Question and answer
Dave,
Question time, As im working full time, whats the best idea for my Thursday night, the other half is off down the gym, at this time of the year is there any benefit going down to the gym and doing high rep(lower weight) weight sessions and burning a bit of fat considering i’m turbo’ing Tues, then circuit/core on Weds. What do you reckon?
I see no benefit in Hi rep low weight work. If you’re joining herself down’t’ gym, then high weight, with an emphasis on increasing the speed of the explosive phase and low reps – up to about 5, and this is a ‘fail’ attempt (ie you can’t quite do the fifth one, with long rest intervals, perhaps on an orbitrek or static bike, of about 3 minutes or more. This produces huge amounts of HGH which will allow your recovery, and the building of new structures to accelerate. High weights for recovery? Oh yes!!!
Note of caution, though: If your already stiffening up after last night, then you’ve already done the damage that you need, and a heavy weights session would be inappropriate, and you’d probably give yourself a proper injury, or, at least, a cold. In these situations, an endurance turbo session from my extensive library, would be a better bet. Try the attached.
| CYCLE TURBO SESSION 4b | |||||||||
| POWER ENDURANCE | Anaerobic Threshold intervals | ||||||||
| Do this in the middle 30% of Time To Target | |||||||||
| Description | Time | cumulate | gear | comment | |||||
| Warm Up | 15.00 | 15.00 | 39×23… | Change up every 3 minutes | |||||
| Session | 10.00 | 25.00 | c. 53×15 | Hold 90 RPM and build the effort steadily | |||||
| Get to best 10 mile TT HR and hold it there | |||||||||
| 3.00 | 28.00…. | 39×15 | Drop to the little ring and spin easily for 3 minutes | ||||||
| 1.07.00 | Do up to 3 more repeats, remembering to rehydrate | ||||||||
| Cool Down | 5.00 | 1.12.00 | 39X15… | Spinning on low resistance. Change down every 3 minutes | |||||
| Ensure HR goes below 100 before finishing. | |||||||||
| Heart Rates as a Percentage of MHR | |||||||||
| 100% | 95% | 90% | 85% | 80% | 75% | 70% | 65% | 60% | |
| 200 | 190 | 180 | 170 | 160 | 150 | 140 | 130 | 120 | |
| 195 | 185 | 176 | 166 | 156 | 147 | 137 | 127 | 117 | |
| 190 | 181 | 171 | 162 | 152 | 143 | 133 | 124 | 114 | |
| 185 | 176 | 167 | 157 | 148 | 139 | 130 | 120 | 111 | |
| 180 | 171 | 162 | 153 | 144 | 153 | 126 | 117 | 108 | |
| 175 | 166 | 158 | 149 | 140 | 131 | 123 | 114 | 105 | |
| 170 | 162 | 153 | 145 | 136 | 128 | 119 | 111 | 102 | |
| 165 | 157 | 149 | 140 | 132 | 124 | 116 | 107 | 99 | |
| 160 | 152 | 144 | 136 | 128 | 120 | 112 | 104 | 96 | |
Hi Dave
I have a question for you. I started my winter training 7 weeks ago based on my then FTP (220 watts). I have been doing mostly muscular endurance rides of between 180-210 with a weekly threshold session of 10-15 minute intervals at or just above FTP.
The good news is that my FTP is now 235 (equal to the peak value in the summer). But in the past I seem to always plateau at this value.
The question is how do I go beyond this value? I want to keep the muscular endurance stuff going. Do I go back to 10 minute intervals with a higher power (say 240/250) or do I go for more 15 minute intervals at the current power (235). I don’t have any scope for increasing my overall weekly training time.
In the past I never seemed to find the right mix to break this.
Cheers
Chris
Hi Chris
Plateau is caused by reaching the level to which your current training will get you. You don’t now have to do More, but you do have to do SMARTER. Try some of the power endurance sessions, with the hard bit of each at 250 watts if you can. There’s a few on the Training part of this blog, which I’m assured is now working (let me know). Like I always say, “just go faster!”
Shout if you need more info!!
Best
D
So up the power. Got it thanks. Will let you know what happens in a month or so.
Thank you