Interval questions.

freehub

Right, some exact questions here.


1:How many intervals per week should I do?

2:I intend to do 3 sorts of interval, 5,10 and 20. In between the intervals (rest period), how long should the rest period be?

3:In each interval should they be at threshold or just as hard as I can ride?

4:Is interval training incompatible with people who wish to still be able to do normal rides?

5:Does it matter as to the direction I do the intervals in (headwind Vs tailwind)?

6:Does it matter about the terrain (flat/hilly/rolling)?

7:Are the interval lengths any good?

Thx

Anonymous

I thought you had a coach :?

danowat

freehub wrote:

Right, some exact questions here.


1:How many intervals per week should I do? Depends

2:I intend to do 3 sorts of interval, 5,10 and 20. In between the intervals (rest period), how long should the rest period be? Depends

3:In each interval should they be at threshold or just as hard as I can ride? Depends

4:Is interval training incompatible with people who wish to still be able to do normal rides? Depends

5:Does it matter as to the direction I do the intervals in (headwind Vs tailwind)? Depends

6:Does it matter about the terrain (flat/hilly/rolling)? Depends

7:Thx

HTH

freehub

I wanna do 10 mile TT's and 25 mile TT's, does that make it easier to answer?


NapD, that's a complicated question to answer.

nmcgann

danowat wrote:

freehub wrote:

Right, some exact questions here.


1:How many intervals per week should I do? Depends
etc.....

HTH

That's exactly what I was thinking.

freehub

Dunno what HTH means but it sure as hell does not help.

Team Banana Spokesman

freehub wrote:

I wanna do 10 mile TT's and 25 mile TT's,

racing them is ideal training for them.

q1. only you can answer it. more is better until its not because you cant recover.
q4. see above
q5. and q6. whatever works for you.
q7. lengths should be close to the event lengths. 25/60
q3. higher power = less intervals possible.

nmcgann

freehub wrote:

Right, some exact questions here.


1:How many intervals per week should I do?

2:I intend to do 3 sorts of interval, 5,10 and 20. In between the intervals (rest period), how long should the rest period be?

3:In each interval should they be at threshold or just as hard as I can ride?

4:Is interval training incompatible with people who wish to still be able to do normal rides?

5:Does it matter as to the direction I do the intervals in (headwind Vs tailwind)?

6:Does it matter about the terrain (flat/hilly/rolling)?

7:Are the interval lengths any good?

Thx

Hmmm, let's try a more specific reply:

1. "most" people seem to manage up to 3 interval sessions a week. The less intense the intervals are, the easier it is to recover from them.

2. Start with maybe 5min on, 5min rest. 10min on, 5min rest and 20min on, 5min rest.

3. 5min - over threshold by 10-15%. The distance over will affect the number of intervals you can do. Try to do 4 or 5.
10min - over threshold by 5-10%. You can probably do 3 of these, maybe 4.
20min - around threshold. 2 of these, although the strongest riders can do 3.

4. No. Although just doing intervals for many consecutive weeks impairs the endurance to do long rides as training volume generally has to reduce to allow enough recovery for the intervals to be done at consistent intensities. Most people try and mix in a few longer rides among the intervals.

5 & 6. No, although it's easiest to do intervals on the flat or up long drags.

7. They are common lengths that people do for short timetrials (4-5min and 20min especially).

Everyone responds a bit differently to intervals though, so there is a YMMV element to all advice you will get.

markos1963

Quality not quantity. Only do the intervals if you can keep the pace consistant. The first should be as good as the last. The intervals should be done at target pace. If you can't keep the quality going finish the session there and ride easy home.

P_Tucker

freehub wrote:

Right, some exact questions here.


1:How many intervals per week should I do?

2:I intend to do 3 sorts of interval, 5,10 and 20. In between the intervals (rest period), how long should the rest period be?

3:In each interval should they be at threshold or just as hard as I can ride?

4:Is interval training incompatible with people who wish to still be able to do normal rides?

5:Does it matter as to the direction I do the intervals in (headwind Vs tailwind)?

6:Does it matter about the terrain (flat/hilly/rolling)?

7:Are the interval lengths any good?

Thx

The way to work out what training you need to do is to firstly write down exactly what you want to achieve. Helps if your goals are SMART.

danowat

freehub wrote:

Right, some exact questions here.


