Hi, Reader!

I recently asked a big number of cyclists on my newsletter (>2000) one important question:

"What is your number one source of frustration in your training?"

(thanks to everyone who answered)

Among the many replies, one stood out like a sore thumb.

Time.

More precisely, not having enough time for training. This was by far the most frequent reply.

So I wanted to grab the bull by the horns and discuss a solution for the time-crunched cyclists (spoiler alert: it's NOT to increase intensity).

The combination of work, family (children!) and social commitments may leave a rather small time window for your weekly training.

In my experience, many riders try to solve this problem in a way that is counter-productive.

Imagine the following:

You're going through a period with very limited time for training. To compensate for few training hours you focus on higher intensity. Threshold and high intensity intervals. Fast-paced endurance rides.

This arguably induces a greater level of training stimulus than training at lower intensities.

However, it's also a high-risk strategy. A bit like making a short cut across a mine field.

Why?

Because your ability to tolerate frequent intensity work rests upon your base of training hours.

What tends to happen is that your intervals and tempo rides produce a high degree of post-workout fatigue. Which requires recovery.

Now factor in your time-crunched life:

• rest is already in poor supply
• stress hormones are high
• meal quality and frequency is poor
• sleep is probably not in excess

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Not a great state for your body in which to recover from high densities of training stress.

So you end up with a poor stress:recovery balance. -> Which leads to poor leg freshness. -> Which accumulates through further tempo and interval sessions. -> Until the point where you either go into overreaching, injuries or illness. And you need to take a forced break from training.

Which brings you quickly back to square one. Zero improvement. Stale performance.

Sound like someone you know?

Here is what I propose as a better alternative...

WHAT: Waiver the utopia of achieving a constant upward trending fitness curve.

Instead, break your emphasis into two deliberate focuses:

1. Maintenance
2. Development

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Point 1: In time-crunched periods, focus on maintenance.

Accept the fact that for the next weeks (or months, or even year[s]) you may not achieve much improvement. Instead, focus on maintaining your current fitness level. And happily accept any smaller improvements that may come your way.

WHY: Because this is a far more sustainable approach. It's also, a great deal more enjoyable. Your quality of life tends to improve.

HOW: Do comfortable low intensity rides mostly. With a dash of regular high intensity work in modest amounts (example: 80% of your regular HIT interval session, performed x 1 every 10 days or so).

THE GREAT PARADOX: The enhanced consistency induced by this strategy may in time result in better maintenance of your fitness. And possibly greater development(!) As compared to the high-risk high intensity approach that often ends in forced training cessation.

Point 2: Here is bonus benefit of this strategy...

...when a more flexible time-window presents, you already have a well-maintained aerobic base. So you can go straight into a short build period and achieve strong fitness for racing.

One of the readers who responded to my initial question is a time-crunched medical doctor. He reported the following experience with this exact strategy:

"I add longer sessions when I have extra time and most of the year I train at zone 1 and 2 (my comment: low & moderate intensity) to build aerobic capacity. I add zone 3 (me: high intensity) and threshold sessions only when I approach key events and peaks which for me only come twice a year. With this approach I rarely see increases in FTP until build periods but my "endurance" at any intensity has slowly been increasing over time. This has also allowed me to avoid illness and injury and increase my training volume throughout the year, year over year."

(Shared with consent, thanks a bunch T.S.)

To sum up the take-aways for time-crunched cyclists:

• ⛔ Do NOT replace lack of hours with added intensity. It's rarely sustainable over time, you tend to crash and burn.
• ✅ Accept your "losses" and focus on maintenance. Practice sustainable endurance rides with regular small amounts of intensity work (just enough for maintenance)
• 🎢 A short build period off of a strong baseline of LIT consistency can give strong fitness for racing (and is more sustainable over time).

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Hoping this advice can be of use to you. Thanks to everyone who responded to my questionnaire.

PS! Would you like a more personal approach for how YOU can beat stagnation and break through to a new level of performance?

If so, my TRIBE membership provides affordable training plans + you get access to me to discuss your options and approach. I'm telling you now because I'm currently adding some new features to the TRIBE membership. Therefore, the price will go up Sunday the weekend to come.

If you sign up before Sunday, you'll get the current (lower) price for all future subscription periods.

​See how TRIBE may help you beat stagnation​

Best of luck with your training,
Martin