FasCat Cycling Training Tips Podcast

How do you know what your training zones are? And how do you know if you are improving? By FTP testing, of course! At FasCat, we have used all types of methods to test FTP over the years, including using various labratory equipment. After more than 20 years and thousands of athletes tested, we are big believers in the 20-minute field test. Doing the 20-minute test outside or on a trainer is simple and repeatable, giving you the actionable data you need to configure your training and measure your progress. In this podcast, FasCat Founder Frank Overton explains: how you should do the test how often you should do the test pitfalls to watch out for how to analyze your results from the test  All you need, Frank says, is a "power meter and head full of motivation." - Try CoachCat Free for a month - with no credit card required ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4 😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price. 📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans ⏰ Instant Data Analysis 💥 Custom Workout Recommendations 🧠 Training Plan Revisions 🚀 Auto FTP Detection

This podcast was inspired by a recent athlete asking for help, and we think many of you can relate to the situation:  "I've been cycling for nearly 20 years (now 44). I have a stressful job, two kids, and over the past few years I’ve gain 15 pounds that I can't shake, despite training 10-15 hours in the summer and 6-8 in the winter. What do I do?" Symptoms like low energy, inability to sustain high heart rates, and lack of sweat could point to low energy availability (LEA). Even with calorie counting, your body might not be getting enough fuel to support both your workouts and daily life demands (job, kids, stress). This can lead to a suppressed metabolism and fatigue, making weight loss and performance harder. Weight gain can be age-related hormonal changes that occur in men in their 40’s.  Namely a gradual decline in testosterone levels which can affect metabolism, muscle mass, fat distribution, and energy levels. This is sometimes referred to as andropause or age-related hormonal decline. Coaching Advice: The #1 thing you can do is to get tested: A simple blood test can check testosterone, thyroid, and other hormone levels. This will help rule out any medical issues. Then here’s what we recommend to get out of the rut, get your mojo back to your training and lose that weight:  Nutrition First: Focus on fueling your workouts with carbs. Try eating a small carb-rich snack (e.g., a banana or toast with honey) before your morning rides. Post-ride, prioritize recovery with protein and carbs to replenish glycogen and repair muscles. Coach Andrew Giniat and Nutritionist Alex Winnicki recently recorded a podcast about how much carbohydrate you need to consume even if you are trying to lose weight. And why low carb diets are bad and will result in rut like this athlete.   The take home point and analogy is that you, as an athlete, are Ferrari and carbohydrates are your fuel (gas) . But the body does not work like a Ferrari in terms of going fast even as they tank empties.  Athletes do better when their tanks are kept at full as possible at all times. This includes before, during and after exercise. HRV and Recovery: Use your HRV data to monitor recovery. If it’s consistently low, it might indicate overtraining or stress. Your 7 hours of sleep is solid, but stress and under-fueling can still take a toll. The CoachCat app has a free Whoop offer that will combine your sleep and HRV data with your training data to let you know if you are recovered or not.  Then when you are not ‘feeling it’ you can ask for daily adjustments.  Start each morning with personalized recommendations based on your sleep and recovery.   This is so clutch for a masters athletes balancing life’s daily demands: job, kids, stress. Training Adjustments: Consider dialing back intensity for a few weeks. Focus on Zone 2 rides to rebuild your aerobic base and avoid burnout. This aligns with your winter training history.   - Take your training to the next level by hiring Coach Justin: https://fascatcoaching.com/collections/coaches/products/justin-bowes -- Try CoachCat Free for a month - with no credit card required ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4 😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price. 📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans ⏰ Instant Data Analysis 💥 Custom Workout Recommendations 🧠 Training Plan Revisions 🚀 Auto FTP Detection

Sierra Sims and Elliott Baring, both FasCat coaches, dive into the evolving world of cycling training. They discuss the rising trend of high-volume training weeks seen in gravel pros and the impact of social media on regular cyclists. The conversation emphasizes finding the right balance between training intensity and volume to prevent burnout. They also share strategic insights on personalized training plans tailored to race demands, stressing the importance of enjoyment alongside performance for cyclists of all levels.

Discover how professional cyclists train and what amateur riders can learn from them. Coaches Andrew and Ricky break down the significance of zone 2 training for endurance and the evolving methods in performance optimization. They highlight the role of technology and self-awareness in monitoring progress. Plus, explore low cadence training's benefits and the necessity for personalized strategies to maximize results. Stay flexible with your training approach and embrace innovative techniques to enhance your cycling performance!

If you're a longtime FasCat podcast listener, then you know we're big believers in strength training in the offseason. The science has long proven the benefits for endurance athletes. But what's new? What's the latest science?  That is exactly what Coaches Andrew and Sierra get into in this pod, as Sierra brushes up on her master's degree studies with the latest research. -- Want to add weight lifting to your cycling training and get Coach Sierra or Andrew's help? Please visit https://fascatcoaching.com/pages/hire-a-coach to learn more about them, fill out a new athlete questionnaire and to schedule a coaching consultation with them! Not ready for a Coach yet but still want to improve under the guidance of a coach? Try CoachCat! Its like hiring a Pro Coach for a fraction of the price of personal coaching. Getting started is as easy as 1,2, 3 and the 1st month is free, go here ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4  Then follow Coach Frank's Top 4 Tips: #1 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans #2 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price. #3 Sync all your devices: Whoop, Wahoo, Zwift, Garmin, Hammerhead, Oura, Apple Watch and more! # 4 receive Instant Data Analysis + 💥 Custom Workout Recommendations 🧠 Training Plan Revisions 🚀 Auto FTP Detection 🤓 Plus we have connected your activity and wearable data to our AI Coach (CoachCat) to analyze your training-to-recovery balance.  

