The Ultimate Ride

by Chris Carmichael, Jim Rutberg

Overview

Chris Carmichael has trained many of the world's best cyclists, and now he offers his invaluable training tips, cutting-edge workout programs, and state-of-the-art exercises to help readers find their ultimate ride. In this book, he gives riders of all abilities an insider's guide to getting fitter, faster, and on to the champion's platform.

With photographs and illustrated exercises, The Ultimate Ride helps build a strong foundation for incremental leaps in fitness, times, and techniques. Nutritional advice, goal-setting methods, and mental exercises complement the physical training tips, to make this the only cycling fitness book an enthusiast will ever need.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781101117965
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	06/01/2004
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	352
File size:	5 MB
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Chris Carmichael is an endurance coach and adviser to Olympic athletes and teams around the world. He is Lance Armstrong's personal coach, as well as coach to athletes of all levels. During 1997 and 1998, Chris dedicated his time and talents to shaping Lance Armstrong's return from cancer to professional racing. In 1999, he founded Carmichael Training Systems (CTS) to bring quality coaching to elite athletes and active people alike.

 

"I would not be a six-time Tour de France champion without [Chris Carmichael]." —Lance Armstrong

Table of Contents

	Introduction	1
1.	From the Ground Up	4
	The Founding of Carmichael Training Systems	10
	How to Use This Book	14
	The CTS Pyramid of Success	15
2.	Foundation for Success: Your Mental Preparation for Achievement	23
	The Six Misconceptions of Mental Training	24
	Fine-Tune Your Mental Fitness	26
	Confidence: The Most Important Mental Skill	27
	Goal-Setting	30
	Dream Goals	34
	Confidence-Building Goals	36
	Action Goals	38
	Imagery/Visualization	40
	Stress Management	45
3.	On the Road: Building Your Foundation of Success	50
	Exercise Physiology Basics	51
	The Organization of Training	54
	The Five Principles of Training	55
	The Five Workout Components	61
	Periodization	66
	About the Periods	72
	There Is No Off-Season	81
4.	Tools of Training	82
	Performance/Fitness Testing	83
	The CTS Field Test	84
	How to Train with Heart Rate	88
	How to Train with Power	92
	CTS Workouts	94
	Flexibility	113
	Recovery	115
5.	Going the Extra Mile	120
	Resistance Training	120
	Training Indoors	130
	The Next Tool in Endurance Training: Altitude Training to Improve Performance	134
	Training Blocks	138
	Foundation Period Training Examples	140
6.	Reinforcing Your Training Program	142
	The Art of Group Riding	143
	Handling Skills: Your Bike as an Extension of Your Body	150
	Handling Road Conditions	160
	Cycling Position	163
	The Right Clothes for All Conditions	183
	Tailoring Your Training to Races	187
	Preparation Period Training Examples	193
7.	A Champion's Nutrition Plan	196
	Performance Nutrition vs. Basic Nutrition	196
	Quality Fuel = Quality Workouts	198
	Nutrition Before Training/Competition	211
	Nutrition During Training/Competition	213
	Nutrition After Training/Competition	214
	Carbo Loading: Traditional	217
	Dietary Supplements (Non-Food)	219
8.	Putting It All Together	229
	Field Test to Confirm Progress	231
	Confidence-Building Activities	232
	Using Training Diaries to Track Progress	233
	Using Your Training Diary	236
	Overreaching vs. Overtraining	237
	Avoiding Overtraining	242
	The Role of a Coach	244
	The Keys to a Successful Specialization Period	246
	Specialization Period Training Examples	247
9.	Peaking: One More Step to Go	250
	Training in the Peaking Process	253
	Nutritional Considerations	255
	The Psychology of Peaking	258
	Illness, Injuries, Burnout	259
	Wrapping Up the Peaking Process	266
	Peaking Process Training Examples	267
10.	The 100% Ready Athlete	270
	The Character of the 100% Ready Athlete	270
	Competing as the 100% Ready Athlete	275
	You Can't Win If You Don't Sprint	278
	Finish It Off Right	285
	Nutritional Considerations for the 100% Ready Athlete	286
	Equipment Check	290
	The Feed Zone	293
	Competitive Envy	295
	How Long Can You Remain 100% Ready?	296
11.	After the Peak	300
	Coping with Success	302
	Learning from One Race to the Next	305
	Sports Psychology Worksheets	308
	Acknowledgments	321

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Meeting my coach, Chris Carmichael, in 1990, when I had more ambition than skills, started me on the road to success. He helped me realize my dream of winning the Tour de France." -Lance Armstrong

Editorial Reviews

...the user-friendly principles that work for Tour de France riders work just as well for a recreational athlete... June 27, 2003

The Wall Street Journal

Carmichael, Olympic coach and trainer, is probably best known for training cyclist Lance Armstrong, winner of four consecutive Tour de France championships. Here, Carmichael offers a sound approach for serious cyclists wanting to improve their abilities, compete more successfully and train without incurring injuries. The well-organized book begins with Carmichael talking about his background and then explaining the Carmichael Training System (CTS), a pyramid where people first set goals and then work through various stages of training. The chapter on diet will be useful to marathoners as well as cyclists; but the chapter "Tools of Training" on specific bike workouts such as HighSpeedSprints and FoundationMiles will be of interest only to serious cyclists. Illustrations are of Armstrong and other athletes coached by Carmichael, and the writing is clear and persuasive without being excessively inspirational. For example, the author states, "Before you can chase your dreams, you must know exactly what they are and where you are in relation to them. You must also have the courage to make your own rules and not allow yourself to be governed by perceived or imposed limitations." This is a first-rate guide for cyclists who compete or race and should also appeal to professionals who work with athletes such as coaches or physical therapists. (July) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

The Ultimate Ride is a training manual written by a world-famous cycling coach, while Need for the Bike is a literary love letter to cycling written by a cultural attach /avant-garde writer. Despite their differences, the books beg to be read together: the first offers a comprehensive guide to better riding, the second reminds you of why you choose to ride at all. An Olympic coach and trainer best known for his work with Lance Armstrong, Carmichael shares his expertise with a comprehensive look at the Carmichael Training System (CTS). He offers helpful information on goal setting and nutrition but also includes more technical discussions of training, pathomechanics, and data collection aimed at serious cyclists and trainers. Each element of CTS gets ample discussion offering specifics like intensity, volume, and frequency, and Carmichael does a good job of explaining the rationale behind each strategy. This title will have broad appeal to anyone who wants to "ride like Lance." On the other hand, Fournel's Need for the Bike will appeal not only to serious cyclists but also to aspiring cyclists and anyone who appreciates well-written reminiscences. Fournel, the cultural attach at the French Embassy in Cairo and member of the avant-garde writers' group Oulipo, shows his love of language and cycling in this book of vignettes organized around five broad categories: "The Violent Bike," "Bike Envy," "Need for Air," "Pedaling Within," and "Spinning Circles." Whether he is discussing run-ins with car doors or the childlike wonder of a first bike, Forunel writes with an attention to detail and image that elevates and connects. Both titles are recommended for public libraries and sports/fitness collections.-Mari Flynn, Keystone Coll., La Plume, PA Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

"Meeting my coach, Chris Carmichael, in 1990, when I had more ambition than skills, started me on the road to success.  He helped me realize my dream of winning the Tour de France." -Lance Armstrong

From the Publisher