Ygduf

OP PM me and I'll add you to my stable of athletes who I coach for free. Guaranteed results or your money back. I'd bet a $1 I can make you faster!

ShutUpLegs

There are people who want to be coached and those that want to coach themselves. Everyone has different preferences depending on multiple variables. I've never been coached and I've seen a lot of improvement and have had a lot of success (currently Cat 2 going after Cat 1) and I've been racing 4 years now. I have a background in swimming, swam all my life and in college. So I have a good idea of what my body can do and how to plan a season. I read A LOT!!! Books, articles, videos, and picked more experienced riders brains. I've also done a lot of trial and error. Every year I try something slightly different to see if the improvements are better.

Training is one piece of the puzzle, learning how to race is another. If can hold yourself accountable and are willing to put in the dedication I think anyone can be successful self-coached. Just don't be afraid to ask questions.

rubiksoval

I think dollar for dollar, a good coach is the best performance investment you can make.

If performance is your ultimate goal, I'd find a way to get a good, vetted coach.

You can do a lot with solid training on your own. May take some trial and error, but you can get there. But unless you're just a freak of nature who improves by falling off the couch, a coach will likely get you faster, faster.

Doge

Coaches, trainers, mechanics, managers, directors and money...
What you choose has a lot to do with the time and money you want to put into it.
So think about going ala carte for just what you need.
I was with Dave Jordaan Cyber Cycle Coach last week and he explained he never gets involved in race strategy or how to race, more how to get power.
I thought his input was very helpful, although some overlaps, contradicts other trainers/coaches. I'm good with that. But if you aren't that is a good reason to just find one person.

Alaska Mike

Coached. She keeps me more or less on-track and focused, despite my best efforts. This is especially valuable during the long trainer season up here.

gsteinb

christ, that's hard on the eyes.

I also don't know what most of that means. 3 year commitment? No hard stuff for the first year you work with him? No agony training?

Doge

My post point was ala carte options. We used him for fitting. We don't use him for coaching, so I don't know. He was one of the 8 or so guys involved in writing the power book, so I'd guess his methods are close to that.

gsteinb

not commenting on your post, just his website.

Wylde06

If I could afford a coach I would have one. There are times where I feel like I need the direction and accountability.

Hermes

Odd website and I guess he wants the recurring revenue that a 3 year commitment brings. I am fine with that but would not hire him.

Ygduf

I hold my athletes to a 5-year minimum. I don't want quitters.

Doge

I expect if he had a good website I couldn't hire him.

Hermes

Poor mattm is in for the long haul. Hey, with twins on the way, I totally get it.

Hermes

Look, he may be a great coach, bike fitter and etc but when a service provider puts the word "warning" prominently on his website that one must first consider this and that, it is a red flag for me that something is not quite right. But as you point out, one could cherry pick his services if it seemed appropriate.

The best fitter / aero testing setup that I have found is ERO at Velo Sports Center. I talked with a coach the other day that peed all over ERO (he provides bike fit as a service to his clients) and thought no one could ride the final positions. I listened to a podcast last night interviewing the Australian woman going for the elite hour record and she loves ERO and said it is the way to go. Obviously, I agree with her but maybe that is because I rode 200 laps at VSC testing position and equipment.

As a tidbit for you, on the podcast, she said that a biological passport entry fee is EURO 7,500. I almost fell off my chair. One has to be in that program for 6 months before one can go for an elite world record. And then there is the cost of drug testing at the event.

Heathpack 

Remember when I had that terrible coach? My first clue there was something wrong with him was when we first met & he wanted to change my fit from my ERO road bike fit. (He also is a fitter.) It was the first time we'd met & I had to figure out how to politely say "back off buddy, I don't know you that well".

I guess it's a testament to my current coach that he suggested a change to my ERO TT fit and I processed that for a moment and said, "yes, ok, that makes sense".

For me, having the coach & the fitter that I have has put me exponentially ahead of the curve vs where I'd be without them. It just seems like incredible good luck to me.

Personally, I think the right coach is worth every penny, but I'm the kind of person who likes to cut to the chase and get stuff done. Noodling around and trying a bunch of trial & error is not really my style. No, I don't think there is just one "expert" way to do things. But I for sure recognize that there are people who just simply have more knowledge & experience than I do and why not involve them if available? The only reason I can imagine is the expense, which is completely valid. Other than that, if you find the right people, my opinion is by all means connect yourself to them.

Ygduf

it's a long-term sport.

Maltex

My coaching program is so awesome and precise that if you don't do all of it exactly as prescribed it won't work at all and also you won't even know if it's working or not until after at least 1 year.

I also believe in "training with power meters".

Doge

My son does not use a power training program, so we are not using him as a coach. Which...was the whole point of my post. Learn to glean what you can.

I took my son to him at age 10 and I thought he knew his stuff. He did some free power profiles, gave some pointers and said come back in 6 years as he is primarily a pro coach. I do fall on the side that he knows what he is doing with regards to power.

Ygduf

sarcasm or no? tone is hard to get online and there are people who would believe this.

Maltex

Kind of scary that people would believe that. But yeah total sarcasm. Really curious why "training with power meters" needs quotations.

Doge

I posted about ala carte coaching. Scary? I don't subscribe to the training with power philosophy, but it does not scare me that people do. If you do, and use Golden Cheetah, WKO, Training peaks then you are using Dave's algorithms - that should scare you.

So why did I go to Dave if I am not interested in buying a power training program?
-He knows morphological / power relationships.
-He has hundreds of athlete's records to compare to.
-He is a mathematician
-He has been a paid coach for 20+ years
-He was recommended (this is SoCal)

Maltex

He could be a great coach and I can pretty much guarantee he has more knowledge than me, his website copy is just dumb. Yes I use "power meters" to train, just like I use a GPS. A "power meter" is just a measurement device, you can do all sorts of stuff with it.

Hermes

Thanks Doge for that.

Hey OP. I used a coach most of my racing career. I prefer ones that are local, have team rides and I can see versus just communicate via email or phone. For me, it is all about maximizing fun when training and racing.

Time to decide....red pill or the blue pill

Ygduf

ftfy

TheKillerPenguin

Having a person you have to answer to is great for keeping you honest. I have a tendency to go too hard all the time if I'm not given a leash. Some have better self control, it's a real weakness in my ability to self coach.

"One day a week you can do 3x10 @ XXXw. If you do more than that you owe me 4000 push-ups"

He'll check my data; he knows. It's like if Santa really existed and gave you coal regardless of whether you were bad or good.