Fitness Cycling (Paperback)

by Dede Demet Barry (Author), Michael Barry (Author), Shannon, M.D. Sovndal (Author)
Key Phrases: Hill Training Total, Speed Training, Time Trial Training Total (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
""This book should be added to every cyclist's library. Understand why and how to use your time wisely to improve your cycling--whether for fun, fitness, or performance.""
Connie Carpenter
Olympic Gold Medalist, 1984
Women's Individual Road Race
"Dede's savvy training knowledge and technical skills, Michael's experience on the professional tour, and Shannon's physiological expertise and cycling background make this the perfect trio to provide training advice, workouts, and season-long programs in a way that will help beginners and more advanced cyclists make the most of their time on the bike."
Jim Miller, Head Coach
U.S. Olympic Women's Road Cycling Team, 2004
"""Fitness Cycling "is the ideal book for most cyclists learning to get fit and get the most out of their body. Michael, Dede and Shannon offer the cyclist a rare combination of competitive experience and medical/scientific expertise.""
Tom Danielson
Discovery Channel Cycling Team
""A rare opportunity for the beginner to the advanced cyclist to learn the tricks of the trade from a dream combination of resources. From Dede's phenomenal cycling career, to Michael's professionalism and Shannon's expertise," Fitness Cycling "offers the wisdom and insight that will allow goals to transform into realities.""
Clara Hughes
5-time Olympic Medalist in Multiple Sports
Cycling: Double Bronze, 1996; Speed Skating: Gold & Silver, 2006; Bronze, 2002

Product Description
Tired of the same ride at the same pace yielding the same results day after day? With Fitness Cycling, you will achieve maximum results from every cycling workout, whether you’re trying to improve your times, bike longer distances, or simply increase your fitness level. With 60 workouts and 13 proven training programs at your fingertips, you will improve your physical conditioning and your performance.

World-class cyclists Michael and Dede Demet Barry, with noted exercise physiologist Dr. Shannon Sovndal, guide you through assessing your cycling fitness level and selecting a training program based on your individual goals.

The dozens of workouts include endurance rides, hill and speed training, time trials, and strength and lactate threshold sessions. Workouts are then arranged into four training zones to lead you from building a base to maintaining peak condition based on your fitness level and cycling ambition. Warm-up and cool-down methods, as well as expert conditioning guidelines, provide the information you need for more informed training, faster times, and improved fitness.

Put an end to the monotonous rides and begin cranking out meaningful miles. Whether you’re looking to jump-start your training or to peak for a race, Fitness Cycling ensures that every workout keeps you on pace to meet your goals.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Human Kinetics Publishers; 1 edition (July 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0736063641
• ISBN-13: 978-0736063647
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #221,606 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Intro to Cycling Fitness, September 28, 2007

By	David Stump "David" (Central Texas) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I recommend this book to any cyclists interested in racing or fitness. If you ride for fun, this book is probably the only fitness book you will need for cycling. If you are planning on racing, but you don't know much about cycling training, this is an excellent book to start with.
This book is divided into two parts.
The first part introduces the rider to cycling fitness, and how it is accomplished. This involves explaining your max heart rate, VO2 max, and lactate threshold. It also explains the basics of cycling fitness, such as building a base, increasing speed, and raising your lactate threshold.
The second part of the book gives three 30 week workout plans, building towards some sort of event or race. The three workout plans are aimed at beginners, intermediate bikers, and more advanced riders.
This book does not emphasize power meters, but it does recommend a heart rate monitor. It also rates workouts according to perceived effort.
This is a good book.
David

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A cycling coach, September 8, 2006

By	John Blakely "Author: 'Motivation, Get it, Ke... (Harrison, Ohio) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Good common sense development in this book. Too often these books come out and decide that the person they're talking to is in better shape than Armstrong or is about to get on a bike for the first time. It's good to see that she is aiming at giving good workouts with adequate recovery and a constantly growing workload.

Nice work Ms Barry.

8 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not for the recreational rider, July 13, 2008

By	MSY (Seattle) - See all my reviews

I've been riding too many years to count but still enjoy doing two tough road rides over hills per week on a new Trek Madone. I bought this book in an effort to ratchet up a notch with some useful tips about training, diet, etc. Big mistake! There's nothing useful in this book for an experienced recreational rider unless you want to become a racer, in which case go for it - there's plenty of technical advice here that may help a riding zealot. But there's little of interest for someone who enjoys biking and just wants to improve a bit.