COACHING

Preparation for ‘La Look’

Cycle No.1

By Jean-Baptiste WIROTH

In a few years, 'La Look' has become a true "calendar classic". This year 3 routes are offered to participants:

Master "695": 164 km Departure - Nevers Magny Cours Circuit / Arrival Nevers Palais Ducal
Senior "Kéo": 91 km Departure - Nevers Magny Cours Circuit / Arrival Nevers - Palais Ducal
Rando-LOOK: 62 km untimed. 91 km Departure Nevers Palais Ducal / Arrival Nevers Palais Ducal

How to prepare
At 2 and a half months from the date one should do "specific" training ... physiological, biomechanical, technical and even psychological!

In the course of this first cycle of specific physical preparation, it seems important to:

Improve the economy of movement. In order not to become exhausted too quickly, it is imperative to choose a high cadence (and therefore a reduced force) coupled with a fluid motion which keeps the pressure on the pedal as constant as possible. Therefore, besides the thrust, one must also take care to whip the pedal and then pull up using the hamstrings (back of the thigh) and the psoas and iliacus muscles. For a number of sporting cyclists the phases of standing pedalling are very energy-intensive (witness the rise of the HR), nevertheless they allow one to work the muscles differently and thereby postpone the onset of muscle fatigue.

Improve maximal oxygen uptake and maximal aerobic power because during a hilly event such as 'La Look', the repetition of intensive efforts above the anaerobic threshold tends to deplete the muscle. As a reminder, the anaerobic threshold is the power at which there is an accumulation of lactic acid due to the recruitment of fast muscle fibres. On the threshold, muscle pain intensifies and accelerates the ventilation.

Optimise body weight. This point is fundamental because the steeper the slope, the greater the gain related to weight loss. Example: a cyclist weighing 75 kg climbing a 5.5% slope at a power of 200 watts will ride at 14km / h. For the same power output, the same cyclist will ride 14.3 km / h with 2 kg less, and 14.7 km / h with 5kg less!

Preparation programme for the 164 km 'La Look' event - Cycle 1
Duration: 4 weeks (from 14 March to 10 April)

NB : Proceed to a week of recovery before starting the programme

Week 1	Duration	Intensity	Session content
Session 1 (week)	2h30	Z1 Z2 Z3 Z5	Road Objective : To develop MAP Warming-up : 45min zone Z1-Z2 Exercise 1 : Do 2 sets of 8 x (30 sec Z5 pace / 30 sec Active Recovery pace Z2) with a high pedalling cadence (90 rpm). Alternate 1 effort seated / 1 effort standing. Remember to breathe and pedal efficiently throughout the set. Take 4 min of Active Recovery between the 2 sets. Exercise 2 : At the end of the session do technical work on uphill false flat in 2 sets of 4 x (only left leg pedalling for 30 sec / 30 sec pedalling only with right leg / 1 min normal pedalling) at the cadence of 70 rpm Cool-down : 15 min zone Z1-Z2
Optional weekday session	1h	Z1 Z2	Home-Trainer Objective : Fluidity of motion Warming-up : 10 min zone Z1 Exercise : Do 10' at 80 rpm / 5' at 60 rpm / 10' at 90 rpm / 5' at 60 rpm / 10' at 100rpm without exceeding zone Z3 Cool-down : 10 min in zone Z1
Session 2 (week-end)	3h	Z1 Z2 Z3 Z4	Road Objective : Group session Warming-up : 1h zone Z1-Z2-Z3 Exercise : Hilly course with 3 efforts of 15' in zone Z3-Z4 at a cadence of > 80 rpm. Once the exercise is completed, finish the session with endurance Cool-down : 15 min in zone Z1-Z2

Total: 6h30 including 1 optional hour

Week 2	Duration	Intensity	Session content
Session 1 (week)	2h30	Z1 Z2 Z3 Z5	Road Objective : To develop MAP Warming-up : 45 min zone Z1-Z2 Exercise 1 : Do 2 sets of 10 x (30 sec Z5 pace / 30 sec Active Recovery pace Z2) with a high pedalling cadence (90 rpm). Alternate 1 effort seated / 1 effort standing. Remember to breathe and pedal efficiently throughout the set. Take 4 min of Active Recuperation between the 2 sets. Exercise 2 : At the end of the session do technical work on 5% uphill in 2 sets of 5 x (only left leg pedalling for 30 sec / 30 sec pedalling only with right leg / 1 min normal pedalling) at the cadence of 70 rpm Cool-down : 15 min in zone Z1-Z2
Optional weekday session	1h	Z1 Z2	Home-Trainer with front wheel raised 15 cm Objective : Fluidity of motion Warming-up : 10 min zone Z1 Exercise : do 10' at 80 rpm / 5' at 60 rpm / 10' at 90 rpm / 5' at 60 rpm / 10' at 100rpm without exceeding zone Z3 Cool-down : 10min in zone Z1
Session 2 (week-end)	3h30	Z1 Z2 Z3 Z4	Road Objective : Group session Warming-up : 1h zone Z1-Z2-Z3 Exercise : Hilly course with 3 efforts of 20' in zone Z3-Z4 at a cadence of > 80 rpm. Once the exercise is completed, finish the session with endurance Cool-down : 15min in zone Z1-Z2

