The Matchbox - A Cycling Podcast
Hosts Adam Saban, Dylan Johnson, Kaitlyn Maddox, and Drew Dillman are endurance coaches at Ignition Coach Co. They share their passion for expanding knowledge of endurance training and draw on their experiences as elite cyclists across various disciplines. Each week, they offer unique perspectives on bike racing and help listeners find that extra match for their next race.
Episodes
Episode 207 Nose Breathing, Gravel Bike Mods, and Are Marginal Gains ONLY For High Level Athletes?
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about whether there are gains to be had from nasal breathing while training, what level you should be competing at to start thinking about marginal gains, and fat bike modifications for gravel racing. As always, if you like what you
Episode 194 - Navigating Wearables and Data-Driven Training Insights
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about our own anecdotes with the massive landscape of wearable devices.
As always, if you like what you hear, share this with your friends and leave us a five star review and if you have any questions for the show drop us an email
Episode 119 - Returning to Training, Late Season Base, and Less But More OR More But Less
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about returning to training after forced time off, late season base training, and the balance between less but more and more but less.
Today’s show is also brought to you by Flow Formulas. Head over to flowformulas.com today to c
Episode 151 - Gauging FTP and Rest Weeks for Low Volume Training
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking honing in on your FTP and LTHR as well as the relevancy of rest weeks for low volume training programs.
As always, if you like what you hear please share this with your friends and leave us a five star review and if you have any q
Episode 203 - Cadence, Durability, and Bicarb: What Actually Helps Performance?
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about preferred cadence, durability workouts for mountain bikers, and our current takes on sodium bicarbonate supplementation.
As always, if you like what you hear, share this with your friends and leave us a five star review and
Episode 174- Heat Training for the Cold, New Cyclists, and Repeatability Training
Episode 174- Heat Training for the Cold, New Cyclists, and Repeatability Training
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about heat training for racing in the extreme cold, periodization for new cyclists, and how to orient your workouts around repeatability.
As alwa
Episode 173 - Goal Setting Pt. 2
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we have part 2 of our goal setting mini series. Tune in to hear about each of our personal goals for 2026 and some roundtable feedback.
As always, if you like what you hear, share this with your friends and leave us a five star review and if yo
Episode 170 - Two-a-Days, Training Motivation, and Coaching Junior Cyclists
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about two-a-day training, finding motivation, and coaching junior cyclists.
As always, if you like what you hear, share this with your friends and leave us a five star review and if you have any questions for the show drop us an e
Episode 166 - Electrolytes, AI Training Plans, and Climbing Events
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we talk about differences electrolyte supplementation, assessing AI training plans, and preparing for climbing events.
As always, if you like what you hear, share this with your friends and leave us a five star review and if you have any questi
Episode 155 - Time-crunched Gym Sessions, Gravel and Marathon MTB on a Time budget, and Does Mowing the Grass Count as Training?
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about how to program your gym sessions to maximize your limited availability, marathon mountain bike and gravel training on a time budget, and whether or not those manual labor chores around the house count as aerobic training?
As
Episode 160 - Hill Repeats, Enduros, and Recovery Weeks
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about preparing for hill repeat events, training for enduros, and what a proper recovery week protocol should look like.
As always, if you like what you hear make sure to share this with your friends and leave us a five star revie
Episode 154 - Pre-ride Snacks and Returning to Training
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about different pre-ride snacks and foods foods to consider when you’re in a pinch and the road back to fitness after time off.
As always, if you like what you hear make sure to share this with your friends and leave us a five sta
Episode 141 - Genetic Potential, Racing on Rest Weeks, and Training for Long Races
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about genetic potential, racing on scheduled rest weeks, and training for long races.
As always, if you like what you hear please share this with your friends and leave us a five star review and if you have any questions for the s
Episode 121 - Rest Intervals and Optimal Time of Day To Train
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking how to execute rest intervals and the most optimal time of day to train.
Today’s show is also brought to you by Flow Formulas. Head over to flowformulas.com today to check out their full suite of endurance nutrition offerings and
Episode 120 - All Things Volume Blocks
Episode 120 - All Things Volume Blocks
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about all things volume. Volume blocks are all the rage right now so we get into some of the nitty gritty on the how, what, where, when, and why of implementing them.
Today’s show is also bro
Episode 117 - How Train When You Have More Time On Your Hands and What Does It Take To Get To The Elite Level
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about ways to allocate extra time you have available for training and also what it takes to get to the elite level.
