"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Increasing 1 & 5 minute power?

This winter I'm looking to build some serious sprinting/attacking/short hill climbing power, along with building a decent level of aerobic fitness. I can only ride on the road Saturday and Sunday, and I take monday and friday's off for family. So far I have my training session broken down like this:

Monday: Off
Tuesday: 1 & 5 minute power building on trainer
Wednesday: 60 minute endurance on trainer
Thursday: 1 & 5 minute power building on trainer
Friday: Off
Saturday: 2-4 hours endurance on road
Sunday: 2-4 hours endurance on road

So my question is, what are some good things to do on the trainer to build 1 & 5 minute power? I assume doing 1 & 5 minute intervals of some sort, but any help would be great.

Both time intervals are anaerobic, so do more anaerobic intervals.

Pyramid intervals (http://www.stpetecycling.com/fitness2.html) are good - here's (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=269279) a good discussion on intervals.

WRI - WaterRockets Intervals - are another option. Basically you go all-out, balls-to-the-wall, for one minute (or until you black out). Start off with a decent kicking sprint and just try to keep that wattage high. It will fade over the minute, but it definitely taxes your anaerobic system.

Depending on when the meat of your racing season starts, now may not be the best time to be focusing on anaerobic training though. This kind of peak power is the fastest to gain, and the fastest to lose.

Make sure you keep building your FTP, as it will bring your low-end power up as well. Other than that, yeah short intervals as BDC suggests.

Another workout I like is an interval pyramid: 1, 1, 2, 5, 2, 1, 1 (more of an interval Bell curve I suppose). It keeps it interesting while working on anaerobic work capacity and VO2Max pretty well. 5m easy recovery between each.

There are 6 road races in about 6 weeks time, starting at the end of February. One in particular in Austin has a pretty nasty hill that you climb every lap. It's probably a 5-10 minute climb every go 'round.

Maybe I can do some 20' intervals on Tuesday and the 1,1,2,5,2,1,1 pyramid on Thursdays, then add in some SST on either Saturday or Sunday?

Yeah, you might alternate the 1125211 with hill repeats too.

It sounds like you're talking about Lago Vista with the long hill? I tried trading pulls with RX on that climb this year when we were a 2-man chase group. Ouch.

Actually, I'm planning to peak around the same time, and I have the same development goals as you. My plan is to start the hill repeats in the next week (climbing Lost Creek, 6x ~4:45 in the VO2Max zone).

Then, after we get back from Christmas break, I'll start hitting the 1125211 and the 6x1 intervals (one or the other, each week). That will leave my intensity a little low for Copperas Cove, but I think my FTP will make up for it against the 3s.

There are 6 road races in about 6 weeks time, starting at the end of February. One in particular in Austin has a pretty nasty hill that you climb every lap. It's probably a 5-10 minute climb every go 'round.

You had me panicking for a second, about how much time before the end of February (start of our season too). 12 weeks, not six. From what I've heard, you shouldn't start working on anaerobic quite yet.

Try tabatas. They're so quick and painful you can do them when you first get out of bed and then get another workout in later in the day.

http://www.active.com/triathlon/Articles/Go-for-Broke-with-Tabata-Intervals.htm

A sample workout:

3-4 minute warm-up, slowly getting your HR up to 60%.

--- cycle begin
20s balls to the wall
10s recovery
--- cycle end

repeat cycle 8 times (puke).
2-3 minutes cool-down.

Done.

I haven't done Lago Vista... but is that hill really 5 minutes long? At race pace?

WRI - WaterRockets Intervals

Hey, buddy, that term's trademarked, put the TM after it. Another twenty uses and I get a free beer or something.

I haven't done Lago Vista... but is that hill really 5 minutes long? At race pace?

Yeah, it is. I've highlighted the climby portion of the last lap here (in blue). The first 3/4 of that I was chasing the breakaway with Racer_Ex. You can see I had to let him go at 2:18:30 or so, then ramped back up when the pack got to me.

http://img366.imageshack.us/img366/9697/posttg3.png

Yeah, you might alternate the 1125211 with hill repeats too.

It sounds like you're talking about Lago Vista with the long hill? I tried trading pulls with RX on that climb this year when we were a 2-man chase group. Ouch.

Just finished these on the new TT rig. OMG did that hurt.:thumb: On the good side, I was only on the trainer for 55 min.

Both time intervals are anaerobic, so do more anaerobic intervals.

5 min intervals are anaerobic? really?

when doing 5 min ints I'm usually working vo2 max and by definition vo2 max is..."the highest rate of oxygen consumption attainable during maximal or exhaustive exercise"

5 min intervals are anaerobic? really?

Well, if you really want to nitpick, then you're both wrong.
Otherwise: yes, they are anaerobic.

Well, if you really want to nitpick, then you're both wrong.
Otherwise: yes, they are anaerobic.

Why?

Why?

Think about why your lactate levels rise during the interval.

Think about why your lactate levels rise during the interval.

