Whether you're cycling or running, whether you're looking to push your limits, boost your performance or get back into shape, following a training program is often the first step to take.
But did you know that to be effective, it must go far beyond planning your sessions? Improving your technique, increasing your power, but also preparing your body, mind, and even your skin: we tell you everything about training programs!
A training program, what for?
A training program takes place over a given period, ranging from several weeks to several months, during which different types of physical preparation sessions are organized. These sessions are structured progressively, depending on the goals you are seeking to achieve and the sports you practice. An optimal training plan also includes a nutritional approach, supports the mental state, and prepares the body.
Finishing a marathon, starting trail running, completing your first bike ride with more than 1000m of elevation gain: whatever your desire, there's a training program for you.
By framing your physical preparation, you'll set aside dedicated spaces for your sports practice. When we're overwhelmed by the combined mental loads of our professional and personal lives, being able to plan ahead helps!
By strategically alternating endurance and power sessions with moments devoted to technique, you'll be able to see progress fairly quickly. You'll see yourself holding out longer, and you'll feel your strength increasing. You'll enjoy the effort more, and you'll feel more in tune with your body.
It's rewarding, and it also helps you get in the right frame of mind to take on the challenges you've set for yourself!
Establishing your training plan: the fundamentals
To develop the most suitable training program, the first thing to do is to set goals. These must be SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound).
In summary: it's okay to be ambitious, but within the limits of what's realistic. If you're just getting into running, aim for a 10k before a half marathon or marathon. You can decide on a distance to run (a 100k run on a bike), or a time to beat (a sub-4h30 marathon), for example. Signing up for a race or participating in a ride is a great way to set a deadline. Your training plan should take into consideration your general fitness level, but also your daily constraints. If you have to plan long runs, it must be compatible with the rest of your schedule, even if it means rethinking some priorities. Your program should include recovery periods. Don't skip them! You risk exhausting yourself or even injuring yourself.
You can also take your menstrual cycle into account. While exercise and periods aren't mutually exclusive (quite the opposite, in fact), it may be worth adapting your workouts. During the follicular phase (from the first day of your period until ovulation), focus on building strength. And during the luteal phase, prioritize endurance. And if there are times, such as PMS, when your heart really isn't in it, take advantage of them to recover!
Nothing replaces the support of qualified coaches, but you can also use one of the many sports preparation applications available on your smartphones and smartwatches to design your program or read Émilie Rimbert's book: Train like a woman - Not like a man
Training plan: it's not just about sport!
A core endurance session, another cardio session, a little yoga: is your plan ready? Not quite: to be complete and help you push yourself to the limit, it must go well beyond physical exercise sessions.
Indeed, good preparation must take into account issues of sleep, diet, and put your body and mind in good condition.
Sleeping well improves your concentration, coordination, and precision. Deep, slow-wave sleep promotes recovery, develops endurance, and optimizes how you manage your energy during exercise.
When it comes to nutrition, it also needs to align with your goals. Not only should you adjust your energy intake based on your training volume, but you should also ensure a balanced diet.
Finally, embarking on a training program often involves a number of changes, to which your body will have to adjust. Increased physical effort, but also a new way of moving, brand new equipment, and different training conditions can all have consequences. To avoid pain, discomfort, and injury on the big day, you also need to be prepared!
Your skin's training plan.
After spending several weeks or even months training, it would be a shame if everything was ruined because of what we tend, sometimes wrongly, to call a “minor injury.” Blisters, skin abrasions, and other burns can be a real hindrance to performance. Did you know, for example, that in 1989, it was an ingrown hair that cost Laurent Fignon his yellow jersey?
Fortunately, by incorporating a skincare routine tailored to your training plan, you can protect yourself from these kinds of problems!
Tan your feet to prevent blisters
Hardening the plantar padding makes it more resistant and helps you avoid a lot of discomfort, especially if you are preparing for a marathon or ultratrail.
A few weeks before the race, start by gently buffing away any dead skin, calluses, or remaining blisters. In the following days, apply lemon juice to the soles of your feet every morning. In the evening, moisturize them with a light hyaluronic acid-based treatment. RGENtec's Ritual After Sport serum is ideal: in addition to being highly hydrating, its light, odorless texture leaves no greasy film. And because it's enriched with RGTA, a patented innovation, it actively helps strengthen your skin.
A few days before the test, you can stop using lemon, but make sure that your feet always stay well moisturized.
Strengthen the skin on your thighs to say bye bye to burns
Cyclists and runners: who hasn't suffered from thigh injuries? Fortunately, there are solutions for this too:
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Before each outing, apply a generous dose of insulating cream to the affected areas as a preventative measure.
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After the session, on clean, dry skin, massage the weakened areas with a rich, healing and regenerating treatment. The creamy texture of RGENTec's Bye Bye Burn provides an immediate feeling of relief. But that's not all: by combining RGTA and hyaluronic acid, this unique balm promotes the natural production of type 1 procollagen. Thanks to it, the skin is more stretchy and elastic. It is less susceptible to tearing and heals better.
Pamper the skin of your buttocks and private parts
Wearing cycling shorts, repeated friction, and perspiration are ideal conditions for irritation, burns, and other discomfort in the cyclist's crotch. Adopting a few simple steps can help you prevent them:
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Exfoliate the skin on your buttocks and groin regularly but gently. Use gentle products designed for these delicate areas.
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After showering, on clean, dry skin, don't hesitate to moisturize. The key here is to prevent the appearance of ingrown hairs as much as possible, which could develop into cysts.
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If you want to wax, try not to do it on the day of a ride! Don't wear underwear under your cycling shorts, and choose one that fits your body shape.
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Before getting into the saddle, generously coat the insert of the bib shorts with anti-chafing cream.
After your outing, on clean, dry skin, massage yourself with a regenerating balm to help the skin recover: here too, Bye Bye Burn can work miracles!
Recovery in the skin
It's been said: recovery is also part of training. This also applies to your skin! After each ride, and especially if you feel tension in your joints, take the time to massage yourself.
It's pleasant and relaxing. But above all, it reactivates microcirculation and contributes to cell oxygenation. Essential in the skin's regeneration and healing process. With its roll-on tip, the Shock and Roll will relieve painful joint areas while promoting repair processes.
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