1:How many intervals per week should I do?

2:I intend to do 3 sorts of interval, 5,10 and 20. In between the intervals (rest period), how long should the rest period be?

3:In each interval should they be at threshold or just as hard as I can ride?

4:Is interval training incompatible with people who wish to still be able to do normal rides?

5:Does it matter as to the direction I do the intervals in (headwind Vs tailwind)?

6:Does it matter about the terrain (flat/hilly/rolling)?

7:Are the interval lengths any good?

Thx

HTH = Hope that helps

The trouble with your questions is no one know how you ride, your current fitness, what your goals are etc etc etc, you questions you are asking are those that are normally answered by a coach after he has had a decent consulatation with you to discover your current level, you current training ability and your goals.

The amount of intervals per week is variable, depend on your current training load and your upcoming events, mine change from between 0 - 3 a week.

Rest period again depends on your fitness level, and how much rest you need depending on your fitness levels, and current training load.

Intensitiy is again dependent on goals, although as a rule of thumb, you should be going hard enough, but not so hard that you can't manage your last interval.

I don't really understand No 4, 5 & 6 are pretty much irrelevent TBH, not sure what 7 means

HTH

a_n_t

freehub wrote:

Dunno what HTH means but it sure as hell does not help.

Classic!

Herbsman

P_Tucker wrote:

Helps if your goals are SMART.

I wish you gouys wouldn't use so many acronyms. Not everyone knows what they mean.

nmcgann

danowat wrote:

..... not sure what 7 means

HTH

I think he was asking if the choice of interval lengths was sensible. I think the real answer is "it depends" again

Probably it's a "yes" though - for timetrials. Road racing would need some shorter ones to work on pace changes and sprinting.

nmcgann

Herbsman wrote:

P_Tucker wrote:

Helps if your goals are SMART.

I wish you gouys wouldn't use so many acronyms. Not everyone knows what they mean.

google is your friend: http://www.goal-setting-guide.com/goal- ... al-setting

P_Tucker

Herbsman wrote:

P_Tucker wrote:

Helps if your goals are SMART.

I wish you gouys wouldn't use so many acronyms. Not everyone knows what they mean.

1. What's a gouy?
2. Google can be used to look up information. Besides, surely everyone knows what SMART is - it's used everywhere?

danowat

I also do 5 & 15 second sprints, for TT's

rdt

P_Tucker wrote:

Herbsman wrote:

P_Tucker wrote:

Helps if your goals are SMART.

I wish you gouys wouldn't use so many acronyms. Not everyone knows what they mean.

1. What's a gouy?

A "gouy", pronounced "goo-ee" if you're North American, is a feminine buoy.

P_Tucker

rdt wrote:

P_Tucker wrote:

Herbsman wrote:

P_Tucker wrote:

Helps if your goals are SMART.

I wish you gouys wouldn't use so many acronyms. Not everyone knows what they mean.

1. What's a gouy?

A "gouy", pronounced "goo-ee" if you're North American, is a feminine buoy.

With dyslexia, presumably?

Herbsman

P_Tucker wrote:

Herbsman wrote:

P_Tucker wrote:

Helps if your goals are SMART.

I wish you gouys wouldn't use so many acronyms. Not everyone knows what they mean.

1. What's a gouy?
2. Google can be used to look up information. Besides, surely everyone knows what SMART is - it's used everywhere?

1. Surely everyone knows what a gouy is? Do you really need it explained to you?
2. It takes more effort for numerous people to decipher an acronym than it does for one person to type out the full words once. And if SMART is an acronym used everywhere, why can't I see it anywhere in this room apart from on the computer screen?

So did you mean this SMART http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMART_(advertising_agency) or this SMART http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMART_(Sco ... ness_Grant) ?

P_Tucker

Herbsman wrote:

P_Tucker wrote:

Herbsman wrote:

P_Tucker wrote:

Helps if your goals are SMART.

I wish you gouys wouldn't use so many acronyms. Not everyone knows what they mean.

1. What's a gouy?
2. Google can be used to look up information. Besides, surely everyone knows what SMART is - it's used everywhere?

1. Surely everyone knows what a gouy is? Do you really need it explained to you?
2. It takes more effort for numerous people to decipher an acronym than it does for one person to type out the full words once. And if SMART is an acronym used everywhere, why can't I see it anywhere in this room apart from on the computer screen?

