Is interval training easier on the road than on a turbo?

topcattim

I've been doing a bit of proper interval training recently, but have been confined to the turbo in the garage because of the weather. But tonight I went out on the road and did a fairly usual set of intervals, and found it much easier than I had on the turbo. I am judging the intensity of the intervals by heart rate, which I know is not perfect when compared with power, but that is all I have.

Why should it have felt so much easier on the road than on the turbo? It can't have been a wind effect as I was going up and down a road, sometimes into the wind and sometimes with the wind. And besides, I wasn't judging intensity by speed but by heart rate.

Was it just that you don't focus on the suffering in quite the same way on the road - more to see, less sweaty? Or was it perhaps that I was just having a good day? Or is there another explanation?

Lightning

Do you have a big fan pointing at you when you're on the turbo? If you don't they will be even harder!

I find hard intervals on the turbo mentally more taxing I guess (even with music), but I also want to give up when I do them on the road (always on climbs). If you're doing hard intervals properly, they'll hurt a lot no matter where you do them. I still prefer to do them on the road though as the rest of the ride is much more enjoyable.

twotyred

Assuming you are using a decent fan and are not overheating on the turbo then I can offer the following explanation.

I've found doing intervals on the road, say 1 hr at threshold, using a power meter to be much more like doing them on a turbo than doing the same intervals on the road using HR alone and I think its for this reason.

I think its because using power as indicator means you have to make sure you keep the same intensity going downhill as well as uphill (and I mean even slight gradients) so its more like a turbo where you have constant resistance. Going on heart rate alone you can marginally slacken off on even slight downhills which gives some respite but without dropping your HR- this happens almost subconsciously and takes a lot of concentration to avoid this happening. Try finding the flattest bit of road you can, really concentrate on your perceived effort and work those gears to keep it steady and it will start to feel more like a turbo session.

amaferanga

I can put out way more power on the road than the turbo. The shorter/higher power the interval, the bigger the difference. And yes I do have a good turbo and a couple of good fans.

stevewj

I find it far easier to raise the HR on the road - especially on gradual (or steeper) climbs. Doing 4 x 5mins on the turbo I find I can get to LT near the end of each effort but get there within two mins on the road. Maybe it's just psychological. However I can get the HR up quicker on 1 minute efforts on the turbo as I absolutely thrash it to a level where doing the same effort on the road would be dangerous.

topcattim

twotyred wrote:

Assuming you are using a decent fan and are not overheating on the turbo then I can offer the following explanation.

I've found doing intervals on the road, say 1 hr at threshold, using a power meter to be much more like doing them on a turbo than doing the same intervals on the road using HR alone and I think its for this reason.

I think its because using power as indicator means you have to make sure you keep the same intensity going downhill as well as uphill (and I mean even slight gradients) so its more like a turbo where you have constant resistance. Going on heart rate alone you can marginally slacken off on even slight downhills which gives some respite but without dropping your HR- this happens almost subconsciously and takes a lot of concentration to avoid this happening. Try finding the flattest bit of road you can, really concentrate on your perceived effort and work those gears to keep it steady and it will start to feel more like a turbo session.

A lot for me to think about here. I don't use a fan and consequently come off the turbo absolutely drenched. I think that a fan is the way forward but must proceed with caution, as my better half is only just getting used to me spending all that time in the garage, let alone if I start mucking about with fans!

I suspect that the answer lies in the problem of measuring intensity by HR not power. The road that I used is pan flat but has slight bends and I now wonder if the change in exposure to wind just pushed me in and out of the training zones. I did have to spend a bit of time easing back and up again to stay on target. Having said all that, I'm going to try to do as much as I can on the road not on the turbo; after all, that's why I do it in the first place!

jgsi

Harder on the road, just find a safe place to do them.
I have a very short loop around where I live which includes 1/2 mile @ 2% very traffic free during the work phase.
10 of those in the big ring has me completely cooked, not to mention a few strange looks from the neighbours

Spaniard

I recently loaned my turbo to a friend and so have had to do my intervals on the road. I've found a mile long quiet stretch of road with a gradient which I repeat - recover on descent. I find I'm able to push myself for longer at a higher H/R than on the turbo. Each interval lasts approximately 4 mins and I'm completely spent on the final 20 seconds. I think the turbo has fewer distractions and therefore your mind is focussed purely on the pain, whereas on the road you can actually 'see' the end of the interval which seems to make it more bearable.

stevewj

On my last session of 3 x 5mins on the turbo the highest HR was 158, 159, 162, but tonight on an undulating 10 mile TT I averaged 160 with a high of 166 and low of 158. Methinks I can't push myself hard enough on the turbo.

Alex_Simmons/RST

http://alex-cycle.blogspot.com.au/2009/ ... ining.html

topcattim

Alex_Simmons/RST wrote:

http://alex-cycle.blogspot.com.au/2009/01/turbocharged-training.html

Thanks Alex. Another prompt to go get a fan, methinks.