I was wondering if triathletes need to bother with doing the 3 weeks of anaerobic stuff prior to the racing season? I assume the V0 max stuff is very helpful, but I was wondering if there is any point to a typical triathlete doing 30-60 second intervals at 150% ftp?
IMO, I don’t think so.
i would think if u have any climbing to speak of in major race you would wanna train some anaerobic. anaerobic training has aerobic benefits as well, your body never operates 100% anerobic. I think we need some opinions from Dr. Coggan 
Only 3 weeks, why bother?
Have you thought about mixing your intensities across all energy systems based upon where in the season you are and where your going?
Yes, there are large benefits to be gained. I’m not really sure exactly why they are beneficial, I just know that they are beneficial. Let’s let Coggin or MacGregor tackle the “why”.
Luckily, we’re on the “applied” side of things, and all we need know is how to use the intervals effectively.
There are countless examples, not only in triathlon, but in many endurance sports, about the endurance benefits of short, extremely high-intensity exercise.
Of course, the intervals must be done properly (appropriate intensity and recovery), and they are certainly not the only way to get faster. But they are one way to boost your race-day speed.
And as another poster said… why only 3 weeks? They can be incorporated into a much longer training plan.
Train all systems all the time no matter what the event. Only the time/proportion of training time spent training each system differs depending on the time of year and the specifics of the event.
I repeat - train all systems all the time!
As to how much for each event - well just look at the dominant energy system of your event and place the most emphasis on that for the 6 to 12 weeks leading in.
As for other times of the year - all systems all the time, spend some time developing whats most important for your sport, but also time developing speed - speed sets your potential - stamina allows you to reach that potential.
I think we need some opinions from Dr. Coggan
“It’s an aerobic sport, dammit.”
Thanks for the thoughts, I was doing hill reps today up a grass ski hill on the cross bike and got to wondering if triathletes have to do this junk also.
My understanding on the 3 weeks is that after that time the adaptation is done.
If you don’t do work to raise your threshold, how do you increase your speed and stay aerobic??
If you don’t do work to raise your threshold, how do you increase your speed and stay aerobic??
I assumed the 8 weeks of v02 max intervals I’ve been suffering through were for that and that someone who just does TT’s would not take this last final step but rather would go straight into competition phase. I assumed the demands of the tri were similar to a TT, i.e. lots of FTP is the key.
I’ll take a gander. Lets say you are a 300 watt FTP guy, then doing these 150% FTP for 60 seconds, you are talking about 450 watts. First off, 60 seconds I don’t think is long enough to do anything. I’d think 2-3 minutes, maybe 2-3(?) reps?
To an extent, I do believe that going these reps could actually increase your FTP.
Is it NECESSARY , I do not think so. Also it is going to take a lot out of your legs, and your recovery time is going to be increased over doing something else.
Secondly I would not do this prior to racing season, I’d probably do it well into racing season with a good base.
I’ll take a gander. Lets say you are a 300 watt FTP guy, then doing these 150% FTP for 60 seconds, you are talking about 450 watts. First off, 60 seconds I don’t think is long enough to do anything. I’d think 2-3 minutes, maybe 2-3(?) reps?
To an extent, I do believe that going these reps could actually increase your FTP.
Is it NECESSARY , I do not think so. Also it is going to take a lot out of your legs, and your recovery time is going to be increased over doing something else.
Secondly I would not do this prior to racing season, I’d probably do it well into racing season with a good base.
I’m no great expert, but my understanding is that doing the longer intervals of say 20 mins will have the most impact one one’s ftp, while the 5 x5 V02 max intervals will help with power for around 5 mins and these intervals I’m doing that have a duration of 30-90 secs are to cause a specific adaptation that happens when muscles are forced to work anaerobically.
I guess what go me wondering is if the short stuff like this would have an effect of sort of lifting all the boats including FTP.
In answer to the one assertion, 60 seconds is plenty long at over 150% of ftp, watch someone blow up in a 400m race, that system will only give you 40 secs or so with your foot to the floor, at least that’s my understanding.
