Make This Your Best Year Ever. How to Plan Your Training Season

How do you plan your training season to maximize your potential? I get into this and provide example weeks from each phase of the periodization cycle.
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[@DylanJohnsonCycling]

Still need help setting up your training plan? I've got plans available here: www.trainingpeaks.com/coach/dylanjohnsontraining#trainingplans

[@chrisvanbuggenum871]

Just broke a clavicle, scapula and a few ribs, so I'm ready for my off season.

[@chrisvanbuggenum871]

@cnpsych18 thanks mate. Thank God for painkillers. Still, meant to be back at work after the weekend.

[@anthonypetterson]

@@chrisvanbuggenum871 Hi Chris! Rest up and get stronger. Watch out for the painkillers though. Sometimes they are worse than the pain.

[@rgc9393]

Love the content and the associates links to TP programs - very informative and useful

[@wizmaster8088]

Hi, Dylan I need to setup a training plan that would cover a bit of weight loss and getting faster. I mostly ride Mountain Bikes but have a gravel bike coming soon. Which of your plans would you recommend in TP? I am not a beginner but also not an full blown athlete I just want to improve for the next season. Power Meter for the mountain bike should be here soon so I will train with power.

[@tomipetteri4881]

0:44 off season - strength 3:04 off season example week 3:32 base - volume (some threshold and gym) 6:38 base example week 7:08 build -2 months pre peak volume with intensity + race specific 11:58 build example 12:42 race season - lower volume high intensity 15:07 tapering example

[@barneystinson3600]

I've been hitting the gym getting ready for next season. Been focusing mostly on biceps and chest. I may not take any podiums but I really fill out my cycling shirt nice.

[@GiorgioCoppolaCycling]

Priorities hahaha

[@icewallowcum856]

I've been hitting the gym too, but only the gym, i injured my knee at the end of my off season (damn running) so almost no cardio for last month. lately i have been doing some leg exercises co im curious what wil happen on the bike.

[@ElonMuckX]

Leg Day Everyday! To The Max, If You Want To Last!!!

[@icewallowcum856]

@@ElonMuckX dude, your legs need sum recovery. for most people one day is not enough, if you sleep well, have good diet and some regener after training still you need at least day rest after gym session.

[@ElonMuckX]

@@icewallowcum856 it was a joke, but, it's also true. The thing is, cyclists train legs like bodybuilders , which doesn't maximize their strength, endurance, mitochondria, mitochondria density, and make cyclists legs BULK! It's because strength coaches just are stuck in their ways, I see it all the time, on YT, and in gyms. There is a way to lift weights, actual over your max, everyday, and very, Very little risk of injury. That program is really only for sprinters/puncheurs, when they are at peak fitness. Lifting everyday for climbers, TT, domestics, would be more 2 or 3 times bodyweight, or around squat max. When the gyms are open, I do it all the time. With the Rona, I've been hitting Strava PR's, and even a few KOM's. The next phase to Max cycling fitness, will come from weights. Even Pro's don't realize it yet!

[@harrymtb7018]

Love from India Dylan ♥️

[@Cookefan59]

This guy and his approach to different situations is just awesome. I have a great deal of respect for his work. I am a Sports Medicine physician who often works with Olympians out here in Colorado Springs, Colorado. I am also a triathlete. This brilliant young man is my “go to first” source of cycling opinions and approaches because he always has some research to support his approach. Dylan! Keep up the great work!

[@bikedockbicycles]

I've watched loads of training videos but this one wins the "questions answered per video minute" competition by far!

[@conrad6226]

Grats on 80K subs dude!

[@tgoods5049]

I'm still waiting for BHD's "Peak Performance 52x Year" plan (for the Saturday coffee rides)

[@tpot22]

I’m so glad I found your channel! You earned yourself a sub. Love from Canada

[@pedromarques7341]

I only came here to listen to BHD’s sound advice and I am not disappointed! Pedal to the metal all the way!

[@graffix11us]

Watched this video several times over the last couple years and keep picking up new bits here and there. Lots of great info!

[@mgoo1713]

Great stuff Dylan...You've been an inspiration for this 53yo broke ass ex racer that started riding again a year and a half ago after a 8+ year break...

[@puntoycoma47]

Measuring power on engines: BHP. Measuring power on a bike: BHD

[@chasepalpatine170]

Just ordered my livestock scale from Amazon.

[@gfsdgfabfsdafjsavbdfs1253]

Your channel seriously is one of the best, if not the best, on YT on cycling training! Keep it up!

