With the Tour de France wrapped up, conversations about Tadej Pogačar's VO2 max are everywhere. But what actually increases VO2 max? In this episode, CTS Head Cycling Coach Adam Pulford breaks down the two interval strategies he uses with athletes to develop aerobic power. Learn the difference between long, sustained VO2 intervals and short on/off efforts, when to use each one, and how to sequence both leading into your biggest events. If you've hit a plateau or want to maximize your aerobic ...
Jul 27
19 min
Cyclists often treat CTL like the ultimate measure of fitness, but that's only part of the story. In this episode, CTS Head Cycling Coach Adam Pulford explains what CTL actually measures, why performance and fitness aren't the same thing, and how to use your training data to peak for races instead of chasing a bigger number. HOST Adam Pulford has been a CTS Coach for nearly two decades and holds a B.S. in Exercise Physiology. He's participated in and coached hundreds of athletes for enduran...
Jul 20
15 min
Fueling advice has never been more confusing. One expert recommends fasted rides, another says 120 grams of carbs per hour, and every nutrition brand seems to have a different answer. In this episode, CTS Head Cycling Coach Adam Pulford introduces a practical fueling framework that scales carbohydrate intake to the demands of your ride. Using kilojoule output, ride intensity, and duration, you'll learn how to build a fueling strategy that's individualized, repeatable, and easy to apply for ea...
Jul 13
19 min
Want to increase your FTP? Many cyclists assume the answer is simple: do more FTP intervals. While that can help, it's only one piece of the puzzle. In this video, CTS Head Cycling Coach Adam Pulford introduces a simple coaching framework, Push vs. Pull, to explain how FTP is really built. You'll learn why aerobic training lays the foundation, how VO₂ max work raises your ceiling, and how to combine both throughout the season for your strongest FTP yet. HOST Adam Pulford has been a CTS Coach ...
Jul 6
13 min
If you've ever wondered what Normalized Power is actually telling you, this episode is for you! Normalized Power has become one of the most common metrics in cycling, but it's also one of the most misunderstood. In this episode, CTS Head Cycling Coach Adam Pulford explains what Normalized Power was designed to measure, how it differs from average power, and why context matters when using it to evaluate training and racing. HOST Adam Pulford has been a CTS Coach for nearly two decades and ho...
Jun 29
22 min
Do masters athletes really need more recovery, or are they simply balancing more life stress and responsibilities? In this episode, CTS Head Cycling Coach Adam Pulford breaks down the realities of training and racing as a masters athlete. We discuss recovery, consistency, intensity, strength training, race preparation, and how training priorities should evolve with age. The conversation explores both the physiological realities of aging and the habits that allow many athletes to continue impr...
Jun 22
20 min
AI is rapidly changing nearly every industry, and endurance coaching is no exception. In this episode, CTS Head Cycling Coach Adam Pulford explores where AI can genuinely help athletes improve, where it falls short, and why the future of coaching may be more collaborative than competitive. We discuss training data, prompting, bias, TrainingPeaks, Claude, ChatGPT, Vekta, Kristin Faulkner's use of AI, and the areas where experienced coaches still provide value that algorithms struggle to replic...
Jun 15
18 min
Heat adaptation can improve performance, comfort, and recovery in hot conditions. But many athletes make the mistake of treating heat training as free fitness. In this episode, CTS Coach Adam Pulford breaks down the differences between active and passive heat training, how each method works, and why heat should be viewed as a training stressor in its own right. We discuss plasma volume expansion, sauna protocols, heated trainer rides, hydration, recovery considerations, and how to integrate h...
Jun 8
22 min
Climbing faster isn’t always about increasing FTP or producing bigger power numbers. In this episode, CTS Coach Adam Pulford breaks down the pacing strategies, tactics, fueling, and key workouts that help cyclists climb faster with the fitness they already have. HOST Adam Pulford has been a CTS Coach for nearly two decades and holds a B.S. in Exercise Physiology. He's participated in and coached hundreds of athletes for endurance events all around the world. The Problem with Chasing Data ...
Jun 1
14 min
Endurance athletes have access to more data than ever before, but data alone doesn’t guarantee better decisions. In this episode, CTS Coach Adam Pulford breaks down the role of Rate of Perceived Effort (RPE) in training and racing, and why internal awareness remains one of the most important skills an athlete can develop. We cover pacing, training zones, effort calibration, common mistakes athletes make with RPE, and how to integrate subjective feedback with power and heart rate for better lo...
May 25
14 min
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