"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Interval Training Program

I have used the search function, but I have a specific question:

Which interval program in your mind is a more effective program:


Program 1:

8 x 15 second sprints, at 120 RPM (2 minue rest between intervals)
6 x 1 minnute intervals at 110 RPM (3- 5 minutes rest between intervals)
6 x 5 minute intervals at 100 RPM (5 minutes between intervals)


Program 2:

1, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2, 1, (breaks equal to the equivalent of the time spend in the interval.

More effective for what? What are your goals and what have you been doing to date?

I'd do a combination of the two programs as build/peak period training as a crit racer. I guess I'd pick #1 as 'more effective' for this purpose because it includes the sprints.

IMO, Program 1 would be pretty much impossible to do effectively in a single workout.

--Steve

IMO, Program 1 would be pretty much impossible to do effectively in a single workout.

--Steve


I read it as a suggested interval workout on-line. When I tried it, I was fried after the 1-minute intervals.

My main goal is to increase speed and reduce recovery time so I can better adapt when an attack occurs.

Part of recovery is aerobic fitness, something none of those intervals address. All the interval types are good, you just need to break them up and do them at different times.

Are you sure Program 1, wasn't intended to be done on different days,

i.e. sprints tuesday, 1 minute intervals thursday, 5 minute intervals saturday?

They're all training different attributes. If you took Progam 1, lengthened the 5 minute intervals to 10 minutes and did them at FTP, and did the 3 as seperate workouts during the week, with 1 long endurance ride, and a recovery ride or 2 , you'd have a pretty solid program covering all the bases.

I have used the search function, but I have a specific question:

Which interval program in your mind is a more effective program:


Program 1:

8 x 15 second sprints, at 120 RPM (2 minue rest between intervals)
6 x 1 minnute intervals at 110 RPM (3- 5 minutes rest between intervals)
6 x 5 minute intervals at 100 RPM (5 minutes between intervals)


Program 2:

1, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2, 1, (breaks equal to the equivalent of the time spend in the interval.





What are you looking for? Personally, I'm too fat to be a sprinter so I'm more interested in just having the strength and stamina for grinding people into the ground, so I tend to either do 5 minute intervals or pyramid sets (your "program 2" but mine are 1-2-3-4-5-5-4-3-2-1).

One day a week. I also do a "spirited" "race paced" ride which includes hills against some pretty fast guys another day a week.

IMO, Program 1 would be pretty much impossible to do effectively in a single workout.

--Steve

I wasn't reading that as having to do the whole program in 1 workout. You are right - that would be pretty tough to finish.

IMO, Program 1 would be pretty much impossible to do effectively in a single workout.

--Steve

No joke, to get a good 5 minute interval day in I need to be fresh. The sprints and 1 minute intervals could be combined, but I'd not be able to get the wattage up for a 6x5 after those two.

Combine both programs, and break the steps up over 4 separate days. If you're going to do eight sprints, you'll need 5-6 minutes of recovery to have any quality to them. After the sprints, an aerobic/recovery ride would be appropriate if you have time (same ride).

Also, for the sprints, don't try to do them at one cadence. Do what you have to so you acheive an explosive effort. I generally pick a single gear, start from 20mph at around 80 rpm, and sprint up to 130 -140 rpm. The point being that it's as all-out as you can possibly go for 15s.