This post presents a structured 8-week cycling training plan for novice cyclists and complete beginners. Summer is coming, and it’s the perfect time to get in shape. If you’re reading this post, you already know that cycling is one of the easiest and most efficient ways for almost anyone to get in shape. All you need is a bike. Oh, and you also need to be able to balance on a moving bike, without falling off. Well, without falling off too often!
This beginner cycling plan includes time spent on developing your cycling skills. The overall plan is to use a structured 8-week training program to improve your fitness, cycling skills, and overall confidence on your bike.
Weeks 1 to 2 of the Cycling Training Plan: Building the Basics
Your Time Investment:
30 to 45 minutes, 3 times a week
Your Focus:
- Get comfortable with your bike
- Practice your basic bike handling skills (starting, stopping, turning)
- Do light endurance rides at a comfortable pace. Start having fun with your bike!
Activities that You Will Do During Weeks 1 and 2:
Day 1:
Easy ride focusing on smooth pedaling.
Try to find somewhere really safe and easy to cycle, so you can just relax and focus on smooth pedalingDay 2:
Bike handling drills. Find a safe spot, such as an empty parking lot or a desert road, to practice. The last thing you want to do is get hurt by a car while you are practicing your turns.
Find a safe spot, such as an empty parking lot or a desert road, to practice your skills. Maggie is a skilled and experienced cyclist, so she can get away with going helmetless on a deserted road. However, if you are new to cycling, I would highly recommend wearing a helmetDay 3:
Easy ride on a flat route. Make sure there is very little traffic so you can focus on enjoying the ride. Remember, this is your fun day!
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By now, you will be starting to enjoy cycling. It probably won’t feel like exercise at all. In fact, if you are like most people, the cycling bug will have bitten, and you will go to sleep dreaming of your next bike ride!
You will go to sleep dreaming of your next bike ride. Oh, the places you will go!Weeks 3 to 4 of the Cycling Training Plan: Increasing Endurance and Confidence
Your Time Investment:
45 to 60 minutes, 3 times a week
Your Focus:
Find some gentle hills to start working on your uphill cycling. And don’t be afraid to get off and push if it gets too hard!- Increasing ride duration
- Introducing gentle hills
- Practicing gear shifting
Related Post: How to Change Gears on a Bike – Beginner’s Guide
Activities that You Will Do During Weeks 3 and 4:
- Day 1: 45-minute steady ride
- Day 2: Hill practice (find a gentle slope and practice climbing)
- Day 3: 60-minute ride with mixed terrain
Weeks 5 to 6 of the Cycling Training Plan: Introducing Intensity
Your Time Investment:
60 to 75 minutes, 3 times a week
Your Focus:
- Introducing interval training
- Longer endurance rides
Related Post: 7 Reasons to do High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) on Your Bike – and How to Do It
Activities that You Will Do During Weeks 5 and 6:
- Day 1: 30 minutes of riding, 10 minutes of interval training (1 minute hard, 2 minutes easy), 30 minutes riding
- Day 2: 75-minute steady ride
- Day 3: Interval practice (15 minutes easy, 20 minutes interval training, 15 minutes easy)
During Weeks 6 and 7, you have started to get serious. Of course, cycling is still fun. But now you can start to dream of group rides and even races. You’ve got this! And you are perfectly positioned to start building towards a goal, which is what you are about to do.
Weeks 7 to 8 of the Cycling Training Plan: Building Towards a Goal
Your Time Investment:
75 to 90 minutes, 3 times a week
Your Focus:
- Preparing for a longer ride
- Combining endurance and intensity
Activities that You Will Do During Weeks 7 and 8:
- Day 1: 60 minutes of riding with 20 minutes of intervals
- Day 2: 90-minute endurance ride
- Day 3: 60 minutes with mixed terrain and interval practice
Tip: During these weeks, work on staying motivated, with your mind on the long game. Start doing some research to find a group ride or even a race that you would like to join one day. Dream big! Apart from the sheer fun of cycling, the most motivating thing is to have a dream that you are working towards.
Start doing some research to find a group ride or even a race that you would like to join one dayAdditional Training Components (Cross Training)
Strength Training:
Be sure to do strength training twice a week, preferably on the days that you are not riding your bike. Consider putting in a home gym so as to not to waste time traveling to a gym. I put one in my garden a few years ago, and since then, my strength training has been extremely consistent.
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- Focus on your core, legs, and overall strength to support your cycling.
Related Post: 5 Great Strength Exercises for Cyclists
I love spending time in my garden gym. It took me about a year to put it together, mainly by buying used pieces of equipment from Craigslist. My total investment was less than $700Flexibility and Recovery: Daily Stretching Routine
The most likely thing to slow down your cycling progress is an injury. To make this less likely, be sure to work on stretching and recovery. When stretching, focus on hamstrings, quads, back, and shoulders.
Related Post: Complete Guide to Stretching for Cyclists
Apart from stretching, consider including some other kind of exercise into your routine. This helps with the overall balance of your program. Personally, I love to stretch out with either swimming or yoga on non-cycling days. It really helps my mind and body to recover, so that I feel strong and ready the next time I get on my bike.
I recommend yoga, which reduces chances of injury, and also helps you to keep your stress levels in checkAnother bonus is that a different exercise, such as swimming, will ensure that your upper body also gets a good workout. Especially if you use swim paddles to put more stress on your upper body. I like to swim on every non-cycling day.
Don’t worry about putting on a few pounds of muscle. It will be worth it to look that much better in your Lycra cycling gear! Not to mention that the additional strength will help you on your rides. And besides, you can always make up for those few extra pounds by investing in light-weight wheels, or a better bike. For example, the carbon fiber wheels below offer what one reviewer describes as an “incredible upgrade to any road bike currently rolling on factory OEM alloy wheels.”
Nutrition and Hydration:
Maintain a balanced diet rich in carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Stay hydrated before, during, and after rides. A good electrolyte mix is essential. I speak as someone who has been hospitalized with heat exhaustion after pushing myself too hard while not hydrating enough. Trust me, it is not worth it.
Bottom Line on Your Beginner Cycling Training Plan
If you follow this structured approach, you will be sure to make gradual progression. In just a few weeks, you will be amazed to see how your confidence grows, as you build a solid foundation of cycling skills and fitness.
Sources Used in this Post
- British Cycling: Provides comprehensive training plans and tips for beginners, including handling skills and endurance building.
- Bicycling Magazine: Offers practical advice on training routines, gear, and fitness for cyclists of all levels.
- Global Cycling Network: Features videos and articles on training, bike maintenance, and cycling techniques.
- Cycling Weekly: Covers training plans, fitness advice, and performance tips for cyclists.
- Road Cycling UK: Focuses on training programs, cycling nutrition, and gear reviews tailored for beginners.
If you have got this far … to learn more about bike training, consider investing in the ultimate book on cycling training, Joe Friel’s The Cyclist’s Training Bible.
Related Post: Review of Joe Friel’s Cyclist’s Training Bible
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