The following comments were written by Carmen Monks, who refers to himself as TOG, short for “the Original Grasshopper.” Carmen has been an All-American for several years now, every year that we have worked together I believe, is a blue collar M2 shirt recipient, (read about him under Athlete Recognition) and when he comes to race, he always leaves it all on the line.
His attention to detail in the workouts is one reason for this. The comments that he shares here are excellent. One thing that I would note, is that I prefer to warmup for 20-25′ for all quality bike workouts.
TOG’s Keys to Successful M2 Bike Workouts:
- Pre-workout Understanding and Respect…
Take the time to read the workout carefully prior, instead of just “jumping” on the bike, with an eye for workout objectives and gearing yourself up mentally for the task at hand…knowledge is power re: M2 terminology, RPE’s, HR’s, Gearing and RI’s
- Do a Proper Warm-Up…(vary the gearing)
One that is commensurate with the prescribed workout…thus providing yourself with the appropriate platform to “engage” the workout with it’s specific goals immediately…vs. using the first several repeats of the workout to warm-up…
In my experience, EA workouts might just require 10-15 minutes…while the more intense P/S, or Strength workouts require at least 20 minutes minimum…
- Total Concentration…
Most workouts require a dedicated level of concentration to attain the prescribed goals…They are not constructed so people can make personal arbitrary decisions (ie gearing, HR, or RI) due to lack of concentration b/c of the television, fluid replacement, towels, or pee-breaks…the closer you follow the plan, the quicker you will achieve the desired results…
- A Willingness to Endure Discomfort…
Sometimes I chuckle when people see me drinking beer or eating a chicken wing and coupled with my “not-so-athletic physique, assume that I have raised the level of my riding/running with a noticeably cavalier training program…The fact is that achieving success and making contiued progress requires a desire to push through the mental barriers we all have and simply suck it up…M2 workouts are hard, and in my history, that is the only recipe for progress…An athlete’s mental commitment to success and willingness to “out-suffer” his peers is the difference between getting the most out of your body, and simply relegating yourself to mediocrity… “middle management syndrome” I call it…
Is it hard to get up for a trainer workout when it’s 90, sunny degrees outside and you live in a basement apt. with no natural lighting, the answer is clearly yes…But on a daily basis, that’s what separates the men from the boys…
