Level I Cyclist, Foundation Training Plan, 12-Week Plan, 3 to 6 hours per week

This plan is written for a cyclist that is looking to build foundation fitness (often called “base”), but is pinched for time. This plan can be used to build fitness preceding one of the other plans posted or just gaining new fitness can be an event on its own.

Sometimes keeping foundation fitness maintained is challenging, so this plan provides you with the framework and workouts to keep or get fit. The plan can be used in the off-season or any time you are looking to get or stay on track.

PROFILE

The plan is designed for a Level I rider. Before beginning the plan, you are riding two or three times per week, indoors or outdoors; but, your workouts are not consistent. It is not a problem for you to ride for an hour, though.  

You are looking to build strength, endurance and increase your riding speed. You’d like to begin a weight training program, but don’t know where to begin.

One big issue you have is time. There is never enough time and you don’t have much of it to devote to staying fit. If you can see a training plan that would whip you into shape on three to six hours a week, you’d jump up and down.

Get ready to jump.

GOAL

Your goal is to workout consistently for twelve weeks to build foundation fitness. Your main goal is to complete some 80 to 90 percent of the weekly training hours, ranging from 3 to 6, in the plan.

Although you know that simply riding will improve your fitness, you want to improve your riding speed as well. In addition to riding speed, you want a long ride of around two hours to be comfortable and easy to complete.

THE PLAN OVERVIEW

The plan is structured with three weeks of training to build training volume and intensity, followed by one week of recovery. This is a four-week cycle format.

You can find all of the supporting documents for the training plan on the free download section of this page.

If you use this training plan, you will be ready to ride comfortably for two hours by the end of the plan. After you’ve completed this foundation fitness plan, you are ready to move on to another training plan.

This plan is also available in the book, “Training Plans for Cyclists” published by VeloPress.