Where Cyclists and Triathletes get Faster/Stronger/Leaner/Sooner
Yes, you read that correctly. I have set up my Xert Adaptive Training Advisor for a 5MMP, “Breakaway Specialist” Breakthrough, on January 30th of 2021. This is roughly 9 weeks away. I’ll be riding almost exclusively on my Rollers.
Rollers are a training tool that requires a cyclist to balance on cylinders under the front and rear wheels. Usually, the front wheel has one cylinder under the tire, and the rear has two. My rollers are a little different. They were purchased from Inside Ride, and they have extra cylinders on the back, to stabilize the rear wheel. They also move forward and backward, up to several cm. The rollers have bumpers on the side so you don’t roll off, and there is a drag unit on the rear cylinders so that intervals are possible.
Rollers work because they force the body to stay balanced, while working the cardiovascular system. The cyclist is required to pay attention; one moment of distraction, and BOOM! Down you go! At the same time, these rollers work in a biofeedback way – if your pedal stroke is not smooth, the rollers will move forward and backward. Not only can the cyclist feel this, they can see it. Minimal motion under more frequent loads means the ride is more realistic in terms of balance, power, and the economy of form.
Using Xert on Rollers is going to be a great challenge. I did this before in 2016 and 2017, when Armando was just releasing the product, and it really worked well. But the FOCUS becomes the FOCUS. Xert FOCUS is one of the best things about the Xert Fitness Program. My intention is to try and follow the plan more rigorously, and to attempt most of the rides, intervals included, on the rollers. Xert reads off of the 4iiii’s power meter, and I’ll be able to raise and lower my intensity based on gear selection, cadence, and speed. The drag settings and load curve on the rollers will help me do the rest.
Wish me luck, and let’s see if we can get that 300 watts another way!! 😉
Hey everyone—
After roughly three years where I lived two person’s lifetimes, lost a business, lost a home, almost lost a second marriage, got out of debt, and moved from Dallas, TX to Reno, NV, and spent a year here just…riding and living, it was time to start sharing and discussing the topics about which I am so passionate. Now I’m back, and I’m reinvigorated about cycling, coaching, technology, and your success.
I’m going to post to this blog regularly, and I’m going to try to make each post something teachable or interesting.
We’ll discuss fitness, technology, speculation, opinion, and fun – all of it around cycling and improvement. Blog topics may be road-based, and some themes will be mountain bike-based. Some discussions will be about the technology that I have on hand, and how I use it for myself. Some of the discussions will show ways that you can use it for your own benefit.
I’ll also try to include some video clips. One of the reasons I went so bankrupt with my studios was because I really tried to employ as much technology as possible to study my fitness and your fitness, and then find ways to improve.
Now that I live in an area where the cycling is just…. spectacular, I think you’ll enjoy seeing how much the study of things really helps. You’ll also see how some of it really doesn’t help at all.
I’m also going to write about my wife’s journey. She’s younger, stronger, and smarter than I am on a lot of this stuff, and she employs the technology as well.
It’s also important to get an idea of how women respond to this technology, and she certainly has her own opinions.
Let’s start with a six-week journey, which actually started yesterday. It’s about my Journey to 300 Watts of Functional Threshold Power.
I’m ready to write. Let’s go!
This is a short video of several clients at the studio performing Intervals called "Zoomies". Zoomies are 8-second intervals, with just 6 second recoveries. We performed FORTY of these in 3 sets. The goal is to ride the 8 second intervals at a relatively high intensity, maybe 150-200% of Threshold. Then the cyclist spins through a short recovery. I used it on Tuesday, and multiple cyclists achieved breakthroughs on Xert. I'm using it today as well, to similar effect.
