canuckbelle

I like pain

My sports background is national-level badminton where a lot of our training is intervals and the key is being able to recover around threshold heart rates/efforts.

JohnKScott

Cool. Yeah...reasonable for me would be not to have my already anemic FTP to drop over this tough scheduling period and have to start over and rebuild. I'm stronger right now for this time of year than I have been in a few years. I'd like to not lose too much of that momentum. Also, to do enough exercise when I can so as not to gain weight during this period. Sometimes the eating is challenging during these events. If the FTP goes up a little that would be ok too but I won't hold my breath on that one .

Thanks!

shovelhd

You will see the value in it as you get older.

furiousferret

I have to do core exercises at least once a week these days. Wish I didn't have to, but it negates the effects of cycling / sitting. When you are younger, shortened hip flexors and a rotated pelvic core weren't that big an issue, but these days not keeping on top of it can be debilitating.

My last injury is essentially the muscles pulling my leg slightly out of the socket due to an imbalance from sitting. So far the standing desk and weights are mitigating it but the issue still occasionally pops up.

TheKillerPenguin

I mean, last year I did retear an umbilical hernia, and I don't do core exercises, so there is likely some truth with regard to the value of core exercises.

gsteinb

I've found I hurt myself more often doing those things (in the act) than I get hurt from not doing them

Ygduf

So I think cycling actually builds decent core strength on its own. I can hold planks and what not. I can't do an l-sit or anything, but it doesn't seem to be holding back my pedaling.

shovelhd

It doesn't. I lose strength everywhere throughout the racing season, but specially my upper body which needs continuous rehab in order to avoid shoulder surgery. Some of that is because I'm old, and some of it is just me. I find value in trading one 40-80TSS workout a week for core, and I'm not the only old fart that does.

globecanvas

I do one core / body weight strength workout per week. I think it helps a lot, personally. I doubt I'm doing anything strenuous enough to risk injury.

...

A teammate and I did some sprint practice today. We picked a couple of landmarks somewhere under 200m apart and took turns leading out. The leader would jump at the starting landmark, not at all trying to get a surprise jump, and the pursuer would try to come around in the last 50m.

It was really fun and felt like great training, for speed, form, and power. The teammate is a lot stronger than me but form and patience make up for a lot of watts. Smoked him every time

Plus, I set a new power PR from 1s-20s which is cool, saw 1100w for the first time and just shy of 1000w for 10s. I know those numbers are nbd but they work for me.

TheKillerPenguin

I mean I do have a 32 pack if you count my actual awesome abs + all the ribs that are showing and I do agree that all the long rides have seemed to build core strength along with decent enough triceps, but cycling fit is a very specific type of fit that doesn't have much bearing on being well-rounded healthy human fit so I can see the point of doing actual core work as well.

Ygduf

can't argue that. we went on a 2.5 mile walking tour and I needed to find places to sit along the route.

canuckbelle

A PR is a PR. Congrats!

globecanvas

Hey, they are not like canuckbelle type of numbers or anything. I'd be crushing souls with your numbers.

globecanvas

Speaking of left-side-of-the-curve power numbers, you know the e-wang chart that everybody hates. The column that makes the least sense to me is the 5 second w/kg benchmarks. My PR today moves me one notch higher ... within the cat 4 bracket. I'm no sprinter, but there really aren't that many real sprinters, and I've certainly outsprinted people who do think they are sprinters.

gsteinb is a real sprinter, and I know his numbers more or less, and even those numbers are not at a very impressive place on the chart, even though I've never seen him lose a sprint. I mean, the chart is generally useless etc etc, but that column doesn't seem to have any basis in reality at all as far as I can tell.

mattm

I think that column just has a huge variance; (world-level) track sprinters might put out a ton of watts, but would get dropped in a rr/etc.

Also, just because one wins crits and/or field sprints doesn't really make them a true sprinter, in the sense that they should be up on the left side of that chart.

canuckbelle

Also, watts/kg don't matter so much in a (flat or downhill) sprint so much as just raw watts. So a heavy person putting out 1600w is probably going to destroy a light person putting out 1100.

Grumpy McTrumpy

depends on if you are still accelerating and the size of the hole you make in the wind. I've on occasion had a decent flat sprint result and never hit 900

TMonk

30min spin this morning, felt great! First ride in one week since my crash last Th.

The road rash hurt going over bumpy road sections, but I feel good!

Tomorrow: 1hr! That's right, a full hour!

canuckbelle

Very true. I have as yet to sprint from the front.

KingShakes

Started using TrainerRoad on the KICKR this offseason. First time on a really structured program. Did a semi structured workout prior to my first ever racing season last year (only 4 races overall). November 23rd 20 minute FTP approximation test 235. Only 4 more base building rides in December after that. Started mostly 2x a week base building 1 hr to 1.5 hr sessions through mid Feb. Time mostly limited due to frequent weekend ski trips. Mid Feb went on the short power, low volume, 8 week build program. 2 to 5 sessions a week depending on travel with average TSS of around 300.

Started the mid volume criterium program last week. Tested 295 FTP with the 2 x 8 minute power test. Some of this increase likely to better test execution in pacing. Got outside for first road ride of the season on Saturday for 40 miles of bluffs and flatland (Chicago area) and set Strava personal records on a couple of my benchmark segments which felt good for it being this early in the season. First race of the season is 3 weeks from Saturday. Hoping to get to 315 on the FTP for my A race in the first weekend of June. Tonight's workout is 6 sets of 8 15-25 second Billats at 125% FTP with 88% 15-30 sec FTP in between.

wktmeow

Can't agree more. I'm pretty high up on the chart but at 65kg I have yet to win a field sprint. I imagine part of that is due to being a bit spent at the end of a race and part of it is tactics, but a lot of it is that I don't have the top end speed to keep up with the bigger guys out there. If only I could convince everyone to go really slow on the last lap of a crit so my acceleration can shine

aaronmcd

According to the chart I have a cat 2 sprint. I avoided field sprints at all costs in cat 4. Would lose every one pretty bad.

TMonk

Bro, do you even sprint?

Me: (160lbs)

1s: 1350
5s: 1200
10s: ?
15s: 1000

ALL OF THE WATTS

aaronmcd

Morning group ride today, was thinking I'd just sit in (still pretty tough on this ride) if I felt fatigued from double workouts yesterday. Of course, I go at the first hill as usual. Held off the lazy pack for over 5 minutes. Then worked my butt off because the front is fun. Attack goes a couple minutes from the main sprint and a half dozen guys had the legs to follow. I just pedaled as hard as I could and went backwards. Pretty tough 3 days, actually coasted a bit on the way to work this morning! Considering 2 days recovery before Sunday's hilly/windy road race. Prob off tomorrow, and maybe just 30-40 miles of JRA Saturday. Maybe I can get some non-racing folks to ride with me.

wktmeow

Are you winning lots of pack sprints?

I need to start doing that morning ride once in a while. It's hard for me to drag my lazy ass out of bed that early though. Is it arm warmers cold the whole time or does it end up getting significantly warmer by the end?