Power issue?

[Eon du Plessis]

Agreed, but you cannot do hills/intervals at the intensity that promotes power increases if you are constantly in a fatigued state due to over training....

 

Absolutely agreed. I'm hardly a coach either - hell, I'm a novice - but the amount of training she does in a week really stood out for me. It's a hell of a lot and you have to respect the mentality to push through being exhausted and still clock those hours.

[Spoke101]

Based on her FTP and W/kg, she's around 57kg.

 

Power simply needs to be pulled up. There's not that many kg left to lose while maintaining a healthy body fat % for a woman.

  Should have thought of that.

[rpedro]

I don't see you mention doing any big blade/Low cadence strength training. I agree with most of the previous comments in that you are doing to many long rides. To be able to do proper intervals you need to be well rested.

 

I train on avg 7-8 hrs per week.

[rpedro]

No, but lowering it will help you.

 

Your weight does make a huge difference to the equation. Its power to weight, not power to body fat

 

 

It will also help indicate how much you should eat on these rides.

 

I agree with Eon. She should focus on pushing UP the power. I've seen to many skinny guys who can't climb because the get obsessed with weight.

[Patchelicious]

I agree with Eon. She should focus on pushing UP the power. I've seen to many skinny guys who can't climb because the get obsessed with weight.

I have seen just as many powerful guys who cant climb because they are heavy....

 

I think that we can only make that statement once we know the metrics.

 

Eg: If some is 100kg and has a 300W FTP we can safely say that weight is the area to be worked on.

If someone weighs 50kg and their FTP is 150W, then we can say lets work on power.

 

Now that we know (look at the timing of my post) the weight roughly we can say its power that needs to increase, hence me saying that she needs to rest more so that she can do the intervals at a higher intensity.

 

I would suggest 2 x weekly VO2Max and intervals sets get it going with easy days in between.

 

OP, how long and steep is the hill that you use for your repeats? How long does it usually take you to do one repeat? The time it takes can help determine how hard you should go up there for optimal returns....

[rpedro]

I have seen just as many powerful guys who cant climb because they are heavy....

 

I think that we can only make that statement once we know the metrics.

 

Eg: If some is 100kg and has a 300W FTP we can safely say that weight is the area to be worked on.

If someone weighs 50kg and their FTP is 150W, then we can say lets work on power.

 

Now that we know (look at the timing of my post) the weight roughly we can say its power that needs to increase, hence me saying that she needs to rest more so that she can do the intervals at a higher intensity.

 

I would suggest 2 x weekly VO2Max and intervals sets get it going with easy days in between.

 

OP, how long and steep is the hill that you use for your repeats? How long does it usually take you to do one repeat? The time it takes can help determine how hard you should go up there for optimal returns....

 

Yes agree,

 

Also she should look at including resistance/low cadence training. That will help with the power.

[Jakkals.]

Yes agree,

 

Also she should look at including resistance/low cadence training. That will help with the power.

seated

[HABA]

Get a cycling coach. The Coaching Corner: Johann 0835549300

[NordicElf]

I have seen just as many powerful guys who cant climb because they are heavy....

 

I think that we can only make that statement once we know the metrics.

 

Eg: If some is 100kg and has a 300W FTP we can safely say that weight is the area to be worked on.

If someone weighs 50kg and their FTP is 150W, then we can say lets work on power.

 

Now that we know (look at the timing of my post) the weight roughly we can say its power that needs to increase, hence me saying that she needs to rest more so that she can do the intervals at a higher intensity.

 

I would suggest 2 x weekly VO2Max and intervals sets get it going with easy days in between.

 

OP, how long and steep is the hill that you use for your repeats? How long does it usually take you to do one repeat? The time it takes can help determine how hard you should go up there for optimal returns....

 

Oh wow! Thank you to everyone that has responded! Such useful information!

 

So I weigh 58kg now but I think my bf has dropped since I did the FTP. I'm really short but I think you've figure that out. I'd say have a normal build, quite bulky, definitely not skinny but not fat either. Anyway... tmi

 

So the hill I'm doing Hill repeats on is Hill road in Greenside, 1,2km long and 5% gradient. I've started the session in an easy gear and then dropping a gear down until I have to stand too much then completed the session in that gear. On my cluster that's been about 4/5 from the top. (28-11) I don't let my heart rate go above 90% on this session.

 

I would love suggestions for other sessions. And why they would help. I think I do better riding on the road. I can't cheat up a hill but on my indoor trainer I think I sometimes cop out by making the resistance less.  

[NordicElf]

Absolutely agreed. I'm hardly a coach either - hell, I'm a novice - but the amount of training she does in a week really stood out for me. It's a hell of a lot and you have to respect the mentality to push through being exhausted and still clock those hours.

 

Thank you for that. Been working really hard. Obviously not the most efficiently but proud of how I've been going about it. 

[Pure Savage]

Ride with faster riders during the week.

