Pick up speed at Breakaway Training Center

For most of us, when we leave the hallow halls of our high school or college, we no longer have the chance to enjoy that special, supportive relationship we had with our coaches there. With the exception of personal trainers, there is no real equivalent for fitness enthusiasts at the amateur level. At Breakaway Bikes in Center City, however, they have created a training center (located on the second floor above the bike shop) geared toward the weekend warrior.

Joe Wentzell, owner and head coach of Breakaway Bikes, was a strength and conditioning coach at Temple University and has been cycling for over twenty years. "A big part of what we do is coaching. We have 10 coaches in our training center and we focus on enthusiast folks who do triathlons and bike races."

"Most of our athletes have regular jobs, but they take their training very seriously. Some will even participate in professional races as amateurs," he added. "Our coaches help guide you on racing strategies and will write out individualized workouts for you."

At the Breakaway Training Center, they focus on all endurance sports so they work with runners as well. They partner with Philadelphia Runner for running apparel.

Besides individualized coaching, the training center also offers RPM indoor cycling sessions, performance training and biometric testing. Developed over 15 years ago by Wentzell and Glenn Krotick, the RPM indoor sessions are unique in that they are tailored to your individual strengths and weaknesses. At the start of the program, you are given a baseline fitness test to determine your personal training zone and then during the next 12 weeks you will build on your strength and speed. For the classes, you will bring in your own bike and set it up on one of their 16 CompuTrainers. A coach will then lead you through different courses and workouts.

"Beginners and professionals can all be linked into the CompuTrainers together, but because you ride according to your own training zone, no one is ever left behind."

As a cyclist for over 20 years, Wentzell has seen the city's cycling community grow. "It is exploding. When I used to go out for a ride on a Saturday, there might be one or two groups out there, but now you see so many."

"I see in the shop that there is even an increase in interest from people who just want to bike to work every day. Biking to work is like the gateway drug. Soon they want to know where else they can ride and what other bikes are out there."

Being a central cog in the wheel of Philly's biking community is important to Breakaway Bikes so they are very involved in community events and races. They have sponsored the Arsenal Criterium at the Navy Yard for the last 5 years as well as the Philly Flyer and Temple Criterium. They also support the American Cancer Society Ride, The MS150 and the Million Dollar Bike Ride, all which takes place this summer.

Wentzell has served as a vice president for QCW, the oldest cycling club in Philadelphia which focuses on helping new riders learn how to race. Competing with QCW, he has won both the national championship and world championship at the UCI Masters Track Cycling.

Learn more about Breakaway's Training Center and sign up for RPM sessions here.

Read more Sports Doc for Sports Medicine and Fitness.