Today’s show is also brought to you by Flow Formulas. Head over to flowformulas.com today to check out their full
Episode 196 - Wave Periodization, Cramping, and Are XCO Elites Riding Easier Than You?
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about our perspectives on various forms of periodization, how to think about and deal with cramping, and whether or not the HR data you see while watching World Cup XCOs is accurate.
As always, if you like what you hear, share thi
Episode 187 - KOM Hunting and Utilizing AI for Training Optimization
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about dedicated training and tactics for short-segment KOM hunting as well as utilizing AI for your benefit to help you analyze and optimize your training.
As always, if you like what you hear, share this with your friends and lea
Episode 163 - Rapid Fire!
Episode 163 - Rapid Fire!
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re mixing it up a bit and running through some rapid fire questions in a bit of a round table format.
As always, if you like what you hear, share this with your friends and leave us a five star review and if you hav
Episode 113 - Maximal vs Marginal Training Gains
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about maximal vs marginal training gains.
Today’s show is also brought to you by Flow Formulas. Head over to flowformulas.com today to check out their full suite of endurance nutrition offerings and make sure to use the discount c
RERUN: Episode 142 - TrainingPeaks Special
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’ve got special guests Dirk Friel and Henry Lutz, from TrainingPeaks, to answer all of our burning questions about the platform we all know and love.
As always, if you like what you hear please share this with your friends and leave us a five s
Episode 132 - Bike Fit Follow-up, Breaking Up Monotony, and My Legs Hurt, What Gives?
Episode 132 - Bike Fit Follow-up, Breaking Up Monotony, and My Legs Hurt, What Gives?
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about some follow up bike fitting discussion, how to structure training with little to work with, and why do my legs hurt?
As always, if you like
Episode 115 - Gran Fondo Training and Incorporating “Fun Rides”
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about Gran Fondo style training and how to incorporate fun rides into your program.
Today’s show is also brought to you by Flow Formulas. Head over to flowformulas.com today to check out their full suite of endurance nutrition off
Episode 123 - Cadence Drills, Heart Rate Fluctuations, and Quantifying Stress
Episode 123 - Cadence Drills, Heart Rate Fluctuations, and Quantifying Stress
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking cadence drills, heart rate fluctuations, and quantifying stress.
As always, if you like what you hear please share this with your friends and leave us a
Episode 167 - The Ins and Outs of Ventilatory Rate
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we talk all things ventilatory rate.
As always, if you like what you hear, share this with your friends and leave us a five star review and if you have any questions for the show drop us an email at matchboxpod@gmail.com or head over to ignitio
Episode 129 - All Things Bike Fit
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking all things bike fit with special guest, Michael Seiler.
As always, if you like what you hear please share this with your friends and leave us a five star review and if you have any questions for the show drop us an email at matchbo
Episode 192 - Late-night Training and Nutrition Timing, Polarization Nuances, and New Bike Day vs Run What You Brung
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about the opportunity costs of late-night training, some of the nuances of polarized training, and weighing the pros/cons of new bike day and what to look for in a budget build.
As always, if you like what you hear, share this wit
Episode 191 - Durability vs Recoverability, Longevity, and Training for BIG CLIMBS
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about the differences between durability and recoverability, longevity in the sport, and training for really big climbs.
As always, if you like what you hear, share this with your friends and leave us a five star review and if you
Episode 204 - Chain Efficiency, Executing Intervals Outdoors, and Muscle Mass
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about drive train efficiency, how to convert those quality indoor workouts into superior outdoor workouts, and whether we should be increasing muscle mass for more power output.
As always, if you like what you hear, share this wit
Episode 190 - Training While Acclimating to Altitude, Pacing with Heart Rate, and Ultra Racing Prep
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about how to train while your body is still adjusting to living at altitude, pacing long endurance events with heart rate, and how to prepare for an Ultra.
As always, if you like what you hear, share this with your friends and lea
Episode 145 - Poor Air Quality, Cross Country Starts, and Heat Adaptation
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about how to train when the air quality in your area is sub-optimal, ways to improve your XC race starts, and all things heat training (well mostly).
As always, if you like what you hear please share this with your friends and lea
Episode 200 - Coaches Takes on Everyday Nutrition for Endurance Athletes
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about our personal takes on approaching everyday nutrition with a performance mindset.
