Pyramid Intervals

Maverick54
Maverick54 Posts: 34
edited April 2012 in Training, fitness and health
Hi all.
Given that my work week training is fairly time constrained (45 mins on the wattbike), I have started doing some pyramid intervals. My program is:
10mins increasing warmup
30secs high intensity (90% max HR)/1min recovery
45secs high/1min rec
60secs high/1min rec
90secs high/1min rec
60secs high/1min rec
45secs high/1min rec
30secs high/1min rec
20 mins at zone3/2 to finish.
I was pretty shot at the end of the intervals, but in a good way, not in a falling off the bike with blood coming out of my eyes and lost bowel control way. My question is, is this a decent structure or should I be using a more effective program? My goals are to increase power to where it was previously, and regain fitness after an 8 week layoff due to illness. I am riding in the Pyrenees in 4 weeks and want to be in some sort of form for that. I should add that I train twice a week, and do a longish ride at the weekend so not all of my training will be pyramids.

Cheers.....!

Comments

  • barry_kellett99
    barry_kellett99 Posts: 480
    Is it wise to use HR as a measure for such short balls out intervals?
    http://teammaxbo.blogspot.com/

    Long live the pompino
  • Maverick54
    Maverick54 Posts: 34
    I agree what you are saying re HR. It's there more for a reference, but in reality it's just a case of head down and grimace.
  • barry_kellett99
    barry_kellett99 Posts: 480
    Maverick54 wrote:
    I agree what you are saying re HR. It's there more for a reference, but in reality it's just a case of head down and grimace.
    Chew those bars :D
    http://teammaxbo.blogspot.com/

    Long live the pompino
  • sagalout
    sagalout Posts: 338
    Whenever I've done pyramid intervals the recovery time is always the same as the interval time, and its this that makes them really tough - you think its only a 30 second effort, but then you only get 30 secs recovery!
  • cyco2
    cyco2 Posts: 593
    If you are serious about doing intervals for some time I would strongly advise the use of a watt meter. It's so much more fun to see how you are progressing in the power region. HR for short intervals is a bit crude. I have Tacx trainer which has watts, av.watts,etc. and a really good electrical resistance setting. The bike on it from a bag of bits with cadence. I have found a HRM a bit irrelevant when working the 200 to 400 watt regions for short periods of time.
    ...................................................................................................

    If you want to be a strong rider you have to do strong things.
    However if you train like a cart horse you'll race like one.

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