Originally Posted by TexMac (Post 16636479)

Maybe you need to understand this is "MY Interval". I asked for people's favorite intervals not universal intervals.

105% is good but my understanding is you DON'T have to do 3 minute interval at 105%. 250watts happens to be 85%. This is the early winter building phase (week 8) and 3 minute at 105% is towards the end of the building phase (week12).3 minute at 85% with 1 minute rest happens to be my favorite.

Originally Posted by THSdrummer (Post 16636987)

My dream workout that'll do once I finish my running eligibility is:
1x hill spinning/seated
1x hill spinning half - standing half (gear up from first)
1x hill standing whole hill (gear up or stay)
1x hill spinning/seated (gear down).

Originally Posted by merlinextraligh (Post 16637861)

The point isn't whether its 105% or 85%.

The point is that it's meaningless to try to talk to each other about intervals expressed in raw watts, as oppossed to watts as a percentage of FTP.

It doesn't do anyone any good to know you do an interval at 250 watts because that translates to no one else.

It could be helpful to say I'm doing 8x3's at 85% of FTP, becuase someone else can apply that to themselves.


That said, what are you trying to accomplish doing 3 minutes at 85% of FTP, instead of just doing 30 minutes at 85% of FTP? That's essentially a tempo workout.

Originally Posted by THSdrummer (Post 16636987)

5 x (30 secs. all out w/ 30 secs. rest - spin or stop). Sometimes I do 3 sets of 5x with 5 minutes between sets. Sometimes I knock the 30 secs. rest down to 20 secs. Sometimes I throw these in at the end of a hard or long ride. Sometimes they are thrown in at the start.

I really don't get to work out very seriously, since running is and has to be my focus for the next couple years. The quick burst one helps bolster the legs a bit without detracting from my running. Another favorite of mine is attacking any of the local steep hills (no climbs over 3 or 4 minutes around here, the steep hills are the ones that make me hurt).

My dream workout that'll do once I finish my running eligibility is:
1x hill spinning/seated
1x hill spinning half - standing half (gear up from first)
1x hill standing whole hill (gear up or stay)
1x hill spinning/seated (gear down)

-Ride to hill furthest from home and do this on each of the four big hills on the way home. (hills around 7/10th of a mile with 150+ feet of elevation gain average, shortest hill - 3/10th of a mile - features a 20% section). I'd also like to spend a ride on one hill (153' rise, 7/10th mile long) until I crack.

EDIT: I guess I should say, my goal for improvement targets what my legs can put out. I don't have a power meter, but I believe my power output is pretty low. I do have a good cardio from running, I've shocked a few riders with how long I can spin, but when it comes to putting out power - I get dropped - and thus I want to change that.

Originally Posted by TexMac (Post 16636479)

105% is good but my understanding is you DON'T have to do 3 minute interval at 105%. 250watts happens to be 85%. This is the early winter building phase (week 8) and 3 minute at 105% is towards the end of the building phase (week12).3 minute at 85% with 1 minute rest happens to be my favorite.

Originally Posted by clausen (Post 16639836)

It is pointless to repeat the same interval week after week. Your body adapts so you need to increase intensity and time in the proper order to see improvements. During my year long plan you only perform the identical interval twice and it's in the same week. Next week the interval is longer or you change to higher intensity with shorter time.

Originally Posted by ljrichar (Post 16641816)

Well, if you're doing a % of ftp the intensity would go up as your ftp improves. 85% one week might be 250 but two weeks later could be 255, etc.

Originally Posted by merlinextraligh (Post 16641895)

True, you'd adjust for an improved FTP, but if you're doing the same intervals at the same %, you're going to get the same intensity factor, and training stress score. If you just keep repeating that, you're going to stagnate.

Most trianing plans work through a progression where you're building base, then raising FTP, then working on V02 max, then working on anarobic, sprinting efforts. So you're always going to new intervals targeting a new area.

And even while you're in a phase targeting a particular area such as power at FTP, a good plan will mix up the intervals, one to keep it mentally fresh, and 2, as Clausen said to keep your body challenged.

So for example I went through a block recently where the first week was 30minutes at 85%, straight into 8minutes at FTP. Next week was 2x20's at FTP, Next week was 4x8's at FTP, but with 2 30 second bursts in each of the 8 minute intervals.

All those intervals are aimed at raising FTP, either by pushing it up, or pulling it up, but you only do each of them 3 days, and you're on to something else next week.

Originally Posted by ljrichar (Post 16641810)

Why would you only do 3' @85% of ftp? Why would you need any recovery from that? 85% is more in the SST range that someone would for ~60'.

Originally Posted by TexMac (Post 16642164)

maybe my fitness level isn't to your par :)

Originally Posted by TexMac (Post 16642164)

maybe my fitness level isn't to your par :)

Originally Posted by TexMac (Post 16642160)

Very true and i know all that but my favorite interval was what i stated since it's the interval i would do if i don't feel like pushing myself.

Originally Posted by clausen (Post 16642636)

What is the point of doing a interval if your not pushing yourself? You not putting if enough stress on your body to improve and your not recovering. Your better off riding a long recovery ride.

Originally Posted by ljrichar (Post 16642256)

By definition, FTP is the max power you can hold for an hour. How is doing 85% of that for 3' at a time taxing? What kind of adaptations would you expect to see from that? Just seems like a weird choice.

Originally Posted by RPK79 (Post 16642252)

I like to do the Sufferfest videos. I don't have a fancy powermeter so I'm stuck using RPE. I usually mix up the videos so I don't get bored with one, but sometimes I forget the intensity of the one I'm doing and blow myself up too early.

Originally Posted by simonaway427 (Post 16638319)

2) Breakaway drills. Someone metioned this one - 5 x 4min intervals. Each interval = 1 min @150%, 3 min @ 105%

Originally Posted by therhodeo (Post 16642181)

You don't seem to understand how this works.