Originally Posted by
jeff3069
Hello All,
I will appreciate your advice on that:
According to a study I was shown, when one wants to improve VO2Max, sets of intervals in which one goes above 90% of his HRMax is the better way, while an interpretation suggests that the key thing is the total time one manages to stay at such above-90%-of-HRMax.
carbonfiberboy's comments are spot on.
You're probably referencing one of Seiler's studies, where athletes apply the maximum effort sustainable for each interval. Heart rate there is just a symptom, and may be lower or higher (the subjects reached 90% +/- 2% doing 4x8, and 94% +/-2 on 4x4).
He also says the heart rate measurements were over the last 25% of each interval.
I personally, when doing such intervals, say of 2 minutes duration each, get above my 90% in the second minute, so for example, if I'd do a set of 6 of them, I'd 'collect' 6 minutes above 90% HRmax.
While - - - in some 2 hours rides, the aggregated time above 90% HRMax is 15-20 minutes, which in no way I can reach by intervals.
Seiler reports 4x8 produced bigger improvements in both VO2max and threshold power versus 4x4 or 4x16. As hard as tolerated (for me at 10 minutes that's 110% of FTP estimated from 20 minute power). 2 minutes rest between intervals. In a slowtwitch post he suggested 7-10 minutes.
I wonder what is better / more effective for improving VO2Max - those intervals ? or such a ride ? (any additional value to short all-out intervals ? )
Intervals. Much longer than 2 minutes. Short intervals will improve your sprint, but aren't the right tool for VO2max.