Is my training philosophy accurate?

[08211964]

I push a large gear all the time (53 x 15). I can hold an average cadence of 72-75 RPM's on flat roads.
My way of thinking is that if I continually push this gear I will eventually be able to spin at higher cadences which would raise may average speed.

I'm basing this approach by watching the pros who appear to be pushing a very large gear at high cadences.

Will this type of training raise my average speed or am I way off base.

[TurboTurtle]

Off base. Cycling power requires specificity. The power you develop is based on which fibers are used and the speed that these fibers contract. If you want them to be maximized at a higher cadence, you have to train them at that cadence. - TF

[kuan]

Well 53x15 at 90rpm is about 25mph so yeah, I'd say sure.

[LifeIsSuffering]

I push a large gear all the time (53 x 15). I can hold an average cadence of 72-75 RPM's on flat roads.
My way of thinking is that if I continually push this gear I will eventually be able to spin at higher cadences which would raise may average speed.

I'm basing this approach by watching the pros who appear to be pushing a very large gear at high cadences.

Will this type of training raise my average speed or am I way off base.

Have you seen the very first Conan movie...? Arnold, sold to slavery as a child, is forced to push some big hideous wheel with other slave children. Within time, all the other slaves drop dead from exhaustion. Only Arnold, now a buffed-ass adult, survives ready to "crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their women..."

Even if you are the cycling equivalent of Conan (keep your phone lines open for that call from Quick Step), you're better off taking a break from pushing the SAME gear ALL or MOST of the time.

Your body will adapt to any particular stressor (in your case, pushing a certain gear in a certain cadence). In anticipation of this adaptation and to avoid the subsequent plateau, you can mix a day or two to spinning a smaller gear at a fast cadence (such as overspeed work). Also devote some form of recovery day. The quality of work performed on such drudgery will have a significant impact.

This type of conjugate periodization often favors those who have lives outside of training. I'm not telling you to do 12 weeks of this and then move onto 12 weeks of that so you can peak for 3-6 weeks at x time of the year (a more linear model).

Frankly, I'm not going to waste my time going through the physiological/neurological/psychological benefits of NOT doing the same thing day in a day out. As harsh as this may sound, my well being is not hinged on your level of performance and the health of your joints. All I can tell you is: 1) you have courage for exposing yourself to criticism and; 2) your current philosophy can be better.