[@roebbiej]

This video answered most if not all my training questions. This will be my first year of fully structured training. I'm stoked to see how much I'll have improved next year. Thanks Dylan you're the GOAT!

[@myxti3669]

How did it go?

[@TylerBoothGolf]

Finally getting the motivation to get back on the bike & start training again after buying a smart trainer. It's been a solid 3 seasons of little riding & 2 years was my last DH race. I've realized DH/Enduro is not worth the risk to me & XC/Ultra Endurance is where I've always excelled growing up, so I'm stoked to push towards some big goals. Even though the race season is unknown, we can all create big rides to achieve & use the time to become even better for 2022! But hopefully, things turn out for the best! Thanks again for the great advice Dylan!

[@AnTalk_blog]

Awesome!!! I'm not even a cyclist, only a hobby runner who is looking into expanding with training with cycling, especially in the winter on a smart bike. Your channel is gold!

[@ShiftWorkJoe]

Training for my first Ironman, these videos have really helped clear up confusion around structuring my training. Subscribed.

[@pradeepinside3893]

It shouldn't be free to watch this video. So much detail and help. Thanks

[@neandertaler3683]

Hey @DylanJohnson. Could you do a video about (re-)starting after injury/sickness? Especially about getting to the state, where you actually can start training again.

[@austinbench110]

I just used your off-season training plan and I loved it. Can’t wait to use the rest of your plans throughout the season

[@HumaneNewt]

Which off season plan was it? Would you recommend it? Is it tailored to you or just a general plan? Thanks

[@ziggy_rampage]

just found your channel, I LOVE IT! cheers mate, keep up the awesome content. I'm 120kgs and love hitting the trails. i cant wait to absorb your videos and get on the bike

[@danwilliams783]

Thanks Dylan. You didn't let me down in 2020. Looking forward to more improvements next season.

[@justinf1343]

A very helpful video. I completely agree with Dylan regarding trying to keep at least one gym session per week for squats / deadlifts and core work. If you do this, then you will have no trouble transitioning back to two sessions / week in the off season and base. You also won't suffer horrendous DOMS from not lifting for months.

[@patrickc4984]

Thanks again for sharing these videos. I have incorporated all your recommendations over the past year and I have seen significant gains in my FTP and fitness. Gym work restarts next week!

[@scerni37]

Awesome vlog. Lots of great info there, had to watch it twice. This summary for a year's training should be mandatory watching. And the best supporting award for comedy relief has to go to BHD. Thanks for another great year Dylan. The content and quality is outstanding. As a coach of other sports and a wannabe masters cyclist this provides great insights and support to help get the best out of my training pgms. Best for the new year.

[@GNH-1812]

most excellent performance coaching advice and strategy. thank you for sharing your expertise and experience with the community.

[@CycloKermit]

Hi Dylan, I enjoy your videos and I started planning my own training season and created a training plan with the help of your videos. What I would like to know is: How can I fit my regular riding with friends once or twice a week into a training plan? I like getting fit, but I don't ride my bike just to get fit. Riding with friends and enjoying my rides is a big part, if not the bigger part of it. I cannot tell everyone in the group ride to stay slow so I stay in zone 2 because this is a recovery / endurance ride for me and therefore we cannot go faster, also I cannot just do my specific interval training in group rides because it would just split our small group. So for the past months I have just not done any group rides because my training plan did not allow for it, and while I do notice getting fitter I want to go riding with my guys together. And similarily, how would I fit say a training vacation in the mountains with friends into such a training season, where I go ride every day for a week for hours? I feel like I am trying too hard to fit everything in this structured training schedule and while it does certainly work, I need advice on how to make my plan work with different kinds of group rides that I don't want to miss. Cheers, and thanks!

[@messi9991]

Gym is closed here so over winter I am doing a lot of cross country skiing. Believe me, going on a bike will feel like a dream after that, in fact I sometimes don't use my arms, just the legs because it is so much more intensive when you have to use the whole body.

[@JBmadera]

great video. you really know your stuff. took me years of mistakes to come upon a training plan that worked for me (I needed this video about 20 years ago...LOL).

[@ewigheim123]

thx for this video - all the best from Germany !

[@intangible11]

top quality content , keep it coming . thanks a lot

[@nicholasmontoya5369]

I love your videos Dylan and the wealth of information you present. Any chance that you will make a video comparing different breathing techniques? Especially mouth breathing compared to nose breathing?

[@luchipunchi98]

10:59 aww, it's so touching that you mention one of my kind...maybe one day I'll have the balls to race. PS: any other workout that replaces lifting? Maybe with one of those home gym machines.