So did you mean this SMART http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMART_(advertising_agency) or this SMART http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMART_(Sco ... ness_Grant) ?

1. Google turned up nothing other than several departments in France - given the context I thought that perhaps this wasn't what you meant - hence the question. However, if you type SMART into Google it's the top link.
2. True, but it takes more effort for me, and I'm lazy. And being pedantic will get you nowhere, other than even more wound up.

callaghan

An idiots guide....(as I understand them)
Intervals let you work at a higher intensity for a given time and so improve your aerobic/anaerobic system. Firstly decide on your goal TT/audax, racing, keep fit.
For keep fit i would say ditch intervals and just ride hard and often over varied ground.
TT. You want longer intervals designed to expose you to higher intensity cycling eg 2 X 20mins with a 5min break at threshold (as hard as you can consistently manage) or 3 X 10min at a similar intensity with a 5 min break
Racing....you want shorter intervals eg 5mins or 1min to get you used to max out surges and pace variations.

Working time and recovery time is complicated but essentially you want enough recovery time so that you can give a good effort to the next interval. Err on the side of too much. Intensity is easy with a PM but if none just go as hard as you can sustainably manage.....the length of the interval will then dictate what energy system you use. I find HR a poor guide.

freehub

So when doing intervals do I totally ignore speed and go on effort/HR?

I mean if I'm struggling to get over 24mph average should I be doing intervals at a length I can maintain 25mph or more for? Then rest and do it again, then maybe a week later increase the length until it's like 20min then start again aiming with a higher speed?

Over the past week and abit I've being doing attempted intervals, just for like 7-10 mins, or some sort of pyramid but not long enough, not really good but I'm pretty sure I'm seeing a small improvement on my overall cycling already especially maintaining speed into a headwind.

Anonymous

Forget speed. I know you are completely focused on it but for intervals, forget it! Go by perceived effort...
Speed is meaningless as it's so affected by terrain, weather, wind, traffic etc.

freehub

I just get demotivated when I end up in a block headwind and I look down and my speed is struggling to stay at 20mph and feels like I'm grinding up a hill and spinning don't help no matter what gear I'm in I still feel like I'm grinding.

I really like the position on the aero bars but damn I wish I could get comfortable, I bet my position just ain't right, I was thinking about getting a fit done at York Cycleworks but at £90 I thought no, does not seem convincing for £90. When I do intervals I always rig my bike up with the aero bars, push my seat as forward as I can get it so I'm able to get my arms right, raise the seat about 1cm and slope the seat down so I don't get ball ache.

danowat

I do all my training on my road bike (sans aero bars) and totally ignore speed and HR, done purely on PE (just like all my TT's)

a_n_t

Intervals are better controlled on the turbo if you have one? Then if your computer has a rear wheel speed/cadence sensor even better.

SBezza

Will

First of all if you want to get good at TT's get your head in order. SPEED on it's own is meaningless, so what if you are doing 15 mph, if you are putting out 350+ watts for example. Going fast in TT's is alot about your head as well as how fast you can peddle.

As NapD has said for intervals power or perceived effort is the way to go, speed just isn't good enough as a measurement, unless you are doing them on a turbo, where speed is a fairly good proxy.

They will seem easy, even the 5 minute intervals, at the start, but the effort will soon tell. For 10's I would try to do 5 mins intervals at over 10m TT pace, and for 25's try the usual 2 x 20 mins at 25m TT pace. As mentioned above you need to make sure they are high quality efforts however, and if the rest of the ride has to be at a much slower pace, then so be it.

Make sure the intervals are structured so do a 5 min interval, perhaps take it easy going back to the start and doing the same bit of road again after getting back to the start, keep at least a 5 min recover period between the intervals. Doing 20 minute intervals are slightly more difficult on the road, depending on where you live and how easy it is to do 20 mins without interruptions from junctions etc. But if 20 mins is no good, try shorter intervals but do more of them.

If you just want to do a longish ride as fast as possible then do it, but don't moan when your TT times don't seem good.

There is nothing magic about intervals, it is just working your body harder over a more sustainable duration, and letting the body recover to become stronger. As the intervals get easier you have to push harder to maintain the same perceived effort, and hence you get faster.