If you're interested in using the Hexis nutrition platform, use code "igniteyourpotential" for 25% off at https://hexis.live
As always, if you li
Episode 197 - Nutrition Tracking, Accounting for Changes in FTP, and Aero vs Vented Helmets
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking the methods we’ve used for tracking nutrition off-the-bike, how to account for changes in FTP throughout the season, and whether we think the benefits of aero helmets outweigh their vented counterparts.
As always, if you like what
Episode 156 - Non-responders, Leg Strength, and FTP Fluctuations
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about what to do if you think you’re a non-responder to exercise, ways to improve leg strength when returning to cycling training, and how to hit your training numbers with an ever-moving FTP.
As always, if you like what you hear
RERUN: Episode 146 - Travel Tips, CTL, and RLT
RERUN: Original Recording Date 6.24.25
Episode 146 - Travel Tips, The (debatable) Importance of Tracking CTL, and RLT
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about tips for keeping your legs fresh while traveling, whether or not we keep a close eye on CTL, and red ligh
Episode 125 - Everyday Athlete Volume, Endurance Intensity, and Is One Month of Structure Enough?
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking volume for the everyday athlete, whether it's ok to increase intensity of endurance rides, and is one month of structure enough to prepare for events?
As always, if you like what you hear please share this with your friends and leav
Episode 142 - TrainingPeaks Special
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’ve got special guests Dirk Friel and Henry Lutz, from TrainingPeaks, to answer all of our burning questions about the platform we all know and love.
As always, if you like what you hear please share this with your friends and leave us a five s
Episode 168 - Zwift Racing, Snorkel Training, and Should You Be Increasing Lean Mass for Improved Glycogen Stores?
Episode 168 - Zwift Racing, Snorkel Training, and Should You Be Increasing Lean Mass for Improved Glycogen Stores?
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we talk about Zwift Racing, Snorkel Training, and whether or not you should be chasing those lean mass muscle gains in search of in
Episode 149 - Body Composition, Coaching Education, and Cooling Techniques
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about body composition, coaching education, and cooling techniques.
As always, if you like what you hear please share this with your friends and leave us a five star review and if you have any questions for the show drop us an ema
Episode 146 - Travel Tips, The (debatable) Importance of Tracking CTL, and RLT
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about tips for keeping your legs fresh while traveling, whether or not we keep a close eye on CTL, and red light therapy.
As always, if you like what you hear please share this with your friends and leave us a five star review and i
Episode 112 - How to Turn Those Commuter Junk Miles Into Quality Rides and Heat Training
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about how to turn those commuter junk miles into high quality riding and difference aspects of heat training.
Today’s show is also brought to you by Flow Formulas. Head over to flowformulas.com today to check out their full suite
Episode 150 - Pacing Strategies, Emerging Emphasis on Respiratory Rate, and 6h Racing on 6h Training
Episode 150 - Pacing Strategies, Emerging Emphasis on Respiratory Rate, and 6h Racing on 6h Training
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking pacing strategies for longer races, the emergence of respiratory rate in endurance sports science, and how to train for 100mi gra
Episode 139 - Training Through Travel, Intro to Power Meters, and General vs Specific Training
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode the crew is talking about how to take your training on the road, intro to training with a power meter, and general vs specific training principles.
As always, if you like what you hear please share this with your friends and leave us a five star
Episode 193 - Is AI Coming for Our Jobs?!
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about our own perspectives on the integration of AI in the world of training and coaching.
As always, if you like what you hear, share this with your friends and leave us a five star review and if you have any questions for the sh
Episode 164 - Offseason Intervals, Oxygen Inhalation Therapy, and Playing to your Strengths
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we have special guest, Coach Will Pfeiffer, helping us answer questions on offseason intervals, oxygen inhalation therapy, and playing to your strengths.
As always, if you like what you hear, share this with your friends and leave us a five sta
Episode 130 - Indoor vs Outdoor Value, What to Add With Increased Volume, and Maximizing FTP Plateau
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about the value of indoor riding vs outdoor riding in the context of mountain biking, what you should add to your weekly training when increasing overall volume, and how to maximize performance amidst an FTP plateau.
As always, if y
Episode 147 - Hot Ride Fueling, When Endurance Rides Are No Longer Endurance Rides, and Post-Interval Pacing
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about fueling tips for riding on really hot days, when your endurance ride is no longer an endurance ride, and post-interval pacing.
As always, if you like what you hear please share this with your friends and leave us a five star
Episode 206 - Periodized Nutrition and the Real Science Behind Fueling the Worlds Best Athletes w/ Dr. Sam Impey
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking to the co-founder of Hexis, Dr. Sam Impey.
