Training & Nutrition - what drills actually make you faster?

Hi

this is my first season of "Training". I say "training" because outside of base I really haven't followed a routine per say. I'll so intervals during a ride... or do some hill work weekly as well but nothing overly structured.

I have gotten faster since I'm actually getting in better shape so I can hold a fast pace longer with out needing as much time to recover

but what kindda drills are designed to increase your speed

riding harder and faster and longer works

doesn't matter what drill. just ride yer nutz off till you get dizzy and fall over. guaranteed u get faster

I've been doing just that... trying to get faster and more competitive...I've reached some of my goals this year and set a few for next already.

my biggest issue is I need to learn how to push myself harder.... sometimes my perceived exertion does not correlate with my actual exertion

when I ride with faster guys I'll stick with them for a while but riding solo I need to learn to push my self just as hard

Structure will make you faster.

yep, a fast group can make you push harder than you would solo.

if there's not a fast group around, structure keeps you from wussing out. if the interval says 5 minutes at such and such pace, there is no question whether you did it right or not.

Every training book I have read states that your structured training should take place on solo rides.
Structure + group rides <> true most of the time.
However, for me a competitive group ride do help me increase my speed. That and they are fun. :p

Short intervals = higher speed
Long intervals = more endurance
Pyramid intervals are a nice compromise between the two. Very tough workout.

Besides riding your guts out on hill repeats. . .

"Drills" I've found most successful - I think these are called "fundamentals":

Fast Pedal: on a trainer or rollers, attempt to ride continuously for 45 minutes at a cadence of 115 or better, while staying in zone 2 (low gears). The continuous part is important. Might take a while to work up to this.

OLP: on a trainer or rollers, do 2 minute intervals of one legged pedaling, left, right, legs together. HR unimportant. Do one set at 50-55 cadence, next at 80-85 cadence, repeat. Do continuously for 45 minutes. Use the largest gear you can. Might take some working up to.

High cadence on the road: Do 20-30 minute intervals at a steady 100 or better cadence, zone 3. Do 2 intervals, 5 minutes rest between. Best on gently rolling terrain. Need country road, important to hold cadence and HR for entire interval, no rest. Speed may be high, be careful.

The above drills don't contribute much training load, so they're relatively easy to fit in.

thank for the replies

CFB all those drills look like the focus on improving ones technique ? looks like a great idea during base or a "recovery" day

thank for the replies

CFB all those drills look like the focus on improving ones technique ? looks like a great idea during base or a "recovery" dayExactly. Better technique will make you faster, regardless of VO2max. At first, some of these drills may impose quite a training load - make your legs hurt. Or they may not, depending on current ability. But the more you do them, the easier they get, and the more appropriate for a recovery day. The high cadence road drill on rolling terrain is interesting, because it emphasizes keeping the speed up by using gearing and momentum - flow. That's something that many riders can improve on.

Once a week total for technical drills is good. I usually do Fast Pedal in winter, OLP in early spring, and the road drill in early summer. But any time for any of them is good, depending on what you feel weak on.

oh and doing at least 2, 100 mile rides a week, even if you don't do intervals...will enhance all your abilities and strengths. fo sho

Just curious, what are some typical racing speeds? Hitting 23-25mph on flats and rolling (small) hills seems fairly easy for me and can be kept up for 45mins-1hour before I need a break. ---- Setup: 48/17. On my geared bikes I can hit 30-32 mph on flats but can't keep this for any major sort of duration, not sure exactly how long but not much (5-9 mins?) --- but my heart is reaaaly going!

Today the Cat 4/5 group kept going at 26mph on the flats and barely slowed down on the hills. My buddy in Long Beach says his group is doing 27 for 40 miles. <I MUST get faster!>

Centuries don't make you faster. Endurance is different than going fast.
However, you could hammer out a century and that may help.

I've been doing just that... trying to get faster and more competitive...I've reached some of my goals this year and set a few for next already.

my biggest issue is I need to learn how to push myself harder.... sometimes my perceived exertion does not correlate with my actual exertion


That's why you need structure. You either need a time for a known route to improve on, or a counted number of repetitions - eg of hill sprints - to increase.

I also need to improve my speed on rides and try to work on it. I agree that the group rides help push me faster. I usually ride alone before work in the morning, so I bought a Garmin 305 and it gives me my speed so I can push myself. I haven't totally figure it the gadget 100% but it is giving me the "structure".

Well, speed is one thing, but a heart rate monitor is useful as well. It doesn't matter if you are fast or slow, if you are at a painful peak pace with the group and HR is 195 then you'll know on a training day to hit 195, hills or flats... no matter.

I find it gives me the "true info" of what I'm doing and eliminates the gradient, wind, heat etc.

the morning shots make me faster. :innocent: