Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast - Presented by TrainerRoad TRAINING MISTAKES THAT MAKE YOU SLOWER | Pro Cyclist Zach Calton | Ask a Cycling Coach 551
17 snips
Sep 18, 2025 Zach Calton, a professional gravel racer and Lifetime Grand Prix athlete, shares insights from his competitive journey, including his comeback from illness and crashes. He explores the nuances of polarized training and reveals common misconceptions about Training Stress Score (TSS). Zach emphasizes the importance of load management and mental resilience, discusses essential sprint training for all cyclists, and highlights three critical mistakes: poor fueling, neglecting skills, and sacrificing long-term consistency for quick gains.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Less Can Sharpen Specific Fitness
- Reducing weekly volume while increasing structure can sharpen specific markers like FTP.
- Less overall time with focused intensity can unlock short-term gains when training is targeted.
Use TSS Sparingly
- Treat TSS as a loose reference and prioritize subjective fatigue and context over raw numbers.
- Remember TSS ignores environment, altitude, and fueling, so don't compare dissimilar rides directly.
Sustainable Volume Beats Hero Weeks
- Very high weekly hours are rare to sustain unless training is tightly controlled and life permits.
- Consistent, moderate volume (e.g., ~8â15 hours) often yields more sustainable improvement for most athletes.