Base Building for Cyclists: A New Foundation for Endurance and Performance

by Thomas Chapple

Book Overview

Go slower to get faster. That's the proven formula for better performance from Thomas Chapple. In Base Building for Cyclists, Chapple outlines a revolutionary approach to creating a stronger fitness base that is guaranteed to lead to continuous improvement each season. In this comprehensive guide, Chapple presents specific, goal-oriented training that focuses on endurance, strength, and efficiency. By training smarter, not harder, you can improve...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 193138293X
• ISBN13: 9781931382939
• Release Date: January 2007
• Publisher: VeloPress
• Length: 302 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.1" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Outstanding Book to Improve Your Fitness

I'm a recreational cyclist, getting in a ride a week at best of around 25-35 miles, while otherwise hitting the gym 2-3 times a week. I was frustrated because my speed wasn't improving, my weight loss had bottomed out (although I knew I could lose a bit more,) and I often found that I was getting head colds and such every could of months. Then I found "Base Building for Cyclists". I've read this book cover-to-cover, and applied Chapple's philosophies. My cycling endurance and speed has improved, I lost another 8 lbs of unproductive body fat, and I got even more excited to get on the saddle and out on the road. Chapple's approach is simple: Riding hard all the time will not improve your cycling performance. He proposes a program of training that starts out slow and builds from there. How you train depends on what areas you need to improve. I needed to build my endurance, and learned to ride slower to train my body to burn fat using carbs for the fire, rather than just burning the carbs. Results: longer rides and faster speeds after a few weeks of progressively harder rides (and no more over-extending and getting sick!) It's an interesting book in that you're way past page 100 before you get to the training plans. He spends a lot of chapters giving you the background you need to develop your own program. This is good - you understand what to eat and when, how to balance aerobic and anaerobic training, where strength training fits in and what exercises to do, and how your body processes food for your muscles. He does all this in a very readable form. To me, this is outstanding. While he does discuss how power meters can be applied, he also recognizes that not everyone can afford this technology, and gives you enough tools to get by with as little as subjective judgment. I recommend at least investing in a heart rate monitor if you really want to improve. This book is great if you want to train to compete in races. However, it is also good for the recreational cyclist who wants to improve his performance and skills and keep up (or pass!) his friends.

Excellent resource for endurance training

I'm training for my first 200 mile ride this May and wanted to find a guide to help me maximize the small amount of time I have to train. This book is easy to read and follow, and I'm really seeing results. The material covers race training as well so it would be useful for people who want to train see gains for racing. The most difficult part is keeping the intensity low because it's my natural inclination to want to push it to the max. On a recent 100 mile ride, riding at a lower perceived exertion rate than I ever have, I finished slightly faster than last year, *and* feeling refreshed. I credit all the base training I did this year following the plan in the book with my success.

This book unlocks the keys to racing success!

AWESOME!!! Thomas Chapple shows that he is a very skillful teacher!Base Building is right on the money! It takes you through step by step of creating a stronger, healthier, and fitter bike racer. The logic behind the concepts are sound and based on science. The style of writing is understandable & witty. You will feel like Thomas is having a conversation with you. It's like having your own highly qualified coach with you whenver you need him. I still find myself referring to the book often. I have read many different cycling books and this is the only one that dedicates in itself to the most important step of training: the base period. Thomas sheds considerable light on a topic few really understand, he makes very applicable to the needs and expectations of each rider. If you bought only one book on training this should be the one. After reading "Base Building", all of the previous books that I've read on training for cyclists make alot more sense to me. Well Done Thomas!

Cost effective book to achieve long term results

Don't buy this book if you're short sighted and want to get faster next month. Do buy this book if you're a student of the sport of cycling, and the associated physiology. Friel's Bible dedicates several chapters to offseason and base preparation, but Chapple builds on this and expands it to an entire book. Sound, detailed and correct. This isn't a "cycling for dummies" type book where you open it to a given page, do some canned workout, and magically win your next Cat 4 race. Start reading it after Thanksgiving, plan through the holidays, and execute.