The coaching process and cycle

Getting started

Once you have decided you wish to sign up to PBscience, the following series of steps will take place:

1. You will first be asked to register with the PBscience website and will be directed to fill out a rider questionnaire. At this point you will set up the monthly subscription.
2. Once payment has been authorised, your registration will be approved– you can begin accessing the wide ranging resources on the PBscience website (using your self generated username and password).
3. Be sure to read the coach-athlete agreement, sign it and return it to the coaching team. You can hand over the agreement at the first lab test.
4. Based on the answers contained within this questionnaire, your account on Training Peaks will be set up. We will generate a username and password for you (you may change this if you wish, but for any maintenance / administrative changes it may be easier to keep it under the defaults we send you).
5. A date for your first exercise test will be organised. At this time, there will also be an initial consultation that will allow the coach to follow-up on your questionnaire responses and performance aims.
6. Within a week of the test, you will receive a full report on your test data, and an explanation of your physiological profile, strengths / weaknesses, and a full description of your exercise training zones.
7. Having had chance to read your report, you can contact the coach to discuss the results and how best to proceed. Following this discussion, you will receive your first training plan, typically this is 4 to 6 weeks in length (depending on where you are in your training year and your upcoming goals)
8. The coach is always available to discuss issues with the plan. Always be open as to what you think, as feedback is appreciated!

   

The ongoing cycle

1. After each training session, you will be able to update your training diary in Training Peaks: this includes comments on how you feel the session went, and also uploading of the data file (power data and / or heart rate files).
2. With each diary update, an email goes to your coach’s inbox so they know you have completed the session.
   1. If you are on the Elite 1-2-1 plan ordinarily, your coach will be in touch on most days to provide feedback on your session, and may suggest some tweaks to your existing plan – be prepared for this. Your original 4 week block should be seen as a template: there is never a perfect training plan, and refinements should be welcomed (as it proves we are reactive to current training progress!).
   2. Athletes on the Member Plan don’t get daily feedback but they are still encouraged to fill in their diary – this allows self-reflection which is incredibly valuable to you. In addition, if you do seek to speak with a PBscience coach (through call time or at your next lab test) we have a detailed record of your progress on hand.
3. Regular communication is invited via email / phone: you will find your own preference here. We recommend email for frequent dialogue, as the coach can answer when available; and then a phone call each week. Call time is available for booking each week – be sure to visit the PBscience calendar to view available slots. Please remember the coach needs 24 hours notice in order to accept the booking.
4. At the end of each training block, a longer discussion is scheduled in to review progress and think about the next steps. This can be over the phone, but "face to face" meetings are more enjoyable for the coach and athlete is preferable – a meeting over coffee, a training ride or both!
5. Lab testing allows more detailed discussion and is suggested to the athlete to coincide with major shifts in training emphasis
   1. Elite 1-2-1 athletes have approximately 3 lab tests a year: one in the autumn (pre-winter training); one in the Spring (to assess how successful the winter base development has been and to put in place the build toward the season); and one mid-season (in order to refine fitness based on early season progress).
   2. Member Plan athletes can book additional lab testing by contacting the PBscience coaching staff – see our service pricing for details on your exclusive discounts
   3. Your coach may decide that a week of Power Profiling is more appropriate, as these are easily applied in the programme at regular intervals

For a detailed, step by step breakdown of how we manage this cycle over the training year and racing season, follow the link to the coach-athlete processes mindmap