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COACHING FOR WOMEN CYCLISTS

CYCLING COACHING FOR WOMEN
TRAINING THAT WORKS WITH FEMALE PHYSIOLOGY — NOT AGAINST IT.

This is coaching for women cyclists who are tired of training plans that were designed on male data and handed over with the words 'just scale it down'. Female physiology, hormonal cycles, fuelling needs, and power benchmarks are not a smaller version of the male model — they're a different model. Coaching that respects that gets you faster.

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THE PROBLEM MOST RIDERS IN THIS SPOT FACE.

Most cycling coaching advice online is built on research where 90%+ of the subjects were male. Then it's repackaged for women with smaller wattage targets and the same training week. That's not coaching — that's a hand-me-down.

The mistakes this creates are predictable: under-fuelled training (because the calorie advice was written for a 75kg male), intensity sessions stacked on the wrong week of your cycle, strength work that's either ignored or treated as an afterthought, and benchmarks that compare you to men instead of measuring your trajectory.

The fix isn't complicated. It's just rarely offered.

WHAT CHANGES IN THE COACHING

  • Cycle-aware periodisation — heavier work loaded into the follicular phase where you adapt fastest
  • Fuelling targets calibrated for female energy availability, not male calorie templates
  • Strength training treated as central to power and bone health, not optional
  • Power benchmarks compared to female age-group data — not generic w/kg charts
  • Iron, ferritin, and recovery flagged as non-negotiables in the plan
  • Honest conversations about RED-S and how chronic under-fuelling shuts down performance

WOMEN

HOW THE COACHING WORKS

The five pillars adapted for this segment. Same system — periodised differently to fit what you actually need.

01

CYCLE-AWARE PERIODISATION

Where your cycle is regular and trackable, harder intensity blocks land in your follicular phase — when adaptation rates are highest. Premenstrual weeks shift to lower-intensity volume. The plan flexes around your physiology instead of ignoring it.

02

FUEL FOR PERFORMANCE

Female cyclists are the most under-fuelled population in the sport. We rebuild fuelling around training load and energy availability — not weight loss. Power gets built. Body composition follows.

03

STRENGTH AS A PILLAR

Two heavy strength sessions a week. Not pink dumbbells — proper compound lifting periodised with your riding. Power preservation, bone density, and the kind of force production that matters on every steep climb.

04

FEMALE POWER BENCHMARKS

Your trajectory is measured against your own data and against female age-group averages — not the male w/kg charts that make every female cyclist feel like they're underperforming.

05

RECOVERY AND LONG-TERM HEALTH

Sleep, iron status, energy availability, hormonal feedback. The metrics that matter long-term are baked into the conversation — not addressed only when something breaks.

EXAMPLE TRAINING WEEK

WHAT A WEEK LOOKS LIKE

A mid-block week for a female cyclist in the follicular phase of her cycle. Intensity loads land here when feasible. Premenstrual weeks rebalance towards endurance and recovery.

8-10 HRS/WEEK

MONDAY

Rest or active recovery walk

0-30 MIN

TUESDAY

VO2max — 6 x 3 min @ 110-115% FTP, 3 min easy

75 MIN

WEDNESDAY

Zone 2 endurance — disciplined HR cap

75 MIN

THURSDAY

Heavy strength — back squat, deadlift, hip thrust, 4 x 5

50 MIN

FRIDAY

Easy spin or rest

0-45 MIN

SATURDAY

Long Zone 2 ride — fuelled at 60-80g carbs/hr from the start

3-4 HRS

SUNDAY

Sweet spot — 3 x 12 min @ 88-93% FTP

90 MIN

Adjusts weekly based on how you actually responded — power trends, HRV, sleep, life context. Built and reviewed in TrainingPeaks.

FIXABLE MISTAKES

MISTAKES TO AVOID

The patterns that hold this segment back the most. Each one is fixable — that's the whole point.

01. EATING LIKE YOU'RE TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT, TRAINING LIKE YOU'RE TRYING TO GAIN POWER

It's the most common pattern in female cycling and the fastest route to RED-S. Chronic under-fuelling tanks hormones, kills power, weakens bones, and makes weight loss harder, not easier. Fuel the work. The body composition follows.

