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Cycling - Intervals
Cycling - Intervals
CYCLING PERFORMANCE TIPS
Intervals
Interval training consists of periods of intense physical activity (the exercise interval) alternating with periods of recovery (the relaxation interval). The rest interval allows relatively rapid muscle recovery with minimal lactic acid build up, and as a result it allows a longer session of training time at peak performance levels. One study in runners suggested that continuous, maximal performance could be sustained for only 0.8 miles (to exhaustion) while a similar level of active exertion totaled over 4 miles when a training session consisted of intervals.
But on the negative side, training program drop out rates double when intervals are used, so they should be used judiciously. Don't use them year round, rather consider a twice a week program during your peak season and separate each session by at least 48 hours to allow adequate recovery. For example, if your long ride is on the weekend, Tuesday and Thursday make good interval days.
The intensity of exercise is the secret to the success of intervals. An interesting study looked at cyclists trained with intervals for 40 minutes, 6 times a week for 10 weeks. They then divided the group into thirds. One third maintained exercise intensity, but decreased the duration of the sessions by 66%. The second third continued 40 minute sessions at the same intensity, but decreased the frequency to 2 times a week. And the third maintained the frequency and duration, but decreased the intensity of the sessions. The VO2max of the first two groups held constant, and the third decreased. the conclusion:
improvements in aerobic capacity have different training requirements than maintaining them
if intensity of intervals is held constant, the frequency and duration to maintain gains are less than those required to achieve them intially
However, there were other ramifications of decreasing exercise volumes including a parallel decrease in endurance capacity at 75% VO2max. This reinforces that it is a combination of both intensity of exercise (best achieved with intervals) and total time (or volume) of exercise (the long slow distance idea) that determine the athlete's ultimate performance.
PHYSIOLOGY
Conventional wisdom says cycling pain occurs when you go anaerobic and lactic acid builds up in your muscle tissue. But studies in subjects who, because of a genetic defect, do not produce lactic acid demonstrated a similar pain response to anaerobic exercise as normal riders. Rather than lactic acid, culprits may be nervous system input from muscle fiber nerves, a chemical mediator other than lactic acid, or some other cellular change in the muscle fibers.
When you train to your maximum (pushing the muscle pain limit), several changes occur which will allow you to push even farther into your anaerobic zone the next time.
muscle metabolism changes to extract more oxygen from every millilter of blood flowing through the muscle capillaries
more capillaries develop in the muscles
your heart adapts to pump more blood for any specific time interval
you learn to mentally deal with the pain and exercise through it
INTERVAL DURATION
Short exercise intervals range from 15 to 90 seconds while longer intervals last from 3 to 5 minutes. Set a definite time for your intervals and then pace your effort so that you are exercising at your maximum throughout that period (if you can't make it through the entire interval, you need to cut back your effort a bit). The goal for the day should be a total of 10 to 20 minutes of hard pedalling, not counting warm up, recovery, or cool down. If you are just beginning an interval program, I'd suggest starting with 5 minutes of peak effort.
The recovery interval is usually active rest (ie easy spinning) and can range in length from a ratio of 1:3 for sprint work of 20 seconds or less (ie 10 seconds of sprinting to 30 seconds of spinning) to 1:1 or 1:1.5 for 60 to 90 second intervals. To get maximum benefit from your interval training, it is important to allow adequate recovery time between intervals, but the succeeding interval should start before the heart rate and oxygen uptake have returned entirely to mormal. If you have a heart rate monitor, wait until your heart rate drops to 60 or 65% of your maximum heart rate. If you are using perceived extertion (i.e. how you feel) to decide, wait until your breathing has returned to it's normal depth and rate.
aerobic interval 1:1 (rest:recovery ie equal rest interval)
anaerobic interval 1:2 or 1:3 (ie rest interval 2 to 3 x the time of the effort)
Fartlek training is a modification of interval training, using alternate periods of slow and fast riding to improve aerobic capacity. It is not as precise as interval training and is based on how the rider feels at the time. It's advantage is to allow more freedom and variety in workouts.
One approach is using one day a week for short intervals (ie five 60 second and five 90 second intervals) and a second for longer intervals (two 3 minute and two 5 minute intervals). Allow adequate time for recovery between intervals (up to 3 to 5 minutes) and don't forget a 20 to 30 minute warm up and a 15 minute cool down at the beginning and end of your session. It has been shown that as few as a half dozen 5 minute intervals during a 300 km training week will improve both time trial and peak performance.
HEART RATE INTERVALS
If you have a heart rate monitor you can key intervals to your maximum heart rate. Ride your intervals at 80 to 90% of your maximum heart rate and spin easily until your heart rate drops to 60 to 65% of maximum.
The information in this article is for educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and is not intended to replace the advice or attention of healthcare professionals
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