If I am doing an hour on the stationary bike at the gym of two minute intervals at max intensity is it better to do the interval in a big gear at a lower cadence (for me level 17 at 90 rpm) or a smaller gear at a higher cadence (level 15 at 110 rpm)? So far I’ve just been mixing it up but I am wondering if anyone can explain the specific benefits of each or definitively say one is better than the other. 2 minutes of either of those hurts equally to me. Im just trying to improve overall power and speed over distances of 15-25 miles (sprint and olympic tris). thanks.
both are good…it’s usually beneficial to mix things up. high cadence spinning has its benefit, as does low cadence power work (providing your knees tolerate it). i’d try throwing in some even lower cadence (~50rpm) work, as well. low speed pedalling at high resistance can be a great training exercise. it’s important to focus on keeping the pedal stroke smooth and even throughout the revolution. if your knees protest, stop or try lowering the resistance.
ummm… maybe try level 16 @100 rpm? to me, hose two cadences aren’t really that different from each other. i can cruise in either of those without too much trouble. maybe level 13 @ 150 rpm and 19 @ 70 rpm would be more likely to isolate the different “systems.” however, i am not sure if this is maximizing your training. if you are trying to improve speed over 20 miles, i am not sure how two minute interval repeats will help. or at least, i am not sure why you would do that instead of doing more steady state training.
Go for 90!
If I am doing an hour on the stationary bike at the gym of two minute intervals at max intensity is it better to do the interval in a big gear at a lower cadence (for me level 17 at 90 rpm) or a smaller gear at a higher cadence (level 15 at 110 rpm)? So far I’ve just been mixing it up but I am wondering if anyone can explain the specific benefits of each or definitively say one is better than the other. 2 minutes of either of those hurts equally to me. Im just trying to improve overall power and speed over distances of 15-25 miles (sprint and olympic tris). thanks.
As a general rule, I’d say that targeting your natural/race cadence is always the best choice. If your goal is to get more comfortable at a wide range of cadences or to break up the monotony of riding on the trainer then I’d consider going lower or higher – it doesn’t really matter. There’s no significant advantage like you’ll experience some unique adaptation when targeting these lower or higher cadences. Sure, there’s probably the potential to improve technique but it’s insignificant, imho.
I’d focus on targeting a specific intensity (eg L3, L4 or L5) at race cadence. Keep in mind that if you’re only doing 2min intervals then you need to target a relatively high intensity like L5 and you need to apply progressive overload for a period of ~6 weeks to experience an adaptation. Even 2min is a bit low though. You might consider increasing that interval time. Is your goal to increase VO2Max? If not then consider 20min or 30min @ L4 if you only have 1hr.
Hope that helps,
Chris
Most world hour records were done at around 105 rpm (exception Graeme Obree). Use the gearing that helps you go the fastest!
If I am doing an hour on the stationary bike at the gym of two minute intervals at max intensity is it better to do the interval in a big gear at a lower cadence (for me level 17 at 90 rpm) or a smaller gear at a higher cadence (level 15 at 110 rpm)? So far I’ve just been mixing it up but I am wondering if anyone can explain the specific benefits of each or definitively say one is better than the other. 2 minutes of either of those hurts equally to me. Im just trying to improve overall power and speed over distances of 15-25 miles (sprint and olympic tris). thanks.
Good question. It is a good idea to start out with high RPM intervals and make each successive interval slightly harder at a somewhat lower rpm. For example your first interval could be at very low resistance at an RPM of 110-120. Gradually work your way down to harder slower intervals. If you are measuring power, you may find an optimal RPM for your best power output. It is an individual thing. Optimal RPM could be 80 for you, and it could be 95 for someone else.
I would suggest doing some days where all of your intervals are fast, i.e. never let your rpm go below 90–this develops endurance. Have other days where you deliberatelly do relatively slow rpms (40-60) at a very high resistance–this develops leg strength.
You can also vary the length of your intervals. Do some lower intensity intervals 6-10 min duration, and some higher intensity intervals 4 min duration. You can also do some very high intensity intervals for 1 min duration.
I would also suggest that you look at Arnie Baker’s book, Smart Cycling. He has an extensive guide for indoor training workouts.
You can also go to his website and get his e-handouts: http://www.arniebakercycling.com/handouts/ht_stationary_training.htm