Workouts of the Week June 29 2009

Video From Day 1 of BC Bike Race - Mical And Jeff at around Minute 1:03 -- Rip it Up!!

Steve's Workout of the Week
WU: Active flexibility for at least 10min

Main WO:
5 rounds for time of,
10 Heavy KB Swings (swing heaviest KB or Dumbell you can without losing form)

10 Ring Push-ups (if you don't have rings or a TRX...then do clapping pushups)

Post Time / Load /Modifications / Successes to Comments Please !

Compare to Last Time

Peter's Workout of the Week
In your longest Ride this week

Warmup with 5 x 30s-60sec One Leg Pedaling w/ 1min @ 100RPM and 1min comfy cadence in between
- all endurance effort so use gears
- one leg interval length determined by your ability to remain smooth / avoid 'clunking'

During the Ride Complete 5 Burpees every half hour

Did You Earn Your Off Day Today

Mical Dyck Placed 2nd at Stage 1 of BC Bike Race !

http://www.steveneal.ca

Trouble Getting Out the Door ?

So warm weather is here

 

The first Block of Races have Come and Gone

 

How is Your Daily Training Going ?

 

Are you able to complete most or all of the training set out before you each week ?

 

Regardless of where 'the plan' is coming from it is important that it matches your lifestyle, your abilities and your motivation/interest

 

This is something a good coaching service and/or a well laid out plan should accommodate

 

If you find yourself staring at the door or suddenly developing an interest in folding socks or dusting cobwebs when it comes time to ride it is time to look at your routine

 

Try keeping a log of your training and how your feel before / during / after your rides, how is your life stress on this day, focus?, performance ? what time of day are you riding ?

 

This information can help isolate days when you were not motivated or tired and then be used to refine the program to YOU

ie. Wednesdays may always be busy family or work days so perhaps these are good days to train in the morning with a short workout (like one of our workouts of the week !)  or to take off .

 

Often people get stuck doing Monday and Friday off-days because that is how so many plans are organized but taking an off day for family on the weekend and an off day mid week when work gets hectic can be the thing that brings some people's training to then next level !

 

Have you made changes to your program that have helped to get or 'Keep you Moving??'  Please let us know

Steve and Peter

www.steveneal.ca

 

PS. Grab your free training log at www.cranktheshield.com   ... the log is free and so is the plan, love you to do the race but feel free to see what the plan and log are all about regardless !

PSS. The new Plan (last 3 months of training) is available July 1st ... a great week to start whether you have been following or not !

June 23 Workouts of the Week

 

Women's Podium in Canmore after the Canada Cup this Weekend ... Amanda and Mical Racing well at Altitude !

Steve Workout of The Week

10 to 15 min active warmup then complete:

8 x 20 sec ON / 10 sec OFF at each station...complete each station
before moving to next.

Count total reps for entire workout.

Take 2 min rest between each station.

Front Plank on Elbows

Situps

Pushups

Box jumps (about 20 inches)

Burpees

Post reps / experiences to comments

Peter's Workout of The Week

 

 During a Ride or Warmup this week

   -- 5 Rounds --

- 30sec standing on flats endurance pace

- 1 min seated 1 gear easier then preferred (95-105 RPM if monitor)

- 1min seated 2 gears easier (110-120 RPM if monitor)

- 30 sec standing on flats endurance pace

- 1min comfortable cadence seated

* focus on maintaining steady pace / wattage despite change in cadence / position and on smooth pedal stroke both seated / standing

** feel free to inquire on techniques !

 

 

PS. Remember to sign up for last 3 months of Training for Crank the Shield and Your free Training Peaks Account @ www.cranktheshield.com

 

Steve and Peter

www.steveneal.ca

Workouts of the Week June 15 2009

Mical Dyck Riding to a Very Strong 2nd Place At the Edmonton Canada Cup

 

Steve's Workout of the Week

 

see Steve's post below about travel workouts

 

** for anyone with kids in sports this is a perfect solution to those nights where you just can't get a workout in on the bike

*** and it can likely be done in the time it takes for them to get changed and warmup so you can still catch the game / practice ... which is important too !

