WHO THIS IS FOR
IS THIS YOU?
The new cyclist who wants to train rather than just ride
You have been riding casually and want to shift to structured training but do not know where to begin or what plan to follow.
The returning rider rebuilding fitness after a break
You rode years ago, you are getting back on the bike, and you want a sensible framework for rebuilding without overdoing it.
THE ROADMAN VIEW
The Roadman view
The biggest mistake beginners make with training plans is choosing one that is too complicated and too ambitious. They find a 16-week periodised programme with five sessions a week, sweet spot blocks, VO2max phases, and taper weeks — and they quit after two weeks because it does not fit their life. Joe Friel has always been clear: the best training plan is the one you actually follow. For a beginner, that means starting simple and building structure gradually.
Here is how Anthony recommends beginners start: pick 3-4 days per week when you can realistically ride. For the first 4-6 weeks, every ride should be easy — Zone 2, conversational pace, the kind of effort where you could chat to a riding partner without gasping. This feels embarrassingly slow to most new riders, but it is building the aerobic engine that everything else depends on. Your mitochondria are multiplying, your capillary network is expanding, your fat oxidation is improving. This is not wasted time — it is the foundation.
After 4-6 weeks of base riding, add one structured session per week. A simple threshold effort — 2x15 minutes at a pace you could hold for about an hour (your threshold), with 5 minutes easy between efforts — is enough to start. That gives you a week of three easy rides and one hard ride. Dan Lorang has said that this framework — polarised, simple, consistent — produces better results for amateurs than the complex periodisation models designed for full-time athletes. Build the habit of consistency first. Add complexity only when you have outgrown the simple plan.
EXPERT EVIDENCE
WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY
- Joe FrielAuthor of The Cyclist's Training Bible; co-founder of TrainingPeaks
The best training plan for a beginner is the simplest one they will actually follow consistently. Start with 3-4 rides per week, mostly easy, and add one harder session after a month. Complexity should grow with the athlete, not be imposed from day one. The riders who improve fastest are the ones who show up consistently, not the ones who follow the most sophisticated plan.
Hear it: Joe Friel's Cycling Training Plan Structure | Roadman Cycling - Dan LorangCoach to Primoz Roglic; Bora-Hansgrohe performance director
Even at the professional level, the foundation of a training plan is aerobic base work. For amateur beginners, 4-6 weeks of predominantly easy riding builds the aerobic infrastructure that makes harder training possible and productive. Skipping this phase — going straight to intervals — builds a house without a foundation.
Hear it: Roglic's Coach Builds A Training Plan For Amateur Riders | Dan Lorang
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
DO THIS WEEK
Set a realistic weekly schedule before choosing a plan
Write down the days and times you can actually ride, accounting for work, family, and other commitments. Be honest — if you can ride Tuesday evening, Thursday morning, and Saturday afternoon, that is your schedule. Build your plan around those slots rather than trying to force your life around a plan. Three good sessions are better than five inconsistent ones.
Ride Zone 2 only for the first 4-6 weeks
Every ride should be at easy conversational pace — if you cannot speak in full sentences, you are going too hard. Use a heart rate monitor (Zone 2 is roughly 60-75% of max heart rate) or perceived effort (RPE 3-4 out of 10). Ride for 45-90 minutes per session. This phase builds the aerobic base that makes all future training productive.
Add one structured session per week after the base phase
After 4-6 weeks of Zone 2 riding, replace one easy ride with a structured threshold session: warm up for 15 minutes, then ride 2x15 minutes at a pace you could hold for one hour (hard but controlled), with 5 minutes easy between efforts, then cool down for 10 minutes. Keep all other rides easy. Increase the interval duration by 2-3 minutes every two weeks as fitness improves.
COMMON MISTAKES
WHAT CYCLISTS GET WRONG
MISTAKEStarting with a plan that is too complex for your current fitness and schedule.
FIXA 5-session, multi-zone periodised plan is for experienced riders. Beginners need 3-4 rides per week, mostly easy, with one structured session after the first month. Start simple and add complexity only when you have built the habit of consistent training.
MISTAKESkipping the aerobic base phase and jumping straight to intervals.
FIXIntervals without an aerobic base produce short-term fitness that plateaus quickly and breaks down under sustained training. Invest 4-6 weeks in Zone 2 riding first. This is not wasted time — it is building the engine that makes intervals productive.
MISTAKEIncreasing volume and intensity at the same time.
FIXChange one variable at a time. Increase ride duration by 10-15% per week for 3 weeks, then hold volume steady and add one harder session. Raising both volume and intensity simultaneously is the fastest path to overtraining and injury for a beginner.
FAQ
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How many hours per week should a beginner cyclist train?
Do I need to do an FTP test as a beginner?
What should a beginner's training week look like?
Should I follow a training plan or just ride?
How long before I see results from training?
Can I start training with no cycling fitness at all?
RELATED EPISODES
HEAR THE CONVERSATIONS
RELATED TOPICS