This episode deconstructs a recent study showing unexpectedly low reliability of individual training responses in people undertaking the exact same training program twice. We go down several avenues of reasoning for why this might be the case, apply these lessons to trained cyclists, and answer your listener questions.​

Show Notes
Limited reproducibility of individual physiological adaptations to repeated endurance exercise training

​We talk about the summer slump that many cyclists experience, where it can originate from, how to think about maintenance to balance event demands with training and more fun, unstructured riding, and how goals and expectations can come into play. We also answer your listener questions.

We delve into the recent large scale replication project in sport and exercise studies, their methods and findings. Then we try to understand why it found the results that it did in light of known statistical phenomena, similar findings from other research fields, and why an apparent replication crisis depends on how you already view and interpret published literature. Plus your listener questions.

Show Notes
The bias for statistical significance in sport and exercise medicine
Estimating the Replicability of Sports and Exercise Science Research
Estimating the reproducibility of psychological science
Why Most Published Research Findings Are False
Rethinking research reproducibility
Power failure: why small sample size undermines the reliability of neuroscience
Psychological Science Under Scrutiny: Recent Challenges and Proposed Solutions
Effects of moderate-intensity endurance and high-intensity intermittent training on anaerobic capacity and VO2max
The replication crisis has led to positive structural, procedural, and community changes

We reveal our process for dealing with the uncertainty inherent in training and racing by keeping the FO in the scientific method of FAFO. After addressing whether or not probabilities are even real and the role of subjective experience, we look at some examples of uncertainty and predictions in testing, training, and racing, how reliable and accurate that data and performance models may be, and the process of improving our confidence in their ability to guide a training program. We also discuss incorporating peer-reviewed literature as well as anecdata, and the ultimate value of coaching or self-coaching experience.

Show Notes
SMBC - Bayesianism

We discuss planning race preparation and how it differs from a general aerobic build, periodization considerations, B vs A priority races, adjusting approach based on feedback, differences with low and high training age, and reorienting goals along the way. We also answer your listener questions.

We talk about coaching athletes to autoregulate (vibes training), meaning making choices between structured and unstructured training, hard work and fun, intensity and rest. This considers the angles of athlete experience level, life stress, people who don't like rigid training structure, workout selection, and more. Plus answering your listener questions.

Exercise physiologist and performance nutritionist Tim Podlogar joins the podcast to talk about determining endurance athletes' energy needs, macro targets like protein, fats, and carbs both relative to bodyweight and total energy needs, nutrient timing strategies, glycogen loading, bodyweight regulation, and much more. We also ask listener questions on fad nutrients, hydration, and determining supplement needs.

​Our three most experienced coaches  discuss common mistakes when training and building FTP.  We look at testing, interval execution and progression, adaptation timelines, periodization, fatigue management, lactate testing, and much more. We also answer your listener questions on FTP training.

We tackle the ideas of unique responders, the role of performance variability in differentiating training response between individuals, pitfalls in interpreting typical individual response data, and the experimental setup required to actually tease these things apart. Then we walk through a couple easy principles to apply the takeaways in your own training.​

Show Notes
Inter-Individual Variability in the Adaptive Responses to Endurance and Sprint Interval Training: A Randomized Crossover Study
Variability in exercise physiology: Can capturing intra-individual variation help better understand true inter-individual responses?
The Effect of Resistance Training Volume on Individual-Level Skeletal Muscle Adaptations: A Novel Replicated Within-Participant Unilateral Trial

We talk about things we wish we knew earlier about training, racing, and coaching. Nutrition, skipping workouts, setting process goals, finding your strengths, athlete feedback, and more. We also find out what our listeners wish they had known sooner.