andydude Posted August 6, 2014 Posted August 6, 2014 Imagine if you were able to make much stronger attacks at the most decisive moments in a cycling race. If you could push 50-100 Watts more and keep it there just a little longer. Could it make a difference? Could it possible increase your chances of winning? No doubt. The good news is that you can actually boost your anaerobic performance with very small adjustments to your current training. You can call them Race-Winning Intervals. And you don't have to work harder, but you need to pay more attention to the specific skills you want to train. Let me explain... Most road cyclists enjoy riding long endurance rides lasting 1to 2hours and sometimes up to 6+ hours. Some of them include structured intervals focusing on lifting their functional threshold power and VO2 max on a regular basis. It all makes good sense. But it is only a small minority that use structured intervals targeting anaerobic power and endurance. If you ask me, it's a big mistake. Why? Because the shorter races you ride, the more important your anaerobic skills are. So there is actually a HUGE potential if you train these skills the right way (because most of your opponents don't). Here is a story from a rider who took his anaerobic performance to a new level with race-winning intervals: ------ I've done a few crits but being 69kg and more of a climber I've always struggled to get in the points. I always lost positions in the last lap or two, generally ended up between 10th and 20th. So I started doing your anaerobic interval sessions on the turbo trainer - I did about 6 or 7 sessions over 3 weeks. 24th June I was10th8th July I was 6th15th July I was 1st - won by breaking away on the last lap using my new found anaerobic endurance (1 lap is just over 1 minute) Very pleased, thanks for the sessions! Gary Bury ------ As you can see, anaerobic performance can make significant changes to your race performance. Remember there is not much difference between the aerobic endurance of podium and top-15 riders. However, most podium riders are able to make harder attacks or sprints than the rest. Some of these riders are gifted with these skills from their parents. Well, I agree, that is quite difficult to change when you read this... Nevertheless, anaerobic performance is quite trainable and you can make enormous improvements in short time. It is actually much faster than developing aerobic power. Here are three examples (1-1.5hrs) of how you can improve your anaerobic power and endurance: Race-Winning Intervals #1 (last Kilo jump) 15 minutes - warm up (increasing intensity) 5 x (60sec. maximum intensity + 9 min. recovery)Cool down Race-Winning Intervals #2 (long sprint) 15 minutes - warm up (increasing intensity) 8 x flying 500m sprints + 9 min. recovery) Cool down Race-Winning Intervals #3 (hill sprint) 15 minutes - warm up (increasing intensity) 10 x (20sec. slow start, hill sprints + 6 min. recovery) Cool down If you perform 6 to 8 of these sessions during the next month, I expect to hear more success stories like the one mentioned above. Give it a try! Best regards, Jesper Bondo Medhus, MD http://www.training4cyclists.com
andydude Posted August 6, 2014 Posted August 6, 2014 I subscribe to Jesper's emails, like the one above. Maybe it can help you.
Eugene Oppelt Posted August 7, 2014 Posted August 7, 2014 I subscribe to Jesper's emails, like the one above. Maybe it can help you. That's good stuff, AndydudeThanx
Jakkals. Posted August 7, 2014 Posted August 7, 2014 How do you know your FTP is up? and by how much? Did Andy Coggan's Classic FTP test. 15min wu5min > 110%10min easy20min all out TT(avg power x 0.95)cool down
DJpak Posted August 7, 2014 Posted August 7, 2014 I did ftp test today again!!! HahaTwo weeks ago my ftp was 236.7&3.88w/kgToday my ftp is 240.3&3.93w/kg!!! Ye!!! Getting better!!
Eugene Oppelt Posted August 7, 2014 Posted August 7, 2014 I did ftp test today again!!! HahaTwo weeks ago my ftp was 236.7&3.88w/kgToday my ftp is 240.3&3.93w/kg!!! Ye!!! Getting better!! Peaking just in time for Vuelta...:-) More seriously, nicely done.
Eugene Oppelt Posted August 7, 2014 Posted August 7, 2014 My right knee is wobbly after some hard riding this week.Aaaarrggh....Have to ease up a bit and add more recovery time in between hard rides.
Jakkals. Posted August 7, 2014 Posted August 7, 2014 I did ftp test today again!!! HahaTwo weeks ago my ftp was 236.7&3.88w/kgToday my ftp is 240.3&3.93w/kg!!! Ye!!! Getting better!! There is different "ways" of training, training to improve threshold isn't always the "right" way. Kudos for the increase, watts doesn't come free and the hard work pays off.
Jakkals. Posted August 7, 2014 Posted August 7, 2014 My right knee is wobbly after some hard riding this week.Aaaarrggh....Have to ease up a bit and add more recovery time in between hard rides. Yip, we all know, that limit just before overtraining....to push it always just that little bit. Ice and rest for a day or two. then easy over the weekend my friend.
fandacious Posted August 8, 2014 Author Posted August 8, 2014 Some useful data:By using Dr. Ferrari’s formula: Froome 5.96 W/kg on 5 major climbs in 2013 Tour.Nibali 5.99 W/kg on 5 major climbs in 2014 Tour.Average duration of 5 climbs: 35 min (both 2013 and 2014) ******* hell
Eugene Oppelt Posted August 8, 2014 Posted August 8, 2014 Yip, we all know, that limit just before overtraining....to push it always just that little bit. Ice and rest for a day or two. then easy over the weekend my friend. Thanx, anton' Got a 150er lined up on Sunday - DC training. Endurance pace.Resting the kniekop until then.
Eugene Oppelt Posted August 8, 2014 Posted August 8, 2014 ******* hell Yeah, those PROs can roll hey Interesting to see Nibs right up there with the Dawg
DJpak Posted August 8, 2014 Posted August 8, 2014 There is different "ways" of training, training to improve threshold isn't always the "right" way. Kudos for the increase, watts doesn't come free and the hard work pays off. During week I normally do intervals and zone 2 training and during weekends I try to go a lon g distance This weekends ganna be good for cape town cyclists! !!Ye~~~ I hope I dont see any bike jacking hahaha
Jakkals. Posted August 8, 2014 Posted August 8, 2014 During week I normally do intervals and zone 2 training and during weekends I try to go a lon g distance This weekends ganna be good for cape town cyclists! !!Ye~~~ I hope I dont see any bike jacking hahaha Lately my riding during the week is non existing and try and smash it all over weekends.
IdeJongh Posted August 10, 2014 Posted August 10, 2014 Solid week, 736TSS at 0.82 IF Legs feeling it.
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