Intervals, how many and how long?
shisaa
Posts: 82
I've started racing this year, with limited success, and now the season is coming to an end I want to get a head start for next year by training properly. I have done intervals, but have been doing them without really understanding how they are meant to work I think. So I have a couple of questions, and maybe some of you guys can help.
Firstly, is the rest period between intervals to allow your body to recover from the effort. In other words is the optimum duration of the rest period however long it takes before your body is ready to go again at an equivalent level as the first effort, or do you want fatigue to gradually build up? I guess over time this recovery period will go down as your body gets used to the efforts.
And secondly what difference does the number of intervals done make? Generally the shorter the interval, the more you are expected to do. Does this have anything to do with the amount of time spent in any particular training 'zone'?
Firstly, is the rest period between intervals to allow your body to recover from the effort. In other words is the optimum duration of the rest period however long it takes before your body is ready to go again at an equivalent level as the first effort, or do you want fatigue to gradually build up? I guess over time this recovery period will go down as your body gets used to the efforts.
And secondly what difference does the number of intervals done make? Generally the shorter the interval, the more you are expected to do. Does this have anything to do with the amount of time spent in any particular training 'zone'?
0
Comments
-
Hill repeats, 6 min climb, same recovery, or until HR is around 120 bpm.
Stop when you are getting to 6min 10 secs or so.
Good warm up first, 20 mins steady riding, and same for cool down.
You'll prob do between 5 - 8 before getting to 6min 10 depending on the hill of course!!
My local one is about 1.1 miles quite steep Got a 4 min and 12 - 15 min one too.
( Mega one from Glynllifon Estate to Fron is around 26 mins, constant climbing...)0 -
So the way I look at intervals is to think of my mean maximal power curve and work on intervals at a duration/power combo that matches my current bests. So if my best 5min power is 100w then when fresh I might try and do 5x5 at 100w. Or I might chuck in 3x5 in the middle of a tempo session, or maybe slip in at the beginning of a L4 session to clear out my AWC.
When to stop intervals? When I am unable to complete the interval physically or my power is obviously falling "well short" of the target. Some say well short is 10%. I tend to use judgement based upon what else I've got to do in a particular workout.
On recovery time I look at 1:5 generally, if I can't recover in that time then I should probably skip the next interval and complete the workout / cool down. I find HR can be useful, but generally you will know from your breathing!
Of course, a good coach will mix up the duration, target power and recovery time -- that is the art of developing an interval workout and there is no 'standard' answer.
Without a power meter I guess you could use hill repeats and look at time to ascend or average speed.
I'm not a coach tho, so all of this is just my half-baked approach.--
Obsessed is just a word elephants use to describe the dedicated. http://markliversedge.blogspot.com0 -
i dont think there is a standard answer to this question, but here is my limited understanding....also im not a coach etc
The overall aim is to increase the intensity and duration for which you can ride. Intervals are done at a high intensity , in small chunks, the overall effect being additive
there are 3 types; Hill repeats - roughly 5 min duration, with a break equal to going back down the hill, in zone 4. Work muscular and cardiovasc
VO2 repeats - roughly 10 mins plusin zone 4, with a break allowing you to just about recover before the next. Start at a 5 min break and work downwards/ increase length of interval. Work cardiovasc
Power intervals - short, 1 - 2 mins with an equal break in zone 5
The combination of intervals are then tailored to you goal, eg long sportive/ race0 -
If Ned Overend says, "6 mins by about 6 reps, full recovery"...and he's one of the best climbers, that's good enough for me!
Seriously though, these seem to ACTUALLY work, without all the technical jargon/spin.
Been doing them fairly regularly since 08 after busted femur, and they give you a "spark" without totally knackering you out.
We've all got jobs, kid, family and other commitments, so this short-sharp session works.0 -
Splottboy wrote:If Ned Overend says, "6 mins by about 6 reps, full recovery"...and he's one of the best climbers, that's good enough for me!
