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BT-ATS - Ergo Trainer
w/2000 Watts of Resistance |
Charlie Walsh OAM; Dip T (Tech) worked at
developing the comprehensive Bike Technologies –Advanced Training System
(BT-ATS) in his last two years as head coach of Australian Cycling and continued
the scientific development following his retirement after the 2000 Sydney
Olympic Games.
The reason for the development of the BT-ATS
package was that Charlie was seeking ways to further improve the physical
aspects of the Australian cyclists to make them more competitive in
international cycling.
Australian cyclists had for
many years used an ergo-meter as part of their training programs,
but the units and the use of them had to be modified and further refined if we
were to produce the required specific improvements in the cyclists. A package
was needed that was going to allow the coach to be able to specifically target
the improvements they required in their cyclists on an individual basis.
In looking for ways to further improve the
delivery of power of the cyclists, the Australian National Team coaches had done
a lot of work researching and developing the oxygen fuel system.
In the more than 10 years of both field and
laboratory tests, it was shown that cyclists participating solely in road racing had not
developed the power required for track cycling compared to those who were doing
specialist track training activities.
The Australian National team cycling coaches
wanted to be able to access the very high quality cyclists they were putting
into European road trade teams and use them for major international track
cycling events.
A training system had to be devised enabling them
to transfer easily across to track racing with a minimal amount of time, but at
the
same time having increased power that would also benefit their road cycling.
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Charlie Walsh’s experience in using the
BT-ATS highlighted |
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In particular, power could be improved benefiting both road and
track cycling.
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It was suited to prepare the specific
energy system demands involved in all of the variety of events of cycling.
That is the energy systems and the way in which we required them to operate.
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Whilst participating in road cycling our cyclists training on
the BT-ATS were able to transfer from road cycling to track cycling easily as
their top end power and energy system delivery was better than previously
experienced
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Examples of the success of the
BT-ATS package |
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Many of Australia’s National Team cyclists
used and continue to use the BT-ATS principle to achieve outstanding results
at Olympic games, World Championships and Commonwealth Games.
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One group of track cyclists spent four (4)
weeks preparing, mainly on the BT-ATS and specifically for a series of track
events.
This in total meant six (6) weeks of largely
shorter distance track cycling preparations. The team rode very successfully
in the track events.
They then traveled straight to Europe to
compete in road events. Surprisingly to us, their power along the road was
very apparent and they competed far better in the road events than had ever
previously been the case.
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A number of cyclists using the BT-ATS were
competing very successfully in major European road cycling events and then
transferring across to be highly competitive in track cycling events.
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In a 15-second power test, one cyclist improved by 18% over a
2-year span when using the BT-ATS. This is a quite a considerable
improvement.
This Australian cyclist has since become a
leading international cyclist in both road and track cycling competitions.
Most of these cyclists had been doing longer
rides from distances ranging from 120 kilometers to 200 kilometers in various
terrains.
Before the training commenced the cyclists were
asked to do a number of physiological tests using the BT-ATS to ascertain
their current power levels and to set individual training intensities.
After completing three (3) weeks of various
training activities on the BT-ATS, the cyclists were re-tested with the
following outstanding results:
(Due to various circumstances a few in this
group did very little work in some of the specific areas. This may have
impacted the overall results, providing a reduced group average of
improvement.)
Consequently, the BT-ATS unit has been
effective in the successful rehabilitation of some injured AFL players
where the coaches were able exercise control under varying load activities.
In addition to rehabilitation of their athletes
some AFL clubs are looking at ways of using the BT-ATS as an additional means
of specifically developing their players who require special attention in
terms of energy system and dynamic power development.
It is our
belief that the BT-ATS will become the most advanced rehabilitative training
medium and specific developmental medium in many of today's sports.
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