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8 Week Advanced Endurance & Strength Plan for XC or Enduro. Smart + Gym Optimized

Browse More Plans

8 Week Advanced Endurance & Strength Plan for XC or Enduro. Smart + Gym Optimized

Includes Structured Workouts

Structured Workouts automatically sync with compatible devices and guide you through workouts in real time.


Learn More about Structured Workouts.

Author

Matt Miller

All plans by this Coach

Length

8 Weeks

Includes Structured Workouts

Structured Workouts automatically sync with compatible devices and guide you through workouts in real time.


Learn More about Structured Workouts.

Plan Description

This is a fantastic plan to help you build up your endurance and strength at the same time. This plan works great pre-season or even in-season when endurance and strength are your limiters. The biggest gains with this plan will occur when you are able to maintain a low enough intensity during the endurance rides; therefore, it is most excellent to apply this plan when you have less time to ride trails, which get pretty intense very often.

This plan will not crush you or drive you in to the ground. You will instead be challenged with regular endurance riding and strength training. All bike workouts have downloadable smart trainer files, which work even if you don't have a smart trainer as these offer a good workout description or can be used with your power meter (or even heart rate monitor by sticking within the prescribed zone).

Once you finish this plan, you will be in a very good position to pick up with the 4-week MTB block and 2 week taper in to your event.

This plan is recommended for advanced mountain bikers who have some experience in the gym.

To learn more or gain access to all plans, check out smartmtbtraining.com

How it Works

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Track Your Progress

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Training Plan Sample Week

Sample Workouts - Week 100
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
Monday

TEST TIME TRIAL [Pre-training]

Bike01:00:00
Welcome to the first day of your training plan! The first day is a test day to determine what your fitness is now and to offer you a benchmark for your future training cycles.

We will try to control this as much as we can so that we know we are comparing apples to apples. We'll make sure the lead in to test day is pretty similar, control the warmup, and it will be up to you to eat similar foods.
(PRO-HACK: write down what you ate in the post-ride comments after you upload your file)


In addition to helping you track your progress, testing will also help you to determine training zones as you start your program.

IF YOU HAVE A SMART TRAINER
Click on the option to do an FTP test and follow the protocol. the time trial portion is VERY hard, and the program will tell you your FTP so that you can set your zones and intensities for the following weeks of workouts.

IF YOU HAVE A POWER METER OR OTHER:
Choose a road nearby that is easily repeatable on a safe section of road with no stops. Do this on the same bike every time. Using a MTB is OK. If this is uphill you will be able to pedal more steadily (less coasting) but flat or rolling terrain are fine if there are no stops or changes of road.
Get in a 15-minute warmup as follows: 5min easy seated pedaling- 10s acceleration with high cadence RPE~7 - 2min easy pedaling- 15s acceleration with slightly higher RPE, high cadence - standing pedaling for 2 minutes with heavy gear @50rpm ~RPE 5 – 5s acceleration just below max – 5min easy seated pedaling.

Record start location and begin the test, shooting for a steady power at a maximal rate for 12-20 minutes. Record stop location, elapsed time, weather, perceived exertion, heart rate, bike and tires used.

IF TRAINING WITH HEART RATE
Follow time trial protocol as above. Take average heart rate from test portion only. This is a good estimation of your lactate threshold heart rate. Zone will be as follows (derived from Andrew Coggan, PhD):
Zone 1: <68%
Zone 2: 69-83%
Zone 3: 84-94%
Zone 4: 95-105%

(PRO HACK 2: you can enter these zones on your Training Peaks profile and the metrics from your rides will be appropriately calculated.)
Details
Tuesday

MTB PhD Home Full-Body Circuit

Crosstrain00:30:00
See attached for MTB PhD Full-Body Circuit or link here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWG61e-5h30&t

These are dynamic movements that can be done with only body weight. These are designed to get your muscles working in different directions.

These are 20 reps total for each movement, so 10 reps each side. Complete these in order for one set before recovering for a few minutes ahead of the next set. Aim for 3 sets.

Best done after 5 minutes easy aerobic activity (e.g. walking). Ensure a 5 minute+ easy cooldown.
Details

Stretch

Other00:20:00
See attached for MTB PhD Stretching routine or follow this video as a guide:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95Vnq7T2V0I&t

Do this routine after easy aerobic exercise such as after your planned ride or after a 5 minute walk. Hold each stretch for 20-30s each side, pushing to mild discomfort.