FasCat friends, we invite you to join us on Zwift for our Saturday Sweet Spot group rides, where Coaches Jake and Frank lead A and B groups and we chat on Discord. In this podcast, we talk about why so many riders love this wintertime format of getting high-quality, semi-structured work in with a social group. The time flies by, the kJs shoot up, and you can feeeeel yourself getting faster. Join the FasCat club on Zwift and then join our Saturday ride. (If you are already on Zwift, there is no additional cost.) Learn more and sign up here: https://fascatcoaching.com/blogs/training-tips/sweet-spot-saturday-base-rides -- Take your training to the next level by hiring Coach Jake: https://fascatcoaching.com/collections/coaches/products/jake-rytlewski -- Try CoachCat Free for a month - with no credit card required ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4 😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price. 📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans ⏰ Instant Data Analysis 💥 Custom Workout Recommendations 🧠 Training Plan Revisions 🚀 Auto FTP Detection

FasCat Coaching has been working with riders of all ages for 20 years, and while the fundamentals of training are the same, the science and technology and culture have changed tremendously. Nowhere are these changes more dramatic than what is going on with younger riders. In this podcast, Coaches Justin and Frank delve into what's changed and why, and what the best ways are for helping young riders develop in a healthy, fun, sustainable way. -- Take your training to the next level by hiring Coach Justin: https://fascatcoaching.com/collections/coaches/products/justin-bowes -- Try CoachCat Free for a month - with no credit card required ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4 😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price. 📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans ⏰ Instant Data Analysis 💥 Custom Workout Recommendations 🧠 Training Plan Revisions 🚀 Auto FTP Detection

If you want to improve something, measure it. This applies in life and on the bike. Whether you're talking blood pressure, finances, or FTP, how can you know something is improving if you are not accurately measuring it? The same principle applies to training stress, a key summative metric that quantifies the total load of your training. As coaches and as athletes, we can measure how much work you are doing each day, each week, each month and each year. We balance this with measurements of your recovery metrics, and make prescriptions from there based on your goals. Training Stress Score has long been used to measure training load, and it's a great metric. There are two problems, though: TSS gives you credit for coasting, and it gives you the same amount of credit for a certain amount of wattage in hour one as the same amount of wattage in hour four. As you have probably noticed doing a two-hour ride on Zwift vs a two-hour ride outside, not coasting at all for two hours makes a big difference in how much work you are doing! Similarly, you know how much harder - how much more stressful - a 250w effort feels late in a long ride compared to when you first start. Now, Zwift is a great tool, but don't misunderstand - we aren't advocating that you do all your rides inside! We are simply advocating that you accurately measure your training wherever you do it, so together we can precisely apply the right training load to make you better! At FasCat, we address these issues and other improvements with Optimized Training Stress, which is found exclusively in the CoachCat app. Learn more inside this podcast with Coach Andrew Giniat and FasCat Founder Frank Overton. --- Take your training to the next level by hiring Coach Andrew: https://fascatcoaching.com/collections/coaches/products/andrew-giniat     -- Try CoachCat Free for a month - with no credit card required ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4 😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price. 📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans ⏰ Instant Data Analysis 💥 Custom Workout Recommendations 🧠 Training Plan Revisions 🚀 Auto FTP Detection

So you're signed up for a couple big races this year - now what? Coaches Andrew and Ricky break down the planning process on this podcast, including: -how to set your A-race goal (process and power are usually better than time) -how to fill in B and C races  -how to determine the optimal number of events -classic planning mistakes to watch out for (we've seen a lot of them! and done a few ourselves...) -- Take your training to the next level by hiring Coach Andrew: https://fascatcoaching.com/collections/coaches/products/andrew-giniat Or by hiring Coach Ricky https://fascatcoaching.com/collections/coaches/products/ricky-arnopol -- Try CoachCat Free for a month - with no credit card required ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4 😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price. 📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans ⏰ Instant Data Analysis 💥 Custom Workout Recommendations 🧠 Training Plan Revisions 🚀 Auto FTP Detection  

Normally in cycling, it's a two-out-of-three situation: strong, light, cheap; or aero, light, inexpensive... And the same often applies when it comes to training: you can't blow off structure and expect to get fast and stay fit. However! On today's podcast FasCat Coaches Frank and Andrew explain how you can have fun, be flexible, and still achieve effective results by training with the FasCat method. -- Take your training to the next level by hiring Coach Andrew: https://fascatcoaching.com/collections/coaches/products/andrew-giniat   -- Try CoachCat Free for a month - with no credit card required ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/47rr7em4 😸 Use CoachCat just like you would a real coach for a fraction of the price. 📆 Create a Custom Plan using unlimited training plans ⏰ Instant Data Analysis 💥 Custom Workout Recommendations 🧠 Training Plan Revisions 🚀 Auto FTP Detection