 

 

Peter's Workout of the Week

Ride 30-90 min easy effort (ie. on recovery day) ... warmup and cool down with easy, high cadence spinning (think 1 gear easier then is comfortable)

 

1)  go to a park and use cement ledges, stairs, curbs, sand etc. to create a short obstacle course for yourself

- this may mean riding along a skinny ledge for 10ft, then hopping over a curb then riding through sand, then maybe up a grass hill practicing standing

- could include a few burpees or pullups as your chosen park suggests

 

2) once you have done several rounds of your course set your timer for 1min and see how many mounts / dismounts you can do in 1min

 - you must clip in with both feet to count one rep

 - post to comments and record in your training log for later comparison

 - for Crank the Shield participants we want to see this coming up into the 10-20 range as the race approaches.

 

 

Steve and Peter

 

Need Help Training for Endurance Sport ? www.steveneal.ca
Sign up for Free Training account at www.cranktheshield.com    **** Next 3 months of training out for July 1st ... why not join us for the last 3 months ?????????????????????????

Travel workouts

I just spent this past weekend basically living at an arena in Whitby while my son Davis finished his final tryout for Team Ontario box lacrosse.



I packed a few things to make sure I could get in a decent workout both days...following is my equipment list:



35# kettlebell

20# medicine ball

Abmat

Padded stretch mat

Skipping rope

30# plyo ball (the kind that doesn't bounce)

Running shoes



Saturday I took a break from the tryout - likely a good thing for my son :) - and did the following workout:



10 min run warmup



5 min active flex



Then 50 of each:



Double unders



Situps



Air Squats



Pushups



Ball slams



Double unders



Then Sunday:



10 min run



10 min of skipping + kettlebell swings + active flex



Then 3 rounds of following run intervals:



200 m rest 200 m time



400 m rest 400 m time



600 m rest 600 m time



----



I basically timed these workouts so I only missed when the kids were changing and getting ready for the game ... This is usually the case at most youth events where they are to be with their team ... This is a great opportunity to take a moment for yourself instead of missing two workouts.



I find these weekends busy so plan in advance ... I usually take the day off training on the friday to pack the car and take part in the preparation for the weekend as a family as well as my workout. When my wife Gayle is there she always joins as well.



Until next time Steve...O and one more thing...Davis made the Team!

Sent from my PHONE

Saturday Results !

 

 

Mical Dyck Narrowly Misses the win at Edmonton Canada Cup (2nd)

  (was it the crossfit last week ???  Link )

 

Amanda Sin - Rides out a big crash for 14th at Colorado Springs Us Cup

 

Peter Glassford Rides in for a 16th also in Colorado ... link to interview and coverage of UScup

 

What will Sunday Bring in Ontario Road Racing and Marathon MTB racing ???

 

Have a Great Ride no matter where your tires lead you today !

 

Steve and Peter

 

www.steveneal.ca

Bike Fit Testimonial

Dear Steve

It has been about two months that you did my bike fit.  I can't thank you enough for the positive impact that this service has made to may biking.  I have been able to ramp up my riding to include a substantial amount of hill and climbing training without damaging my back and rt hip.  In fact they are slowly getting stronger thanks to the better position I have on my bike.
During riding on single track trails I also have found that I am climbing stronger on some of the hills that were giving me quite a bit of trouble last year, and I have been able to climb up steeper sections that have roots or other little steps where last year I had to step down as I did not have the power to cycle over them and keep going.  I am focusing on keeping a steady body position when climbing, eliminating bouncing my upper body etc. as you showed me on the video.  This keeps me in a comfortable position and I find it very effective.

I am also optimistic that I can continue to improve my biking and continue to bike regularly without endangering my back and hip function and mobility in the long term.

I will continue to ride with my current, curved, handlebar until such time that I feel my back and hip have improved substantially; at that time I would like to try the flat handlebar you suggested could further benefit my body position on the bike.  

Because things are doing so well now I would like to make sure that I lock in the gains I have made before trying further adjustments.

I have passed your name to a friend of mine who had a friend that was interested in getting a bike fit.

Thanks a million for your help; in retrospect I wish that I had thought about asking for the bike fit as soon as I got by bike initially.

Cinta Bennell


Sent from my PHONE

Mical Dyck Interview

http://www.steveneal.ca

Workout of the Week June 8 2009

Steve's Workout of the Week

Steve's Workout of the Week

Tabata 20 sec ON / 10 sec OFF -- 1 min rest between each exercise

Pushups - chest and thighs to floor

Situps - shoulder blades touch floor - then full range of motion situp - touch feet

Air Squats - squat with no additional load

Burpees - chest and thighs to floor - must get heels on floor before
jumping - jump must be with full hip extension + clap while hands are
above head and feet are off floor -

Count the lowest score for each exercise...add them together.

