FasCat Cycling Training Tips Podcast

Frank "the Big Cat" Overton is back for the Friday livestream with a full walkthrough of the new CoachCat app plus a deep dive into the numbers behind this year's Tour de France. Watch the full episode on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iolohdWoyTQ&t=130s In this episode: Getting started in CoachCat. Frank tours the custom training plan builder, the 12 most popular conversation starters, adaptive training, and how to push your workout to your bike computer, Zwift, or Rouvy. He also explains why "follow the plan" beats letting your wearable give you the morning Jedi mind trick, and why a low recovery score does not mean you skip the work. Tour de France power analysis. Frank breaks down how Pogačar won Stage 10 with an 8.2 watts per kilogram attack, then held 6.8 watts per kilogram up the final climb. He covers the physics behind his stage by stage predictions and what to watch for on the true mountaintop finishes to come. Cyclocross season timeline. From summer sweet spot base to the six weeks that switch you from base to race, Frank lays out run training, skills practice, Wednesday Worlds, and how to build your own cross course at your local park. Plus live athlete Q and A on pacing at altitude, recovery weeks, ERG mode off for burst workouts, transitioning from road A races into cross, and more. New free trials get a 30 minute consultation with a real FasCat coach, a $100 value. Live every Friday at 2 PM Eastern. FTFP. Did you like this episode? What would you like to learn about in future episodes? Let us know in the comments 🙏 Until the next episode, you know what to do: work hard, ride fast, have fun and as always: FtFP

On Ask a FasCat #30, we gave away a Stages Power Meter to the listener who asked the most thoughtful question + an annual CoachCat subscription to analyze all that shiny new power data. 🎥 Watch the episode: https://www.youtube.com/live/bnLrNhVL0jk Here's how it worked: participants dropped their training questions in the comments, and Coach Frank Overton picked the winner live at the end of the show. Not sure what counts as "most thoughtful"? Go back and binge the previous 29 episodes of Ask a FasCat 😂 Just kidding, it's simply the question that sparks the most interest and helps the greatest number of listeners.

Build a custom cycling training plan in 5 questions. For a visual walk through of the custom plan builder watch this podcast on our youTube channel here https://youtu.be/nO94dhqgjBg In this podcast & video, Coach Frank walks you through the new CoachCat Custom Training Plan Builder. We use over 100 of our coach-built training plans as phases of your training — Sweet Spot base, builds, intervals, weight lifting, and event-specific phases for road, gravel, fondo, century, time trial, triathlon, mountain bike, cyclocross, and crits — and stitch them together based on your answers to 5 simple questions: 1️⃣ Your fitness level and how many hours a week you can train 2️⃣ What you're training for 3️⃣ When that goal is 4️⃣ Whether you want to include strength training 5️⃣ Your availability — including the days you can't train and your preferred long ride day The result: the right phase at the right time, lined up to your goal date, fit to your week. What's new in this builder: → Specify the days you can't train (3, 4, or 5 days a week — your call) → Choose your long ride day (Saturday default, but pick any day) → Climbing-specific training if your event has climbs → Smart strength training: 10-week lifting in Fall/Winter, maintenance in Spring/Summer Plus, a closer look at: Event-specific phases for every cycling discipline Why timing your peak matters The strength training question — and why most athletes get it wrong Already training with CoachCat? Click "Build a Custom Plan" inside the app — your plan also comes with a complimentary coaching consultation to verify the build and suggest improvements. 🚴 About FasCat & CoachCat FasCat Coaching has been training cyclists for 20+ years. CoachCat is our AI-powered coaching app that delivers personalized training, daily check-ins, and the same coaching methodology we've used with World Tour pros and amateurs alike — at a fraction of the cost of 1:1 coaching. 🔗 Links → Build your custom plan: https://fascatcoaching.com/app → Browse training plans: https://fascatcoaching.com/collections/training-plans/ → FasCat Training Tips blog: https://fascatcoaching.com/blogs/training-tips