[@jasonhanson6563]

DOMS is all I live for!

[@rockycycling2102]

Sunday weekend warrior here checking in

[@hebrews11vs5]

Yeah, tell me about it. To be optimized in cycling is to not really be very focused in other areas of life. Or this is my experience at least. To anyone who is maximized in their cycling and has wife kids and a full time job and also non cycling sociallife... much respect to you!

[@SkeetSystem]

I could put up with all the off the bike talk for so long, but the beard and plugs guy at 13:29 is where I cash out

[@kylescicluna1541]

Thanks a lot!! Coincidentally yesterday i was trying to plan out my training schedule for the following year, this has helped a lot!!!

[@Fruitmandje20]

Your videos made me more interested in the science of training, and love the way you pick a broad variety of sources and articles instead of spewing your opinion and saying there is only 1 golden formula for every cyclist. Great channel!

[@dave2402]

BHD on very strong form! Happy new year DJ and thanks truly for your awesome vids in 2020.

[@paulmcneil7468]

perfect timing I was just looking at my plan for this year

[@icejunki]

Great stuff. These are the kind of new years goals and perspective we all need.

[@chempowr]

Thanks so much for this important guidance. Making a difference!

[@kevinfrikitona]

excellent as always, thank U very much for bringing us this valuable information! keep the hustle

[@markgibson4998]

You covered training in the off-season, base season, build season, and the taper before racing. But what should training look like during the racing season, i.e., training between races? Love the videos.

[@marcdaniels9079]

Perfect video for this time of year ! Thanks

[@erikwolfe3187]

Love your channel, especially the way you approach things scientifically. I'd like to look further into some of the studies you reference, do you post links to them anywhere?

[@chr1sj4]

They are normally in the video description, but apparently he forgot to include them this time.

[@Grahamandhelen]

Great video and it's encouraging to hear I'm doing about the right sort of work for this time of hear. Still looking forward to the How light is too light video

[@bobqzzi]

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Dylan. I hope you are well. Great video as usual

[@craigleese1787]

Great video again. Thank you.

[@digitaldesigner-se]

As usual, your videos are very educational. I have competed at a professional level in other sports and your training plans can be used for pretty much any sport. Very serious and credible when you base your videos on research. Thanks for the interesting videos Dylan!

[@ozseppo]

After 30 years of being a mailman, and having to account for every minute of my 8 to 12 hours, I’m still in the mindset of doing whatever the hell I want when I want, how I want, in retirement. I might have to try this planning stuff. This not being exhausted every minute of my life stuff, is interesting.

[@d2704nny]

A genuine thanks for the videos. You have helped me no end.

[@meatmotorendurance]

Great video!

[@guskrassevich6373]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DJ!

[@Ady_Sr]

BHD is always funny and relatable

[@MAGCHRISA]

Lovely... Thanks for putting this into perspective. I've been wondering how to sort out my training plans for this year and this gives me a very good frame for setting out... Thanks 😊😊

[@pierrex3226]

This is super helpful, thank you Dylan!

[@PatrickvonMassow]

If you recommend lifting during the build- (and sometimes even the race-) season for older cyclists, offering an alternate version of your plans on TrainingPeaks would be helpful.

[@tristanmayfield4851]

Hey Dylan, love the vids. I wonder if you'd be interested in doing one on using cycling as cross-training for another sport? It could be any other sport (though obviously training would depend on what you want to get from it). I personally do lots of mountaineering and alpine climbing and I can't run anymore due to a bad injury, but I've never managed to figure out how to best use cycling to gain fitness for walking/hiking/running etc. I'd love to hear your thoughts or if you can dredge up any relevant research.

[@m.wunderlich4942]

Just the video I needed 😃 thank you Dylan and happy new year!

[@Cat5neopro]

Love the videos. Suggestions for future topics: Ice baths Nose breathing

[@georgejgilles.3999]

I enjoy your videos.

[@theodorecarldamman5515]

Love from Philippines

[@rpkranendonk]

Hey Dylan, thanks for the video, how do you view the cross season wonders like Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel who do high intensity winters but a ready to crush the classics in the spring

[@behindtheboxx]

Great question. When do they turn it off or down?

[@paytonmiller8366]

Race specific training: lifting for the all important KOMs under 15 seconds

[@legestrom]

Probably the most comprehensive training video on youtube. thanks!

[@jwjwlewis]

another excellent video with great suggestions and explanations. Thoughts on using Saturday Zwift races as part of the intensity training during base? They won't be as structured, but should be intense and certainly "fun".

