Training Babble: Off-Road Insights for Mountain Bike and Gravel Cycling

Training Babble: Off-Road Insights for Mountain Bike and Gravel Cycling

Unlock your endurance potential. The Training Babble Podcast takes a deep dive into the strategy and science behind training for off-road cycling and gravel racing. Host Dave Schell brings over 20 years of coaching and racing experience, including as former Director of Education at TrainingPeaks. Each episode features interviews with experts and insiders to inform your training on topics like physiology, nutrition, mental toughness, equipment selection, and race tactics. Expect an informative yet lighthearted conversation filled with practical tips to up your performance. Special guests from across the cycling world join to share their hard-earned wisdom. Whether you're an amateur looking to reach new heights or a coach wanting to refine your craft, The Training Babble Podcast offers a master-class in endurance training. Challenging conventional methods, busting myths, and digging into the latest research, this show equips you with the knowledge to train smarter and unlock your full athletic potential. Subscribe to the Training Babble Podcast and join our community of passionate off-road cyclists. With tips, stories, and advice from leading figures in gravel and mountain biking, we're here to support your journey to peak performance and beyond. Elevate your off-road cycling experience with us.

Episodes

April 18, 2025 45 mins

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In this episode of the Training Babble podcast, hosts Dave Schell and Matti Rowe delve into the complexities of athlete mindset, focusing on time orientation, the burden of past performance, the impact of aging, and the role of metrics in training. They discuss how anxiety and depression relate to future and past thinking, respectively, and emphasize the importance of being present. The conversation also t...

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In this episode, Dave Schell and Matti Rowe dive into the intricacies of the coach-athlete relationship, emphasizing the importance of alignment between a coach's methodology and an athlete's goals. They discuss common misconceptions about coaching, the necessity of commitment from athletes, and the reality of athletic progress, debunking the myth of instant results. The conversation highlights t...

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March 19, 2025 45 mins

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In this episode of the Training Babble podcast, hosts Dave Schell and Matti Rowe dive into the complexities of training metrics, particularly focusing on Functional Threshold Power (FTP) and its relevance in endurance sports. They discuss the evolving definitions of endurance, durability, and the importance of volume in training. The conversation highlights the sacrifices athletes must make to achieve high performance...

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In this episode of the Training Babble Podcast, Coach Dave Schell and guest Matty Rowe of Gravel God Cycling dig into the implications of AI in coaching. They discuss the rise of AI tools like CoachCat, the challenges of relying on flawed metrics, and the importance of human expertise in interpreting data. The conversation highlights the complexities of training plans and the need for personalized coaching...

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In this episode of the Training Babble podcast, Coach Dave Schell interviews athlete Megan Onweller, who shares her journey from a competitive high school athlete to a busy mom rediscovering her passion for cycling. Megan discusses the challenges she faced, including injuries, body image issues, and the importance of nutrition and coaching. She emphasizes ...

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In this episode, Dave and Dr. Phil discuss the top training mistakes that athletes make. They emphasize the importance of focusing on the fundamentals of training, such as consistency, specificity, and progression, rather than chasing the latest trends or hyper-optimizing every aspect of their training. They also highlight the significance of proper nutrition, recovery, and avoiding drastic changes on race...

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In this episode of the Training Babble Podcast, host Dave Schell and Dr. Phil Batterson discuss Phil's training journey as he prepares for an uphill running race. They cover the structure of his training, focusing on VO2 max work, the importance of consistency and adaptation, and the physiological testing that has informed his progress. Phil shares insights on nutrition, health markers from blood test...

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In this episode of the Training Babble podcast, host Dave Schell reflects on the past year, expressing gratitude to listeners and sharing insights on coaching and training strategies. He emphasizes a minimalist approach to coaching, the importance of flexibility in training plans, and debunks myths surrounding base training and zone two training. Schell advocates for simplicity and effectiveness in workout...

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In this episode of the Training Babble podcast, host Dave Schell speaks with registered dietitian Alex Larson about healthy weight loss strategies for endurance athletes. They discuss the importance of nutrition in training, the shift from focusing on weight loss to improving body composition, and personalized nutrition strategies that can e...

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In this episode, Dave Schell and Dr. Phil discuss the importance of consistency in training, the use of RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) for better self-awareness, and the physiological adaptations that occur with structured workouts. They explore how repeating workouts can lead to significant improvements and the necessity of managing training loads to prevent burnout. The conversation also highlights the...

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November 12, 2024 11 mins

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In this episode of the Training Babble podcast, host Dave Schell discusses the transition to indoor training as colder weather approaches. He emphasizes the importance of flexibility in workouts, understanding the limitations of erg mode, and avoiding one-dimensional training. Dave also advises on maximizing indoor training efficiency by focusing on structured workouts and adjusting targets based on percei...

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In this episode of the Training Babble podcast, host Dave Schell discusses the importance of the off-season for athletes. He emphasizes the need for physical and mental recovery, the significance of reflecting on the past season, and the necessity of setting realistic goals for the upcoming season. Dave also highlights the importance of flexibility in training schedules and the need for regular check-ins to ens...

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In this episode, Dave Schell and Dr. Phil Batterson explore the intricacies of coaching and training for endurance athletes. They discuss the importance of setting realistic goals, the role of a coach in guiding athletes, and the significance of consistency in training. The conversation delves into the mental aspects of training, the balance between hard workouts and recovery, and the necessity of enjoying the ...

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In this episode of the Training Babble podcast, host Dave Schell reflects on his journey into coaching and the importance of simplicity in training. He shares personal anecdotes from his experience with triathlons, emphasizing that effective training doesn't have to be complicated. Dave encourages athletes to focus on what truly matters in their training, to be skeptical of information overload, and to find a bal...

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In this episode, Coach Dave  discusses the importance of calibrating your inner power meter by pairing your perception of effort with objective metrics like power, heart rate, and pace. He emphasizes the need to tune into how different sensations feel and not blindly follow the numbers on your devices. Dave explains the three energy systems our bodies use and how they work together during different intensi...

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In this episode of Fast Physiology, Dave and Dr. Phil discuss the validity and reliability of training devices and the advice they provide. They highlight the issue of proprietary algorithms and the lack of transparency in how these devices come up with their recommendations. They also discuss the limitations and inaccuracies of metrics such as heart rate and sleep tracking. The key takeaway is to be skeptical ...

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In this episode, Dave Schell discusses the concept of intuitive endurance training, which involves listening to your body and structuring your training based on subtle cues like fatigue, soreness, and motivation. He emphasizes the importance of considering subjective factors like how athletes feel during workouts and how they handle training. Dave also talks about the origins of the idea and how it can be ...

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In this episode, Dave and Dr. Phil discuss the healthy way to return to training after dealing with an illness. They emphasize the importance of understanding the stress that illness puts on the body and the need for proper recovery. They caution against jumping back into intense training too soon and recommend a conservative approach. They also discuss the cultural tendency to push through illness and the...

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In this episode of Fast Physiology, Dave and Phil discuss ergogenic aids or performance-enhancing substances. They cover various types of aids, including caffeine, beetroot juice, sodium bicarbonate, beta-alanine, and creatine. They emphasize the importance of focusing on the fundamentals of training, nutrition, and recovery before considering the use of supplements. They also touch on the topic of ketones...

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In this episode of Fast Physiology, Dr. Phil Batterson and Dave S discuss the concept of Functional Threshold Power (FTP) and its misconceptions. They explore different methods of measuring FTP and the importance of training at appropriate intensities. They also discuss the variability of FTP and the need for context in testing. Overall, FTP is seen as a range rather than a fixed number, and training strat...

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