Are you a master's cyclist trying to get faster but feel like something is missing from mainstream advice? Train this way FREE for 1 Month https://fascatcoaching.com/app In this video, Coach Frank breaks down the 5 most important training rules for cyclists over 40, 50, and 60+ , and more importantly, what Bicycling Magazine didn't have space to tell you. Frank was recently featured in their article on coaching older cyclists, and while they nailed the headlines, there's a lot more nuance that can make or break your performance. Today, Coach Frank is giving you the full coaching perspective. 🚴‍♂️ What You'll Learn: - Why more miles ≠ more fitness (and how to balance training with recovery) - The truth about high-intensity (Zone 6) work for older athletes - How to strength train the right way (without sabotaging your riding) - Why you don't need a race to train with purpose - The #1 mistake masters cyclists make: taking extended breaks ⚠️ Stick Around for Rule #5 If you take winters off, skip riding on vacation, or think breaks help you reset… this could be holding you back more than you realize. 📖 Read the Original Article https://www.bicycling.com/training/a70723113/older-cyclist-training-rules/ 🤖 Want Help Applying This? Try the CoachCat AI Coach: ✅ Personalized training plan ✅ Feedback on your workouts ✅ Built specifically for masters athletes 👉 Start your FREE 30-day trial (includes coaching consultation): https://fascatcoaching.com/app or Hire a FasCa Coach: https://fascatcoaching.com/pages/hire-a-coach 💬 Let Us Know: Which of these 5 rules are you already following—and which one surprised you the most? 👍 If this helped, hit like and subscribe for more training tips for masters cyclists. Work Hard. Ride Fast. Have Fun. FtFP.

Are you making this gravel pacing mistake? It could be costing you 30 minutes or more — and you won't even feel it happening until it's too late. In this video, Coach Frank breaks down the #1 pacing mistake I see in gravel race power files, why it happens, and exactly how to fix it. I'll show you the one tactical decision you need to make in the first hour of your next gravel race that could save you 30 minutes — without being any more fit than you already are. What you'll learn: - Why gravel racing is really a time trial (and why that changes everything) - How to use Intensity Factor (IF) as your real-time pacing gauge - The art of "self-dropping" — and why the tortoise always beats the hare - A 4-step process for finding the right group without blowing up - First-hour IF targets for every race duration from 2 to 8+ hours Want course-specific pacing instructions in watts for YOUR next gravel race? CoachCat's AI can give you section-by-section wattage targets so you always know what's too hard and what's just right. 🚀 Start your free trial: https://fascatcoaching.com/app

Getting sick or injured during a training block doesn't have to ruin your season. Try Coaching (AI or 1:1) Free for the 1st 30 days → https://fascatcoaching.com/ In this video, Coach Frank breaks down how to use your coaching in the event of sickness or injury without making things worse and without losing weeks of fitness to a preventable layoff. You'll learn a simple 6-step process used with real coached athletes to: ✅ decide when to rest vs train ✅ adjust intensity and volume ✅ avoid overdoing it ✅ revise your training plan ✅ rebuild day by day Most athletes don't lose fitness from missing a few workouts — they lose it by pushing through pain or sickness and turning small issues into multi-week layoffs. This video shows you how to avoid that mistake. We'll also show you how CoachCat, our AI Coach, handles illness, injury, and "something feels off" situations by revising the training plan automatically when life happens. –––––––––––––– Try CoachCat Free for 30 Days: https://fascatcoaching.com/app Work with a 1:1 Coach Free for 30 Days (limited offer) https://fascatcoaching.com/pages/hire-a-coach What is CoachCat? CoachCat is an AI Coach that builds custom training plans, analyzes your power files, revises workouts automatically, and helps you train smarter all year round.

