Johann van Zyl 11/1/26 Johann van Zyl 11/1/26

When to Turn ERG Mode Off: A Coach's Case for Self-Pacing

ERG mode is like working from home. The work gets done, but your attention is split. Here is what Watt-Lock is quietly costing you, when to leave it on, and the two athlete files that show the difference.

Johann van Zyl 10/24/26 Johann van Zyl 10/24/26

Why You’re Tired After an Easy Ride

A rider’s average power sat right in the middle of his endurance band. Only 38% of the ride was actually in it. Here is what I look for in an endurance file, the small things that cost you Tuesday, and the two riders whose numbers show why the summary screen will not tell you.

Johann van Zyl 10/23/26 Johann van Zyl 10/23/26

How Long Should Your Endurance Rides Be? What the Science Says

Three hours is the number everyone repeats. The research is thinner than the confidence around it. Here is what duration actually changes in the muscle, why a hard hour cannot replace it, how often you need a long ride, and the part most riders get wrong: how hard they ride it.

Johann van Zyl 10/16/26 Johann van Zyl 10/16/26

Cycling Durability for Juniors: How Much Does a 16-Year-Old Actually Need?

Fresh power wins junior races. Durability decides who keeps winning once they move up. Real data from a 16-year-old national-level rider, a year-on-year comparison, and how I train it without rushing it.

Johann van Zyl 10/1/26 Johann van Zyl 10/1/26

Cycling Off-Season Training: How Much Rest Do You Actually Need?

Every October I get the same question: if I rest, will I lose everything? A little, and far less than you think. Here are the two reasons I put every athlete through an off-season, neither of which is physical recovery, how long your break should be based on the season you just finished, and what the detraining research actually says once you read past the alarming numbers.

Johann van Zyl 9/20/26 Johann van Zyl 9/20/26

How a Dentist Working 50+ Hours a Week Raised His 20-Minute Power by 54 Watts in 19 Months

50+ hours a week at the practice. 10 to 14 on the bike. 54 watts in 19 months. Kevin didn't have the time to get faster, so he made it. Here's exactly how he did it.

Johann van Zyl 7/30/26 Johann van Zyl 7/30/26

Critical Power vs FTP: What’s the Difference, and Why It Matters

Two riders come to me with the same FTP. 300W each. On paper they're identical. Then I put them in a hard rolling race and one rips everyone's legs off on the punchy climbs while the other gets shelled. FTP couldn't tell me that was coming. Critical Power and W' could have.

Johann van Zyl 5/13/26 Johann van Zyl 5/13/26

Masters Cycling Training: How to Train Smarter After 40

The training plan that worked at 28 won't work at 45. Here's what actually changes after 40 , and the specific adjustments that will make you faster without wrecking your body or your life.

Johann van Zyl 5/6/26 Johann van Zyl 5/6/26

What Is a Good FTP for Amateur Cyclists? A World Tour Coach Explains

Every cyclist with a power meter asks the same question: is my FTP good? As a former World Tour professional who raced four Grand Tours, I break down exactly what a good FTP looks like for amateur cyclists, with real benchmarks by category, three test protocols, and the one mistake most self-coached riders make that's limiting their improvement more than FTP ever could.

Johann van Zyl 7/4/23 Johann van Zyl 7/4/23

How I Use TrainingPeaks and WKO5 to Analyse Rider Data — A World Tour Coach Explains

I mostly look at Power, HR (heart rate), Cadence, and Duration. I look at the laps created and analyze if the power was held steady and in the prescribed zone. Did the athlete meet the prescribed power target, or did they over/underperform? Did their HR stay in the corresponding power zone i.e. zone 3 power and zone 3 heart rate? Did they meet the prescribed interval duration? Did they ride the prescribed cadence (if applicable, say performing SFRs)? These are just a few questions I ask while analyzing the TrainingPeaks workout file.

Johann van Zyl 6/22/21 Johann van Zyl 6/22/21

Finding balance

I realized you can get a hell of a lot out of a 6-8hr training week and I have so much respect for my athletes who week after week dedicate whatever time they have to spare to train.

Johann van Zyl 12/10/20 Johann van Zyl 12/10/20

COVID YEAR REFLECTION

All in all, I think a positive that has come out of this is developing closer coach-athlete relationships. With racing, it’s easier to gauge how your athletes are adapting and progressing with the training prescribed, but now with that off the table, that coach-athlete communication is more important than ever.

Johann van Zyl 12/16/19 Johann van Zyl 12/16/19

TAKE A CHRISTMAS CHILL-PILL

This is also a time I struggled most to deal with. I felt it extremely difficult to back off from the ‘most important thing in the world’- training. My family is located over 3 continents. South Africa, Europe and the US.

Johann van Zyl 10/17/19 Johann van Zyl 10/17/19

ZONE DISCIPLINE

Today’s post is all about zone discipline. Staying in the prescibed zone by your coach to achieve the stimulus required for that session is not always easy, especially if you prefer group rides over riding alone.

Johann van Zyl 2/18/19 Johann van Zyl 2/18/19

Winter Training Tip

If you are on social media then you have most definitely seen posts and articles about strength training during winter periods. This can be on or off (gym) the bike exercises. I personally enjoy doing both throughout the season.