Effective training for older cyclists

I don’t think older cyclists train for their ageing physiology. It’s probably why they aren’t getting the results they’re looking for.

I’m not going to go all geeky into the science of things in this post - I’ll save that for the future where I'll break down each topic I talk about today.

But, what I will do is outlay why I think we need to do things differently and give you an insight into the VPCC fundamentals of training for older cyclists.

So, let’s get into it.

If you look at the science as you get older your muscle mass takes a hit, Vo2 declines and your Lactate threshold (your ability to deal with lactate) drops.

There is a plus side to being older. You most likely have a massive aerobic pool.

Thats why for me, the long zone two aerobic winter riding philosophy is a bit short sighted. Yes, I Agree you want to maintain and keep a robust aerobic engine.

But here’s the thing.

When you want to stop age related physiology decline, focusing the main body of your training on long base rides just doesn't cut it, regardless if you are new to cycling or a seasoned rider. I think training that way may help make your performance decline speed up.

So, what should you focus on?

You need to build a foundation of strength on and off the bike. That means hill reps on the bike and lifting heavy in the gym plus incorporating reactive strength work. Year round!

Yes, I know what you’re thinking. Strength training will make me heavy and bulky - Err nope, you’ll get strong, build efficient muscles, increase your aerobic capacity and increase your lactate threshold.

Adding in quality work such as Vo2 and threshold will also help mitigate age related decline that older cyclists naturally see.

Critically you need to respect and incorporate recovery, recovery rides and de-load weeks.

Did you know older cyclists recover at the same level as their younger counterparts? Here's the kicker. You take nearly 24 hours longer to do so.

Recovery is something that a lot of cyclists don’t do well. This often means they are carrying constantly high levels of fatigue which affects the quality of their intensity training. This is why it's important to go hard in training when you need to and back it off when you don’t.

The other thing you need to consider when it comes to the balance of training volume, intensity and recovery is to start your training further out from your event. You can no longer leave it to the last minute, you need more time to build your fitness.

To cap off.

Older cyclists training needs to be looked at differently to help mitigate age related physiology decline.

You need to be more specific.

Focus on strength on and off the bike, include Vo2 and Threshold training.

Spend less time on base riding volume.

And, you need to respect recovery.

Thanks for reading.

Performance & Nutrition Director
2 X Winner of Gym Based PT and founder of VPCC