Spinervals Super6 Training Program
Monday, October 1, 2012 at 11:05AM 
What's your goal for 2013? Is it to compete in a short course triathlon? Ironman? Leadman? Leadville Trail 100? Ride a Gran Fondo? Whatever your goal might be, the probability of your succeeding increases exponentially if you start working towards it now. Not tomorrow, not next week, not on January 1, but NOW.
Spinervals Super6 is a FREE training program run on TrainingPeaks.com that is designed to guide you, coach you and help you achieve your goals. The Super6 program leverages the Spinervals Cycling workout series, offering a "virtual" coaching/training experience in the comfort of your own home or with your training buddies. You'll get complete daily workout descriptions delivered via TrainingPeaks, along with tracking/logging capability. Finally, you can share your experience and get motivation and accountability from with others through the Spinervals Facebook page.
Six Months of Targeted Training
The Super6 program is broken into 4 distinctly different phases, running from October 1 through the end of March. Each phase is intended to build your cycling technique, endurance and power in a systematic progression. At the beginning of each phase, you'll repeat our standard benchmark test (Functional Threshold Test), in order to monitor your progress.
In many cases, there will be an alternative workout suggestion just in case doing a Spinervals video is inconvenient or you don't have a copy of that workout. However, it's important to remember that you can always use our ON DEMAND feature to instantly download the prescribed workout to your hard drive on your computer, and even transfer to your iPad or smart phone. (Members of Spinervals.com receive up to 50% on downloads, so consider registering to become a member).
Phase I: Engage (October 1 -- Nov. 30th) This phase is designed to gradually get you accustomed to the structured, systematic training plan design. Since many people are still "in-season" and racing, the ENGAGE phase is set up for a "rolling enrollment". "Rolling enrollment" allows you to start training any day you want (ideally a Monday) in October. Just take the suggested "Functional Threshold" test and you're ready to go.
Phase II: The Challenge (Dec. 1-31) The Challenge is a "push" phase of training, designed to significantly challenge your energy reserves and mental focus.
Phase III: Commitment - Base & Form (Jan. 1 -- Feb. 15) By this time, your form will (or should!) be great, as you'll be coming off an incredibly focused month of training. We'll now shift our focus to more aerobic foundation training, along with technique training.
Phase IV: Advance - Strength & Endurance (Feb. 16 -- March 30th) This phase will allow you to take full advantage of your vast reservoir of aerobic base fitness with a training plan design focused on your cycling strength, speed and endurance.
A note for triathletes: Triathletes often ask how they can incorporate multisport training into the Super6. Use the Super6 training plan and then work your swim and run training around it, using the various Wild Card days and other free time. Most triathletes will benefit from two-three swim workouts and three run workouts each week while doing the Super6. Doing much more than that can lead to overtraining, so use caution when developing your own plan. And, as always, consider hiring a professional coach to help you tweak this or any training plan for your individual needs.
Get Started
This program is FREE. Register for your free TrainingPeaks account and load Phase I to your Calendar here: Load Phase I into your TrainingPeaks account.
For more details on the Spinervals Super6 Training Program visit the Spinervals website.
Coach Troy Jacobson, a former pro triathlete, is the Official Coach of IRONMAN and the creator of the Spinervals Cycling Video series. For more information on Troy, visit www.coachtroy.com
Reader Comments (4)
Hi -
I'd like to try this, or at least look at the workouts. I have a TP account and when I press "Submit" to add the workouts to my calendar, I get this message:
Your account can not be created under this professional account because you are already connected with another account
My former coach is linked to my account - is that the problem? Is there a way I can access / load the Spinervals workouts and keep my current link active?
Thanks for letting me know.
Peter: You're right, you actually can't load the Spinervals plan because you are already attached to your coach. If you are no longer being coached by this person, we can remove you from their account. Shoot us a support ticket at http://help.trainingpeaks.com/anonymous_requests/new
Will I need to buy any DVD or CD's with this program? Do I need to become a member of Spinervals?
Thanks
Ray: You don't need to purchase anything to take part in this program. There will be days that suggest you do a Spinerval workout, but there will be alternate workout suggestions for those days. You do not have to be a member. Thanks for reading!