I’d like to be able to throw in a quick spinning workout after my weight training days just to add a little more to what I’m already doing on the bike. Does anyone have any ideas on 10-30 minute workouts that would be beneficial to me, or would spinning for such a short amount of time not produce much benefit?
1min on. 1min off.
On as hard as you can. Off is try to breath.
That is a great bike racing workout, excellent for your anaerobic capacity, but I would suggest a more specific workout to the task of getting ready for triathlon would be something with constant power (your races will be constant power) and aerobic (your races will be entirely in the aerobic zones).
10 minutes? Go at high zone 4 for ten minutes and maybe as hard as you can for the second half
30 minutes? Zone 4 for 30 minutes and again maybe hard as you can for the final 5 minutes.
Doing things like 1 minute on 1 minute off to break the monotony sometimes is fine, you will still gain fitness from that too, but it is a bit less specific.
Power zones defined here:
http://home.trainingpeaks.com/articles/cycling/power-training-levels,-by-andrew-coggan.aspx
1min on. 1min off.
On as hard as you can. Off is try to breath.
Well he didn’t give much to work with.
10’ warm then 20’ hard is fun. But if he wants 10-15min then I would either skip it or do something hard.
Personally I’d just go eat dinner.
http://beta.active.com/triathlon/articles/go-for-broke-with-tabata-intervals-8211
20s all out, 10s rest x 8
Tabata Regimen
A version of HIIT was based on a 1996 study by Professor Izumi Tabata (“c”¨@ò) et al. initially involving Olympic speedskaters, uses 20 seconds of ultra-intense exercise (at an intensity of about 170% of VO2max) followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated continuously for 4 minutes (8 cycles). The exercise was performed on a mechanically braked cycle ergometer. Tabata called this the IE1 protocol. In the original study, athletes using this method trained 4 times per week, plus another day of steady-state training, and obtained gains similar to a group of athletes who did steady state training (70% VO2max) 5 times per week. The steady state group had a higher VO2max at the end (from 52 to 57 ml/kg/min), but the Tabata group had started lower and gained more overall (from 48 to 55 ml/kg/min). Also, only the Tabata group had gained anaerobic capacity benefits.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-intensity_interval_training
I tried doing this for 3x a week for 12 weeks. After 2 weeks I was effed’. I don’t know if it made me any faster, but damn was I tired.
Yeah, I tried them 2-3x. Some of the most effed up four minutes of my life. 
But he was asking for short workouts…
Good lord! Tried this for the first time tonight since I was short on time. Two sets total with 6 minutes spinning in between. By the 6th interval of each set my entire body felt like it needed to puke.
I’m thinking this will be a great workout for cx.
I haven’t done this one yet (it’s still nice weather for outdoor rides) but I definitely plan to.
Global Cycling Network 20 minute HIIT workout http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGGvKt8vWho&feature=share&list=PL3AAE880993B1A5C2
30 minutes?
25 minutes at zone 4 then as hard as you can the last 5 minutes
Not rocket science, go as hard as you can in the physiologically relevant zones. So, thatd be 4 and maybe 5 =)
I’d like to be able to throw in a quick spinning workout after my weight training days just to add a little more to what I’m already doing on the bike. Does anyone have any ideas on 10-30 minute workouts that would be beneficial to me, or would spinning for such a short amount of time not produce much benefit?
Warm up. 3 x . Start hard and hold on.
Remainder of time - Z1 (or cleaning up the vomit).
I’d vote for 1 minute on/1 off or even 30 seconds on/30 off but whatever you do, steady state or intervals, just make sure you are a quivering mass of jello at the end of our time. Increased intensity can be traded off for less time.
FWIW - a short intense interval set like this as part of an overall training regime is not something weird or a waste to time. It is a bed rock of real bike training. The reason those roadies are so fast is because they do this type of thing fairly frequently, either on their own or because this type of effort is often what happens in races or spirited group rides.
These are all great options! I am a time constrained cyclist and made big gains this year off 5-6 hours a week doing intervals like these. Off days were 1hr at sweetspot, on days were warm-up then intervals. Mixing things up is helpful mentally and physically. The super short stuff (less than a min) certainly built fitness, but for me it helped me break through a barrier to accepting pain. This stuff is great!
but for me it helped me break through a barrier to accepting pain
That’s the big value…
There are a few workouts that come to mind if you are limited on time.
Do this workout on a trainer:
- 10’ warm up with a 30s max spin up at 8 minutes, 5 x 15 seconds biggest gear seated from a very slow roll, take 3 to 5 minutes recovery between.
You can do this on the trainer or outdoors.
2) 10’ warm up with a 30s max spin up at 8 minutes, 15 minutes at 200-225w with 3x30s MAX effort during the 15 minute effort. Do not drop below 200W between the 30s efforts. Take 2-4 minutes between the 30s efforts.
This workout can be done with a single effort, but typically done twice (which would take you over your 30 minute limit…)
Have fun!