The base training advice you've been getting from social media and indoor riding platforms is wrong. Riding only Zone 2 all winter doesn't work for cyclists with less than 8 hours a week to train. Riding hard indoors doesn't work either. In this video, Coach Frank Overton (aka BigCat) breaks down how to build a REAL aerobic base on just 4–8 hours per week, using the Sweet Spot training methodology he has pioneered for the past 20 years. You'll learn: 1️⃣ Where base training actually fits in your annual plan 2️⃣ Why Zone 2-only training fails when volume is low 3️⃣ The biggest base-training mistakes cyclists make indoors 4️⃣ Why Sweet Spot delivers more aerobic gains per minute 5️⃣ How to measure base fitness using OTS & Level 6️⃣ What a real month of base training looks like (calendar example) This is the same approach we've used for over 20 years to help time-crunched amateur cyclists get stronger, more durable, and faster without burning out. 🎁 FREE BASE TRAINING + GIVEAWAY If you listen to the end, you can get ✅ A full month of base training for free ✅ A chance to win a FREE YEAR of the CoachCat app How to enter the giveaway: Start a free 30-day trial using the link below Comment "CoachCat" on this video (plus any questions or thoughts) No purchase necessary. One winner will be randomly selected and announced in the comments 5 days after this video goes live. Even if you don't win, you'll still get full access to this month of base training for free. 👉 Start your free trial here: https://www.FasCatCoaching.com

Sweet Spot Training is one of the most widely used and effective ways cyclists build their base and improve power. Sweet Spot Train the Right Way for FREE in the CoachCat App → https://fascatcoaching.com/app But very few people know the story behind the development of 'sweet spot training'. Long before Sweet Spot Training was mainstream, it was developed inside a secret, private beta group of coaches and sport scientists that I was part of. We were testing a new power-based performance model that would later go on to become the Performance Manager Chart inside TrainingPeaks. And what we discovered & developed changed endurance cycling training forever: there was a training intensity that built the most fitness for the least fatigue. And that this type of training enabled time crunched athletes to develop a massive aerobic engines that previously weren't possible with Zone 2 training. That discovery became Sweet Spot Training. Do you remember your first sweet spot workout?

Most cyclists don't realize it, but our entire training lifestyle is basically built for longevity. Endurance & VO2 max training, weight lifting, real food, and good sleep are the same fundamentals that help you live longer and stay healthy as you age. With books like Outlive and the rise of longevity science, I finally decided to share my personal plan to live to 100 and the 8 fundamentals I'm going to use to get there. This video is the first in a full series on Longevity & Health for cyclists and non-cyclists alike. No hacks. No supplement stacks. No billionaire biohacks. Just the fundamentals science keeps pointing to again and again. You'll Learn: 1. Exercise: The #1 lever for healthspan: aerobic base, strength, muscle mass, and durability 2. Nutrition: Real food, protein, plants, hydration, and sustainable habits 3. Sleep 4. Stress Management: Daily habits that keep the nervous system calm 5. Relationships: Backed by the 80-year Harvard Study as a top predictor of long-term health. 6. Purpose & Mission 7. Safety: Smarter riding choices (more gravel/MTB, less traffic), and stepping away from high-risk environments 8. Blood Testing: FTP testing for your health: measure, benchmark, track trends, adjust early. If you want to live well, ride long, and build the longest streak of your life… you're in the right place. Train Smarter. Ride Faster. Live Longer with the CoachCat App https://fascatcoaching.com/app

Start Training for Next Year NOW with these 4 "On Season" Training Methodologies. Use the CoachCat to do your Winter Training free for the first month ➡️ https://fascatcoaching.com/app Most cyclists call it the off-season… but that's a mistake. The truth is, winter is GO TIME and its actually the "On-Season" when you lift weight build base and ride Zwift that'll carry you to your best results next year. 💪🚴‍♂️ In this video, Coach Frank Overton breaks down exactly how to train this "off-season" so you can come into spring stronger, faster, and more durable than ever. You'll learn: 🔥 The 4 key pillars of On-Season training: 1️⃣ Weight Lifting for Cyclists 2️⃣ Muscle Tension Intervals 3️⃣ Sweet Spot Base Training 4️⃣ Zwifting for Consistency & Progress 📈 Follow these methods now and add 10–50 watts by next Spring. Don't hope to get faster, train to get faster. Ready to Start? Train smarter this On-Season with: 👉 The CoachCat APP: https://fascatcoaching.com/app 👉 Hire a 1x1 FasCat Coach https://fascatcoaching.com/pages/hire-a-coach