 

I find sometimes Pure Sausage does intervals sessions instead of Pure Savage

[Patchelicious]

Oh wow! Thank you to everyone that has responded! Such useful information!

 

So I weigh 58kg now but I think my bf has dropped since I did the FTP. I'm really short but I think you've figure that out. I'd say have a normal build, quite bulky, definitely not skinny but not fat either. Anyway... tmi

 

So the hill I'm doing Hill repeats on is Hill road in Greenside, 1,2km long and 5% gradient. I've started the session in an easy gear and then dropping a gear down until I have to stand too much then completed the session in that gear. On my cluster that's been about 4/5 from the top. (28-11) I don't let my heart rate go above 90% on this session.

 

I would love suggestions for other sessions. And why they would help. I think I do better riding on the road. I can't cheat up a hill but on my indoor trainer I think I sometimes cop out by making the resistance less.  

I know that hill well.

 

https://www.strava.com/segments/813382

 

A nice little training hill.

 

I would suggest that you use it, as its a good length climb for increasing power.

 

I would suggest (again not a coach, but merely what I would do if that was my training hill):

 

Twice a week, ride up there as fast as you can without blowing up on the way up, time it so that your legs explode at the top. This should take about 5mins, meaning that you effectively rode pretty much in the VO2 zones. Do this 4 - 6 times or until you take 15% longer to ride up (this indicates fatigue and you will not be riding hard enough for the interval to take effect and you will just be tiring yourself out)

 

Then twice a week ride up ther at a cadence of 65rpm but not at the same pace as the above, your legs shoudl burn at the lower cadence, but not be flat out efforts.

 

Weekend, one long ride EASY, rest 2 other days, completely off the bike.

 

This is not anywhere perfect, but its a start

[porqui]

Why do you ride?

 

What is your goal riding?

 

Do you sleep well and enough?

 

Do you enjoy your riding?

[NordicElf]

I know that hill well.

 

https://www.strava.com/segments/813382

 

A nice little training hill.

 

I would suggest that you use it, as its a good length climb for increasing power.

 

I would suggest (again not a coach, but merely what I would do if that was my training hill):

 

Twice a week, ride up there as fast as you can without blowing up on the way up, time it so that your legs explode at the top. This should take about 5mins, meaning that you effectively rode pretty much in the VO2 zones. Do this 4 - 6 times or until you take 15% longer to ride up (this indicates fatigue and you will not be riding hard enough for the interval to take effect and you will just be tiring yourself out)

 

Then twice a week ride up ther at a cadence of 65rpm but not at the same pace as the above, your legs shoudl burn at the lower cadence, but not be flat out efforts.

 

Weekend, one long ride EASY, rest 2 other days, completely off the bike.

 

This is not anywhere perfect, but its a start

 

Your suggestions are resonating with me. I'm going to rest a little more than I have been. And focus a little more on the hill repeats. Have a better plan.

 

My pb up Hill rd is 4:55 (I think I was chasing a dude up there on Tuesday, it was my last of 6)

 

Above you say twice a week, twice -is that 4 x times per week or alternate the 2 sessions weekly?

 

And to be clear... these hill repeats are going to give me more power that I could use on long downhills, trying to stay with the group at speed, they aren't only going to help me on hills, right? 

[BDF]

Hi Nordic Elf,

 

If you want to accumulate great metrics almost for free try this:

https://whats.todaysplan.com.au

They also offer customised but automated training plans depending on your plan goal.

[Patchelicious]

Your suggestions are resonating with me. I'm going to rest a little more than I have been. And focus a little more on the hill repeats. Have a better plan.

 

My pb up Hill rd is 4:55 (I think I was chasing a dude up there on Tuesday, it was my last of 6)

 

Above you say twice a week, twice -is that 4 x times per week or alternate the 2 sessions weekly?

 

And to be clear... these hill repeats are going to give me more power that I could use on long downhills, trying to stay with the group at speed, they aren't only going to help me on hills, right? 

Your PB is then very much in line then

 

Please dont take this as gospel, its merely a suggestion.

 

Monday - 4 - 6 x Hill repeats at 5mins each (warm up and cool down) This will burn both legs and lungs, so expect that.

Tuesday - 60mins easy

Wed - 4 - 6 x low cadence (65 rpm) up the hill, should take about 6 - 6:30 mins on that hill. This will burn your legs.

Thursday - 4 - 6 x Hill repeats at 5mins each (warm up and cool down)

Friday - easy coffee ride

Sat - Long ride 4-5 hours. (easy, you should be able to hold a conversation the whole time)

Sunday off, completely!!

 

I would do that for 4 weeks, then take a week easy and then see how you do in a big group ride again, then you can assess if it worked, or if you need another approach.

 

As for the group, increased power will help on hills, flats and downhills. When it comes to flats and downhills, also keep in mind to follow the wheel in front of you more diligently than you would on a climb, aerodynamics plays a bigger and bigger role the faster you get, especially if you are smaller than those around you.