Interval Training

[zerocool]

Contact the guys at Bikemaxpower.com for a good cycling program.. 

[swsup97]

 

i think a lot of this Interval training is a means of trial and error - u can follow advice or take notes from a book - does'nt necessary mean that it will improve your performance.

 

My suggestion would be to test it out and if it does not work for you then move on - do more research and try different options and use races as a measure to know whether u are improving or not.

 

 

[SwissVan]

 

Yes interval (interval word used loosely in respect of meaning higher intensity) training is definitely worth it?

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The key is consistent training but with a variety of different intensity efforts and sufficient rest / recovery in between.

 

By doing some higher intensity intervals a few times a week you will improve quicker than by just plodding along at the same intensity every day. The type of interval (length and intensity) is dependant on the amount of time remaining and type of race you are training for.

 

IMHO longer intervals done at a few beats / min below lactic threshold twice a week would be better than the 30 second intervals you refer to. Perhaps a combination of the 2, doing one of each once a week if the race is very close.

 

It also helps to get a dedicated programm from a coach / magazine / book so that your valuable 60 minutes is used constructivly with a specific time frame i.e.

15 min warm up

5 min build up

20 min Core

10 min cool down

 

 

 

[Slowbee]

sheeesh guys - fried brains with all this info.

 

Two things seem to come out.

1. Try it for a while and see if it works.

2. Sufficient rest inbetween.

 

The question's that follow are, what is meant by rest? just time off the bike, or being on the bike taking it easy?

 

Lastly could you do all this stuff on an IDT? Even with lights, the dark is still a scary place .....

 

[Overlord]

 

sheeesh guys - fried brains with all this info.

 

Two things seem to come out.

1. Try it for a while and see if it works.

2. Sufficient rest inbetween.

 

The question's that follow are' date=' what is meant by rest? just time off the bike, or being on the bike taking it easy?

 

Lastly could you do all this stuff on an IDT? Even with lights, the dark is still a scary place .....

 

[/quote']

 

Yes you can but it gets very boring and warm. The sweat will be all over that nice bike you have.

 

[Slowbee]

 

sheeesh guys - fried brains with all this info.

 

Two things seem to come out.

1. Try it for a while and see if it works.

2. Sufficient rest inbetween.

 

The question's that follow are' date=' what is meant by rest? just time off the bike, or being on the bike taking it easy?

 

Lastly could you do all this stuff on an IDT? Even with lights, the dark is still a scary place .....

 

[/quote']

 

Yes you can but it gets very boring and warm. The sweat will be all over that nice bike you have.

 

you think I would do that to my bike ??? Not a flippen chance ..... rather put the wife's bike on the IDT ...

 

 

[Overlord]

 

sheeesh guys - fried brains with all this info.

 

Two things seem to come out.

1. Try it for a while and see if it works.

2. Sufficient rest inbetween.

 

The question's that follow are' date=' what is meant by rest? just time off the bike, or being on the bike taking it easy?

 

Lastly could you do all this stuff on an IDT? Even with lights, the dark is still a scary place .....

 

[/quote']

 

Yes you can but it gets very boring and warm. The sweat will be all over that nice bike you have.

 

She is going to beat you to a pulp.

 

you think I would do that to my bike ??? Not a flippen chance ..... rather put the wife's bike on the IDT ...

 

[Slowbee]

 

sheeesh guys - fried brains with all this info.

 

Two things seem to come out.

1. Try it for a while and see if it works.

2. Sufficient rest inbetween.

 

The question's that follow are' date=' what is meant by rest? just time off the bike, or being on the bike taking it easy?

 

Lastly could you do all this stuff on an IDT? Even with lights, the dark is still a scary place .....

 

[/quote']

 

Yes you can but it gets very boring and warm. The sweat will be all over that nice bike you have.

 

She is going to beat you to a pulp.

 

you think I would do that to my bike ??? Not a flippen chance ..... rather put the wife's bike on the IDT ...

 

 

i'll have to ask her to wait till I am finished riding then she can beat me ...

 

[Scoe]

Great info Yoda, but my word, that is the longest post i've ever seen on the hub! respect

[Yang]

Morning all' date=' I just want to reiterate,that I am not the be all and end all of cycling knowledge once again, so for those of you who slammed me,sarcasm has no place out on the training ground, I was merely offering some advice, and just in case you were wondering, whether you are a social rider or a highly competitive one, having the knowledge and applying some science_or as one of you stated, some of it phoney??-will give you the break you looking for.

