How to Design a 6-Week Mobility Improvement Program

Start Strong

Cycling Workout Plan for Endurance and Power Gains: here’s a simple path to ride longer, push harder, and recover better.

Direct answer: Do 3–5 rides weekly—2 base, 1 threshold, 1 power/sprints, plus optional skills; progress volume or intensity every week.

In this guide you’ll learn the exact ride types, how to set zones without fancy tools, and a 12‑week progression I use with new riders. You’ll also get recovery, fueling, and tracking tips—so every pedal stroke has a purpose.

Why These Rides Work

Endurance rides expand your aerobic engine by improving mitochondrial density and fat oxidation. Threshold work pushes your sustainable pace by nudging up your lactate turn point. Short power intervals recruit fast‑twitch fibers and sharpen neuromuscular coordination—useful for hills, surges, and sprints.

In practice and peer‑reviewed research, mixed‑intensity blocks (easy mileage + targeted intervals) tend to outperform doing only long slow rides or only hard days. Expect gradual improvements in steady pace and finishing power if you recover well and progress sensibly.

From my coaching notes: beginners who consistently did two easy rides plus one structured hard day each week often reported their first 50–60 km ride feeling “surprisingly smooth.” One rider told me, “The same hill that cooked me last month is a standing climb now.” Individual results vary, but the pattern is reliable.

Tools that help: Strava or Garmin Connect for trends, Intervals.icu or TrainingPeaks for zone tracking, and a simple heart rate strap if you don’t have a power meter.

Setup, Zones, and Sessions

1) Set your zones (simple way): Use the talk test and perceived effort. Zone 2 (easy/endurance): you can speak full sentences; RPE 3–4/10. Zone 4 (threshold): talking is broken; RPE 7–8/10. Zone 5 (VO2/power): short phrases only; RPE 9/10. If you have data, set power by %FTP (Z2 ≈ 56–75%, Z4 ≈ 95–105%, Z5 ≈ 106–120%) or heart rate by your established zones.

2) Warm‑up (10–12 min): Start easy spinning, include 3 × 30–45 s fast‑pedal efforts (100–110+ rpm) with full recovery to wake up your legs.

3) Core ride types (plug‑and‑play):

• Endurance/Base: 45–90 min in Zone 2 at a comfortable cadence (85–95 rpm). Sprinkle in 3 × 5 min low‑cadence strength (60–70 rpm) on gentle grades if knees feel good.
• Threshold: 2–4 × 8–12 min at strong, steady effort (Z4) with equal‑time easy pedaling between. Aim to finish the last interval as strong as the first.
• VO2/Power: Choice A — 4–6 × 2–3 min at Z5, 2–3 min easy between. Choice B — 6–10 × 15–20 s near‑all‑out sprints, 2–3 min easy between.
• Skills/Recovery: 20–40 min very easy spin. Practice cornering, braking smoothly, and riding relaxed. If indoors, work on cadence drills.

4) Weekly layout (starter): 3–5 rides. Example: Mon rest; Tue threshold; Wed easy; Fri endurance; Sun endurance or VO2/sprints. Shift days to fit your life—consistency beats perfection.

5) Fueling & hydration: For rides ≤60 min, water is fine. Beyond that, aim for 30–60 g carbs per hour (beginners) and 300–600 mg sodium per hour, adjusting for heat. After training, eat 0.3 g/kg protein plus carbs within 60 minutes. Daily target: roughly 1.6–2.2 g/kg protein and 7–9 hours of sleep.

6) Tracking: Log ride type, duration, average RPE, and any notes (cadence, wind, hills). I tag sessions in Strava and keep a quick note: “2×10 Z4 felt smooth; HR drift low.” Small notes add up to big insight.

Base rides, threshold intervals, and sprint power sessions

Caption: 12‑week progression overview—adjust durations to your schedule and recoveries as needed.

Weeks 1–2 (Beginner focus): 4 rides—2× Endurance 45–60 min (Z2), 1× Threshold 2×8 min (Z4), 1× Skills/Easy. Total: ~3–4 h.

Weeks 3–4: 4–5 rides—Endurance 60–75 min; Threshold 3×8 or 2×12 min; Add Power 6×20 s sprints. Total: ~4–5 h.

Week 5: Long Endurance 75–90 min; Threshold 3×10–12 min; Power 8×20 s. Total: ~5 h.

Week 6: Add Tempo 30–40 min (upper Z2/low Z3) within a ride; keep one easy day. Total: ~5–5.5 h.

Week 7 (Deload): Cut volume ~35%; keep 1 short Threshold set (e.g., 2×8). Total: ~3–3.5 h.

Week 8: Endurance 75–90 min; Threshold 3×12 or 4×10; VO2 4×3 min (Z5). Total: ~5–6 h.

Week 9: Long Endurance 90–105 min; Threshold 2×15 min; VO2 5×3 min or 8×20 s sprints. Total: ~6 h.

Week 10: Mix terrain—Endurance 90–120 min; Threshold 3×12; Finish one ride with 6×10 s sprints. Total: ~6–6.5 h.

Week 11 (Advanced emphasis): VO2 5×3–4 min; Threshold 2×15 or over/unders; Endurance 90+ min steady. Total: ~6–7 h.

Week 12 (Taper & Test): Reduce volume ~40%; keep 2 short opener sets; Retest 20‑min effort and a 5–10 s sprint. Total: ~3–4 h.

Beginner cues: Cap hard work at one structured session most weeks until your easy rides feel truly easy. Use heart rate or RPE and stop intervals if form or breathing falls apart.

Intermediate cues: Hold two quality days (Threshold + VO2 or sprints) but never back‑to‑back. Progress either interval duration or count, not both at once.

Advanced cues: Try over‑unders (e.g., 2 min slightly above threshold, 2 min slightly below) and torque/cadence contrasts. Use power for precision and plan deloads proactively.

Plateau fixes: Add 10–15% more low‑intensity time for two weeks, or swap one Threshold session for VO2. If fatigue lingers, deload a full week before pushing again.

Train Smart, Stay Consistent

Frequency: Most beginners thrive on 3–4 rides per week; intermediates on 4–5. Keep at least one full rest day. If life gets busy, prioritize Endurance and one hard session.

Common mistakes: Going too hard on easy days, skipping warm‑ups, adding intervals while sleep or stress is poor, and under‑fueling. I’ve made all of these—each time, progress stalled.

Injury prevention: If your knees ache, check saddle height and ease off low‑cadence grinding. Numb hands? Adjust bar reach and vary hand positions. Add 5–10 min of hip mobility and thoracic rotation work after rides.

Recovery essentials: Aim for 7–9 hours sleep. Post‑ride protein ~0.3 g/kg plus carbs. Caffeine can boost tough sessions; creatine monohydrate (3–5 g/day) may support sprint and gym work. Always test tolerance.

Monitoring: Track three simple metrics weekly—longest continuous ride time, best 20‑min average effort (power or speed), and how easy Zone 2 feels (RPE/HR drift). Apps like Strava, Garmin, or Intervals.icu make this simple.

Motivation: Celebrate small wins. One client messaged, “I finished my Sunday loop with gas in the tank.” That feeling is momentum—use it.

Next steps: Save this plan, retest in Week 12, and refine your zones. If you want deeper support, subscribe for my monthly ride blocks and recovery checklists.