02. TREATING YOUR CYCLE LIKE AN INCONVENIENCE TO IGNORE

Hormonal phases meaningfully affect adaptation, recovery, perceived effort, and injury risk. Tracking your cycle and periodising around it isn't a soft science — it's coaching that uses the information available. Most plans throw it out.

03. SKIPPING STRENGTH BECAUSE 'I JUST WANT TO RIDE'

Female cyclists lose bone density and type-2 fibres faster without resistance training. Two heavy strength sessions a week aren't optional after 35 — they're the foundation of long-term power and a body that holds up.

04. COMPARING YOUR WATTS TO MALE RIDERS IN YOUR GROUP

Female elite cyclists average ~15% lower w/kg than male elites for clear physiological reasons. Comparing your numbers to the men you ride with is comparing the wrong baseline. Compare to female age-group benchmarks and your own trajectory.

05. IGNORING IRON AND FERRITIN

Low ferritin is one of the most common — and most overlooked — causes of female cyclists feeling permanently tired. We flag the symptoms, recommend testing, and adjust training when ferritin is low so a fixable problem doesn't masquerade as a training problem.

CASE STUDY

WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE IN PRACTICE

THE RIDER

MARY K

Age 56. Long-time cyclist who'd never done structured strength work. Felt power leaking on steep climbs.

THE OUTCOME

Two heavy strength sessions a week alongside structured cycling. Core stronger, position on the bike improved, climbing power back. Strength built without sacrificing ride time.

I love how targeted it is to cycling — not just general gym stuff. Every session feels like it's actually helping my performance on the bike. Core's stronger, legs feel more connected, and even my position on the bike feels better.

MARY K

IS THIS COACHING RIGHT FOR YOU?

YES, IF YOU...

  • Are tired of plans that feel like they were designed for someone else
  • Have plateaued and suspect under-fuelling or poor periodisation is part of it
  • Want training that respects your physiology, not ignores it
  • Are in perimenopause or menopause and need a recalibrated approach
  • Have a goal event and want a structured female-aware build
  • Want strength work as a serious pillar, not an afterthought

NOT IF YOU...

  • ×Are looking for a generic training plan rather than personalised coaching
  • ×Are unwilling to fuel training properly
  • ×Need a fully medicalised return-to-sport programme post-pregnancy (we'll refer you to a women's health specialist first)

COMMON QUESTIONS

IS CYCLING COACHING DIFFERENT FOR WOMEN THAN FOR MEN?

Meaningfully, yes. The endurance principles are universal — Zone 2, polarised distribution, recovery as a session — but the application changes. Cycle-aware periodisation, female-calibrated fuelling targets, strength prioritisation, and honest power benchmarking against female data all matter. A plan that ignores those is a male plan with the wattage scaled down.

DO YOU ACCOUNT FOR THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE IN TRAINING PLANS?

Where it's regular and you're comfortable tracking it, yes. We load harder intensity into the follicular phase where adaptation rates are highest, and rebalance premenstrual weeks toward endurance and recovery. For riders on hormonal contraception or in perimenopause, the framework adapts — the principle is using available physiological information, not forcing every athlete into the same template.

WHAT IF I'M IN PERIMENOPAUSE OR MENOPAUSE?

Coaching becomes even more important. Hormonal shifts in perimenopause and menopause meaningfully affect recovery, body composition, sleep, and strength response. The training approach shifts to higher-intensity work, more strength, more deliberate recovery, and a clear conversation about fuelling. We coach a number of riders through this transition — it's a window where the right structure makes an enormous difference.

WILL I BE THE ONLY WOMAN IN THE COMMUNITY?

No. The Not Done Yet community has a growing female membership and our coaching covers riders across the spectrum — sportive, racing, gravel, comeback. The community Q&A, masterclasses, and coaching calls are open to all members.

DO I NEED A POWER METER?

Recommended but not required to start. For female cyclists, power data is especially useful for ensuring true Zone 2 stays true — heart rate alone can drift higher in the luteal phase and confuse intensity targets. We can start with HR and RPE and add power when you're ready.

YOUR COACHING STARTS HERE.

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