interesting responses. i thought this was the official ST answer.
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=2932446#2932446
every. day.
Not even entirely exaggeration there. 35 hours a week in the saddle is what some of the pro tour guys do in the winter. Not all at zone 2 though.
I don’t get a “Killer leg pump” out of any bike workout. When you do 3x10 how’s your cardiovascular system? Are you suffering or is just kinda ho hum? I ALWAYS run out of lungs before I run out of legs.
Also, shorter VO2 intevals gave my FTP a nice bump at the beginning of the year. Something like 10x2 or 8x3 @ 120% or more
Change it up some, I’m baffled by folks doing 2x20 all the time. Talk about a snoozefestMy cardio feels okay during the 3x 10s. I average around 163 BPM and my max is 186.
Try these VO2 Max intervals once or twice a week:
- 5x5x1 @ 110% FTP
- 6x4x2 @ 112% FTP
.
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?post=5224605;search_string=polarized%20training;#5224605
The principles apply for you.
This thread & video http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?do=post_view_flat;post=4931310;page=1;mh=-1;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC will help you understand why you do something. That will go a lot further then just reading answers on ST.
If you have trainerroad this is what I was given directly from their rep on ST thread over here
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?post=5217202;search_string=cshowe80;#5217202
It’s a big off season I have so it may not suit you if yours is shorter.
Try these VO2 Max intervals once or twice a week:
- 5x5x1 @ 110% FTP
- 6x4x2 @ 112% FTP
What’s the x1 and x2? 2 rounds of 6 sets?
Try these VO2 Max intervals once or twice a week:
- 5x5x1 @ 110% FTP
- 6x4x2 @ 112% FTP
What’s the x1 and x2? 2 rounds of 6 sets?
I’m assuming that’s the recovery interval. Which sounds painful and likely impossible for me, personally.
As a new triathlete, I am looking for ways to up my Olympic time on the bike, so I Googled “how to increase my FTP” and I came up with this:
http://paulrinkenberg.hubpages.com/…-Power-Based-Cycling
There is a 4-week program on there, and I have been trying one of the more intense workouts on the chart which includes:
15 min warmup @ 65% FTP
3x10 min @ 100% FTP
3x 5 min easy spin @ 65% FTP in-between sprints
60 min total.
While I feel this is a good workout, I dont really get the killer leg pump I get when I get off the bike after an Olympic or Half. I am not sure if that necessarily means the workout is not effective, but I have always been under the understanding that if I dont feel some legit pump, then I probably could have gone harder. Looking at my overall effort during the 60-min run, the IF is typically about 0.80 including the easy spinning and warmup. So is there something more difficult I should be doing, or should I modify this current workout to 105% FTP and 70% to get around 0.85 IF, or should I be trying something else altogether?
Taking all the advice and consolidating it. 80/20 Easy/Hard. The hard work should be hard for the respective time intervals and you should show up to these workouts ready to perform. Everything else is filler to bridge and/or Z2 aerobic work.
I also have a hypothesis that sprint training on the bike (10-30second) intervals is a neglected part of the hard work calculus. All training has the capacity to lift FTP.
To give you a novel perspective: I have had a great uptick in capacity across the board after a month of doing 40/20 workouts.
Basic principle is 8-10 minute blocks of 40s hard seated (approx. 120% FTP) alternating with 20 s easy (>50%FTP) continuously. Its great to do these uphill but you have to be careful of steep grades. About 10 minutes between sets and up to 4 sets.
Its great because it stresses neuromuscular/efficiency, VO2 as well FTP. They are also remarkably easy to get through mentally and kind of fun. Here is a file of a recent workout:
http://www.strava.com/activities/183054079
Enjoy the intervals but like Jack and others said don’t forget your volume.
To give you a novel perspective: I have had a great uptick in capacity across the board after a month of doing 40/20 workouts.
Basic principle is 8-10 minute blocks of 40s hard seated (approx. 120% FTP) alternating with 20 s easy (>50%FTP) continuously. Its great to do these uphill but you have to be careful of steep grades. About 10 minutes between sets and up to 4 sets.
Its great because it stresses neuromuscular/efficiency, VO2 as well FTP. They are also remarkably easy to get through mentally and kind of fun. Here is a file of a recent workout:
http://www.strava.com/activities/183054079
Enjoy the intervals but like Jack and others said don’t forget your volume.
How often per week did you do this sort of workout?
Did you do this interval model exclusively for that month, or also incorporate other types of intervals (like 2x20’s, or whatever)?
This month has been a peak training block for the Tour of Alberta next week. I have been doing roughly 3 day blocks of 40/20s one day, about 30 minutes of high cadence FTP work the next and a long ride with anaerobic efforts the third day. I take a rest/recov day and repeat. Its been a good mix of cadence, power and all aspects of bike race fitness.
FD: Credit to Day By Day coaching for this plan.
Take my advice with a grain of salt (i just road race now and do little to no running). I like to stay away from 100% FTP and prefer to work just above or just below threshold when doing “threshold” intervals. A lot will depend on how much fatigue you are bringing into the workout. Here are a few random workouts i have done in the last few months.
Over under intervals, 30-40 minutes of (1:00 at 90%) (2:00 at 105%)
4x10 minutes at 101-110% RI 5:00
3x15 at 93-95% RI 2:00
25 minutes at 95%
rest 5 minutes
20 minutes at 91-93%
Rest 5 minutes
15 minutes at 90% with last 5 minutes at 100% finishing in an all out effort
40 minutes: Start at 105% and slowly decrease to 88-90% by 20 minute marker and then build back to 105% by 40 minutes. My general goal is to be around 95% for the entire ride.
50-1hr at 90-92%
Try these VO2 Max intervals once or twice a week:
- 5x5x1 @ 110% FTP
- 6x4x2 @ 112% FTP
What’s the x1 and x2? 2 rounds of 6 sets?
No, those are rest time between sets. The first is only a minute of easy spinning between reps. The second is two minutes of easy spinning.
After some thought I realized my response didn’t answer your question exactly, which asked for one specific workout. Obviously the best plan is to train frequently, but if I were to plan one key session, leaving all other sessions aerobic or tempo (z2 and z3), the key session would probably look like this-
Warm up 10’ z2
3 x 12’ z4, @ 92, 94, 96% FTP, 3’ z1 after each
3 x 3’ z5, @ 110, 112, 114% FTP, 3’ z1 after each
Cool down 10’ z1
83 minutes, 45 minutes of pretty hard work that raises threshold as well as VO2 max. Pretty reasonable to get that in mid-week with a 9-5.
adding to all the above - no one workout … CONSISTENCY. Many of these workouts over weeks / months will be more important than any one specific workout… no magic bullet… A lot of FTP work is best. And, imo longer intervals. But, variety (coupled with consistency ) is the best… The norwegians do a lot of long (even in Blums Olympic prep), but most of us have JOBS and sometimes shorter and harder is better depending on the time available… and, sometimes it’s not…
Most importantly - don’t overthink it.
in addition to my previous comment IF you are a NEW triathlete (and especially if you don’t come from another endurance sport) spending most of your time at aerobic levels will be better (especially if you’re in your late 30s and beyond…). But, even vets spend most (70-85%+ their time doing aerobic work…