Zone 2 intervals are trending across pro pelotons and training apps, but are they actually superior to steady endurance riding, or just a complicated solution to a simple problem? Coach Adam Pulford breaks down the science, shares real athlete data, and gives you an honest answer on whether structured Zone 2 intervals are worth your time.

Free Cycling Training Assessment: https://trainright.com/cycling-training-assessment-welcome/

RESOURCES

• Cycling’s Latest Trend: Structured Zone 2 Intervals
• Zone 2 Training to Improve Aerobic Endurance and Fat Burning - CTS

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HOST
Adam Pulford has been a CTS Coach for nearly two decades and holds a B.S. in Exercise Physiology. He's participated in and coached hundreds of athletes for endurance events all around the world.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform

Interested in working with a coach? Schedule a free consult: https://trainright.com/coaching/cycling/

Self-coached athlete? Check out our TrainRight Membership: https://trainright.com/membership/

Find more free resources here: https://trainright.com/blog/

Struggling to fit training into your busy life? Coach Adam Pulford breaks down a simple weekly framework that helps time-crunched cyclists build real fitness — without burning out or blowing up their schedule.

Free Cycling Training Assessment: https://trainright.com/cycling-training-assessment-welcome/

RESOURCES

• Time-Crunched? Here’s the Training Week Framework That Works
• How to Build a Strong Week of Your Cycling Training Plan - Chris Carmichael

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HOST
Adam Pulford has been a CTS Coach for nearly two decades and holds a B.S. in Exercise Physiology. He's participated in and coached hundreds of athletes for endurance events all around the world.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform

Interested in working with a coach? Schedule a free consult: https://trainright.com/coaching/cycling/

Self-coached athlete? Check out our TrainRight Membership: https://trainright.com/membership/

Find more free resources here: https://trainright.com/blog/

CONNECT WITH CTS

Website: trainright.com
Instagram: @cts_trainright
Twitter: @trainright
Facebook: @CTSAthlete

OVERVIEW
Cyclists almost always report a discrepancy between the power output and/or perceived exertion between indoor and outdoor cycling. Typically, this means struggling to achieve the same power output indoors than can be achieved outdoors for common workouts like FTP intervals or VO2 max efforts. Even easier Zone 2 rides can have higher RPE values (i.e., feel harder) indoors compared to outdoors. In Episode 294 of "The Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast", Coach Adam Pulford reveals why indoor cycling feels harder, how you can narrow the gap between indoor and outdoor performance, and whether you should use different power training zones indoors vs outdoors.

TOPICS COVERED

• Why indoor cycling feels harder than outdoor riding
• Which types of cycling workouts are affected more by moving indoors
• How to narrow the gap between indoor and outdoor performance
• When to make different indoor and outdoor power training zones

RESOURCES

•  Indoor vs Outdoor Power Explained
• Knowledge is Watt: https://www.instagram.com/knowledgeiswatt/
  - Indoor vs Outdoor Power post 
• Can a Mismatch Between Course Gradient and Resistance Affect Performance When Using ERG Mode in a Zwift Workout? 

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HOST
Adam Pulford has been a CTS Coach for nearly two decades and holds a B.S. in Exercise Physiology. He's participated in and coached hundreds of athletes for endurance events all around the world.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform

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Website: trainright.com
Instagram: @cts_trainright
Twitter: @trainright
Facebook: @CTSAthlete

OVERVIEW
Should cyclists incorporate VO2 max work year round or focus VO2 max work on only select periods of the year? Coach Adam Pulford tackles this listener question in Episode 293 of "The Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast". Key ideas include the fact that VO2 max is influenced by training at several different intensities, so you can work on VO2 max without always doing high-intensity intervals. When it comes to high-intensity intervals, Coach Adam provides guidance on scheduling workouts and rest days, provides examples of effective VO2 max interval workouts, and when it makes sense to adjust annual periodization plans to incorporate high intensity intervals at unconventional times of year. 

TOPICS COVERED

• VO2 max is influenced by all training intensities
• Why you shouldn't train VO2 max intensity all year long
• How training intensities work together
• Sample Zone 5, high intensity workouts
• Why you should do Zone 5 VO2 work at every two months
• Other ways to build VO2 max off the bike

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HOST
Adam Pulford has been a CTS Coach for nearly two decades and holds a B.S. in Exercise Physiology. He's participated in and coached hundreds of athletes for endurance events all around the world.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform

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Website: trainright.com
Instagram: @cts_trainright
Twitter: @trainright
Facebook: @CTSAthlete

OVERVIEW
ERG Mode, or ergometer mode, is a feature on smart indoor cycling trainers that allows the trainer or connected app to set the resistance you experience as a rider. For interval workouts, for instance, ERG Mode will adjust the resistance so you stay at a constant target power output (e.g., 250 watts for 10 minutes). The downside to ERG Mode is that it can hinder your ability to conjure the internal motivation to achieve that power target, and if you can't maintain your cadence during an interval, you can end up in the "death spiral". In Episode 292 of "The Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast", Coach Adam Pulford provides insights on when to use or not use ERG Mode, how to set up TrainingPeaks Virtual to avoid the death spiral, and other tips for maximizing the effectiveness of ERG Mode. 

