Strength for Track Cycling with PICP 2 Coach – Diego Cocchetti

Track Cycling has different disciplines, the shortest races are match sprint, keirin, Team Sprint and the Kilo. Each of these events last from 20 up to 60 seconds, so the most important physical quality is speed endurance.

In cyclic sport speed endurance is the skill to keep your maximum speed for over 8” up to 30”.

Before you get speed endurance you need speed. Speed is hard to achieve and requires longer time to gain in comparison with endurance because of its neurological aspect and for the need for use of shorter macrocycles that allow better recovery of the CNS. That’s very important because every workout must be a top quality workout.

Designed for speed!

Endurance, on the other hand, brings about metabolic changes that require shorter times and longer exposure but 6-8 weeks are enough because of the relative short duration of the events.

To bring speed to maximum levels power is necessary, since power is strongly correlated with strength levels, maximum strength is of first importance during general preparation.

General preparatory phase’s goals have different places on an annual plan in relation with the competitive phase, usually elite athletes have three competitive phases so there is a need to cycle strength, speed and endurance during the whole season.

The main objective of maximum strength work is to stimulate the nervous system in order to make it more efficient during specific work. It’s very important to use a repetition bracket appropriate to develop relative strength and the use of buffer (the relation between reps done and reps that the weight allows you to do) this means you only attempt the repetitions you are able to perform explosively. This method creates less fatigue for the CNS but requires more training frequency.

Diego practicing his preachings

Exercises choice is important too, we must not forget that, always for a neural thing, exercises should be as similar as possible to sport movement to keep easier the transfer of strength in specific sport action.  However strength work should be center on big movers with exercises that allows heavy lifts in order to get an anabolic hormone response and leading to better gains in maximum strength.

Track cyclists are different from other cyclist, they are very powerful and their riding technique is nervous and zippy, upper body development becomes very important to transfer the leg power to the pedals and be more efficient, especially in standing starts.

Speed can also be trained in the gym with plyometrics but is better do it on track. The only way to reach high cadence (over 120rpm up to 200rpm) with race gear is to work behind a derny (motorbike) or behind faster riders that can break down the wind and allow you to go over speed. Plyometrics, like strength, should follow the same ROM as the sporting action required.

Endurance is the last step, once you get maximum speed you can work on speed-endurance. Best training methods are medium distance sprints with short rest to develop lactic capacity or overdistance training to develop long lactic power.

These are guidelines based on the block training method used with great success by coaches such as Tudor O. Bompa and Yury Verkhoshansky, where every training step is strongly correlated with the other and only the right sequence allows to get maximum results.

Diego has also had great success with BMX riders

Diego Cocchetti made the switch to strength coaching later in life. He’s looked for the best teachers and applied what he’s learned to transform his own body and his health as well that of his clients. His studies have included Charles Poliquin Biosignature and PICP 1 and PICP 2 as well as through the Tudor Bompa Institute. His website is http://www.dctraining.it