rest, can delay fitness progress. To encourage continuous improvement, it's important to establish regular training sessions.
3. Specificity of Training
In endurance sports like cycling, one of the key principles is specificity. This means that to improve a particular area, such as cycling performance, you need to focus on relevant actions rather than unrelated sports.
For example, training for cycling will not be beneficial if you are engaging in activities like ski jumping, which could hinder your progress. If your goal is to participate in Unbound Gravel, you should concentrate on training that builds endurance. Long-distance training sessions are critical in this context.
It's important to understand that there is no single "cookie-cutter" workout; success comes from a well-designed training plan that considers your current fitness level, as well as your strengths, weaknesses, and goals.
4. Training Zones: Heart Rate vs. Power
Defining training intensities through training zones is critical. While both heart rate and power can be used to establish these zones, power-based metrics are often more effective. Both methods depend on identifying a functional threshold, either the heart rate or Functional Threshold Power (FTP), which can be determined through laboratory tests or a DIY 20-minute field test.
5. Understanding the Difference Between Heart Rate and Power Zones
It's important to remember that heart rate and power zones do not always correlate perfectly. Attempting to align the two can lead to false and sometimes completely misleading interpretations.
Several factors can influence heart rate, including:
Prior training,
sleep quality
Stress levels
caffeine and alcohol intake, and
Hydration levels
Similarly, power readings can vary, reflecting fluctuations in daily performance. While tracking trends over multiple training sessions can indicate improved performance, it's important to approach isolated metrics with caution. This understanding allows us to make better-informed training decisions and accurately assess individual performance.
Additionally, power zones allow for differentiation above 100%, as heart rate response often lags behind exertion. For example, during high-intensity efforts, such as sprints lasting around 40 seconds, heart rate may not accurately reflect immediate effort due to this delayed response.
26 Cycling Training Plans and Approaches
We’ve compiled our 26 popular cycling training plans. Each plan explains what it focuses on and how it can help improve your cycling skills and performance.
If you’d like help picking a plan, visit our training plan selector.
1. FTP Training Plan
This plan aims to enhance your Functional Threshold Power (FTP) through structured intervals. By concentrating on extended, steady efforts near your threshold, you can progressively increase your sustained power, enabling you to ride harder and faster over time.
2. Zone 2 Training Plan
Focusing on endurance and aerobic efficiency, the Zone 2 Training Plan includes low-intensity rides designed to improve fat metabolism. These sessions allow for longer rides at a comfortable pace while also facilitating recovery.
3. Cycling Strength Training Plan
Off-the-bike cycling-specific strength training is essential for enhancing power and stability. This plan emphasizes compound movements, such as squats and lunges, to improve pedal efficiency, reduce fatigue, and support overall endurance.
Cycling strength training plan
4. Sweet Spot Training Plan
Training in the "sweet spot," which is around 89-93% of your FTP, boosts power and stamina. This moderate-intensity approach provides significant aerobic benefits without the need for extensive recovery periods.
5. VO2 Max Training Plan
The VO2 Max Training Plan is designed to elevate your maximum oxygen uptake through high-intensity intervals. This type of training is crucial for sustaining higher efforts during climbs, sprints, and race surges.
6. Interval Training Plan
By incorporating short, intense bursts of effort followed by recovery periods, the Interval Training Plan improves speed, stamina, and endurance. It maximizes cardiovascular benefits and improves overall performance across various distances.
Interval training plan
7. Polarized Training Plan
This plan emphasizes a balance between low-intensity and high-intensity efforts while avoiding the moderate-intensity zones. Polarized training fosters both endurance and power by alternating easy base mileage with intense, short intervals.
8. Over Unders Training Plan
The Over Unders Training Plan involves alternating efforts that are slightly above and below your threshold. This method increases lactate tolerance and builds resilience for race surges, helping you maintain power on challenging terrain.
9. Endurance Training Plan
The Endurance Training Plan focuses on long, steady rides at moderate intensities to build aerobic capacity and improve endurance. It prepares your body for sustained efforts and long-distance riding.
10. Building Base Training Plan
The purpose of a base training plan is to create a strong foundation for fitness by performing low-intensity, high-volume rides. This type of training significantly enhances aerobic efficiency, which is crucial for success in upcoming high-intensity workouts.
11. Tempo Training Plan
Tempo training focuses on riding just below your threshold for extended periods. This method effectively builds aerobic endurance and increases stamina without overly taxing recovery. It is particularly beneficial for enhancing medium-distance performance.