As always, if you like what you hear, share this with your friends and leave us a five star review and if you have any questions for the show drop us an email at matchboxpod@gmail.com or
Episode 188 - Building for Leadville: Training Strategies, Injury Management, and Altitude Preparation
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about Leadville prep! Training, injury mitigation, and altitude prep.
As always, if you like what you hear, share this with your friends and leave us a five star review and if you have any questions for the show drop us an email a
Episode 135 - Time Crunched Ultra Training, From Sea Level to Altitude, and Should You Be Combining Intervals and Endurance Riding
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about how to train for long ultra events on a time budget, ways to prepare for altitude races when you live at sea level, and whether or not you should be mixing your interval rides with endurance.
Also, we have some exciting news
Episode 183 - Multidisciplinary Training, Balancing Parenthood and Quality Plan Execution, and Training Platform Nuances
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about whether or not adding weekly volume at Z3 is beneficial and should you be using those handy side bib pockets if aero is your number one concern?
As always, if you like what you hear, share this with your friends and leave us
Episode 136 - Nutrition on a Budget and IT Band Syndrome
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about how you can curate your fueling on the bike to work within a budget and our takes on addressing IT band syndrome.
Also, if you haven’t heard, this summer we are hosting a new training camp in the beautiful mountain oasis of
Episode 138 - Big Race Prep, Power vs HR Limit, Recovery
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and unfortunately, I actually missed the recording last week but the crew touched on topics like how to prepare for big races and where to allocate resources, what metrics you should use as your limiting factor during endurance sessions, and training through recovery.
As
Episode 114 - Breaking Through FTP Plateau and Off-season HIIT
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re discussing various ways to break through that dreaded FTP plateau and also sharing our thoughts on high intensity interval training during the off-season.
Today’s show is also brought to you by Flow Formulas. Head over to flowformulas.com
Episode 199 - Balancing Weight Loss / Performance and Coaching Advice
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about how to balance chasing target body composition/weight goals while still focusing on fitness performance before diving into some of our personal advice for a listener embarking on his own coaching journey.
As always, if you l
Episode 189 - Running for Cycling Fitness and HEAT TRAINING!
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about how to convert running into cycling fitness and some of the ins and outs of heat training for performance enhancements.
As always, if you like what you hear, share this with your friends and leave us a five star review and i
Episode 124 - Nutrition Discussion
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re doing things a little different. After some discussions earlier in the week on nutrition with Dylan and Ignition coach, Will Pfeiffer, Drew decided we should bring the conversation to the studio. So this is somewhat of an open discussion on
Episode 122 - A Year In Review and Plans For the New Year
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re each taking some time to talk about takeaways from the 2024 season and how we’re looking ahead to 2025.
Today’s show is also brought to you by Flow Formulas. Head over to flowformulas.com today to check out their full suite of endurance n
Episode 118 - Flat vs Climbing Fitness and Are Three-a-Days a Good Idea?
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking addressing performance discrepancies between riding on flat terrain vs climbs and whether or not three-a-days should be part of your time-crunched training strategy.
Today’s show is also brought to you by Flow Formulas. Head over
Episode 177 - Navigating Elite Racing with Type I Diabetes ft. Justin McQuerry
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking with one of our coaches, Justin McQuerry, about his journey navigating the world of elite bike racing while managing life with Type I Diabetes.
As always, if you like what you hear, share this with your friends and leave us a five
Episode 195 - Coaching Up Ignition Co-Founder Drew Dillman as he Takes On His FIRST Leadville 100
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about our own experience with preparing for and racing at altitude as Drew takes on his first Leadville 100 MTB next month.
As always, if you like what you hear, share this with your friends and leave us a five star review and if
Episode 161 - Cyclocross Specificity and Stage Race Training
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about specific training for cyclocross and stage racing.
As always, if you like what you hear make sure to share this with your friends and leave us a five star review and if you have any questions for the show drop us an email at
Episode 181 - Adding Volume with Z3 and Are Side Pockets Killing Your Aero Game
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about whether or not adding weekly volume at Z3 is beneficial and should you be using those handy side bib pockets if aero is your number one concern?
As always, if you like what you hear, share this with your friends and leave us
Episode 140 - Training Camps and the MidSouth Double
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about specifics for putting together your own training camp (or you can just sign up for the Ignition camp in Crested Butte which is now waitlist only) as well as training for the MidSouth Double or any variation of race like that.
