CYCLE LOFT’S WINTER INDOOR TRAINING PROGRAM - 2019/20

WEEKDAY EVENING SERIES:

WHAT:

Indoor training sessions designed and coached by Cycling Coach, Kurt Begemann.  These sessions are specifically designed to get you physically and mentally prepared for the 2020 cycling season.   Whether you are a competitive racer, or a recreational rider who wants to get stronger and faster, these classes will get you to Spring 2020 in the best shape of your life.

During the course we're going to talk cycling, cycling, and more cycling, including offering some answers as to why cycling products are designed a certain way, for whom they are designed, and how you can benefit from them.  These "mini clinics," along with tutorials on cycling etiquette, and the "do's and don'ts" of cycling (which are all part of these classes) is the Cycle Loft's way of helping you develop into a more complete and well educated consumer and cyclist.

For 2020, we will also add an additional monthly service available for those riders using power meters. The class will do a 30-minute time trial every month; for riders using power meters, this can serve as a monthly indicator of one's progress.  For an additional fee (see below), we will analyze your 30-minute TT/power file and make recommendations for Training Zones for the following month's training.

WHERE:

Cycle Loft, Middlesex Commons, 43 Middlesex Turnpike, Burlington, MA, 01803.

HOW:

Athletes sign up for sessions one month at a time (or see discounted package deals below), and select either, Group 1 (Mondays and Wednesdays) or Group 2 (Tuesdays and Thursdays).  Classes begin at 6:30pm sharp and run through to 8:00pm.  (Each group will get two sessions per week for the month, resulting in a total of 8 sessions per month.)

Winter Training Sessions will be designed to build a base over the winter with specific intensity and periodization increasing as the month's progress towards the springtime.  These classes will occur monthly from November through April.  Please note: the class curriculum is cumulative with the effects of one month building upon each prior month.  Space is limited to only 15 riders per session.

Group 1 Monday/Wednesday: 

(November and December) 

• Monthly: $200.00 for 8 professionally coached 90-minute training sessions.
• October / November / December: $350.00 for 16 professionally coached 90-minute training sessions.
• January / February / March: $500.00 for 24 professionally coached 90-minute training sessions.
• All 5 months (Oct/Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar): $800, for 40 professionally coached, 90-minute training sessions.

Group 2 Tuesday/Thursday: 

(November, December, January, February and March) 

• Monthly: $200.00 for 8 professionally coached 90-minute training sessions.
• October / November / December: $350.00 for 16 professionally coached 90-minute training sessions.
• January / February / March: $500.00 for 24 professionally coached 90-minute training sessions.
• All 5 months (Oct/Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar): $800, for 40 professionally coached, 90-minute training sessions.

WHEN:

GROUP 1: Mondays and Wednesdays from 6:30pm - 8 pm.  

• October: 23, 28, 30
• November: 4, 6, 11, 13, 18,  20, 25
• December: 2, 4, 9, 11, 16, 18
• January: 6, 8, 13, 15, 20, 22, 27, 29
• February: 3, 5, 10, 12, 17, 19, 24, 26
• March: 2, 4, 9, 11, 16, 18, 23, 25

GROUP 2:  Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:30pm - 8 pm.  

• October: 24, 29, 31
• November: 5, 7, 12, 14, 19, 21, 26
• December: 3, 5, 10, 12, 17, 19
• January: 7, 9, 14, 16, 21, 23, 28, 30
• February: 4, 6, 11, 13, 18, 20, 25, 27
• March: 3, 5, 10, 12, 17, 19, 24, 26

Monthly Power Analysis: Have your monthly 30-minute TT/Power Test analyzed and power zones determined for $25.00 per month.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO BRING:

Bring your own trainer or rollers, along with your bike and be prepared to work hard for 90 minutes of specific training that will cover all systems needed to improve your cycling performance.  Bring a towel, water bottle and a dry set of clothes to go home in!!! 

WHAT TO DO NOW!!!!!

1. Choose Group 1 or Group 2.

2. Sign up for class by registering below.
3. Read our waiver and sign off on it, and bring it to your first class. If you answer "yes" to any of the questions, please get a letter from your doctor stating that you can participate in these classes.  (Please note that you will not be allowed to participate without a signed waiver.)
4. Take a complete break from cycling during the first two weeks in October so that you can physically and mentally recover from the 2019 season. Then during the last two weeks of October reacquaint yourself with your bike and do 3 or 4 informal training rides a week to get you geared up for structured training beginning in November. This way you can begin class fresh and enthusiastic.
5. If you don't already have one, purchase a cycling computer WITH CADENCE and have it installed on your bike.
6. Make sure your bike is in good condition, tuned up and ready to go BEFORE the first day of class. The coach is there to work the class...not to work on your bike.

We look forward to working with you.  KB

Winter Indoor Training Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I need a Cadence Computer?

Specific cadences (revolutions per minute/RPM), form the basis of all structured workouts.  Understanding cadence and the benefits of different cadences, allows you to become a more efficient cyclist.  We will be monitoring cadence during every session.

I’ve heard that the best way to train is with Power. Is this imperative?

Training with a power meter is the best way to monitor gains and train specific parts of your engine. You can also monitor execution, overtraining, and peaking by following power files. If you have the ability to train with a power device, it is indeed a highly effective and efficient tool and during class you will receive valuable tips on using your power device. That being said, using a power meter is not required. 

Can I swap classes, for instance a Wednesday for a Thursday if I have to?

Classes sell out at 18 people per class, and space is limited, therefore the general answer is no, one may not swap classes. Athletes set up in their same positions every class and newer riders coming in tend to disrupt class flow and create imbalance. Classes are also structured with a day “OFF” in between classes to facilitate recovery. Doing back-to-back classes or missing an extra day between workouts is not conducive to proper training. If you’re serious about your training, we suggest that you commit to the entire program.

If I miss the session, can I get the work out to do at home?

We will not be able to provide the class workout for home use in the event of a missed session. We liken this missing a workout at a yoga studio—it would be quite difficult to give someone their yoga workout on a handout to do at home; this would not make for an effective use of the training program. Kurt offers personal coaching services to those that would like to train at alternate times than are being offered. Please contact him at begemann.racing@gmail.com

Why do you discourage riders from joining after January 1st?

The Winter Indoor Training curriculum is a progressive curriculum and builds in intensity over the entire course. One month follows, on work done during the previous month, and a stack effect takes place to foster strength growth and adaptation.  By January, we also begin some difficult interval sessions, and starting these without a good base of easy riding could potentially result in injury. When one chooses to start in January, the riders is now effectively two months behind the program in terms of fitness as well as understanding the daily training protocols—there are no shortcuts in a proper training regimen.  One will also reach a compromised level of fitness during the season by jumping in midstream, as it were.