Preparation
Please do not start from zero to one hundred and ten! Too much or a cold start can end up doing more harm than good. If you are planning a training camp, you should have already been exercising regularly for at least four to six weeks beforehand. It helps to start by increasing the frequency of your training and later also the volume. During the (working) week, these can be more frequent, shorter sessions (possibly using the commute to work due to the shorter times of day). One or two longer rides can then be interspersed at the weekends. This prepares the body for more intensive training sessions and prevents the planned training camp from being thwarted by sore muscles, joint and circulatory problems or excessive strain.
Training camp
Five days' holiday is enough. Together with the two weekends, this adds up to a nine-day training camp. Depending on the weather and your motivation, you can choose between one short training session plus one long training session or two medium training sessions each day. The latter variant is particularly suitable as a bad weather option so as not to risk catching a cold. However, you can also swap individual days of version 1 with days of version 2.
Follow-up
After the training camp, the first thing to do is rest and recover. At least one week, or two weeks if this is not enough. During this time, you should only do very little exercise. Short and easy cycling on flat terrain (30-40 minutes in the KB range¹), gymnastics, swimming or a sauna help the body to restore damaged structures such as muscles, tendons and ligaments. While the muscles recover relatively quickly, tendons and ligaments sometimes take twice as long, as they are less well supplied with blood and nutrients.
A few days without any sport at all can also be useful in order to gain some distance and be able to spend time with family and friends. Based on this basic training camp, you can then build more intensity into your training with intervals or HIT (high intensity training).
You can conveniently download the entire training plan in two versions (1. short and long unit | 2. two medium units) as a PDF below. The article costs 1.49 euros.
6 golden rules
1. planning
Planning is half the battle! First of all, bikers should discuss their plans with their family and apply for leave from their employer. The next step is to draw up a training plan based on the objectives of the training camp (page 78). Based on the training content, i.e. what is to be trained on which day, it makes sense to create the training routes in advance using Komoot, for example. Always have a plan B ready in case the weather doesn't play ball (e.g. set up the roller as a precaution). It is best to stick to fixed training times that you have agreed with your mates in advance. Also book sauna and wellness appointments well in advance if necessary. If you then draw up a meal plan for the week, do your shopping in advance and cook your meals in advance as far as possible, you will be optimally prepared.
2. rest & regeneration
Good preparation guarantees that the time between training sessions is used sensibly and purposefully for rest and recovery. As a training camp is significantly more stressful than the usual weekly training alongside your job, regeneration is extremely important. The body recovers best during sleep. Going to bed early ensures a sufficiently long night's sleep (at least eight hours!), especially if the training is split and you have to get up early the next morning. An additional power nap of a maximum of 15 to 20 minutes - at lunchtime between two training sessions or after long/intense training sessions - should be part of your daily programme. Rest days can be used for short, active recovery sessions or in the sauna, at a spa or for physiotherapy. Alternatively or in addition: self-massage with a fascia roller, alternating showers, stretching or yoga.
3. split training
Long rides of five hours or more can also be realised at home in good weather. In bad weather, bikers can also split their training into two sessions. Advantage: Thanks to the so-called afterburn effect and the double stimulus on the metabolism, bikers achieve a similar training effect. Important: There should be at least a four-hour break between the sessions. This split training programme also allows you to combine different sports in one day, such as running and rollerblading. This makes the training even more varied.
4. alternatives
As the training camp in spring is used by most bikers purely to develop their basic endurance, you can also use other endurance sports with confidence. Running and ergometer training, for example, are very effective because, unlike biking, there are no rolling phases. One hour of running is equivalent to around two hours of cycling, and one hour on the ergometer is equivalent to around one and a half hours on the bike. Cross-country skiing is also an interesting alternative thanks to the joint-friendly and full-body workout. Circuit training, consisting of push-ups, sit-ups and the like - whether at home or as part of a club training programme - combines and promotes strength and endurance.
5. nutrition
No munching, no vapour! Together with sleep, fluid balance and nutrition are the most important pillars of a training camp. The higher volumes and intensities as well as the total training volume of the week cause the metabolism to run at full speed and require additional energy intake. Dieting is poison for the body in this phase! Above all, a high carbohydrate content of up to 70 per cent of the total amount of energy guarantees the rapid and complete replenishment of glycogen stores immediately after exercise, but also throughout the week. In combination with a high-quality protein intake (15-20 per cent), regeneration processes can be optimally supported. Tip: Drink a smoothie or cocoa immediately after exercise.
6. training areas vs. training partners
Rides with mates are simply more fun than alone. Whether in poor conditions, interval training or long tours - training together is more motivating and also creates a sense of commitment. That way, the inner bastard hardly stands a chance. However, it is obvious that not everyone will be able to train in their individual training zone. Which is not fundamentally harmful if it remains the exception. At a training camp with one or two mates at home, bikers run less risk of overtraining and can realise their training intensity in a more targeted way than in a large group.