Post score and Compare to Last time

Peter's Workout of the Week
- Pick one ride this week and complete 5-8 runups of 1-3min duration ... focus on quick, little steps rather than bounding ... pay attention to how your RPE / Breathing / HR changes. With time and practice you should notice you are able to carry a steady pace/effort while riding or running with your bike.
- Your mount and dismount should be done while in motion, with minimal stops.
- If not positive on how to dismount / mount while moving check out a CycloCross Video (you tube) and practice a few times on grass during your warm-up.

http://www.steveneal.ca

Bolar Mountain Thoughts

So what did you get up to on the weekend ???

 

SNPD athletes in action at Bolar mtn this weekend

 

Steve didn't make the trip so Peter took on the role of watching in the trees.

 

The above is a picture of a soccer team out practicing at 6:30am at the hotel before going to a tournament ... the other teams were up late, slept in then pigged out on the breakfast buffet

   - not sure if they won but I would put my money on them for sure.

 

... the moral ??? preparation and hard-work is the only way to good performances ... figure out your limiters and work on them, then go to sleep and then wake up and do it again !

 

Things observed at Bolar that have nothing to do with fitness but more so with preparation and skill development.

 

- gears not shifting

 

- Inability to hop logs at all or efficiently

 

- trouble with downhills / corners

 

- trouble mounting / dismounting (single speeders and those afflicted by previous 2 points especially)

 

Does it mean spending tons of money on log hopping lessons ???

 

Not necessarily, but do take some time to review your race critically and think about spots you can improve your performance with some preparation and skill development.

 

Are you better to take some time in each warmup to practice a skill vs. ride at a given hr ?

 

or even take 1-2 workouts each week and just work on skills ??? if you add up the time lost in mounting/dismounting etc. it may improve your result by more than another set of hill reps.

 

www.steveneal.ca

Sprint Work

Had a great opportunity to sit down with National Team MTB Coach Dan Proulx this past weekend. We had some good discussions about training and racing. Below is a video of some work I did this morning coming from and excellent idea from Dan.

Spent a few minutes having Peter work against resistance to try and find some dead spots in the pedal stroke...then moved to some sprint drills to try and see if he could do some work with the new pedal ideas.

Client Successful in Europe !

Just Recently Heard back from Our Client on Alpe D'huez !

 

 

Peter, I did it in 1 hour and 47 minutes.

 

I felt tired but good, had more left in my tank.  At the bottom is was daunting looking up the mountain. 

 

At turn 16 I had a front tire flat and rode until turn 10 (23 minutes) with a flat tire (on the rim) until van turned up and I stopped to switch out rim.  The only time I stopped was for the tire change.

Thanks for all your advice and coaching. It was unbelievably helpful. I could not have done it without you.

 

The views were spectacular too!!

See you soon.

I'm hooked!!!

D

 

 

Workouts of the Week May 2 2009

Steve's Workout of the Week

(dedicated to Nick V. and Sean K. who I just learned are avid fans of the SNPD blog !)

Get in 15 min active warmup then complete:

Run 800 metres

10 burpees

Run 600 metres

10 burpees

Run 400 metres

10 burpees

Run 200 metres

10 burpees

Peter's Workout of the Week (also dedicated to Nick and Sean)

 

On your off / easy day this week let's take some time to remember those other sports we do in the off season

 

Complete an easy / fun session duration not so long / strenuous that you can't ride/train the day ( s ) after

 

Think of sports like running, hiking, strength training, ultimate frisbee, soccer ... and/or dirt biking !

 

Have fun

 

Steve and Peter

www.steveneal.ca

 

Hardwood Canada Cup Results

Solid Weekend congrats to everyone ... some great progress in cadence, posture and cadence

 

All these things resulted in Some Solid efforts and many Personal Best Results

 

Brent 1st Mas Ex

Paul - 3rd Mas Ex

Melinda - 5th Mas ex

Holly - 2nd Senior ex

Tammy - 4th

Jared - 6th

Lucas - DNF

John - 10th Mas Sprt

Bob - 2nd Mas Sprt

Cam J - 3rd Senior Elite

Peter - 6th Senior Elite

Mical - 3rd Senior Elite F.

Amanda - 4th Senior Elite F

Mike - 10th Mas Sprt

Stuart - 10th Cadet

Barry - 3rd Mas 55+

Rachel - DNF

 

Special Mention to:

- Sean Rupel for Beating many of the Master Ex Men (including his brother)  

- Kate for 2nd after 3 good pre-rides with Peter and some good work on her own she has been seeing improved Placing, % of leader and avg speed !