After every training session for marathon canoe racing, I do a Tabata, (max for 20 seconds, back-off for 10, x 7). Has anyone tried to incorporate this into training for a bike time trial?
After every training session for marathon canoe racing, I do a Tabata, (max for 20 seconds, back-off for 10, x 7). Has anyone tried to incorporate this into training for a bike time trial?
It would mostly be a waste of time. Tabata is not magic like many uninformed coaches think it is. There are some serious issues with trying to generalize the results of Tabata’s study to a time trial effort.
After every training session for marathon canoe racing, I do a Tabata, (max for 20 seconds, back-off for 10, x 7). Has anyone tried to incorporate this into training for a bike time trial?
It would mostly be a waste of time. Tabata is not magic like many uninformed coaches think it is. There are some serious issues with trying to generalize the results of Tabata’s study to a time trial effort.
I’d disagree with the ‘waste of time’ part. I think they can be pretty useful, and have seen them have a positive effect on sustainable power. Then again, I think any workout that targets fibers recruited under high power and in a high-overload situation can be useful. I just think it’s a matter of how you incorporate that in your training.
I’ve never heard any coaches refer to them as ‘magic’, though with what passes for ‘triathlon coaches’ these days, nothing really would surprise me. It seems that silly news articles are responsible for proclaiming them as ‘magic’ (you know, ‘TRAIN 3 MINUTES A WEEK’ and all that…).
Lastly, I think there are ‘serious issues’ trying to generalize the results of any study and applying it to real-world training. That doesn’t mean the studies are irrelevant or useless though.
it isnt a waste of time, it would go into your fitness bank and that would help. problem with using it for a TT is that a TT is a pretty steady hard effort, tabata is super short with short recovery, it would add to your overall fitness which would help your TT but maybe not specific enough to really do much.
then again, if it is improving your overall fitness then sure. do it. just do your hard steady stuff firrst 
After every training session for marathon canoe racing, I do a Tabata, (max for 20 seconds, back-off for 10, x 7). Has anyone tried to incorporate this into training for a bike time trial?
It would mostly be a waste of time. Tabata is not magic like many uninformed coaches think it is. There are some serious issues with trying to generalize the results of Tabata’s study to a time trial effort.
I’d disagree with the ‘waste of time’ part. I think they can be pretty useful, and have seen them have a positive effect on sustainable power. Then again, I think any workout that targets fibers recruited under high power and in a high-overload situation can be useful. I just think it’s a matter of how you incorporate that in your training.
I’ve never heard any coaches refer to them as ‘magic’, though with what passes for ‘triathlon coaches’ these days, nothing really would surprise me. It seems that silly news articles are responsible for proclaiming them as ‘magic’ (you know, ‘TRAIN 3 MINUTES A WEEK’ and all that…).
Lastly, I think there are ‘serious issues’ trying to generalize the results of any study and applying it to real-world training. That doesn’t mean the studies are irrelevant or useless though.
More useful for a roadie than a TT or triathlete. Tabata protocol has been over hyped. Many are claiming that this is all you need because it produces “superior improvements in aerobic and anaerobic metabolism” compared to steady state exercise. That is essentially what Dr. Izumi Tabata found, but when you consider the context, you understand that this is not necessarily true. Works for a little while, then you plateau and will not improve without adding some volume. Some do not seem to understand this.
In any case, for sustainable power (i.e. 40K TT) I think you would agree that longer intervals would be more beneficial.
After getting really fed up hearing about Tabata I decided to write about one of my own preferred VO2 max protocols last month. One of the elite girls on elite-ciao.com has been trying it at wrote a summary of my piece and her exerience which is well worth a glance if you are interested.
http://www.multitesta.com/graeme/beyond-tabata/
http://www.elite-ciao.com/ash/graeme-protocol-vs-tabata-protocol/
I have tried Tabata style protocols, training both bike and on foot. Good gains for VO2max power. Everything else unchanged.
Good for what they are ie: a short suprathreshold training.
I also abstained from the bike for ~3 weeks whilst continuing running intervals. Once again, slight gains for sub 10min power, others unchanged.
YMMV.
After every training session for marathon canoe racing, I do a Tabata, (max for 20 seconds, back-off for 10, x 7). Has anyone tried to incorporate this into training for a bike time trial?
It would mostly be a waste of time. Tabata is not magic like many uninformed coaches think it is. There are some serious issues with trying to generalize the results of Tabata’s study to a time trial effort.
Not only not magic and difficult to relate to steady state prolonged effort, but the original protocol had an “on” intensity of ~170% of VO2max. For the OP, I would think that level of intensity would 1) be difficult to achieve paddling a canoe and 2) be dificult to achieve at the end of a training session.
After every training session for marathon canoe racing, I do a Tabata, (max for 20 seconds, back-off for 10, x 7). Has anyone tried to incorporate this into training for a bike time trial?
Ive read a year ago in a magazine that the htc guys do something like that to get in time trial shape. But its 3 sets 10 times 40 secs all out 20 rest. I do it too, both running and cycling and must say I quite like it. No data to back it up, though.
Also I have heard about a lot different short hard intervall sessions named tabata, Idk wether he designer multiple ones or the rest of all people got it wrong.
And conoe marathon is cool, did that too before I started triathlon.