12. Threshold Training Plan
This training involves pushing to your threshold to improve lactate clearance and maintain high power outputs. Engaging in threshold training will enhance your endurance at faster paces, preparing you for race-level intensity.
13. Training with a Power Meter
Utilizing a power meter can significantly enhance your training regimen by allowing you to track and adjust your efforts based on precise wattage data. This approach helps you optimize your training zones, ensuring each session is targeted and effective.
14. Heart Rate Training
Implementing heart rate zones is an excellent way to manage training intensity on a personalized level. Workouts based on heart rate facilitate the monitoring of exertion, allowing you to adapt sessions according to your fitness levels and recovery needs.
15. Cycling Recovery
Recovery should be a priority in any training plan. Engage in active rest, focus on nutrition, and incorporate low-intensity rides. Effective recovery is vital for achieving peak performance and facilitating long-term progression, helping to prevent burnout and injury.
16. Beginner Cycling Training Plan
This plan outlines a structured and progressive approach for novice cyclists to build foundational fitness. It emphasizes steady rides that gradually increase in distance and intensity, ensuring a safe and effective introduction to cycling.
Beginner cycling training plan
17. Century Ride Training Plan
Designed for cyclists preparing for 100-mile endurance rides, this plan focuses on long, steady-distance training and effective fueling strategies. It encourages increasing weekly mileage, culminating in rides that approach the target distance to build the necessary stamina.
18. Winter Training Plan
The Winter Training Plan is designed to help individuals maintain their fitness during colder months. It incorporates indoor cycling sessions, strength training, and various cross-training activities. The primary goal of this plan is to preserve current fitness levels and create a foundation for enhancing performance in the spring.
19. Altitude Training
For athletes looking to acclimate to higher elevations, the Altitude Training Plan recommends a gradual increase in altitude exposure. This plan includes short, high-intensity efforts at altitude to improve oxygen efficiency and overall endurance, making it suitable for those preparing for competitions at elevation.
20. HIIT Bike Workout Training Plan
Focused on High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), this plan alternates between quick bursts of intense effort and recovery periods. HIIT workouts are highly effective for boosting aerobic capacity and burning calories, making them ideal for individuals with limited training time who still want to achieve significant fitness gains.
HIIT bike workout training plan
21. Indoor Cycling Training Plan
This plan helps cyclists maintain their fitness levels indoors through structured sessions utilizing smart trainers or apps. By focusing on specific workouts, individuals can enhance endurance and strength even in confined spaces.
22. Road Cycling Training Plan
The Road Race Training Plan combines endurance, interval, and sprint workouts to prepare athletes for competitive races. This multifaceted approach emphasizes power, tactical skills, and speed, equipping participants to handle the diverse demands of road racing.
23. Gran Fondo Training Plan
Designed for long and challenging rides, the Gran Fondo Training Plan focuses on endurance sessions and hill repeats. This plan highlights the importance of pacing, fueling strategies, and stamina to ensure an enjoyable experience during lengthy cycling events.
24. Cyclocross Training Plan
The Cyclocross Training Plan integrates strength, endurance, and handling skills essential for cyclocross races. It includes sessions devoted to dismount practice, sprints, and technical drills, aiding cyclists in navigating challenging and varied terrains.
25. Mountain Bike Training Plan
This plan aims to enhance power and technical skills through a combination of off-road intervals, climbing practices, and strength training. The Mountain Bike Training Plan is geared towards improving agility and stability, which are critical for performance on rugged trails.
26. Gravel Bike Training Plan
Targeting mixed-surface riding, the Gravel Bike Training Plan includes endurance, handling, and interval sessions. This training enhances stability, adaptability, and comfort on rough and unpredictable terrains, preparing cyclists for the unique challenges of gravel riding.
Choosing the right Cycling Training Program for You
When choosing a cycling training plan, consider several key points. First, identify whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or advanced cyclist. This will help you select a program that keeps you engaged while avoiding the risk of overtraining. Next, determine your goal by assessing whether you want to improve endurance, increase speed for races, or lose weight.
Check your weekly schedule to see how many days you can dedicate to cycling, ensuring that the plan fits into your lifestyle. Choose a program that gradually increases the intensity and duration of your rides, and look for a plan that focuses on specific skills you wish to enhance, such as climbing or sprinting, and set measurable goals to track your progress.
Cycling Training Workouts
Selecting the appropriate cycling workouts is essential for achieving your specific fitness goals and accommodating your current fitness level. A balanced training approach can effectively enhance your endurance, power, and speed while also minimizing the risk of burnout.
