I’m sure I read somewhere that inteval training should be used only once in a while and not every week, is this true?

What would be a good interval program?

Training for what?

Going faster.

I’m sure I read somewhere that inteval training should be used only once in a while and not every week, is this true?

Earlier this year, when I was training to get fit for (an ultimately written off) road season, I was interval training a couple of times a week, with tempo riding in between.

What would be a good interval program?

If using a turbo, get thee to thesufferfest.com and buy Downward Spiral and embrace the pain.

I’m not using a turbo, when I can get outside. 😀

Bad luck on the season and better luck next year.

running cycling, rowing, gardening..?

running cycling, rowing, gardening..?

😆

As it’s a cycling forum, let’s go for cycling, I gave up extreme gardening years ago. 😉

Bad luck on the season and better luck next year.

New baby, so I doubt next year will be any better…!

Oh, and I’m going to have to become even more familiar with the turbo….

I have just used interval training on a weekly basis throughout the summer(on the turbo)to improve overall riding, mainly on road but has benefited off road to. I splashed out on a vo2 test initailly and have trained using heart rate monitor for every ride – result overall improved times and actually riding less (due to family commitments).
So will definitely be interval training all winter.

I feel your pain, for the turbo that is. 😀

here ya go this link tells you all about it

Going faster

For short or long periods?

For long time trial type efforts then 2 x 20 min intervals with 5 min rest between done at threshold i.e. not maxed out but hard enough so you can only speak in short bursts

For sprints then the intervals will be shorter, 1 or two minutes at maximum effort. with a 1-2 min rest between.

There are loads of combinations. A search here will give you some ideas.

+1 for downward spiral. its brutal. those last short fast reps are murder

It’ll be for improving performance on longer distance mtb races, 50km min closer to 75km average with a final objective of a multi stage race 100km x 5 days…

I used to just ride and ride, but now I want to focus a bit more.

yeah forgot to mention the boring, nut numbing, sweat covered time spent staring at the garage wall. Then wife walks in and wants to put tumble drier on while im at 80% max!!!
Toys 19 youre a bad lodger? its five star.

The basic idea of intervals is this: you can do more total work in a training session if you break it into a series of shorter efforts with rests between, than in one continuous go.

And more total work at the desired effort level = more training benefit.

And it also helps train recovery (which is nice).

This applies over a very wide range of possible training efforts/durations. For your needs, 2 x 20’s as mentioned by uponthedowns might be a good place to start. You woudn’t do those every day, but once or twice a week would be fine.

training schedules are normally built over a 4 week period. easy, med, hard, rest.

I wouldn’t be putting intervals in my rest week and they may not always be in the easy week depending on the time of year, events etc.

Depends how serious you are about training, or if you just want to go faster.

you could do worse than buy this.

don simon, I’ve got a copy of thomthumb’s book lying around, nearly unread – you can borrow it if you want.

FWIW I go to spinning classes 3-4 times a week, they’re basically interval training, and I’m getting a lot faster for it. It’s not really organised training, but given time constraints it’s the best I can do.

interval training riding a bike outside can be very good fun if you don’t just pick some boring easy to ride loop – get a gymboss timer
http://www.gym-boss.co.uk/ then see if you’ve go the cajons to go flatout irrespective of the terrain/bends – interesting*

*edit but possibly not injury free or quality

Hi mogrim, that would be good have a read of, thanks. I used to do spinning classes a couple of years ago but a change in work schedule stopped that.

How did you get on at Festibike? I went to La Bola del Mundo in the end and froze!

http://www.gym-boss.co.uk/ then see if you’ve go the cajons to go flatout irrespective of the terrain/bends – interesting*

I’ve got no problem giving it some beans on the climbs, and there are plenty around here, but there’s no chance of going flat out down. You never know which side of the road the cars will be on. 😯

Thanks for the replies so far, plenty of stuff to think about…

instant hit. shhhhhhhh
(But did you sell your spesh?)

To me, interval training is anything with hills.

Hi mogrim, that would be good have a read of, thanks. I used to do spinning classes a couple of years ago but a change in work schedule stopped that.

Mail me and we’ll work out where/when to meet…

How did you get on at Festibike? I went to La Bola del Mundo in the end and froze!

It wasn’t bad, made a change from the usual routes, but there was a real lack of atmosphere. The route wasn’t massively exciting, either – the odd good bit, couple of real heart-bursting granny rings climbs, but that was about it. Don’t think I’ll bother again next year.