My advice on helping those new to training.

The 2015 race season will be here before you know it so don’t screw it up now. I know a lot of you are eager to “train” and get a jump start on next season but be careful that you don’t overdo it. We are almost to December and that still leaves plenty of time before the 2015 season as long as you don’t burn out early. Motivation is a great thing but it can also ruin your goals for the upcoming season. Here are just a few tips to keep your training on track.

First of all training is hard; in fact if your training is done well racing will be the easy part.
Training is not a race; there is no prize for being the first one done with training. Training should progress slowly and steadily.
Take your time and commit to your work outs. Don’t rush through them, focus on each exercise and make each rep and set count. The more you put in, the more you‘ll get out.
Realize that by taking your time and training slowly from the beginning you are building a solid base to work from. Seasoned athletes and professionals have an extremely solid base from years of dedicated time and energy.
Find a training plan and stick to it. Don’t change your methods because of the latest and greatest. If you start with a plan do your best to see it through. At least commit to one month and see how it works for you.
Don’t be afraid to research, ask questions, and listen to advice. Take everything with a grain of salt, and realize that what works for one person may not work for everybody.
If you’re new to training and working out then chances are your body will quickly adapt to the new punishment you’ll be putting it through. This means you will have quick gains in the beginning but then you will plateau. This is your body adapting to the new changes. Here is where the going gets tough; every time you reach a plateau it will challenge you. So focus on your goals, stay strong and keep going.
Racing is a way of life, and if you’re going to take it serious enough to train then you need to realize that training doesn’t stop when the sweat does. This of course is dependent on how serious you are about your training and where you want it to go. Just keep in mind that everything you do can have some impact on your training, some positive and some negative.
Train sport specific, or in other words remember that you’re training to race bikes, not lift cars. Keep your focus on movements and exercises that will make you a stronger cyclist. Also, just as important if not more important is to build a solid core. This will help you in transferring more power to the pedals. This means increased acceleration, climbing power, and body positioning while descending. Even better is that it will help you to be stronger and safer when facing the physical demands of everyday life.
Last but not least is to be alert for the signs of overtraining. Your body will try and give you clues that you are pushing it too hard, so pay attention and listen to it. Overtraining can be the difference between major gains and upsetting losses. The link below discusses in detail the signs of overtraining.