[@kregg2]

Thanks so much for your info! Really appreciate it as an engineer and long time cyclist. I'm a power noob. So recovery should be ~40-50% FTP, and base miles are ~70% FTP? Never been structured before but amped to start!

[@nicolasgiroux9810]

You should do a podcast!! So interesting! Thanks

[@stoempert]

Regarding the gym work it's important to train for STRENGTH and not hypertrophy or muscle endurance. I still see a lot of endurance athletes getting this wrong. Keeping the rep ranges lower with more weight will also avoid most of the DOMS. Given the limited timeframe to really 'train' any of the popular beginner linear progressions will do fine, maybe with a couple tweaks.

[@rennerbike5022]

👍good info based on science and experience🙏🏻

[@chasingdinner]

Still waiting for BHD to put plans on Training Peaks :)

[@mateagoston8145]

Dylan, you have made a similar video a couple of months ago titled "How to Increase Your Power on the Bike. The Science". There you mentioned that after the mid season break we have to repeat the build period then we hit the off season again. I am confused here, would it mean that after the race season we do another build season for 2 months? Or just keep doing race season workouts until the final race of the year then we jump straight into the off season?

[@messi9991]

Dylan, I just did some calculations - if you have 2 interval sessions a week with say 3x8 or 5x5 that is roughly 50 minutes of Zone 3. Then you do one 3-hour endurance ride. Then if you say on each interval session you do another 20 minutes of zone 1 (warmup/down) you have 50 minutes Zone 3, 20+20+180 = 220 minutes Zone 1. 50/270 = 18.5% in Zone 3. So almost perfect 80-20 split. However, if you now increase your training load to just a 4th ride a week of Zone 1, you will start to drop more and more from 80-20 to maybe just 90-10. However, you have previously stated that for amateurs 2 interval sessions a week is already sufficient. So how can one stick to 80-20? Once you reach 10 hours / week, that is 2 hours of Zone 3. That would be 3 interval session of 40 minutes each. That is insane, no?

[@e46t]

Future video idea: I was wondering if there was any scientific literature on the optimal distance of long endurance rides and whether more is more. For example, does a 100mi ride build a bigger base (proportionally or maybe even disproportionately) than an 80mi ride, which in turn builds a bigger base than a 60mi ride? Or does there come a point of diminishing returns? Long, all-day races or rides are not necessarily my targeted event, so I am asking more in terms of general fitness gains and base-building instead of targeted training. Thanks!

[@cgsrtkzsytriul]

Almost every mountain bike ride I do is high intensity intervals-often my heart rate goes above 100% for my age on the techy climbs.

[@dimebag5884]

Calculating max heart rate by age is completely useless. You should observe how your own heart rate responds to different efforts and derive your zones from that.

[@andreidumitrescu3276]

Hey man! Great stuff u are doing! Can u maybe make a video on Trainer Road's training plans? :)

[@rbaisa1]

Been following your channel for a while, thank you for the great content. Most people I ride with with in the midwest train prob about 8-10 hours per week during the winter months. Come March I see many people travel to somewhere warmer for a week and do a "camp." When I look at the ride files, they are mostly just putting time (5 hour rides) in the saddle, which is obviously fun, but is that the best way to approach a 1 week camp? What should a 5 or 6 day training camp look like to get the most out of it? Can you do a video on this? Thanks

[@PolisiemanSnor]

Thanks for the videos Dylan. Whats you’re take on assigning TSS to you’re strength training? Although it’s not cycling specific and you don’t want to add arbitrary “glory” numbers to you’re CTL, surely it has a bearing on fatigue which you need to track. Would love to hear you’re thoughts. Apologies if this topic has been covered.

[@henri2101]

This year was best for me for cycling around 18,000km cycled but lately i have problems with binge eating, cycling is slowing down because of that summer Peak was 335 watts for 1h 30min trip but now i think its only 300

[@marcostijn2260]

Very interesting subjects you discuss Dylan! I have also a question, How can you train most effectively for a more long term, like if you have a goal which is around 5 years later. Keep up the good work!

[@HumaneNewt]

You training for the Olympics?