[/quote']

 

Hey Yoda, welcome to the Hub with a great (lonnnng) post- just bear with us and don't go away, because I'm sure that you will find a lot of stuff you can comment on with better insight than most of us here who are sports amateurs, and that we will benefit from. I for one appreciate the fact that you took the time to answer the question- Tech Q&A is one of the more serious threads where people answer questions seriously. The wit and sniping and nit-picking and humour is normally found on other threads.   

[SwissVan]

sheeesh guys - fried brains with all this info.

Two things seem to come out.
1. Try it for a while and see if it works.
2. Sufficient rest inbetween.

The question's that follow are' date=' what is meant by rest? just time off the bike, or being on the bike taking it easy?

Lastly could you do all this stuff on an IDT? Even with lights, the dark is still a scary place .....
[/quote']

 

Rest probably was the wrong word to use, recovery would have been better... Yes it means still being on the bike but taking it easy. Basicaly in the 55 - 65% of max HR range.

 

Rest in my mind means a complete day off from any exercise, something I'm not averse to having more than once a week....

 

IDT is ideal for this type of training, you can concentrate on what you are doing and dont have any issues with traffic, stops, traffic lights, downhills or anything else that can interupt an interval.

 

 

  

 

 

[Santa C]

Thanks guys for the worth well reading!!!

 

1. Question:

I can't get on my bike until Saturday but I can get to the gym to do weights and spin in the evening is...Spinning 2/3 times a week for a 45min class instead of being on the bike is that a waste of time??

[Santa C]

Contact the guys at Bikemaxpower.com for a good cycling program.. 

 

Zerocool, Checked the website...It's very expensive? Is there a cheaper option?

[porky]

Thanks guys for the worth well reading!!!

 

1. Question:

I can't get on my bike until Saturday but I can get to the gym to do weights and spin in the evening is...Spinning 2/3 times a week for a 45min class instead of being on the bike is that a waste of time??

 

No, personally I think its fine, spinning is quite high intensity so three good spinning classes and a nice endurance ride once a week - perfect.!

 

Slowbee, find a shortish undulating route you can complete in 60minutes, ride it at tempo and time yourself - now base all other rides on this time, (ie) recovery day 5 minutes slower, speed day 5 minutes faster, tempo day 2 minutes either side of your tempo time.

 

In my opinion you should forget the intervals, for best interval results you need the time in saddle as well, your time is too limited to make them effective.

By timing yourself everyday you wont dawdle around the route and waste time, - your primary aim is 160 kms (100miler) not a sprint around the block - you need to develop endurance not speed now - that comes later.

 

You could do this on an idt as well, but by the third day you will be bored to tears and by the sixth day you will find reasons to avoid it - get outdoors where there is interest.!

  

[Yang]

Yep, IDT training takes discipline, dedication and a good programme on TV to stop yourself from going loony, and to take your mind off the pain if you're pushing it. 

If, Slowbee, your time is limited, then IDT will give you an excellent workout, inclusive of intervals programmes. Then that's me. In my cycling I want to get better every year as I get older. SO far I am doing so, and at this rate am on track to winning the Argus by the time I'm 60.

I understand what you're saying Porky, but if Slowbee is doing a 100mlr, it means that he HAS to spend time in the saddle. There is a strong case to be made for you to incorporate interval training in your preparation- it will give you that step up in your performance. Look at the post from whatsername in this thread (sorry)- how it improved her ability to stay with the bunch- and she wasn't too experienced. Yoda, what d'you think? 

 

[Bos]

Slight Highjack here...

 

I have been riding with a HR monitor for about 2 years and my highest recorded HR is 184. races training everything. In fact If I go flat out and bleed from my ears I only get high 170's hardly ever 180BPM

 

Im 27 years old and in good shape, I ride between 100-150km/week. run twice and swim when I get the chance about twice a week.

 

On most max heart rate calculators even my Garmin training centre one which takes my bodyweight etc into account, it gives me a max HR calculation of between 190 and 196BPM

 

What do I do.. Is your MAX HR a Attainable value or is it more a number to put your training zones into place?

 

 I dont want to be wondering about stuff like this. 195 and 185 is a big difference.

 

ADVICE PLEASE??