If your objectives include improving long-distance stamina, engaging in high-intensity speed training, or developing overall fitness, it's important to choose workouts that resonate with your individual needs. Consider exploring our workout gallery, which features structured sessions aimed at optimizing your training and ensuring continuous progress in your cycling journey.
Measuring Your Progress
To effectively evaluate your progress, it's important to determine how long you can sustain a specific power output. A widely accepted method for this is to measure the maximum average power you can maintain for 20 minutes.
FTP Test
For an accurate result, you'll need to keep the following in mind:
Conduct your test under consistent conditions
Use the same power meter for each test
Follow a uniform warm-up routine
Allow for adequate rest before each test
We recommend performing this evaluation indoors on a smart trainer, as outdoor conditions can introduce variables, such as weather and traffic, which may affect your results.
While the 20-minute power output provides valuable insights, its relevance depends on your individual goals. If your aim is to excel in climbs lasting between 15 to 40 minutes, this metric is particularly significant. However, if you are training for a longer event, such as a 200 km ride that includes shorter climbs, the Functional Threshold Power (FTP) value may be less critical.
Power Profile
A power profile is a graph or table that illustrates your peak power output over specific time intervals, typically ranging from 10 seconds to 3 hours. It tracks your best efforts over the past three months or your all-time highs, helping you assess progress in key cycling performance areas.
To make the most of your power profile, regularly test your efforts across different time intervals, such as a 10-second sprint, a 5-minute climb, and a 20-minute endurance effort. Compare your results over time to identify strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement.
While power profiles are useful for tracking performance, they don't tell the full story. In races or long rides, fatigue plays a significant role. Instead of just focusing on peak numbers, consider how well you maintain power after prolonged efforts, especially when tackling multiple climbs or riding deep into a race.
Action step: Record your power data from structured workouts or races and compare it over time. If possible, analyze how your power holds up late in a ride to understand your endurance capabilities.
How to Build a Cycling Training Plan
Creating an effective cycling training program requires a thoughtful balance among endurance, speed, and recovery, tailored to your fitness level, goals, and available time. Follow these steps to structure your training effectively:
Define Your Goal
Before structuring your plan, determine what you want to achieve. Are you training for a long-distance event, improving your climbing ability, increasing sprint power, or building general fitness? Your goal will shape the type, intensity, and duration of your workouts.
Structure Your Weekly Training
Start by building your aerobic capacity with long, steady rides at a low to moderate intensity (typically in Zone 2). This foundational phase should last about 4 to 6 weeks. Gradually introduce high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and tempo rides to develop power and speed. Schedule lower-intensity days and at least one full rest day per week to prevent overtraining and support recovery.
Include Key Training Components
Endurance Rides: One longer ride per week to build stamina.
Interval Training: 1-2 days of short, high-intensity bursts (such as sprints) with recovery periods to enhance power and speed.
Tempo Efforts: Rides at a moderately hard pace (20-40 minutes) to improve stamina and prepare for sustained efforts.
Off-Bike Training: Core and lower-body strength exercises to improve stability, posture, and power on the bike.
Use Periodization
Divide your training into structured phases to maximize progress:
Base Phase: Focus on endurance and aerobic conditioning.
Build Phase: Gradually increase intensity and volume.
Peak Phase: Maintain high intensity and volume while fine-tuning performance.
Taper Phase: Reduce volume to stay fresh leading into a race or event.
Adapt as Needed
Listen to your body and adjust your training schedule when necessary. If you're feeling fatigued, incorporate additional rest or active recovery days to avoid burnout. Stay flexible and make changes based on your performance and commitments.
Improve Faster with Adaptive Training Plans
JOIN offers a unique approach to cycling training by tailoring your training plan to your availability in real-time. It monitors key factors such as effort, recovery, and overall progress, ensuring that you train at the appropriate intensity to enhance performance while minimizing the risk of burnout or injury.
One of JOIN's standout features is Readiness. By evaluating muscle soreness and fatigue levels, JOIN automatically adjusts subsequent training sessions to align with your recovery needs. This functionality promotes a more efficient training regimen, allowing you to ride with both strength and intelligence.
Unlike other training apps, JOIN adapts to your life and schedule. It doesn't demand you fit your life around a rigid training plan.
Take a free trial and experience the difference for yourself.
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Discover valuable training tips to enhance your cycling performance.
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Discover valuable training tips to enhance your cycling performance.
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Discover valuable training tips to enhance your cycling performance.
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