recent c+ training article

kieranb

Hi, I'm a bit confused by the article in C+ this week which stated that the best performance improvements in a swedish study came from those who trained 75% of the time in low zone (<75% max hr) and remaining time in high zone (>90% m hr). Seems to me is says take it easy most days and then a very hard session so often, but isn't >90% max hr hard to sustain in training ? I used to do 2x20 interval sessions but at around 85%max, sessions with intensity >90% max hr were like 4x4min and only once a week.

Also in my weekend club ride I try to push myself with the training group so probably spend some time >90% max but most of the time below that (as I'd keel over otherwise) but almost always >75% max hr. Is this then a waste of time?

Mike Willcox

To reach your full potential you should think of your training as a pyramid. If you are building a pyramid then you need to have a firm base before you can build the middle and then you need the middle before you can build the top.

The base of the pyramid has more material then the middle and the top. So the majority of your training is getting a basic fitness, and that involves hours spent in the saddle just riding and working on technique etc. If you ride within yourself then you can do more hours more often than if you are caning it. The preparation phase can also include improving all round body strength with some gym work.

After completing this phase then you can move on to buiding some speed work into your schedule. So the training week will be a mixture of long moderate rides and some shorter ones with harder efforts, perhaps up long drags or climbs.

And so on with less and less riding and more quality speed work until it comes to race time when it is a mixture of some very very easy miles and some very very hard training indeed.

oldwelshman

I agree with Mike, bilding a base is important.
If you have the time this is the best way to train though if your time is limited you can do some shorter harder sessions.
Personally I find training bloody boring so mix p my rides.
I often do a steady ride, then do a hard bit on the climbs, even mix it up with sprints.
Also on weekend rns we mi it up racing for signs, and a 10 to 15 mile blast to the cafe is also hard but fun and far less boring

Alex_Simmons/RST

Also, sometimes when working on the "base" and "middle", you may need to raise the ceiling at bit at times in order to further build those endurance level capabilities. But that's getting a bit specialised

Can you reference the article (is it online or a mag?). How are they defining performance improvement?

Mike Willcox

Alex_Simmons/RST wrote:

Also, sometimes when working on the "base" and "middle", you may need to raise the ceiling at bit at times in order to further build those endurance level capabilities. But that's getting a bit specialised
Can you reference the article (is it online or a mag?). How are they defining performance improvement?

You're giving away too many secrets now. Some of this stuff is as valuable as gold dust

Mike Willcox1

Mike Willcox wrote:

Alex_Simmons/RST wrote:

Also, sometimes when working on the "base" and "middle", you may need to raise the ceiling at bit at times in order to further build those endurance level capabilities. But that's getting a bit specialised
Can you reference the article (is it online or a mag?). How are they defining performance improvement?

You're giving away too many secrets now. Some of this stuff is as valuable as gold dust

Couldn't agree more.