I heard turbo trainers cause massive headtube stress

[fredrikw]

JBC, I think you need to brush up your training knowledge, 30s interval training has been shown to be very effective for aerobic training (increasing VO2max). Lots of stuff is happening within sports research these days, and the training people did 10-20 years ago is often quite far from what sport research has lead us today (although there's a great conservatism within cycling, esp among pro teams).

There are some more threads about interval training that can be worth reading, search a bit here in the cycling forum and you'll find more.

[JohnBarleycorn]

Yup, i wouldn't argue with that !

I've done them myself. 30 sec, 45 secs etc. But i found my best improvements came from 4 min intervals.

There are quite a few studies showing that 4 mins is the best compromise, given all the different systems and theories on interval training.

I found i was riding 30-45 sec intervals at 430-450 watts, and was doing 20 or more at a time, but it didn't seem to be increasing my sustained power, although i had a great jump. But i had a great jump anyway. They are less taxing on the mind though.

[JohnBarleycorn]

Just found this little thread on intervals......

http://www.timetriallingforum.co.uk/ind ... =0&start=0

Maybe we should have a 'sticky' thread on training strategies that have worked for us ?

[fredrikw]

5x0:30
4x4
2-3x20

that's the key to success. case closed. thread locked

I think most cyclist, like perhaps 90% or so, would benefit from just having a strategy to begin with, almost no matter what the strategy is. Just getting into consistent training and stop finding excuses not to train would probably make wonders for most people. How's that for strategy?

[JohnBarleycorn]

Agree totally !

Too many cyclists do too much, mistaking the enjoyment of riding their bikes for actual training.

Also

There are endless permutations and combinations of intervals. I think many, if not most cyclists enjoy experimenting and researching all these strategies and combinations, looking for the magic system. But any system will bring results, if its followed for six to eight weeks.

So the three sets of intervals you've mentioned will cover every angle, in my opinion.

And rest is more important than most cyclists admit. But if you don't rest, you don't recover, the intervals get slower, and it all goes wrong !

[Herbsman]

Aye. I find it hard to rest. I get restless if I don't do something, so I end up going out on my BMX to the local skatepark, which completely f--ks me up - too much hard work

[fredrikw]

I usually say that if you're restless on your rest days you're probably not pushing hard enough on the days you're supposed to push hard. It's also a question about focus, if you have your goals set out giving your body time to recover shouldn't be a problem.

[JohnBarleycorn]

I usually say that if you're restless on your rest days you're probably not pushing hard enough on the days you're supposed to push hard. It's also a question about focus, if you have your goals set out giving your body time to recover shouldn't be a problem.

Something that took me years to learn......

Most people don't train hard enough on their hard days,

And then train too hard on their easy days !

So end up spending most of their time falling short of both

And training into mediocrity

I have a rest day today, after intervals at 360 watts yesterday. No way could I train today. I'm knackered !

[Herbsman]

I usually say that if you're restless on your rest days you're probably not pushing hard enough on the days you're supposed to push hard. It's also a question about focus, if you have your goals set out giving your body time to recover shouldn't be a problem.

I'm always restless, whether I've got energy or I'm lying in bed with 'flu or food poisoning.

I just hate staying still. It's why I can only manage to read a book for 1 hour, maximum.

I went for a roll around on the BMX yesterday and although I was tired I felt OK for about 15 minutes of pretty gentle riding (intermittent with chatting to a dude about photography) but then I felt my blood sugar suddenly drop and I had no strength whatsoever in my upper body. I went home and tried to make a sugary cup of tea but struggled to pick up the kettle because my arms were so weak. Today I feel pretty bad - my heart is beating too fast and I'm kinda shaking. Anything that involves the slightest amount of physical difficulty leaves me tired and breathless. It's such a nice sunny day too, shame I'm gonna have to spend it doing nothing.

I'm sure I felt better than this when I used to drink excessive amounts of alcohol...

[fredrikw]

sounds like you need a hobby you enjoy

[Herbsman]

a nice gentle hobby with very little physical activity would be good

[Herbsman]

I just re-read JBC's post that I should do one of each 4 x 4 and 2 x 20 every week. Oops. I started training 4 times a week, but with only commuting inbetween... should I only do them once a week if I do rides after work and at the weekend? Don't want to end up with fatigue froom overtraining.

[JohnBarleycorn]

If you do them properly, you won't feel much like riding hard on the other days.

Do one day of the 4x4 (building to 5x4), and one day of the 2x20 (building to 3x20) each week. On the other days, do steady rides at an intensity that feels right, bearing in mind that you want to be in good shape for the 'real' training days.

You'll know if the easy days are being ridden too hard, because you won't be recovering or progressing from the hard days.

[Herbsman]

well... a couple of days last week i felt super fast on my commute. no, tell a lie. cycling fast felt super easy. this was after five or six hard turbo sessions, with a good amount of rest inbetween, but i think the way i feel today is because ive been doing them too often, and perhaps riding too hard on my commutes.

i tried to do a 4x4 on friday and managed 2x4 before my body went limp and my mind went depressed. this is after staying up past 1am on wednesday and getting up at 6 for an early shift at work... i know how important rest is, but i get really bored sometimes and feel like i'm wasting my time if i'm not exercising.

then i did 2 x 20 today, except the second 20 was actually 12. i gave up and felt pretty bad. recarbed and then tried to do a gentle bmx session at the skatepark for fun... died after 4 runs.

so yeah. i need to sort my life out, basically. ensure that i get to bed at a reasonable time, and spend my non-exercise time reading books. i just find it really difficult to chill out and get into a book sometimes... i need to make a really secluded but comfortable spot that i can retreat to and stay away from the internet (and the noise from my housemate's tv)

[Herbsman]

oh and, i'm supposed to be doing a 100 mile charity ride from stratford upon avon at 8am tomorrow. i think not.