FasCat Cycling Training Tips Podcast

How do you know what your training zones are? And how do you know if you are improving? By FTP testing, of course! At FasCat, we have used all types of methods to test FTP over the years, including using various labratory equipment. After more than 20 years and thousands of athletes tested, we are big believers in the 20-minute field test. Doing the 20-minute test outside or on a trainer is simple...

This podcast was inspired by a recent athlete asking for help, and we think many of you can relate to the situation:  " I've been cycling for nearly 20 years (now 44). I have a stressful job, two kids, and over the past few years I've gain 15 pounds that I can't shake, despite training 10-15 hours in the summer and 6-8 in the winter. What do I do?" Symptoms like low energy, inability to sustain hi...

Instagram is a funny thing for cyclists: It can be inspirational to see what the pros are doing, but it can also be misleading as far as what we should be doing for training.  Coaches Sierra Sims and Elliott Baring discuss what we're seeing in terms of 20+ and 30+ weeks from U.S. gravel pros. What does this do for the domestic riders as they prepare for their year? Is it even a good idea? And what...

It's fascinating to study exactly how professional cyclists are training and why, but what are the takeaways for everyday athletes? Beyond the gee-whiz quotient, what about elite training translates to us, and what is irrevelant or even harmful to try to emulate?  That is exactly what Coaches Andrew and Ricky dig into in this podcast. Both are uniquely positioned in that they are professional cycl...

If you're a longtime FasCat podcast listener, then you know we're big believers in strength training in the offseason. The science has long proven the benefits for endurance athletes. But what's new? What's the latest science?  That is exactly what Coaches Andrew and Sierra get into in this pod, as Sierra brushes up on her master's degree studies with the latest research. -- Want to add weight lif...

FasCat friends, we invite you to join us on Zwift for our Saturday Sweet Spot group rides, where Coaches Jake and Frank lead A and B groups and we chat on Discord. In this podcast, we talk about why so many riders love this wintertime format of getting high-quality, semi-structured work in with a social group. The time flies by, the kJs shoot up, and you can feeeeel yourself getting faster. Join t...

FasCat Coaching has been working with riders of all ages for 20 years, and while the fundamentals of training are the same, the science and technology and culture have changed tremendously. Nowhere are these changes more dramatic than what is going on with younger riders. In this podcast, Coaches Justin and Frank delve into what's changed and why, and what the best ways are for helping young rider...

If you want to improve something, measure it. This applies in life and on the bike. Whether you're talking blood pressure, finances, or FTP, how can you know something is improving if you are not accurately measuring it? The same principle applies to training stress, a key summative metric that quantifies the total load of your training. As coaches and as athletes, we can measure how much work you...

So you're signed up for a couple big races this year - now what? Coaches Andrew and Ricky break down the planning process on this podcast, including: -how to set your A-race goal (process and power are usually better than time) -how to fill in B and C races  -how to determine the optimal number of events -classic planning mistakes to watch out for (we've seen a lot of them! and done a few ourselve...

Normally in cycling, it's a two-out-of-three situation: strong, light, cheap; or aero, light, inexpensive... And the same often applies when it comes to training: you can't blow off structure and expect to get fast and stay fit. However! On today's podcast FasCat Coaches Frank and Andrew explain how you can have fun, be flexible, and still achieve effective results by training with the FasCat meth...

If you're a longtime FasCat podcast listener, then you know we're big believers in strength training in the offseason. The science has long proven the benefits for endurance athletes. But what's new? What's the latest science?  That is exactly what Coaches Andrew and Sierra get into in this pod, as Sierra brushes up on her master's degree studies with the latest research. -- Want to add weight lif...

Between mainstream media reports of national obesity and cycling media reports of pro riders consuming huge amounts of carbohydrates, we cyclists are bombarded with often-conflicting information about food. What's a cyclist to do? On this new monthly series, FasCat Coach Andrew Giniat digs into the latest sports nutrition research with the help of an expert to help guide you in your training, your...