[@Catchcamatian]

I have a question which can't be answered completely, but I would be glad for some tips. I have a hard time creating an annual training plan, because I work as a bike courier, which means that from monday to friday I ride about 250-400 kms (depending on how busy the week is). This kind of riding is pretty diverse: a lot of stopping and starting because of the traffic and pickups/dropoffs, quick sprints with light deliveries on a light bike but with waiting times inbetween, heavy deliveries on cargo bikes - every day it's different, and I go out there every week of the year from January to December. I don't know how to account for that in my yearly training plan - the guidelines about volume and intensity of certain periods go out the window. I also work out on my road bike on my own time, and I try to compete in road racing. I want to find out how my work-related riding affects my fitness, fatigue levels and development (how to evaluate it as training in itself) and how it affects my specific workouts. If I had a better understanding of that, then I could organize my training around my work so that they would supplement each other, and not undermine each other (for example by determining which kind of workouts can I leave out and which ones to focus on) - and I could build up an annual training plan that makes sense to me. Do you have any tips on how to do that?

[@КириллГурецкий-ь1ч]

Hi, Dylan! In some training plans, you suggest to practice 1 hour endurance rides or combine it with more intensive workouts such as 2x20, but does it worth it? I understand that it could depend on many factors, but if we take moderate time crunched athlete, who systematically trains for several years, will it give him any significant benefits? I mean, more common opinions tells us that 1 hour in zone 2 is just the waste of time. Could science tell us something about it? And what about this kind of rides: 30-40 min in zone 2 (get to the spot) -> 1 hour tempo -> 30-40 min in zone 2 (go home)? Will it give endurance benefits or is it just a good warm up / calm down?

[@universalsprout]

Loving the video Dylan, do you have any advice for someone who likes going to weekly crits for most of the year? (I normally take my son to junior training then hang around for adult racing). Would you suggest doing a typical periodization and avoid racing for a few months a year, or maybe take multiple breaks throughout the year, or something else? Thanks in advance

[@mrT-gx5bq]

Wow great Content :)

[@sanchezmd605]

Video on riding/training solo vs with a group please? 😊

[@anthonygrisa1212]

could you do a video for athletes who are returning to the sport after a year or two off due to burnout/major illness/ having kids/the like?

[@kapalek81]

polaraized training during winter? is it a good idea? ( vo2 max or 40/20 instead long intervals at 95% of ftp?)

[@RossTheNinja]

Polarised is always a good idea. But I'd up the percentage to 90 in recovery and endurance zones

[@andrewlovatoNYC]

Have you come across any research on the value of 'stiffness' in a bicycle and how it relates to power transfer. Seems like you hear about it a lot but I wonder if there is any science behind it. Love the channel!

[@sylvainnoel1907]

Hi Dylan, Hi all, in a 70.3 Ironman base training, when you say "2 to max3" interval session/week, would you recommend to split those 2 HIT sessions into 1bike 1run OR to target either bike or run for let say 4-6 weeks ? (note the "on purpose" forgotten swim HIT training... ;) ...). Also, would it make sense to plan more VO2max and/or threshold training in the base phase and gradually go for more race pace training (let say 80% of FTP) in the build phase in the name of gradually increasing specificity of 70.3 Ironman ? (I'm curious since it essentially is "Reverse periodization"...). Thanks in advance and keep up the great work ! BTW, have a solid 2021 !!

[@HarryTzianakisTheGodOfSpeed]

Dylan, I think I left a comment here when you posted this video. I'm sure I did. You told me years ago that I was going to fail. I told you look at my Strava. You're wrong and the books are wrong. The books are wrong when it comes to training. And I think I have proved that already!

[@kiriakoschristoforou7622]

Bro i love your videos but can you look at the camera lenses ? It looks and feels better that way ...

[@Asdos.]

When the off-season traning load is on par with my summer season lol

[@6SpeedTA95]

This was really good. So given work schedule and such, it's not uncommon for me to do a longer ride 40-55 miles on Saturday, sometimes I got pretty hard on these and rack up a TSS of 180 or so, other times I go easier and its 130-140 TSS. Then on Sunday I usually do a pretty fast group ride that is 40 miles and usually a TSS of 120-150 depending on how much pulling I do that day. After watching this I'm wondering if those two days being back to back are too hard? Maybe my Saturday should be more focused on volume bouncing between z1 and z3 as needed with less focus on going hard?

[@sharkymoon422]

What happens if you don’t race and just want to get fit and get fitter every day every year?

[@OliverJH2016]

Like the haircut Dylan.

[@ryanmichael11]

Hey Dylan, great content as always, Myself and 10 other amateur cyclists are doing a 4 day 640km Endurance charity event (cycling the length of Ireland) at the end of May, I've developed a 21 week training plan for it, i would love to get you opinion on it if possible??

[@chriszhang5152]

Hey coach, thanks for the video. I'm on my offseason right now but don't have the opportunity to get into the weight room since things are locked down for covid. Is there anything else you recommend for training to be better on the bike?