"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Post your sweet-spot workouts

I'm going to put together a compilation of BikeForums workouts and "publish" it in PDF form as a Christmukah gift for everyone later this year. Every couple weeks I'll start a thread that says "Post your XXXXX workout", please contribute what you can. Intervals and intensities will be defined in terms of Functional Threshold Power (FTP). I understand not everyone has a power meter, but this is the format I have chosen. I'm sure you can adapt it to heart rate and/or RPE..

I've created a working GoogleDocs document, available here: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dff3pq75_3hjnjknd6.

----------------------------------

This thread will focus on "sweet-spot" workouts. Sweet spot has been defined as upper-L3 to lower-L4 workouts. I'll start with a few (thanks to Bill Black):

DRIVE FOR THE LINE
- 10min. warm-up;
- 20min. @85% of FTP;
- 5min. @70% of FTP;
- 5min. @100% of FTP with last 30sec. thereof @140%+ of FTP;
- 5min. @70% of FTP;
- 5min. @100% of FTP with last 30sec. thereof @140%+ of FTP;
- 10min. cool-down.

4.5 THEN DRIVE
- 10min. warm-up;
- 70% of FTP then every 4.5min. go @140% of FTP for 90sec. (so total of 6min.) and that is one rep and you continue that for 10 reps (total of 60min) never letting things go below the 70% of FTP base level;
- 10min. cool-down.

DRIVE FOR 5
- 10min. warm-up;
- 5min. @110% of FTP then 2min. @60% of FTP and that is one rep; do 3 reps per set and 2 sets with 10min. @ L2 between the sets.
- 10min. cool-down.

TERRIBLE 20's
- 10min. warm-up;
- 20min. @90% of FTP with last 2min. thereof being @110% of FTP and that is one rep; do 3 reps with 5min. @ L2 between the reps;
- 10min. cool-down.

HOUR OF POWER
- 10min. warm-up;
- 60min. @ 80-95% FTP
- every 90 sec or so, shift down, stand up, SURGE.
- 10min. cool-down

HOUSE OF PAIN
- 10min warm-up;
- 57min. @75% of FTP and spaced out fairly evenly during that 57min. do 4 x 2min. @110% of FTP;
- 18min. @80% of FTP and spaced out fairly evenly during that 18min. do 4 x 1min. @120% of FTP;
-10min. cool-down.

I thought it was christmahanakwansika?

Thanks for doing this BTW. These will help me later when i make the drive to hone my TT form to kick all MABRA Cat 4 butt in August.

I thought it was christmahanakwansika?

Thanks for doing this BTW. These will help me later when i make the drive to hone my TT form to kick all MABRA Cat 4 butt in August.

I've always wanted an encyclopedia of workouts - doing 2x20's all the time gets boring. I don't mind doing the compiling, but I need people to provide the data!

This thread will focus on "sweet-spot" workouts. Sweet spot has been defined as upper-L4 to lower-L5 workouts.

Say what?

http://www.fascatcoaching.com/training_tips/SweetSpot_partdeux.html

He's got the levels (if you're using A&C) wrong, but the workouts correct.

Say what?

http://www.fascatcoaching.com/training_tips/SweetSpot_partdeux.html

oops

http://www.buttercream.info/Mini_Desserts_Close_copy.jpg

I go past the Buttercream (http://www.buttercream.info/) place on my way home rather frequently.

This is awesome. Thanks!

Nobody has any sweet spot workouts?

3x20's @ 91% day one, 2x20s @ 95% day two.

MIET = 90-120 min steady @ 91-93%

SST isn't really rocket science though, so... dunno what you're looking for.

Is it possible to include some sort of conversion chart for the different acronyms, and from power to HR style, in the final draft?

COMMUTE:
-3-5 minute warmup with 45 seconds at target effort
-Between every traffic light on the way to work, target 97% FTP (varies with acute training load and fatigue)
-Practice finding the rhythm right out of the gate when the light turns green, and keep the pressure on until the next red light (for me, this is from 3-15 minutes depending on luck)
-Don't go easier if you make a green light you don't usually make

Is it possible to include some sort of conversion chart for the different acronyms, and from power to HR style, in the final draft?

At LTHR of 177, SST sits me at 165-168bpm steady on a normal, non caffeinated, non over rested day.

SST isn't really rocket science though, so... dunno what you're looking for.

I'm looking for different ways to train at SST. Not everyone has the mental strength to sit and grind for XX minutes, and not everyone wants to do the same workouts week in and week out. So I'm putting together a compendium of workouts for people to choose from, all of which exercise the same systems (roughly) and achieve the same gains (roughly).

It's all about diversity and spicing things up a bit. 2x20's get boring.

The workouts you've listed are L4/L5, not SST (L3/L4). Check Bill Black's thread. Still good workouts, but different intensity.

For SST, I keep it simple: 60min@95%, 90-120min@90-93%.

Where's Black's thread?

Where's Black's thread?

http://www.cyclingforums.com/showpost.php?p=3708202&postcount=12

meh, enough of the critics. you can share your editorial remarks when the first draft comes out.

for now, just post your workouts.

I like this. I may try one next week in place of my 2x20s.

meh, enough of the critics. you can share your editorial remarks when the first draft comes out.

for now, just post your workouts.

Sir yes sir!