Tadej Pogacar is a talent of a generation, able to watlz away from the world's best riders seemingly at will in both one-day and stage races. But why is he so good? Sure, his natural gifts play a huge role, as do years of elite training. But on this podcast, we present a different view. Three things make Tadej fast: his upbringing, his mental outlook and his genetics. While you can't change your g...

Want to ride faster next year than you did this year? The time to start training is now, and we have a 30-week training plan that scales to your schedule. On this podcast, FascCat Founder Frank Overton walks you through the details of what this 30-week program entails - Muscle Tension Intervals, Nino's Secret Training, Foliage Rides, Weightlifting for Cyclists and much more. The best way to get fa...

What are the hot gravel races for 2025? Sign-up season has already started, so on this podcast we're digging into our favorite events, exploring some big changes in race formats, and explain how and when you should train for these challenging events. We're joined by longtime friend of FasCat Ben Delaney, who runs a gravel YouTube channel called The Ride .  Dig in and start dreaming about next year...

We get faster when we follow a training plan, but stock plans have obvious limitations. Therefore, creating a plan that is customized to your goals and your available time to train is ideal - and that is exactly what we are talking about in this podcast. We begin with three simple but important questions: What are you training for? When is your target event? How much time do you have to train? Fro...

At FasCat, we've been helping athletes improve for more than 20 years. But how? In this podcast, Isaiah Newkirk and Frank Overton break down the three primary things good coaches do: We tell athletes what to do We analyze data to let athletes know if they are doing it right and improving We tell athletes what to do next based on our experience, sports science and the athlete's feedback Then, Isaia...

The road to a faster, fitter you in 2025 leads straight through the weight room in 2024, and in this podcast FasCat Founder Frank Overton walks us through exactly what that looks like. Frank breaks down the what, the why, the when and the how, leaving you empowered with the knowledge of how to steadily and safely improve your strength and stability.  -- Try FasCat for Free for the 1st Month ➡️ htt...

As effective and gratifying as following a carefully crafted training plan can be, sometimes you just want to ride... And that can be impactful training, too!  Especially here in the fall, riding on a weekly rhythm of taking some days off, and going hard and/or long on other days is a great recipe for mental and physical health. On this solo podcast, FasCat Founder Frank Overton breaks down exactl...

Hoping to have your best year next year is not a strategy. But you absolutely CAN have your best year ever next year with some planning, starting now. In this podcast, Coaches Allie, Frank, Jake and Andrew walk you through what you need to do when, starting with taking an actual, legit, no-bike riding break once your season wraps up. Then what? Well, give this podcast a listen, and then ask Coach...

This is the third podcast in an eight-pod how-to series. Last episode we talked about 14 ways to review your season, and on this podcast we discuss how to map our next season for maximum results and fun. Coach Jake Rylewski raced as a professional for many years, and he breaks down the full-year planning methodology for three types of athletes: coached riders CoachCat subscribers self-coached athl...

Here at FasCat, we have been answering your training questions for more than 20 years, and we've done 27 'Ask a FasCat' podcast episodes. On today's pod, we have a special iteration featuring questions from 21 email subscribers that are answered both by CoachCat - our expert AI inside the FasCat App - and FasCat Founder Frank Overton. Frank feeds the questions into CoachCat, reads CoachCat's respo...

With your big event coming up, you should have almost all your training behind you. All the hay is in  the barn. But even the best training alone isn't a complete recipe for success on race day. Showing up and just hoping for the best will always pale in comparision to showing up prepared, having considered and planned for key variables like: nutrition equipment course terrain aid station logistic...

More altitude can mean more power... eventually. Training at altitude - or even just sleeping at altitude - can increase your red blood cell production, which means more oxygen to your muscles and therefore more power output. There are other benefits, and many caveats. And we get into those. But what about riders who don't live at or near altitude - and who have a high altitude race like Leadville...

For 22 years we have analyzed files from every single type of power meter on the market, and as coaches and riders we have used a whole heck of a lot of them ourselves.  Considering buying a power meter? Well, the Big Cat just got a new bike and bought a new power meter, and he went with a brand he had never bought  before. Here, we walk you through the five considerations when buying a meter. Com...