Training & Nutrition - train less, ride faster

Over the break, I read a referenced study in a peer-reviewed journal suggesting that one training regimen for rapidly and dramatically improving VO2 max consisted of only a six minute workout done five times weekly for a total of 30 minutes in the saddle a week. Sorry, I can't find it right now but thought I would throw it out here to see if anyone knows about it and what your comments are.

It was 20 seconds at 175% effort(?) (not sure what this means), then a 10 second rest repeated 12x. The improvement was a whopping 15% to VO2 max in trained experienced cyclists and this compared very favorably to more typical interval training.

Thoughts? Comments? If no one is familiar with this and you want more info, I suppose I can scan my laptop for cached files and/or do some serious memory jogging.

I'm not sure about the specific numbers, or what they're comparing to, but I could see there being some kernels of truth there.

Many fitness experts will tell you that improvement occurs during recovery, not during workouts themselves. Allowing sufficient time for recovery probably will get you stronger/faster/better than going to exhaustion all the time.

But, there are probably other studies that show something that appears to be the opposite. It's generally not a good idea to draw any big conclusions on these things, especially from a single study (peer-reviewed or not).

i think this has come up on these boards before.

anyway, i would think the prior fitness histories of the subjects being tested would be a major factor. if they were couch potatos, the rise in V02 max may be much higher than an already conditioned rider. i doubt someone who is training regularily would see much of a difference over more traditional training methods.

and, of course, we know there is much more to cycling then just having a high V02 max. plus i think hitting those kinds of efforts is actually more difficult than just riding.

These are called Tabata Intervals (http://www.leanandhungryfitness.com/content_show.cfm/content_id.20047)... still haven't found the source. These are seasoned cyclists, BTW. However the study was done after both groups had developed a winter base.
http://www.leanandhungryfitness.com/content_show.cfm/content_id.20047

Try:

'Metabolic Profile of High-Intensity Intermittent Exercises', Tabata, I, Irishawa, K, Kuzaki, M, Nishimura, K, Ogita, F, & Miyachi, M, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 29(3), 390-395, 1997

Also, you can find out about this protocol here:

http://www.pponline.co.uk

THe cyclists in the study had not been doing high-intensity training prior to the study.

It is old wisdom that you lose and regain high-end speed very quickly when you do or do not do any high intensity training.

If they had been doing traditional VO2 max work prior to this study, would the effects have been the same?