The Lance Armstrong Performance Program: Seven Weeks to the Perfect Ride - Softcover

Lance Armstrong; Chris Carmichael; Peter Joffre Nye

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1579542700 ISBN 13: 9781579542702

Publisher: Rodale Books, 2000

Synopsis

A TRAINING PROGRAM SO SIMPLE, IT'S LIKE RIDING A BICYCLE...WITH THE BEST IN THE WORLD!

In 1999 the world watched spellbound as Lance Armstrong achieved one of the most dramatic comebacks in sports history, winning the grueling Tour de France just three years after being diagnosed with advanced testicular cancer. Lance's return road to glory took courage, determination, and a top-notch training program. Now Lance's winning strategies-- developed with coach Chris Carmichael-- can be yours, too! Whether you're a cycling novice or a competitive racer, The Lance Armstrong Training Program will teach you how to:

* find the right bike for your body
* know when to brake (only as a last resort!)
* corner, climb, and descend like a pro
* develop your explosive power to sprint
* incorporate cross-training into your schedule
* build necessary mental toughness...
* and much more!

Simple and focused, Lance's proven program will transform you into the rider you want to be-- in just seven weeks!

About this title

About the Author

Lance Armstrong was ranked the #1 cyclist in the world in 1996. After his thrilling comeback victory at the1999 Tour de France, he was named the 1999 Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year and The Most Fascinating Person of 1999 by Barbara Walters.

Chris Carmichael has been Lance Armstrong's personal coach since the early 1990s. A former world-class cyclist, he was named the 1999 Coach of the Year by the United States Olympic Committee.

Peter Joffrey Nye is a cyclist and professional writer.

From the Back Cover

A TRAINING PROGRAM SO SIMPLE, IT'S LIKE RIDING A BICYCLE...WITH THE BEST IN THE WORLD!

In 1999 the world watched spellbound as Lance Armstrong achieved one of the most dramatic comebacks in sports history, winning the grueling Tour de France just three years after being diagnosed with advanced testicular cancer. Lance's return road to glory took courage, determination, and a top-notch training program. Now Lance's winning strategies-- developed with coach Chris Carmichael-- can be yours, too! Whether you're a cycling novice or a competitive racer, The Lance Armstrong Training Program will teach you how to:

* find the right bike for your body
* know when to brake (only as a last resort!)
* corner, climb, and descend like a pro
* develop your explosive power to sprint
* incorporate cross-training into your schedule
* build necessary mental toughness...
* and much more!

Simple and focused, Lance's proven program will transform you into the rider you want to be-- in just seven weeks!

About the Author
Lance Armstrong was ranked the #1 cyclist in the world in 1996. After his thrilling comeback victory at the1999 Tour de France, he was named the 1999 Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year and The Most Fascinating Person of 1999 by Barbara Walters.

Chris Carmichael has been Lance Armstrong's personal coach since the early 1990s. A former world-class cyclist, he was named the 1999 Coach of the Year by the United States Olympic Committee.

Peter Joffrey Nye is a cyclist and professional writer.

Reviews

America's romance with Lance will undoubtedly soar with his second Tour de France victory and the success of his autobiography, It's Not about the Bike [BKL My 15 00]. Compared to other training guides, this covers the same basics with a straight-to-the-point style, bullet lists, and good organization. Just as people wanted to be like Mike, cyclists want to be like Lance. "What Would Lance Do?" sidebars provide anecdotal tips, but does it really matter if Lance likes to wear sport sunglasses to protect his eyes? It may be motivating to know his heart rates for time trials versus climbing, but does that really help someone training for a Century? Carmichael, Armstrong's coach for the past decade, offers helpful and useful tips in "Listen to the Coach" sidebars, and two chapters, "The Heart of Training" and "The 7-Week Success Plan," offer the best training advice for beginners to advanced cyclists. Readers who can't get enough of Lance will be drawn to the title, but the real draw is Carmichael's Training System, sure to inspire cyclists to peak performance--when tailored to individual abilities and goals. Brenda Barrera
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Introduction

I discovered cycling as a youngster growing up around Dallas. Too young and too small to drive a car, I could still go anywhere I wanted for miles and explore new places on a bicycle. I delighted in the thrill of sharp acceleration downhill, felt the wind in my face, rejoiced at the force on my arms and body from leaning around corners at speed, and thrived on the euphoric sensation that a good workout and honest sweat delivers. I loved riding in the countryside, past fields of bluebells, and smelling the flowers, or ozone in the air before the rain fell. Perhaps the greatest appeal came from exerting control over how fast and where I could go.

As a Texan, I tried playing football, but it wasn't for me. For several years, I swam competitively, and ran track and cross-country. From there, it was a short step to competing in triathlons. But what I really loved was cycling, and I quickly connected with bicycle road racing. I liked the sense of friendship and community that comes from riding with others.

Every bicycle racer, from Category 5 entry level up, dreams of winning the Tour de France. Recreational cyclists have dreams, too, such as completing a challenge ride like a century or the Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa.

Meeting my coach, Chris Carmichael, in 1990, when I had more ambition than skills, started me on the road to success. He helped me realize my dream f actually winning the Tour de France.

Chris, who is wise as a tree full of owls, impressed upon me the value of patience. I had to learn the principles of training, sharpen essential skills (from pedaling more efficiently to shifting and braking), and master techniques such as cornering and sprinting. These all take time to become second nature. How much time? Well, that depends on as many factors as there are individuals. Overall, there is no quick fix. Popular TV infomercials promise great results with 15-minute workouts just three times a week. In reality, it takes commitment and motivation. Throughout the 1990s, except for the year I took off to recover from cancer, I worked full-time at cycling. Yet I had entered the Tour four times between 1993 and 1996, and finished only once. You could say that it took me a decade to win the 3-week 1999 Tour.

Early in my career, many "cycling experts" had typecast me as a 1-day racer. They said I would never win a major multiday race like the Tour de France. My victory supports the belief that anything is possible if you are willing to stick to your dream and keep trying. Realizing a dream, such as mine of winning the Tour, takes patience. Given time and persistent application, we can all improve. That is what Chris told me back in 1990- and he still tells me that. He says the program is not so much winning as riding better now than before.

Of course, learning how to train and improving my skill shave made my cycling safer and more enjoyable. Everything in this book is based on my experience, and is meant to help not only elite riders but casual cyclists as well. I still love to go for a spin under the open sky, smell the flowers, hear the birds, and feel the wind on my face. So come on, get your bike and join me for a ride.

Lance Armstrong

Edition details

• Publisher: Rodale Books
• Publication date: 2000
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1579542700
• ISBN 13: 9781579542702
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 240