Hour of Power- A Thank you

disgruntledgoat
disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
edited March 2013 in Training, fitness and health
Big thank you to whoever it was on these boards who introduced me to the Hour of Power workout. I've been working it in as one of my 3x 1 hour turbo sessions a week and as part of my 4 hour saturday rides for the last 3 weeks and it has (i'm assuming its this!) kicked me on massively.

My numbers have improved week on week on all my turbo sessions (av HR lower, Av speed up, and yes I know it's a turbo speed measurement and therefore wrong, but it is at least consistently wrong) and I feel like i'm so very nearly ready for the racing season to begin.
"In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

@gietvangent
«13456

Comments

  • phil s
    phil s Posts: 1,128
    Sounds like a Toks special.
    -- Dirk Hofman Motorhomes --
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    A brief google reveals it was indeed Toks!

    It will shred you, but it totally works!
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • Alex_Simmons/RST
    Alex_Simmons/RST Posts: 4,161
    Well it's Bill Black who came up with the workout in the first place.

    Nice guy Bill.
    RST Sport : Coaching - Training Plans - Powermeters -- My blog -- AeroCoach Australia
  • DaveyL
    DaveyL Posts: 5,167
    I think I'll have a go at this one tonight.

    Forgive me in advance if I'm not singing his praises by the end of the session :D
    Le Blaireau (1)
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    By way of guidance Davy, i've been running it as a five minute warm up (starting with easy spinning and gradually building up to a high tempo pace) followed by 2 minutes at 85% of max HR @ 90-95 rpm (about 165 in my case) with a 30 second all out "attack" @ 100+ rpm and repeat, then a 5 minute cool down after 50 minutes of that.

    Basically, your HR just stops recovering from your 30 second intervals after about 15-20 minutes and the rest of it is pretty much just torture. But as I said, it works. And you can watch a DVD while you do it, favourites so far are the 2003 Tour de France and Bruce Springsteen Live in Barcelona.
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • a_n_t
    a_n_t Posts: 2,011
    sounds brutal. I'll give it a go! :D
    Manchester wheelers

    PB's
    10m 20:21 2014
    25m 53:18 20:13
    50m 1:57:12 2013
    100m Yeah right.
  • Bronzie
    Bronzie Posts: 4,927
    disgruntledgoat wrote:
    followed by 2 minutes at 85% of max HR @ 90-95 rpm (about 165 in my case) with a 30 second all out "attack" @ 100+ rpm and repeat, then a 5 minute cool down after 50 minutes of that.
    Just to clarify...............there is no recovery in the hour at all? Just steady pace @ 85% max with 30-sec blasts every 2 minutes?
    It's a Lifestyle! -+-+- Coggan Training Levels
  • Alex_Simmons/RST
    Alex_Simmons/RST Posts: 4,161
    from the horse's mouth:

    Essentially, it is 60min. of Threshold effort interrupted by surges of 10 - 15 revs into VO2max every 90sec or so returning back to Threshold and looking to escalate the Threshold power level throughout the 60min duration. - Bill Black

    Now note that a "Threshold" effort is in the vicinity of 91-105% of 1-hr mean maximal power (FTP). For such a workout you are likely to be hovering below FTP for the "non-surge" segments.

    There are no recovery segments in such a workout.
    RST Sport : Coaching - Training Plans - Powermeters -- My blog -- AeroCoach Australia
  • Toks
    Toks Posts: 1,143
    Alex_Simmons/RST wrote:
    Well it's Bill Black who came up with the workout in the first place.

    Nice guy Bill.
    Yeah don't worry Alex i made sure Bill got his props! 8)
    http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... hour+power
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    Bronzie wrote:
    disgruntledgoat wrote:
    followed by 2 minutes at 85% of max HR @ 90-95 rpm (about 165 in my case) with a 30 second all out "attack" @ 100+ rpm and repeat, then a 5 minute cool down after 50 minutes of that.
    Just to clarify...............there is no recovery in the hour at all? Just steady pace @ 85% max with 30-sec blasts every 2 minutes?


    You are correct my man. No recovery. :twisted:

    I find that after 30 minutes I am chuntering to myself and doing nearly anything to distract myself from my shortness of breath and burning legs.

    You won't stay at 85% either, after a while you pretty much stop recovering... I level out at around 175-177bpm (~90% of max) for the 2 minute sections.
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • phil s
    phil s Posts: 1,128
    Bill Black, what a cool name
    -- Dirk Hofman Motorhomes --
  • Bronzie
    Bronzie Posts: 4,927
    Alex_Simmons/RST wrote:
    Essentially, it is 60min. of Threshold effort interrupted by surges of 10 - 15 revs into VO2max every 90sec or so returning back to Threshold and looking to escalate the Threshold power level throughout the 60min duration. - Bill Black
    Sounds fun............................ :twisted:

    Do you need to increase the resistance for the hard efforts or just spinning faster or does it not matter as long as it sends you into the "red"?
    It's a Lifestyle! -+-+- Coggan Training Levels
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    I've been obtaining the extra intensity for the 30 second intervals by clicking up 2 gears and increasing my cadance from 90 to 100+.
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • a_n_t
    a_n_t Posts: 2,011
    confused.com

    what if you dont know your FTP?
    I see you've been using MHR but how close is this? I appreciate it's still going to be a serious workout!!
    Manchester wheelers

    PB's
    10m 20:21 2014
    25m 53:18 20:13
    50m 1:57:12 2013
    100m Yeah right.
  • Toks
    Toks Posts: 1,143
    phil s wrote:
    Bill Black, what a cool name
    8) 8) 8)
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    a_n_t wrote:
    confused.com

    what if you dont know your FTP?
    I see you've been using MHR but how close is this? I appreciate it's still going to be a serious workout!!