Repeat the circuit twice if possible
You can add this on any other day as well
Details
Wednesday

REST

Rest
No detail
Thursday

Back Stack (with 2x routine choices)

Strength01:00:00
Warm up using the muscle activation routine.

Alternate using Routine A or Routine B each time you do this session. Warm up with one half set at reduced working weight before each movement. Complete all sets of each movement with 2 minutes rest before moving on to the next movement

Routine A:
4x20 Kettlebell Swings
4x10 Close Grip Lat Pulldown
4x10 Good Mornings
4x10 Bentover Rows with barbell

Routine B:
4x10 Wide Grip Lat Pulldown
4x10 Seated Row
4x10 Hyperextension
4x10 Renegade Rows
Details

Stretch

Other00:20:00
See attached for MTB PhD Stretching routine or follow this video as a guide:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95Vnq7T2V0I&t

Do this routine after easy aerobic exercise such as after your planned ride or after a 5 minute walk. Hold each stretch for 20-30s each side, pushing to mild discomfort.

Repeat the circuit twice if possible
You can add this on any other day as well
Details
Friday

Endurance Ride, Alternating High/Low Cadence

Bike01:00:0039 TSSStructured Workout
Warm up for 5 minutes at an easy pace. Then, ride for 50 minutes in zone 1-2, alternating with a high cadence for 5 minutes followed by a low cadence for 5 minutes. Try to stay mostly seated. Cool down by riding easy for 5 minutes.
Details
Saturday

Lower Body | Circuit

Strength00:45:00
Complete these exercises with very short rest between sets of exercises (i.e. after completing a set of squats, move on immediately to a set of good mornings). Weight may need to be reduced compared with normal lifting days.

Record the weight you use for each exercise. The intensity should be high, but since you have very short rest between exercises you will use a lower weight.

Warmup:5-7 minutes of an aerobic activity.


One circuit looks like this:
-Single-leg squats (non-moving leg behind you)-10 reps each leg
-Wall sit- start with 30-45s and add time each week
-Lunges-10 reps each leg
-Good mornings- 10 reps
-High knees (running) in place- start with 20s, and add time each week; move quickly
-Bear crawls- 50m, moving quickly across the room literally on all fours

Rest 5 minutes after completing one circuit and aim for three circuits total.

Cool down: 5-7 minutes eacy of an aerobic activity
Details

Endurance Row

Rowing00:20:00
Row or Ski Erg for 20 minutes in Zone 1-2. Have steady pulls but a very sustainable effort. Elliptical machine is another great option if you don't have access to a rowing machine or ski erg.
Details
Sunday

Easy Endurance Ride (Fasted)

Bike01:35:0055 TSSStructured Workout
Endurance (Zone 1-2) power and heart rate zones. Keep pedalling and avoid big spikes in power. Aim for 90-100rpm.
Details

Thursday Sample Workout Details

Other

Stats

Average Weekly Breakdown

Workouts Weekly Average Longest Workout
Bike x3
05:29:00 04:00:00
Other x2
00:35:00 00:20:00
Strength x2
02:06:00 01:00:00
Day Off x1
—— ——
Rowing x1
00:26:00 00:35:00
Workouts Per Week Weekly Average Longest Workout
Bike Bike
05:29:00 04:00:00
Other Other
00:35:00 00:20:00
Strength Strength
02:06:00 01:00:00
Rest Day Off
—— ——
Rowing Rowing
00:26:00 00:35:00

Training Load By Week


This plan works best with the following fitness devices:

  • Power Meter

All supported devices

Dr Matt Miller - MTB Performance Scientist & Trainer

MTB PhD

Matt Miller is a specialist MTB coach working with professional and amateur athletes in Enduro, XC, DH and road. He has over 20 international publications focused on MTB performance, including pioneering research into FTP and braking (BrakeAce) in MTB. Matt has 20 years of personal race experience, including elite level in XC and EWS. Athletes Matt has worked with have achieved 8 USA Nationals wins (XC & Enduro), 7th overall in the EWS, 11th in an XC World Cup and top 40 in the DH World Cup.

View all Training Plans by this Coach
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This plan is protected by our Refund Policy and may, with the author's approval, be exchanged for a plan of equal value from the same author.

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