After a period of active rest and a first cycle of mild intensity workouts, with the month of December it's good to start inserting some specific jobs that raise the intensity of the sessions a little.
We will always remain in the area of aerobic work, the energy mechanisms most used will always be the lipid ones and the muscle fibers used will be the red ones, but introducing the first works of Fartlek and medium F. we will consolidate the foundations we talked about in the previous article.
Fartlek, instructions for use
One of the most versatile training tools that we will start using this month is definitely the Fartlek. Born in 1930 thanks to the intuition of coach Gosta Holmer, it literally means 'speed game'. At the basis of this training tool there is a constant variation of the rhythm, a fact which, in addition to being a useful stimulus for our body, can also be less boring for the athlete.
It is possible to decline it freely, letting the terrain and slopes determine the intensity of effort, or it can be programmed; in this case there will be a precise playing time to mark our journey, with medium strokes, intense or fast F., moments on the threshold and in some cases even outside the threshold.
In this period of the year the objective to be pursued is to increase the general resistance, for which it will be advisable to set up a workout that does not exceed F. Intense or fast.
It will be the first instrument to be used, also as a preparatory exercise for the subsequent ones dedicated to the middle finger.
F.medium, the king of resistance
Middle finger work forms the basis for any endurance sport. These are exercises with a duration that can go from 10' up to an hour in which the heart rate must never exceed a value that is 15% lower than the threshold value.
As already mentioned, the aerobic mechanism is stimulated in an important way here and energy production is based on the use of lipids, which finds its limit in this exercise.
It is desirable to diversify the stimuli, working both uphill and on the flat, with a pedaling frequency which in the first case will be around 80 rpm, while in the second between 100 and 110.
It is good to introduce this training after a few Fartlek sessions and it is possible to do specific sessions or introduce this type during long distance training.
SFR still them?
The answer is yes, even in December it will be useful to work with this tool. Work on strength can also be inserted, reducing execution times by increasing the ratio to be used. In this way it will be possible to train maximum strength as well.
Gym, it's time to put on cast iron
A saying to explain that December will be the month to stimulate maximum strength. Depending on the specialty, this type of training will have different purposes and could be a reminder or an important element on which to focus a lot.
And where do we put the technique?
The modern evolution of the MTB has also raised the bar from a technical point of view. This requires having great attention to this element. If for a dher it will be essential to include sessions dedicated to this quality, for the xcer and for those dedicated to Marathons it will be possible to train it within the sessions dedicated to the medium or long term. A different matter will have to be made for the enduro rider, who will probably have to try to do both a bit.
Summing up
December will still be a month dedicated to endurance, but as we have seen the intensity of exercise can increase. Within the weekly cycle, a workout will be dedicated to Fartlek and later to intermediate; the SFR will occupy a day, as will the work on the slow length. For the disciplines of resistance at this time you can do a workout in the gym and an agility workout. For the dher the gym will have a greater value, as well as the exercises on the technique, which can include outings on the pump track or on the BMX circuit, the resistance can also be trained with motocross, while the specific exercises are very useful for the other disciplines they will matter less.
The enduro rider will have to find a more complex balance. For the type of competitions, resistance is essential, so from this point of view its proximity to the cross country will still be marked. It is also true that the driving skills he will have to have will be high, so a few outings on the pump track, or on the BMX track can be very useful. Above all, this last workout will be important also in view of the subsequent jobs in which the small-wheeled bike will be very useful.
At this point it will become difficult to schematize a weekly plan, because the information to be taken into consideration must take into account the tests performed, the age of the biker, the time he can dedicate to training and the experience gained. So you can take the information in this text and try to amalgamate them or you can contact me and we'll evaluate together how to 'cook' these ingredients.
