“The cyclist was tested after his nine-month race season, which ended in October, and again at the end of January. Researchers recorded his VO2 max (maximal oxygen uptake) while running and cycling, and his time-trial performance, on a bike ergometer. During his preseason training from November to January, the cyclist saw a 10.3 percent boost in VO2 max and a 14.9 percent jump in TT performance.”
I have read a lot of talk on this board about how running does not translate (at least not as well) to cycling as cycling translates to running. This seems to contradict that; however, we all know that high intensity intervals are some of the best ways to improve one’s ability to pedal harder, faster, and longer. So does this really contradict that or reinforce it even more? In short, does simply doing intervals with proper on/off times at high intensity in any kind of activity ie swimming, running, weight lifting, bob sledding, contribute to enhanced ability to suffer harder longer on the bike?
I’ve always felt the opposite was true than the normal ideas. In my n=1 example, running definitely made my cycling better. Or at least it meant I could ride a lot less and still put up really solid results in races on the bike.*
Then again, riding and racing bikes exclusively through the 90’s certainly didn’t hurt my cycling abilities either.
N=1, but I’m proof of it. Lifelong runner, weightlifter, occasional mountain biker. Bought first ever road/tri bike 5 months before IM. Trained like a mad man, went 5 hours on bike and 3:45 marathon. Not insane numbers, but it definetely translated.
The only times I’ve gone sub hour in the 40K TT is when I’ve been running (well). Likewise the only times I’ve gone under 36:00 in the 10K are when I’ve done lots of intense cycling intervals. Other people would argue that specifity is the only way for them. Diff’rent Strokes.
The only times I’ve gone sub hour in the 40K TT is when I’ve been running (well). Likewise the only times I’ve gone under 36:00 in the 10K are when I’ve done lots of intense cycling intervals. Other people would argue that specifity is the only way for them. Diff’rent Strokes.
The real question is what does the science say works for them, what people percieve doesn’t necessarily matter. For examples of this see roadies flipping out about weight of aero wheels.
Maybe it is just all down to a stronger aerobic core - like a simple increase in basic fitness? I run 3 times a week and it helps my cycling for sure… bike trainer is an easy night of training though (I do say 90 mins on average) whereas running say 6-8 miles is definitely a hard night’s training!
That study supports the idea that HIIT boosts your VO2Max, not that running is better than cycling. The cyclist could have also done VO2Max intervals on the bike during the off season.
I wasn’t suggesting running was better than biking to improve bike fitness at all. I was bringing this up because many on this board (although seemingly few on this post) say that running is no good for bike fitness where this article does seem to contradict that to a certain extent. My own perception is that any sort of high intensity interval work is going to improve your fitness all around. For example, speed hiking in the winter in the mountains would probably be very beneficial to both running and biking. Just my opinion though.