    I've never trained using power so everything I do is based on % of max HR. I appreciate there's always going to be some lag in heartrate when you ramp the effort up so i don't worry too much about it for the first few intervals, as long as the percieved effort is there.

    I think after a few years you get a knowledge of how hard you're pushing it and the HRM simply tells you how your body is reacting.
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • skavanagh.bikeradar
    skavanagh.bikeradar Posts: 1,097
    Indeed. I gave up the HRM in Nov 07 when it packed up and I couldn't afford to fix/replace. I learned a lot more about my body using RPE. It takes a while to tune in, eventually though it gives you excellent feedback. I started using the HRM again on the turbo, but only for info - I judge effort by RPE and use the HRM to see what it looks like. I don't use the HRM on outdoor rides at all.
  • Alex_Simmons/RST
    Alex_Simmons/RST Posts: 4,161
    The short efforts are super-threshold.

    This is a VERY HARD workout and is not something I would recommend for relatively newer riders or those that are fairly new to the use of interval type of workouts.
    RST Sport : Coaching - Training Plans - Powermeters -- My blog -- AeroCoach Australia
  • a_n_t
    a_n_t Posts: 2,011
    ok thanks. So for the 30 second blasts we're talking as close to MHR as poss!!
    Manchester wheelers

    PB's
    10m 20:21 2014
    25m 53:18 20:13
    50m 1:57:12 2013
    100m Yeah right.
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    a_n_t wrote:
    ok thanks. So for the 30 second blasts we're talking as close to MHR as poss!!


    Yup! High cadence, very high intensity. The first few will feel quite easy as your heart hasn't got time to respond to the extra intensity but once it gets going... Your going to get a slice of Goat's special pain cake! And you won't want seconds of that! :lol:
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • Alex_Simmons/RST
    Alex_Simmons/RST Posts: 4,161
    a_n_t wrote:
    ok thanks. So for the 30 second blasts we're talking as close to MHR as poss!!
    HR response is far too slow to be used to guide such efforts. When doing any form of shorter high intensity effort, HR is pretty useless.
    RST Sport : Coaching - Training Plans - Powermeters -- My blog -- AeroCoach Australia
  • skavanagh.bikeradar
    skavanagh.bikeradar Posts: 1,097
    I'm not sure what the upper limit is for this but even say upto 4 minute 'efforts' when doing intervals can be tricky using HR, it is much easier (eventually) using RPE - natures powermeter!
  • a_n_t
    a_n_t Posts: 2,011
    Alex_Simmons/RST wrote:
    HR response is far too slow to be used to guide such efforts. When doing any form of shorter high intensity effort, HR is pretty useless.

    I KNOW! :lol:

    The point I'm trying to make is what do you do if thats all you've got to go off? Does it render this kind of workout worthless without a power meter? Or do you just pedal as hard as possible and hope for the best? :)
    Manchester wheelers

    PB's
    10m 20:21 2014
    25m 53:18 20:13
    50m 1:57:12 2013
    100m Yeah right.
  • shockedsoshocked
    shockedsoshocked Posts: 4,021
    a_n_t wrote:
    Alex_Simmons/RST wrote:
    HR response is far too slow to be used to guide such efforts. When doing any form of shorter high intensity effort, HR is pretty useless.

    I KNOW! :lol:

    The point I'm trying to make is what do you do if thats all you've got to go off? Does it render this kind of workout worthless without a power meter? Or do you just pedal as hard as possible and hope for the best? :)

    If I was doing this i'd just go balls out for the 30 seconds and use the HR monitor just to make sure I was up to the 80%+.
    "A cyclist has nothing to lose but his chain"

    PTP Runner Up 2015
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    You're still increasing your power output whether your measuring it or not in the 30 second bursts. But yeah, I've just been (as noted above) clicking up two gears and upping the cadence from 90 to over 100.

    So basically yeah, balls out and hope for the best. Working so far!
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • shockedsoshocked
    shockedsoshocked Posts: 4,021
    Jesus Christ, just done this for the first time, and I have to say it's the hardest i've possibly ever worked on a bike.

    Strangely enough I can't wait to do it again!
    "A cyclist has nothing to lose but his chain"

    PTP Runner Up 2015
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    ShockedSoShocked wrote:
    Jesus Christ, just done this for the first time, and I have to say it's the hardest i've possibly ever worked on a bike.

    Strangely enough I can't wait to do it again!


    It's a beast, ain't it. But the sense of accomplishment at the end of doing an hour of that on the turbo is pretty nice.

    The first time i did it, my girlfriend found me propped up against the wall next to the turbo dripping with sweat and not wanting to move.
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • shockedsoshocked
    shockedsoshocked Posts: 4,021
    disgruntledgoat wrote:
    ShockedSoShocked wrote:
    Jesus Christ, just done this for the first time, and I have to say it's the hardest i've possibly ever worked on a bike.

    Strangely enough I can't wait to do it again!


    It's a beast, ain't it. But the sense of accomplishment at the end of doing an hour of that on the turbo is pretty nice.

    The first time i did it, my girlfriend found me propped up against the wall next to the turbo dripping with sweat and not wanting to move.

    I really wish i'd been able to afford a HR monitor and TT at the beginning of winter now, often i've got an hour or two to kill. This would have been perfect.
    "A cyclist has nothing to lose but his chain"

    PTP Runner Up 2015
  • birdy247
    birdy247 Posts: 454
    Would it be ok to add the hour of power on http://www.turbotraining.co.uk??
    www.turbotraining.co.uk
  • slunker
    slunker Posts: 346
    Where do you get this workout from? Is there some where I can download it from (if it's not in black and white I forget).

    Cheers.

Categories