Intervals

Brian1

Currently doing 1 min flat out intervals every 5 mins for 45 mins. My objectives are to drop some weight and increase my top speed for next season. The intervals seem to be getting a bit easier now so should I increase the length of the interval or reduce the 5 min 'rest period'. thanks in advance.

imposter2.0

If they're getting 'easier' then you're not going hard enough during the interval..

diamonddog

^^This, also do shorter 'rest periods' in between efforts

sloppyschleckonds

Brian1 wrote:

My objectives are to drop some weight and increase my top speed for next season.

How do you mean increase your top speed?

bahzob

As a general rule rest intervals are rarely longer than work intervals. Typical ratios are
20 minutes work 5 minute rest x 2
5 minute work 3 minute rest x 3-5
1 minute work 1 minute rest x8-12
30s work 30s rest x as long as you can

The reason for this is that cycling is an aerobic sport, even at the shortest distances. Keeping the rest interval short means recovery is not complete which makes the aerobic system work harder which in turn stimulates the adaptation that makes you fitter.

This is not to say there will be no benefit from doing as you are now. Just that you will get fitter faster for the same training time if you reduce recovery time.

There are exceptions, for example where you really want to get close to all time bests or its a very short "pure" anaerobic sprint where it takes quite a long time for the body to recover and replenish its resources (Hence the paradox in athletics that 100m runners spend almost all their "training" time resting).

Tom Dean

Suggesting interval and rest times with no reference to intensity is hardly useful.

Sometimes you might want to reduce the rest periods, sometimes you might want to maximise power output during the 'ons'. There are valid reasons for doing both.

alex_luhrs

Also try mixing it up with under/over intervals.

10 min interval. 2 mins at threshold/ 2 mins under threshold.

Good for building fitness and mixing it up from normal 1 min on 1 min off intervals ect.

Tom Dean

alex_luhrs wrote:

Also try mixing it up with under/over intervals.

10 min interval. 2 mins at threshold/ 2 mins under threshold.

Good for building fitness and mixing it up from normal 1 min on 1 min off intervals ect.

That would be under/at surely? :P

sloppyschleckonds

All duff advise, try sorting your weight loss out with your diet at least.

bahzob

Tom Dean wrote:

Suggesting interval and rest times with no reference to intensity is hardly useful.

Sometimes you might want to reduce the rest periods, sometimes you might want to maximise power output during the 'ons'. There are valid reasons for doing both.

Thought it was fairly obvious given we are talking about intervals but obviously not to you.

While you can base intervals off FTP, ramp or other tests it doesn't need to be that complicated. The simplest way is to go as hard as possible at an intensity you can sustain for the interval duration. Rest and repeat for as many iterations as you can sustain to fill the time allocated to training leaving 5 mins each end to warmup/cooldown.

If you go too hard then you won't be able to do many repeats, in extreme cases none. If you go too easy then you will run out of training time before you hit your repeat limit. In either case next time just adjust intensity as appropriate.

If you have time for a long training session then you can try repeating a set after a period of extended rest or try a different set. Alternatively spend the time riding quite hard at the level that forces you to breathe through the mouth, comfortably not gasping. (This intensity will be well below that of intervals, should be able to sustain for an hour or more)

Do intervals of all durations but prioritise those appropriate to the challenge you are training for, especially the closer you get to the event.

A power meter (or speed in constant conditions) will give an objective measure of progress. As you get fitter you put out more watts/mph for each interval.

Though it can seem more complicated at times that's really all there is to training.

jgsi

The fun element of cycling always gets lost in threads like these....

iPete

Having done my first FTP yesterday, I'd recommend looking at some Sufferfest videos, the Rubber glove video added some humour to deal with the pain and makes it super easy, just tells you what you need to do.

Might be some good interval videos.

JGSI wrote:

The fun element of cycling always gets lost in threads like these....

Indeed, I await someone to tell me they are not funny etc.

Tom Dean

bahzob wrote:

Tom Dean wrote:

Suggesting interval and rest times with no reference to intensity is hardly useful.

Sometimes you might want to reduce the rest periods, sometimes you might want to maximise power output during the 'ons'. There are valid reasons for doing both.

Thought it was fairly obvious given we are talking about intervals but obviously not to you.
...

:? I don't think it is obvious at all.

'As hard as possible while completing the session' is one way to go but not optimal in general or in all sorts of specific situations. Ever come across the idea of 'sweetspot' for example? Not to mention the mental challenge of going to the limit in every session...

ric/rstsport

JGSI wrote:

The fun element of cycling always gets lost in threads like these....

some people find intervals fun.
some people aren't interested in fun (they just want to improve).

ric/rstsport

bahzob wrote:

Tom Dean wrote:

Suggesting interval and rest times with no reference to intensity is hardly useful.

Sometimes you might want to reduce the rest periods, sometimes you might want to maximise power output during the 'ons'. There are valid reasons for doing both.

Thought it was fairly obvious given we are talking about intervals but obviously not to you.

While you can base intervals off FTP, ramp or other tests it doesn't need to be that complicated. The simplest way is to go as hard as possible at an intensity you can sustain for the interval duration. Rest and repeat for as many iterations as you can sustain to fill the time allocated to training leaving 5 mins each end to warmup/cooldown.

If you go too hard then you won't be able to do many repeats, in extreme cases none. If you go too easy then you will run out of training time before you hit your repeat limit. In either case next time just adjust intensity as appropriate.

If you have time for a long training session then you can try repeating a set after a period of extended rest or try a different set. Alternatively spend the time riding quite hard at the level that forces you to breathe through the mouth, comfortably not gasping. (This intensity will be well below that of intervals, should be able to sustain for an hour or more)

Do intervals of all durations but prioritise those appropriate to the challenge you are training for, especially the closer you get to the event.

A power meter (or speed in constant conditions) will give an objective measure of progress. As you get fitter you put out more watts/mph for each interval.

Though it can seem more complicated at times that's really all there is to training.

while the object of training is (usually) to increase your fitness (i.e., more power over whatever duration), it would be incorrect to say that you should go as hard as you possibly can for whatever the duration is for all training while doing any training (intervals or endurance). It would be both far too mentally challenging and physically too demanding to do such. Additionally, the adaptations that occur are 1) on a continuum and 2) don't need to be done balls out.

Ric

PompeyPaul

Usually a drop in power or an inability to maintain a power target , HR Target for the work interval would be the point at which the training session is over and you would warm down, as you are no longer training at the intensity to produce the adaptation that you planned and are in effect detraining or doing a different work out by proxy a work out you didnt plan.

If the drop happens early in the session then you are tired and perhaps should choose a different workout or active recovery?

So find the metric, whether you have power, HR or whatever if you can hit the metric for your WI then good for you ... what you have just done is training.......towards the adaptaion you have planned.

In the case of power the metric will change and recalibrate when you do your FTP test ... all good ;-)

When we were coached in the old days (1980's) we were given a set distance to sprint, we were asked to sprint this balls out and the coach made a note of the time, pulse was taken and the time to recovery was worked out.... then the session began.

We had to hit the original time for the sprint - 10% (Work Interval)

We had our recovery time minus 10% (Rest interval)

As soon as we could not hit the time .... the work out was over and you were free to go and puke in the corner!

Crazy days

Tom Dean

JGSI wrote:

The fun element of cycling always gets lost in threads like these....

your idea of fun is four hours on the turbo