how many hard turbo sessions a week.

elderone

I was doing some reading about winter training but it all gets a bit heavy and confusing. Basically, as a 50 yr old with a year cycling, how many hard turbo sessions a week is safe/sensible to do?(assuming not rideable outside).
I plan to do at least one 2x20 and a sufferfest/sweetspot session another day as I usually ride twice in the week. On weekends it will be 2or3 hours at z2 base stuff.
Now does that sound ok, and is it ok to add another mid week session in the new year as I want too ride 4x a week next year and prepare for TT,s.

buckles

I'd take my time and gradually add to what I'm already doing. So if what you're proposing to do is a massive step up from what you're doing now, I'd say no.

imposter2.0

The answer is 'as many as you can sustainably cope with'. No point targeting three hard sessions a week if you can't climb back onto the turbo the day after because you haven't recovered from the previous day's session.

elderone

I think the above is ok to do, it,s just about upping the amount to 4 a week.I think I have come to a stalemate on the progress trail so need to up my game a tad and from what I read, I need to ride more.

cougie

Listen to your body and increase it steadily - if you look at most plans they ramp it up gently and have cut back weeks.

It would be mad to double your sessions in one go.

simon_e

I'd say max of 2 sessions plus a steady weekend ride. And don't panic if you skip one. If you go mad now, whether miles or intensity, and you may feel great in March but dead as wood (and possibly fed up) by July. You wouldn't be the first.

I would concentrate on technique and position - pedalling, breathing, keeping your upper body still and relaxed etc - at lower intensities. Busting your balls can wait.

olake92

It definitely depends on how hard your turbo sessions are; last winter (in that effing snow!) I managed a 20 hour week on the turbo and rollers, primarily made of sweetspot sessions and steady rides on a turbo, which is rather boring!

As hattersley says, you could feasibly manage one every day and be fresh the next, providing each session isn't crazy (choose either intensity or volume for each session, don't mix them). I'd not recommend completing sessions on consecutive days unless they're a sub-threshold effort or 'short' HIIT sessions. That's my take anyway. Maybe your 4th ride could be another long one on the weekend?

neeb

I live in Helsinki so nearly all of my winter riding is hard sessions on the turbo...

I find the trick is to vary the format and intensity a bit. I don't mean doing endurance stuff (personally, I simply can't face any more than an hour and a half max indoors, so it's quite difficult to do real "volume" sessions), but alternating, say, 2x20 at threshold with 2x20 at 90%, or 40min at a constant resistance with a 90min simulated climb.

I sometimes do a 3 day block where I start with a 2x20 at FTP on the first day, do a 40min simulated climb of something like Sa Colobra on the second day (which involves changes of pace and a final sprint for the finish- I'm using the tacx RLVs), and then a 2x20 at 90% on the third day. No way could I manage anything more than 90% on the third day, but I think there is more benefit to doing that 3 day block and then maybe resting for 2 days than alternating days on and off and always doing the sessions at maximum intensity. Then after the rest days I might do something completely different, like a 90min simulated climb, or 2 minute intervals.

olake92

neeb wrote:

I think there is more benefit to doing that 3 day block and then maybe resting for 2 days than alternating days on and off and always doing the sessions at maximum intensity. Then after the rest days I might do something completely different, like a 90min simulated climb, or 2 minute intervals.

Yeah, I agree that working in a 3 day block is a better method of training than alternating hard and easy days. If the OP is up for it, then I would personally recommend a 3 day block of rides decreasing in intensity or volume (as you say, you'll be knackered at the end so require an 'easier' session) - OP, you could try tues/wed/thurs similar to neeb's suggestion, with a longer ride on the weekend after some rest.