Episode 126 - Nutrition Follow Up, Is Sugar Water a Viable Fueling Option, and Easy Z2
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re entertaining a follow-up question from our nutrition episode, discussing whether or not sugar water is a viable option for fueling, and should you include easy Z2 in your training?
As always, if you like what you hear please share this wi
Episode 184 - Optimizing Warmup and Coaches Anecdotes
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about how to optimize your warmup to improve performance early into races and then we each give some personal anecdotes as coaches, that may or may not be corroborated scientifically.
As always, if you like what you hear, share th
Episode 116 - How Useful is RPE and Making Z2 Fun
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about ways to use RPE to your advantage and ideas for making those long Z2 rides more fun.
Today’s show is also brought to you by Flow Formulas. Head over to flowformulas.com today to check out their full suite of endurance nutrit
Episode 127 - Intervals for Short Races and Cross Training
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about structuring your training for shorter races and utilizing cross training as it’s own focus, as well as in a complementary way to improve your overall performance on the bike.
As always, if you like what you hear please share
Episode 185 - INSANE VO2max Workouts, Balancing Training with Vacations, and Multiple Peak Periodization
Summary:
In this episode, we dive into the intricacies of training strategies for endurance athletes, from VO2 max workouts to managing seasonal peaks. Whether you're a professional racer or a recreational rider, learn how to tailor your training for optimal performance and avoid burnout.
Key Topics:
The specifics of a 16 x 3 minute VO2 max workout and its applications for elite mountain bike r
Episode 158 - Max Aerobic Power, General Periodization, and Improving Fitness While Decreasing Training Time
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about how to execute workouts targeting maximum aerobic power, ways to periodize your training for general fitness, and then we share ideas for how to maintain (or even improve) fitness while going through a season of decreased trai
RERUN: Episode 91 - L/R Power Imbalances, Goal Setting 101, and VO2max Training
RERUN due to inability to record during the MidSouth last week. Enjoy this previously recorded episode from last season.
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this weeks episode we’re talking left/right power imbalances, the basics of goal setting, and getting into some nuances of VO2max training.
Today
Episode 128 - Heat Training, Avoiding Burnout, and Saddle Sores
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about various benefits of heat training, some things to look out for when trying to avoid burnout, and suggestions for mitigating saddle sores.
Speaking of saddle sores, next week we’ll be having a guest on the show who specialize
Episode 137 - Sweat Testing and Balancing Work Fatigue and Training
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about whether or not it’s worthwhile to perform sweat testing to help dial in your nutrition on the bike and ways to improve training effectiveness amidst demanding work and life weeks.
And hey, if you haven’t heard, this summer w
Episode 143 - Grip Strength, Recovery Protocols, and LT1 vs LT2
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re back to our usual routine with listener questions on grip strength as a limiting factor for strength training, recovery protocols particular after long endurance events, and the relationship between LT1 and LT2.
As always, if you like wha
Episode 201 - Do You Really Need to Ride Gravel to Race Gravel?
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about our personal takes on approaching everyday nutrition with a performance mindset.
As always, if you like what you hear, share this with your friends and leave us a five star review and if you have any questions for the show d
Episode 162 - Fat Max Zone, Training Through Weight Loss, and Off-season Planning
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about questions on fat max training zone, how to train through a weight loss regimen, and off-season planning.
As always, if you like what you hear make sure to share this with your friends and leave us a five star review and if y
Episode 169 - Adapting Your Training to BIG Life Changes
Episode 169 - Adapting Your Training to BIG Life Changes
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about how to adapt your training when life throws you BIG changes.
As always, if you like what you hear, share this with your friends and leave us a five star review and if
Episode 171 - Training for a Race Series and Preparing for Extreme Climbs
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about how to train for a race series and specific preparation for extreme bucket-list climbs.
As always, if you like what you hear, share this with your friends and leave us a five star review and if you have any questions for the
RERUN: Episode 73 - Holiday Break Training, Alternative Base Seasons, and How to Review Your Season
Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Enjoy this rerun episode from this time in 2023.
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and this week we’ve actually got a guest on the show. We brought in fellow Ignition coach, Curtis Tolson, who shares some wisdom from his long journey through this sport and brings a new perspe
Episode 152 - Mountain Bike Skills, General Heat Training, and Interpreting Lab Data
Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I’m your host, Adam Saban, and on this week’s episode we’re talking about how to incorporate mountain bike skills into your training program, whether or not heat training is beneficial for athletes who don’t compete in the heat, and how to interpret data from VO2max and Lactate testing.
As always,