Here’s Arthur Lydiard’s take on it:
“With anaerobic training, your objective is to create a big oxygen debt and lower your blood pH level so
that your metabolism is stimulated to build buffers against fatigue. This is done with interval or
repetition training. Once you have built those buffers, your anaerobic training is complete: to continue
this type of training is to invite injury.
Similar to the three long runs in aerobic conditioning, you should run hard (anaerobically) three times a
week during the anaerobic phase. Be sure to allow yourself to recover between hard workouts, at least a
day in between. The idea is to stress your system, recover completely, then stress it again. It is not all
that important what the distances or speeds are, just run repetitions and intervals until you are tired and
have had enough for the day. No coach can tell exactly how many repetitions you can do, or what your
recovery intervals should be, on a particular day. So trust you instincts and use any schedule as a guide
only.
It is not necessary to run you anaerobic work on a track. In fact, you may enjoy it more if you do your
workouts in an area more comfortable to you; a forest trail or grassy field. Just pick a tree or a marker to
run to and jog back after each run. Do this until you have done enough, malking yourself tired with
speed. The one important thing to keep in mind is to make your distance at least 200 meters or more; it
takes a distance of this much to lower your blood pH level generally.”
If you don’t do work to raise your threshold, how do you increase your speed and stay aerobic??
One doesn’t need to do anaerobic work in order to raise one’s threshold.
If you don’t do work to raise your threshold, how do you increase your speed and stay aerobic??
One doesn’t need to do anaerobic work in order to raise one’s threshold.
True, but one doesn’t need to do a lot of things to do a lot of other things. My question is, what’s the most effective way to raise your threshold?
And one does not do any anaerobic work? Given that even if you run a marathon, or ride 5hrs, there is some anaerobic component contribution, it’s somewhat of a weird discussion…
If you don’t do work to raise your threshold, how do you increase your speed and stay aerobic??
One doesn’t need to do anaerobic work in order to raise one’s threshold.
True, but one doesn’t need to do a lot of things to do a lot of other things. My question is, what’s the most effective way to raise your threshold?
Well it’s sure not by having a focus on anaerobic work.
The most *effective *way to increase one’s threshold is to do sufficient volume of work at the right intensities, ranging from endurance through to efforts that induce VO2 max. IOW all primarily aerobic work.
See the chart on this page for an indication of the intensities I mean and the amount of “bang for buck” in terms of improving one’s power at threshold:
http://www.cyclecoach.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=70&Itemid=112
And one does not do any anaerobic work? Given that even if you run a marathon, or ride 5hrs, there is some anaerobic component contribution, it’s somewhat of a weird discussion…
Just how much energy conversion via anaerobic metabolism do you actually think is involved in a marathon or a 5 hour bike ride?
Here’s a hint: one can only sustain a *predominantly *anaerobic effort for roughly 60-90 seconds. Beyond that and it’s back to “pay as you go” aerobic metabolism. Sure one can “attack” for short periods and then recover and do it again - but there’s the rub - the recovery requires you to go significantly sub-threshold in order to repay the oxygen debt and your pacing becomes sub-optimal as a result.
I’ll return the question to you. At which level of work is the contribution 100% aerobic?
If you don’t do work to raise your threshold, how do you increase your speed and stay aerobic??
One doesn’t need to do anaerobic work in order to raise one’s threshold.
True, but one doesn’t need to do a lot of things to do a lot of other things. My question is, what’s the most effective way to raise your threshold?
Well it’s sure not by having a focus on anaerobic work.
The most *effective *way to increase one’s threshold is to do sufficient volume of work at the right intensities, ranging from endurance through to efforts that induce VO2 max. IOW all primarily aerobic work.
See the chart on this page for an indication of the intensities I mean and the amount of “bang for buck” in terms of improving one’s power at threshold:
http://www.cyclecoach.com/...id=70&Itemid=112
Nope. Too vague, so you’re disqualified. The correct answer is to train at your threshold to raise your threshold. Slowtwitch can fight over whether that’s “aerobic” or “anaerobic.”
I’ll return the question to you. At which level of work is the contribution 100% aerobic?
At any exercise intensity below maximal lactate steady state.