If you're looking for replacements for 2x20s, these are all good. But 2x20s aren't SST, and neither are these. The whole idea of SST is to lower the intensity a bit in order to lengthen the work interval (more than 40min per session).

So are you looking for threshold workouts or SST? I was more enthusiastic before I got called a "critic" (WTH?) just for asking for clarification.

Post whatever you got - I may have called it "sweet spot" but you see where the thread is going. In the end, the document will have SST, Threshold, Anaerobic intervals, NM intervals, everything. So just post what you've got, we'll organize and classify later.

Didn't mean to be an ass, but I'm getting sick of people attacking the minutiae and missing the big picture that I'm trying to compile a resource that just might be helpful to fellow forum members.

I think I do more SST in one day than you guys do in a week. :)

4' @ 88%-90% of FTP
1' @ 100%-105% of FTP
this is one set. there is no recovery.

you can easily mess around with the length of the SST time and the LT time, but basically it gets you some minutes @ FTP without destroying you AND breaks up the SST monotony. I broke a CP60' record this winter with this workout.

I like 2x15 @ 103%-106% too. What I do is aim for let's say 350 watts and if I'm really drilling that wattage after 15 minutes, I'll take it to 20'. If I'm not feeling it, I stop, recover for 6-8 minutes and hit the second 15' interval. Sure, you could do a 3rd, too and call it 3x15's but the intensity is a bit high for that, i think, particularly if the first interval was 20'.

-L

Sir yes sir!

But 2x20s aren't SST, and neither are these. The whole idea of SST is to lower the intensity a bit in order to lengthen the work interval (more than 40min per session).



2x20s can be SST. The idea of SST can be to raise the work interval to more than 40min per session, or it can be to allow many days in a row of training without recovery, increasing the volume for the week. If you do 2x20s at above FTP, you may need to recover the next day, or on day 3.

I applaud bdchueng's efforts to compile some workouts for everyone. It is a good idea.

30 sec @ 60-70%; 30sec @ +100% 60+ min total.

Every 10th rep, I tossed in harder surge, +110% effort in a high gear and worked on my sprinting form and body position (@100-110 rpm); not in terms of producing sprint power, strictly unseated weight distribution and posture...that can hurt pretty bad, too.

I wish there was something like this using only MHR %'s.

^
There is, just your your LTHR instead of FTP. It'll get you close.

I find this thread interesting and a good idea. Unfortunately, I doubt I will be of any help as the prescriptions for these workouts seem quite excessive (lots to remember). My workouts are never that complicated, but most likely it is because I have a tolerance for pain/monotony (thus my enjoyment of TTs) though it could be that my workouts are never really long enough to get any variability in.

I also don't know what the L1-7 numbers really mean, so that could make my contribution a bit screwy. I work with Active recovery, endurance, tempo, Threshold, VO2mas and Anaerobic capacity. Here are some intervals that I like to do in workouts.

Criss Cross intervals
Take FTP (Or LTHR) and cycle above and below in two minute increments for 20 minutes. For a 300 watt FTP, I might use 280 for 2 mins, followed by 320 for two minutes and repeat. I have been known to do this workout for up to an hour straight, though I usually just do a few sets of 20 minutes.

Pyramid Intervals

There are variations, but I will try to peg 1min on/1min off, 2min on/2 off, 3 on/3 off, 5 on/5 off, 3 on/3 off, 2 on/2 off, 1 on/1 off at numbers such that my second half is roughly equal to my first half (maybe 90% or so of the equivalent CP numbers?). Thus, if I can hold 600 watts for a minute, I will try 550 for the one minute portions. I might hit 440 for the 2 minute portions, etc. With the 5 I think the best five possible should be the goal. HR really does not help with this because it is short.

Microburst

Thanks to Snicklefritz, I like this 10 minutes of pain. 15 seconds on/15 seconds off of wide criss crossing. Maybe 100 watts above and 100 below the FTP. Do a few sets.

Tabata

No idea if I have the right protocol, but it's basically nail a near CP1 effort for 30 seconds (Anaerobic capacity), then spin in the endurance zone for 30 seconds. Repeat for 4 minutes.


Sorry I don't have any SST stuff. Occasionally I will do 3 intervals of 15-30 minutes where I focus on cadence. Always tempo range (maybe 90% FTP) where I will start at 100 cadence for the first, drop to 80 cadence for the second and go to a back and forth cadence (100 to 80) every 2 minutes for the third.

I wish there was something like this using only MHR %'s.

Snuff is right...LTHR is what I use. Works well enough.

I just say the alphabet backwards, usually takes to about K ...

120min @ 90% FTP

Thats my workout every Wed.

Variation on Dr. W's criss cross intervals: Take ~90% FTP and cycle above and below it in 2 min increments (or 1 min or 3 min, etc) for 30 minutes or more.

SST ramp test: after warming up, cruise at ~85% FTP and increase power by ~10 w every 5 minutes for 30 min or more (I usually stop after 35' so as to not compromise the rest of the workout).

3 x 30' @ >90% FTP



I'll sometimes mix and match these along with some HOP stuff, getting at least 90' per session.

For example:

35' SST ramp (7 x 5')
5' easy
30' criss cross @ ~90% FTP
5' easy
30' @ ~91% FTP

These are indoor workouts. Outdoors, I kind of "just ride".

Doing 3 gap in the Georgia mountains is my sweet spot.

Seriously though, I have no clue.

I don't even know how to train right. :innocent: