1:1 Monthly Coaching Guide
THIS GUIDE WILL HELP YOU GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR 1:1 Coaching
Consistency come from habit, not motivation
Sometimes is hard to find the motivation to train. This is totally normal for all athletes, even pros. The key is to build a training habit. When it’s just something you do regularly, it’s easier to do it without motivation, like brushing your teeth or waking up early.
You will get out what you put in
How strong or fast you get is directly correlated with how consistently you follow your training. When it’s time to go easy, go easy. When it’s time to go hard, go hard. When it’s time to go maximal, give it all you’ve got. Be disciplined. Be consistent.
Read all the descriptions in the workouts
Most workouts are unique and sometimes there’s pertinent information in the description, like turning off ERG mode on the trainer for short intervals or an outside version that only requires a timer. To learn more about FSE workouts, check out this guide.
Don’t let mild fatigue stop you from training
If you’re tired and are worried you won’t hit the targets, get on the bike anyway and try. Sometimes we just need to open up our legs and we perform better than expected. If you still feel drained after the warmup, you should spin easy or stop the workout and save your energy for another day.
Mild soreness or fatigue is ok
You will carry some daily fatigue during heavy training blocks. This is normal. If you’re very sore or fatigue persists after a rest week, take a break and let your coach know so they can adjust your training. Your fitness will likely bounce back after some rest. If you keep grinding through fatigue, your performances will likely suffer. Listen to your body!
Fuel your workouts
Intense training requires carbohydrates to perform your best. Without carbs, you will not be able to hit targets and push your fitness to new heights. Chase performance on the bike, not weight loss.
Most weight loss comes from your nutrition choices outside of training, not the training itself. For guidance on how to fuel for workouts and events, check out this guide.
For a deeper discussion about performance nutrition, let’s chat. Schedule a meeting here.
Stay hydrated
Most of the time, drink to thirst. For rides longer than 3 hours, or in hot/humid conditions, drink to a plan. Check out this guide for more info. If you’d like more guidance about sodium losses or sweat rate, let’s chat. You can schedule a meeting here.
We want to know how your workout went
You can add post-ride comments, RPE number, and happy/sad faces in TrainingPeaks. We like to know your overall feeling and if anything unique happened on the ride. The faces indicate how you felt overall. RPE indicates how hard it felt.
Keep everything calibrated
Nearly all power meters and trainers require periodic calibration, especially as temperatures change.
Record your metrics
Post weight and other activities in TrainingPeaks so we always have a complete picture of your training load and watts/kg.
It’s ok if you can’t hit your targets
If an interval or workout is too hard and you’re not able to hit the numbers, you can lower the intensity of the intervals. Spinning easy is fine if you don’t feel good. We all have bad days on the bike, so don’t be afraid to cut it short if you’re just not feeling it. We want you to train hard, but being miserable or pushing through pain won’t help you get stronger.
One interval at a time
Only focus on the current interval. It’s easy to get overwhelmed thinking about all the intervals in front of you. If you take them one at a time, you’ll often complete more than you think you can.
It’s ok to miss a workout
Missing a few workouts will not derail your training. If you miss one, don’t try to make it up later. Continue with the schedule and your coach will evaluate and make changes if necessary.
Resting is training
Training spurs adaptation, but rest is when our bodies actually get stronger. Take rest days and rest weeks seriously. Overtraining can derail your performance for weeks or months.
Stress is stress
Whether from training, work, or your personal life, all types of stress can affect your performance. Don’t underestimate how these outside stressors affect how you feel on the bike. Listen to your body and err on the side of rest when needed.
Keep it fun
Even pros know that enjoying riding is key to performance and drive. If you find yourself feeling like it’s a grind, then maybe you need a break or a different approach to riding. That could be trying a different discipline or just fun rides for a few weeks to recharge mentally. I’ll help you figure it out any way I can, even if that means taking a break from coaching! 😮
For strength training athletes
You do not need to lift to failure. You will make the same strength gains if you leave 1-2 reps in the tank.
Increase weight conservatively. Adding more weight too quickly can cause bad form or set you back. A good rule of thumb is the 2-for-2 rule. When you can add two more reps to your last set of an exercise twice in a row, you can add weight. 5-10lbs on upper body, 10-20lbs on lower body exercises.
Always prioritize quality form over reps or weight. Don’t reinforce bad form with bad reps. If you can’t maintain good form for the whole set, lower the weight.
Text us anytime
To ask a quick question, text your coach. Comments in TP or email is slower, but better for non-urgent matters.
And finally…
This is a collaboration between you and your coach to help you reach your goals. Reach out with any questions whatsoever and if we don’t know the answer, we will find out!