TOPICS COVERED

• Pros and Cons of ERG Mode
• Innovations in ERG Mode functions
• Why you would want to use ERG Mode
• Sample data file from ERG Mode workout

RESOURCES

• CTS Article on ERG Mode
• IndieVelo to TPVirtual: 
  • Inside TrainingPeaks Virtual: Redefining Indoor Cycling and Training
  • TrainingPeaks acquires virtual cycling platform indieVelo, aims to add ‘credible racing and realistic riding’ to its training offerings
• Other ERG Mode Resources:
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85d5wF6DNkc
  • https://www.highnorth.co.uk/articles/indoor-ftp-vs-outdoor-ftp

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HOST
Adam Pulford has been a CTS Coach for nearly two decades and holds a B.S. in Exercise Physiology. He's participated in and coached hundreds of athletes for endurance events all around the world.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform

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CONNECT WITH CTS

Website: trainright.com
Instagram: @cts_trainright
Twitter: @trainright
Facebook: @CTSAthlete

OVERVIEW
In Episode 291 of "The Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast", Coach Adam Pulford answers a listener question about the relationship between FTP and VO2 max training, particularly how and why targeting training to improve either will typically raise both.

TOPICS COVERED

• Think of training intensities as a continuum, not as neat little boxes
• Descriptions of primary energy systems
• How FTP and VO2 max are directly related
• How to organize training to maximize both FTP and VO2 max

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HOST
Adam Pulford has been a CTS Coach for nearly two decades and holds a B.S. in Exercise Physiology. He's participated in and coached hundreds of athletes for endurance events all around the world.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform

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Website: trainright.com
Instagram: @cts_trainright
Twitter: @trainright
Facebook: @CTSAthlete

OVERVIEW
Although this is "The Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast", we recognize that not everyone is time-crunched. In particular, we hear from lots of older cyclists who have more time to train now that they've retired or cut back their work hours, or their children have flown the nest. So, how do we apply some of the TCC methodologies for athletes who have some more time available? Coach Adam Pulford coaches lots of athletes in this exact scenario, and he has the techniques and information you need.

TOPICS COVERED

• How to deepen your long ride
• How to become A Recovery Hero 
• How to add in Strength Training
• Finding Your Tribe

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HOST
Adam Pulford has been a CTS Coach for nearly two decades and holds a B.S. in Exercise Physiology. He's participated in and coached hundreds of athletes for endurance events all around the world.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform

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Website: trainright.com
Instagram: @cts_trainright
Twitter: @trainright
Facebook: @CTSAthlete

OVERVIEW
Endurance athletes are accustomed to building Annual Training Plans for the phases of their sport-specific training, but are less familiar with building annual training plans for strength training.  If this is you, Episode 289 of "The Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast" features Coach Adam Pulford taking you through the steps of creating and managing your annual strength training plan. He breaks it down for novices/beginners, cyclists who are familiar/experienced in the gym, and athletes who do not have access to gym facilities. He also reveals what not to do in various parts of the season. 

TOPICS COVERED

• Three types of strength training for cyclists:
  • Novice/Beginner
  • Advanced, for Endurance Performance with Gym
  • Advanced, Endurance Performance, Limited Gym Equipment
• Strength training phases with recommended set and rep ranges
• Recommended strength exercise categories
• Why cyclists shouldn't get stuck in a hypertrophy phase
• What not to do when planning strength training as a cyclist
  
  

RESOURCES

• Podcast Copy - TCC ATP Periodization with Strength Training
• Concurrent exercise training: do opposites distract? - PMC 
• Community Resource Center | NASM 
• Heavy strength training effects on physiological determinants of endurance cyclist performance: a systematic review with meta-analysis
• Strength training strategies to improve endurance performance | miun.se
•  TCC Episodes on Strength Training: 
  • https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trainright-podcast/id1494799053?i=1000587336891
  • https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-time-crunched-cyclist-podcast-by-cts/id1494799053?i=1000509610032
  • https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trainright-podcast/id1494799053?i=1000728212907

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HOST
Adam Pulford has been a CTS Coach for nearly two decades and holds a B.S. in Exercise Physiology. He's participated in and coached hundreds of athletes for endurance events all around the world.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform

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Website: trainright.com
Instagram: @cts_trainright
Twitter:

OVERVIEW
Annual Training Plans are big-picture, long term plans that map out training phases to bring the athlete into key races, events, or time periods with peak form and freshness, which helps optimize performance. For some, these can be fun to map out, especially if you like spreadsheets and planning. Others find it boring, confusing, time-consuming. Either way, in Episode 288 of "The Time-Crunched Cyclist Podcast", Coach Adam Pulford takes you through the steps of creating and managing your annual training plan, and also reveals tricks of the trade to speed up the process and avoid common pitfalls.

TOPICS COVERED

• Mapping out your annual training plan
• Understanding periodization in training
• Utilizing TrainingPeaks for planning
• Common pitfalls in annual training plans

RESOURCES

• Podcast Copy - TCC ATP Periodization Plan
• The Comprehensive Guide to Creating an Annual Training Plan | TrainingPeaks
• Annual Training Plan Methodologies – TrainingPeaks Help Center
• Past Episode Explanations:
  • Episode #46 = Periodization, Training Modalties & Planning https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-time-crunched-cyclist-podcast-by-cts/id1494799053?i=1000514294530  
  • Episode #212 - SweetSpot vs Polarized Training (and other Modalities) Explained: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trainright-podcast/id1494799053?i=1000668322894

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HOST
Adam Pulford has been a CTS Coach for nearly two decades and holds a B.S. in Exercise Physiology. He's participated in and coached hundreds of athletes for endurance events all around the world.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast platform

GET FREE TRAINING CONTENT

Join our weekly newsletter

CONNECT WITH CTS

Website: trainright.com
Instagram: @cts_trainright
Twitter: @trainright
Facebook: @CTSAthlete