Training On A Static Bike

Pross

I have significantly built up my exercise levels since Christmas and I now ride my bike 3 or 4 times a week with one or two commutes per week (18.5 mile each way) depending on my work committments, a 2 hour ride on a Saturday and a 3 or 4 hour ride on Sunday which I generally ride at around 70 - 80% MHR. On top of this I am fitting in 2 or 3 lunchtime gym sessions of 40 minutes of which I usually spend 20 minutes on the Lifecycle bikes. How would you recommend I make the best use of these sessions? At present I am doing 10 minutes steady at around 75% MHR and then 5 sets of 30 second on / 30 second off flat out efforts with 5 minutes cool down. Is this likely to help me build my speed or would I be better doing alternative efforts / mixing things up a bit? I'm sure someone will say get out on the road more but I have my 3 or 4 sessions a week already and will struggle to get out any more than that until the summer whilst the lunchtime gym sessions fit in well. Thanks in anticipation of the usual helpful replies.

jgsi

Building up power and 'speed' is the least likeable training as it causes a lot of hardship.
For me turbo training I find that Sufferfest Downward Spirals helps after a good warm up, of going 'full on' for its descending intervals.
It is a hour well spent as it were.
No need for a HRM as it lags behind and an irrelevance.
If you have a power device, then you can still use %'s of that.
Yes, using challenging group rides over a weekend will be the perfect complementary training.
I am looking forward to and then again not looking forward to my season opener in March... I just get fed of hearing tales of Mallorcan training weeks..........

mattshrops

pross, if youre doing 4 sessions a week in the gym you could alternate your current sprints with power sessions i.e. 4 mins in a very hard gear with a 3 min rest. I think its also important to build intensity for say 3 weeks then have an easy week. Maybe after that 4 week period change your sessions a bit so your body does not adapt too easily-using the old principles of overreach and adapt.
sounds like a good mix of types and durations of efforts when you include your road rides as well.