Preparatory Phase

Having taken a short break from structured cycling workouts and slowly re-introducing myself with weights in the gym, I am now beginning a six month Preparatory Phase that initially consists of muscle development and low intensity cycling workouts, will lead into on and off the bike strength development and finally into cycling and racing specific workouts.

The break, or as commonly called the Transition Phase, was much needed.  The eight week cycle I put myself through over the summer after my shoulder separation to prepare for the Niagara Classic Road Race was intensive and as I discovered, more than my body was willing to take.  Cycling during this transition phase was enjoyable as the rides contained no structure; simply just going out and riding.  Gym workouts also began during this phase; starting with two sessions a week and increasing to four sessions over a 4 week period.  An assortment of exercises were completed, again no real structure per se, just reintroducing my body and muscles to the effort they would endure over the next 24 weeks.

The Preparatory Phase is my first structured attempt at muscle development so there will be lots to learn during this process.  As part of an annual plan or as commonly known as Periodization, my Preparatory Phase begins with three one month cycles (mesocycles) where each cycle includes four one week microcycles, three of which build from one week to the next and the forth for recovery and adaptation.  Each microcycle will include a three day split weight lifting program, three days of low intensity / moderate mileage cycling with some muscle tension and/or steady state intervals and one day off.

The weight lifting portion includes three workouts that are completed on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and contain four exercises; one upper body pull, one upper body push, one squat or deadlift and one accessory / isolation exercise.  In the first mesocycle, each week begins with heavy weight, low number of repetitions and high number of sets and ends with a light weight, high number of repetitions and low number of sets.  The logic behind this approach is to lift heavy earlier in the week when your muscles are more rested.  As the week progresses, although the weight decreases, the increased repetitions and fatigue on the muscles ensures the workout remains challenging.  For each exercise, a different angle is used.  Upper body pulls for instance might include a chin-up on day 1, a seated row on day 2 and an upright row on day 3.  Likewise, at least one lower body exercise each week will be completed on one leg such as a Bulgarian Split Squat or One Leg Romanian Deadlift as these recruit a lot of stabilizer muscles. These ensure the body is challenged each day while at the same time preventing stress on the joints.

At the completion of each mesoocycle, the workouts are changed, weight and intensity is increased and new exercises are introduced to continue to challenge your mind and muscles.

In the coming posts, I will write about all that I learn throughout this phase.

Transitioning Time

As I begin transitioning my training I am once again confronted by my diet.  Having increased my carbohydrate intake in the last five months to meet the energy demands of cycling, with fewer hours on the road, less intensity and more time in the gym lifting weights, my macro nutrient intake and percentages must be adjusted accordingly.  The adjustment can be as challenging as giving up a filthy habit which I must admit, I’ve had to do once or twice already.  For me it is not necessarily the love of carbohydrates, rather it’s more a love of breads and cereals!  Reducing if not eliminating them is hard and challenging.

One misconception a lot of people have when exercising is that they can eat whatever and whenever they want as they’ll just burn off the calories or that they deserve a reward for a good workout and either eat more or indulge in a few sugary treats.  I too have fallen victim to this and at times convince myself that my body needs the extra calories for tomorrows ride.  Before I know it, an evening cup of cereal with a splash of milk becomes a whopping 3 cups of cereal with a half pint of milk.  This gradual increase occurs as the net effect on my weight is not initially apparent and I keep pushing or rather gorging ahead.  Two to three weeks later, a pound or two is gained.  No problem I say to myself… must be water retention.  Five to six weeks later… WHAM… I’ve realized not only have I gained 5lbs, but my body fat percentage has increased by 2%!

My goal over the next 6 months is to increase my upper and lower body strength, power and add muscle.  The addition of muscle will of course aid in my appearance, but more importantly, increase my metabolism and assist with the burning of fat.  To add muscle, it is necessary to increase your caloric intake.  However it is not necessary to increase drastically or put on a ton of weight in the process.  An additional 100 calories per day is sufficient.

I like to keep things simple as I am no gourmet chef.  I also like to eat so the approach I take works best for me.  For one, I eat at least 6 meals and snacks a day every three hours from 7am until 10pm.  I include both protein and carbohydrates sources in each meal.  Each meal will consist of a quality protein source, a serving of vegetables and/or a serving of fruit.  Between meals I drink water but will have a coffee or tea in the morning and sometimes in the evening.  I limit my intake of processed foods; refrain from refined carbohydrates such as white breads, white pastas and white rice (or anything in the ingredients that starts with “enriched”), bakery type desserts such as cakes, cookies, donuts etc and sugary beverages other than 100% fruit or vegetable juice.  Yogurt I will eat as a source of protein and calcium and the odd ice cream as a treat. Carbohydrates in the form of whole wheat / whole grain cereals and breads are consumed at breakfast to replace depleted glycogen stores and as the body will utilize these for energy throughout the day.  A typical day for me would look like the following:

7:00AM Breakfast – 1 cup of plain Oatmeal; slice of 100% Whole Wheat Toast w/ tablespoon of Peanut Butter; Whey Protein Smoothie with a cup of frozen berries; coffee with a single milk and sugar.  Multivitamin and Omega 3-6-9 supplements.

10:00AM Snack – 2 to 3 larges eggs scrambled or as an omelette; an ounce of cheese; ¾ cup of chopped peppers (red, orange and green) and onions; a medium apple

1:00PM Lunch – Salmon steak w/ beets; a half cup of whole long grain rice; yogurt and 100% orange juice

4:00PM Snack – Whey Protein Smoothie with a cup of frozen berries and cup of mixed veggies (not included in the smoothie unless it was a sweet vegetable such as carrot or beet)

7:00Pm Dinner – Chicken breast w/ broccoli and yogurt

10:00PM Snack – Turkey breast slices w/ cheese and an apple

NOTE: the WHEY protein at breakfast addresses my post recovery needs as I generally work out prior.  Foods with a high glycemic index and low in fat aid in the rapid delivery of protein to the muscles.  As my workouts occur before breakfast, I find it challenging to balance this requirement while at the same time, feeling full and satisfied until my mid morning snack.