Seriously though, these seem to ACTUALLY work, without all the technical jargon/spin.
Been doing them fairly regularly since 08 after busted femur, and they give you a "spark" without totally knackering you out.
We've all got jobs, kid, family and other commitments, so this short-sharp session works.
It works by improving vo2max. But if that's not your limiter, or you want to target other improvement then there are LOTS of other interval sessions you can try.--
Obsessed is just a word elephants use to describe the dedicated. http://markliversedge.blogspot.com0 -
Shisaa: You are probably better off on a turbo for intervals, as all the variables outside can have a large effect, ie. Traffic, wind, road conditions etc.
Get on a turbo, fan if needed, and lots of fluids.
Decide your session and have a HR monitor if you like them, I don't.
Then, it could be longer 10 min on/5 recovery or
5 - 6 mins hard, same recovery,
or 20 secs all out 40secs -1 min recovery etc...
It all depends what your Objectives/Aims/Weaknesses are etc.
There's plenty of Technical info on the net, but make it relate to YOUR requirements etc.
Or find a cycling coach/fitness instructor/technical adviser who can assist you.
Good luck.0 -
Goin up or down?! Killer if you include the Cilgwyn Quarry too.
From me to top of Cilgwyn quarry, about 1,000 vertical feet of climbing.0 -
Nice one. I can see the crags now on top of Cilgwyn quarry from all my front windows, A499. Better view from our fields that overlook Dinas Dinlle too. 360 degree panorama to the Rivals, Cilgwyn, Newboro etc. (Unfortunately, you can sometimes see Holyhead. Sorry...)
They look amazing silhouetted as the sun sets over Ynys Mon and the hill turns golden red, with a slate grey sky background over towards Rhydd Du.0 -
Ahhhh, Dinas Dinlle. That brings back memories. Used to ride down on our BMXs during the school summer holidays. Went down there a few months ago for the first time in about 18 years and I must say that the place has gone to the dogs a bit, litter all over the place
Out of interest, where do you stay? Parents now live up in the hills, near Rhosgadfan, I don't think I would have been able to ride my BMX up there!!0 -
Live near C'fon, but have access to all the best areas in about 20/30mins tops.
Rhosgadfan/Rhostryfan...great lanes and quiet roads for training.
Think the lane from Waunfauwr to Rhos, the STEEPEST I've ever ridden, and did it last w/end, but on the Mtb.0 -
0
-
LOL. No, but I used it as an example. Didn't want to belittle anyone with my monster numbersa_n_t wrote:
--
Obsessed is just a word elephants use to describe the dedicated. http://markliversedge.blogspot.com0 -
Depends what you are trying to achieve - if you are looking to spend as much time in the zone you're trying to focus on for the session then you want sufficient recovery to be able to complete the next interval / all the intervals in the session.shisaa wrote:In other words is the optimum duration of the rest period however long it takes before your body is ready to go again at an equivalent level as the first effort, or do you want fatigue to gradually build up? I guess over time this recovery period will go down as your body gets used to the efforts.
However, you could also try sessions with insufficient recovery (ie 1 min on / 1 min off at L6) that will get your body used to the sort of short repeated efforts you get in events like track points race where the ability to recover quickly is vital. It's unlikely you'll be able to hit the same power output in the later part of the session, so you might not be targetting the correct zone towards the end.
Yes - obviously riding at the higher intensities such as L5/6, you need to do more intervals to get the "time in zone" (ie typically 2x20 L4 or 5x5 L5 or 15x1 L6)shisaa wrote:And secondly what difference does the number of intervals done make? Generally the shorter the interval, the more you are expected to do. Does this have anything to do with the amount of time spent in any particular training 'zone'?0 -
Interesting stuff. I have seen lots of different patterns of intervals. I guess its about tailoring them to suit the individual, and working on weaknesses. Intervals just allow you to target a specific aspect of ur fitness and spend as much time as possible working that aspect.
Does make me wonder now if racing might actually have changed/be changing though as a result of different training methods.0