Weight lifting for cycling can help you gain 15 to 50 watts by next spring — but only if you do it the right way. 🚴‍♂️💪 Watch this podcast on our youTube channel for a better visual learning experience: https://youtu.be/J5nTl0sXrFQ In this video, the BigCat (Frank Overton) show you exactly how to lift weights for cycling to increase your power output, improve your FTP, and have your best season ever. This isn't just theory, we've used this exact 10-week, 4-phase weight lifting plan over the past 20+ years, to coach hundreds/thousands of cyclists to higher FTP's, podiums and group ride hero status 🏋️‍♂️💪 What You'll Learn in This Video: ✅ Why weight lifting works for cyclists and what makes this plan cycling-specific ✅ When to lift heavy — and when to switch to explosive, high-velocity movements ✅ How many days per week to lift ✅ How many sets and reps to do each day ✅ How much weight to lift for each set ✅ How to combine lifting with on-the-bike workouts to turn gym gains into real watts By the end of this video, you'll understand the entire 10-week plan, including sets, reps, percentages, and timing so you can start lifting right. Why This Weight Lifting Plan Works: Not all gym workouts are created equal. A lot of cyclists waste time swinging kettlebells or following generic strength programs that don't translate into more power on the bike. Here's why our plan works: 1️⃣ Lift Heavy → Build strength to generate more force per pedal stroke 2️⃣ Lift Explosively → High-speed lifts simulate pedaling velocity 3️⃣ Neuromuscular Sprint Work → On-bike sprints teach your new muscle to fire faster 4️⃣ Muscle Tension Intervals → Lock in your strength on the bike and crush climbs Get the Full 10 Week Weight Plan Plan in the CoachCat App You could write everything down and try to follow the plan manually… but why guess? Download the CoachCat app for free and get: Your 10-week weight lifting plan Daily workouts with the right weight, sets, and reps Integrated on-bike workouts A downloadable PDF plan Unlimited plan adjustments and training guidance 📲 Start your free trial → https://fascatcoaching.com/app

Intervals for Masters cyclists don't have to be complicated but they do have to be different. 🚴‍♂️ Watch this video on our youtube channel for a more immersive visual learning experience: https://youtu.be/12H-rYEylo0 If you're over 40, 50, or even 60, you can still train like the pros with the same intervals, the same intensities, the same power zones. But here's the secret: you can't handle the same volume or recover as quickly as younger riders. In this video, Coach Frank from FasCat Coaching breaks down how to adjust your interval training based on your age, recovery, and goals using real data from coaching both pros and masters athletes for over 20 years. What You'll Learn in This Video: ✅ The best VO₂ max intervals for masters cyclists ✅ How to modify anaerobic (Zone 6) intervals to match your recovery capacity ✅ Why Sweet Spot training still works — but needs less volume as you age ✅ How many hard interval sessions per week you should actually be doing ✅ The science behind slower recovery after 40 — and what to do about it Whether you're training for a Gran Fondo, crit, gravel race, or just chasing FTP gains, these strategies will help you train smarter, not harder — and get faster without burning out. 🚀 Get Your Free Month of CoachCat Want age-appropriate, personalized interval plans built from your power data? Download the FasCat App and start training with CoachCat — your first month is FREE: 🔗 https://fascatcoaching.com/app

Coach Frank gives you a cycling season review by asking questions about your training and data. T Watch this podcast on youTube for a more visual immersion: https://youtu.be/-gma7xCqftU Know what you did, so you don't make the same mistakes again and go insane. Coach Frank will ask: 1️⃣ When did you start training this past year and how consistent were those first weeks? 2️⃣ Did you lift heavy in the winter (full squats/hinges à la Dr. Stacy Sims), and did it carry over to the bike? 3️⃣ Did you spend at least 8 weeks building your aerobic base? What did your volume and Z2 time look like? 4️⃣ Did you do true full gas intervals with progression and planned recovery? Why it matters A simple cycling season review turns scattered numbers into a clear game plan of what worked, what didn't, and exactly what to change. Get help: 🆓 Try CoachCat free for 30 days where a season in review coaching call included → https://fascatcoaching.com/app