Most cyclists think they need more volume or more power to improve. Coach Adam Pulford explains why that’s not always the case and how training density (doing the same work with less recovery) is one of the most effective ways to build durability, increase repeatability, and break through performance plateaus.

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

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.

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/

Resources:

• What Training Density Is and Why It Matters for Time-Crunched Cyclists 
• Durability and repeatability of professional cyclists during a Grand Tour
• Fatigue Resistance or Durability in Cycling: Tests & Training Tips — High North Performance 

If you're fueling with high carbs during training and worrying about diabetes, weight gain, or gut issues, this episode will change how you think about sugar. Coach Adam Pulford breaks down why your body handles carbohydrates completely differently during exercise than at rest, clears up one of the biggest nutrition myths in endurance sports, and gives you a simple, practical fueling framework so you can stop being afraid of carbs and start performing at your best.

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

RESOURCES

• Gut Training for Athletes:
  • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28332114/
  • https://www.gssiweb.org/docs/default-source/sse-docs/jeukendrup_sse_178.pdf?sfvrsn=2
  • https://www.mysportscience.com/post/2017/03/25/training-the-gut-for-athletes
• Gut Training & Microbiome:
  • Can the gut microbiota be trained?
• Stephanie Howe:
  • Stephanie Howe - CTS Ultrarunning Coach
  • https://www.instagram.com/p/B76N6l7Bw8k/?hl=en&img_index=1
  • About – Stephanie Howe

ASK A QUESTION FOR A FUTURE PODCAST HERE

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, YouTube, 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/

Most cyclists think a massive amount of Zone 2 training is the secret to a bigger aerobic engine, but it's only part of the story. Coach Adam Pulford breaks down two workouts he uses with his athletes, from ProTour riders to time-crunched amateurs, to push aerobic fitness to the next level.

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

ASK A QUESTION FOR A FUTURE PODCAST HERE

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/

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

ASK A QUESTION FOR A FUTURE PODCAST HERE

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

ASK A QUESTION FOR A FUTURE PODCAST HERE

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? 

ASK A QUESTION FOR A FUTURE PODCAST

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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Join our weekly newsletter

CONNECT WITH CTS

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

GET FREE TRAINING CONTENT

Join our weekly newsletter

CONNECT WITH CTS

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

ASK A QUESTION FOR A FUTURE PODCAST

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

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

ASK A QUESTION FOR A FUTURE PODCAST

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