Total: 7h including 1 optional hour

Week 3	Duration	Intensity	Session content
Session 1 (week)	2h30	Z1 Z2 Z3 Z4 Z5	Road Objective : To develop MAP Warming-up : 45min zone Z1-Z2 Exercise 1 : Do 2 sets of 12 x (30 sec Z5 pace / 30 sec Active Recovery pace Z2) with a high pedalling cadence (90 rpm). Alternate 1 effort seated / 1 effort standing. Remember to breathe and pedal efficiently throughout the set. Take 4 min of Active Recovery between the 2 sets. Exercise 2 : At the end of the session do technical work on 5% uphill in 2 sets of 5 x (only left leg pedalling for 45 sec / 45 sec pedalling only with right leg / 1 min normal pedalling) at the cadence of 70 rpm Cool-down : 15 min in zone Z1-Z2
Optional weekday session	1h	Z1 Z2	Home-Trainer Objective : Fluidity of motion Warming-up : 10 min zone Z1 Exercise : Do 10' at 80 rpm / 5' at 60 rpm / 10' at 90 rpm / 5' at 60 rpm / 10' at 100 rpm without exceeding zone Z3 Cool-down : 10 min in zone Z1
Session 2 (week-end)	4h	Z1 Z2 Z3 Z4	Road Objective : Group session Warming-up : 1h zone Z1-Z2-Z3 Exercise : Hilly course with 4 efforts of 15' in zone Z3-Z4 at a cadence of > 80 rpm. Once the exercise is completed, finish the session with endurance Cool-down : 15 min in zone Z1-Z2
Optional weekend session	2h	Z1 Z2 Z3	Road Objective : Endurance Warming-up : 30 min zone Z1-Z2-Z3 Exercise : Gently undulating course without exceeding zone Z3 Cool-down : 30 min in zone Z1-Z2

Total: 9h30 including 3 optional hours

Week 4	Duration	Intensity	Session content
Session 1 (week)	2h30	Z1 Z2 Z3 Z4 Z5	Road Objective : Combined development of MAP / anaerobic threshold Warming-up : 45 min zone Z1-Z2 Exercise 1 : Make 3 efforts of 20min in progressive acceleration (10 min Z3 pace / 9 min Z4 pace / 1 min Z5 pace) at the cadence of > 70 rpm. Free recovery between the 3 efforts Exercise 2 : At the end of the session do technical work on 5% uphill in 2 sets of 6 x (only left leg pedalling for 45 sec / 45 sec pedalling only with right leg / 1 min normal pedalling) at the cadence of 70 rpm Cool-down : 15 min in zone Z1-Z2
Optional weekday session	1h	Z1 Z2	Home-Trainer Objective : Fluidity of motion Warming-up : 10 min zone Z1 Exercise : Do 10' at 80 rpm / 5' at 60 rpm / 10' at 90 rpm / 5' at 60 rpm / 10' at 100 rpm without exceeding zone Z3 Cool-down : 10 min in zone Z1
Session 2 (week-end)	5h	Z1 - Z7	Road Objective : Group session Warming-up : 1h zone Z1-Z2-Z3 Exercise : Hilly course at a free pace Cool-down : 30 min in zone Z1-Z2
Optional weekend session	2h30	Z1 Z2 Z3	Road Objective : Endurance Warming-up : 30 min zone Z1-Z2-Z3 Exercise : Gently undulating course without exceeding zone Z3 Cool-down : 30 min in zone Z1-Z2

Total: 11h including 3.30 optional hours

Week 5	Duration	Intensity	Session content
Session 1 (week)	2h	Z1 Z2 Z3	Road Objective : Endurance Warming-up : 30 min zone Z1-Z2-Z3 Exercise : Gently undulating course without exceeding zone Z3 Cool-down : 30 min in zone Z1-Z2
Session 2 (week-end)	2h30	Z1 - Z7	Road Objective : Group session Warming-up : 1h zone Z1-Z2-Z3 Exercise : Hilly course at a free pace Cool-down : 30 min in zone Z1-Z2

Total: 4h30 including 1 optional hour

Training Intensities
The intensity of a training session should be determined on the basis of the heart rate, power and/or sensations. Training intensities are ideally set using the results of an exercise test performed in a sports and health laboratory. In the absence of such results, two equations provide an estimate of the maximum heart rate (MHR):

Man : MHR = 220 - age in years
Woman : MHR = 226 - age in years

Zone	% MHR	% MAP	Associated sensations
Z7 (Short Sprint)	Not significant	180 - 300	- tingling in the muscles just after the effort - hyperventilation after the effort - conversation impossible
Z6 (Long Sprint)	Not significant	100 – 180	- maximum muscle pain during the effort - extreme pain during the exercise - hyperventilation during the exercise - conversation impossible
Z5 MAP (Maximal Aerobic Power)	95 – 100	80 – 100	- rapid increase of muscular pain - rapid increase in ventilation - conversation very difficult
Z4 (Anaerobic Threshold)	90 – 95	75 – 80	- progressive increase of muscular pain - progressive increase in ventilation - conversation difficult
Z3 (Tempo)	85 - 90	65 - 75	- appearance of a slight muscle pain during effort - ventilation high but stable and controllable - conversation possible
Z2 (Basic Endurance)	75 - 85	50 - 65	- no muscular pain - intensity easily maintained - conversation easy
Z1 (Recovery)	< 75	40 - 50	- no muscular pain - intensity easily maintained - conversation very easy

By Jean-Baptiste WIROTH

Doctor of Sports Science Founder of the WTS sports coaching company – The Coaching Company®

Website : http://www.wts.fr

E-mail : jb.wiroth@wts.fr

COACHING

Preparation for ‘La Look’

Cycle No.1

Not significant

180 - 300