SHOULD YOU GO YOUR OWN WAY?

Coaching is defined as giving instruction or advice to another person. By simple dictionary definition, being a ‘self-coached’ athlete is a contradiction in terms — yet it is an expression that is gaining traction in cycling. The question is, can you ‘self-coach’ effectively and if so, how?

Cycling coaching is a growing business. Twenty or even 10 years ago, there were very few people making a living out of coaching amateur cyclists, but increasing numbers of riders are employing a coach to help them get the most from their training time. Features in cycling magazines have catalysed the trend, urging riders to get coaches for a multitude of reasons, from saving time to avoiding fatigue, to getting faster. Yes, granted, I’ve written a few of them myself — because when it comes to improving as a bike rider, ‘get a coach’ is the easy answer.

However, alongside the rise in the number of coached athletes, more and more riders are calling themselves ‘self-coached’. A self-coached rider sets their own training, rides with intent to improve fitness,