I get why lactate levels rise but the way I read it you spend time fueling w oxygen (above your LT), then your oxygen usage plateaus, and then you spend the remainder of a vo2 max interval using anerobic elements to fuel the effort...

http://www.peakscoachinggroup.com/freeinfo/Intervals_for_vo2max.html

Saying they are "purely" anaerobic seems wrong, but hey, I'm not an exercise physiologist, just a victim of those that purport to be :D

Saying they are "purely" anaerobic seems wrong, but hey, I'm not an exercise physiologist, just a victim of those that purport to be
Where did you see "purely?"

bdcheung..."Both time intervals are anaerobic"
sgrundy..."yes, they are anaerobic."

don't see any reference to a 5 min int being fueled by oxygen in those statements

I was wrong about calling a 5-min interval anaerobic - it's VO2max as LT pointed out.

I stand by my Pyramid Interval recommendation though!

I was wrong about calling a 5-min interval anaerobic - it's VO2max as LT pointed out.

I stand by my Pyramid Interval recommendation though!

Agree that pyramids are a great workout.

BTW I wasn't trying to pick a fight. I thought maybe I had it wrong (wouldn't be the first time) and was just trying to educate myself. I may still be reading "the science" wrong but I want to know what I'm missing if I am.

bdcheung..."Both time intervals are anaerobic"
sgrundy..."yes, they are anaerobic."

don't see any reference to a 5 min int being fueled by oxygen in those statements

But as we all know, over a very wide range of intensities energy is produced both aerobically and anaerobically. So in the absence of a positive statement to the contrary, it would be normal to assume that both pathways are active. To say that an interval targets one range, e.g., the anaerobic, does not preclude engaging other metabolic systems. Hence, while you are correct that it would be wrong to describe the intervals as purely anaerobic, neither post did so.

I was wrong about calling a 5-min interval anaerobic - it's VO2max as LT pointed out.

It is primarily VO2max, that doesn't mean there isn't significant benefit to anaerobic metabolism as well. Remember even a 20 minute effort may have a significant anaerobic component which is why they are not recommended for determining FTP.

neither post did so.

I guess that's where we'll disagree.

splitting hairs.

can we get back to vomit-inducing interval talk now?

Is a day of recovery required/recommended after intervals?

To the OP - another option in place of the straight up 1m intervals is a couple sets of 1min on / 1min off. Sometimes I am just not up for the pure misery of a 1 minute interval session, and these seem somewhat more bearable. You can't go as hard during the minute on, since you only have a 60 second recovery. They work well when you pick a gear that you can just go back & forth from the big ring to the little ring between reps.

Try a set of 5 on/offs (10mins), spin about 5 mins or so and hit it again. I've never done more than two sets, but it is a good alternative to the traditional 60 second leg scorcher.

I was wrong about calling a 5-min interval anaerobic - it's VO2max as LT pointed out.

I stand by my Pyramid Interval recommendation though!

A 5 minute interval is only a vo2max interval if you do it properly.. :)

Vo2Max intervals should just hurt, period. You have to push yourself beyond the threshold and suffer.. Personally, I can't do 5 minute intervals in my Vo2Max "zone" (HR >=191, power >=380w), so I just limit myself to 3 minute intervals but I'll do more of them than I would if they were 5 minute intervals.

Here's some fun from 2 sets of 3x3' intervals in my vo2max zone.

http://www.astro.ufl.edu/~ken/hrm/pain.jpg

Not many people in their right minds really want to suffer that way... But it'll boost your vo2max.

Is a day of recovery required/recommended after intervals?

No. Take days off based on fatigue for the week. Lemond recommended sprints on Monday, short intervals on Tuesday, TT work on Wednesday, and (I think it was) climbing or endurance on Thursday...

No. Take days off based on fatigue for the week. Lemond recommended sprints on Monday, short intervals on Tuesday, TT work on Wednesday, and (I think it was) climbing or endurance on Thursday...

Wowzers...

Wowzers...

You get used to it.

I regularly stack 2 or 3 days of LT work in a row. I'm tired after the 3rd day, and a bit sore, so a nice easy 2hr spin on the 4th and a moderately paced 5th day help me recover. Plenty of sleep as well, too.

http://www.bicycling.com/article/1,6610,s1-4-41-16493-1,00.html

Yea, I'm talking about Lago Vista. I've done that race a long time ago, probably the most fun race of the season.

http://www.cyclingpeakssoftware.com/power411/levels.asp

look at tables 1 and 2 describing levels, intensity range, duration of interval, and adaptation. these will help you formulate a plan to address what you've determined to be a race specific limiter (anaerobic capacity and vo2max).

although, I would recommend that you consider a big picture of your strenths and weaknesses and make an educated determination about whether you should be focusing on ftp development focusing on levels 3/4. the more developed that energy system is, the more you'll have in reserve for attacking, then focus on levels 5/6/7 as you get closer to your target event(s).

I'm of the belief (based on nothing other than my experience and observations) that we all have a limited number of anaerobic matches to burn, and that by working on focused development of those energy systems this far away (>8 weeks) from the target event leaves us with an empty or dwindling matchbook when we need them. YMMV.