Not really as my schedule changes all the time so I end up doing some stronglifts 5×5 when im not at work, if I am then theres a chance I should be able to do a dumbell workout at home instead. And I try to ride 5-10 miles a day on the road bike either before or after work depending what shift I’m on! Oh and cyclical keto diet.

Not training for anything in particular, just my constant strive to get buff 😆

Double post!

Forgive the intrusion, but are intervals THAT good?

I think so too, for a number of reasons:
Efficient use of otherwise wasted 1 hour slots. 1 hour is long enough to warm up, do a few hard intervals, warm down and it’s short enough to be able to recover quickly before your next slot, unlike a full-pelt 3 hour session that leaves you wrecked for days.

Counters the typical amateur athlete tendency to make easy sessions too hard and hard sessions too easy – 100% effort intervals are easy to gauge effort levels for (try not to black out or vomit too much).

Gets me out of the office at lunchtime (also makes my colleagues think I’m some sort of awesome sportsman, how little they know…).

The majority of my training time is short lunchtime interval-style sessions. Although I don’t race, I can feel the benefits when I occasionally get out on a 2-4 hour ride at the weekends. I don’t think that it’s possible to make big advances in endurance by doing just short interval sessions, but it certainly seems possible to maintain fitness by doing them.

In reply to the OP, I’m not following a fixed training plan this year, but in the past I’ve read Friel’s book and drawn up plans based on that. His blog is also very interesting and fills in a few gaps. Currently I just try to go on feel, but keeping in mind the general principles about nutrition, session content and cycle planning that I’ve picked up.

Forgive the intrusion, but are intervals THAT good?

Unless I’m racing or recovering then a lot of my training is interval based, usually no more than an hour and that includes warm up/down. My recovery rides are generally around 2 hours in Z1/2. Will also through in hill climbing reps too. Need to plan it well though as it’s very hard knowing what to do to improve and what to do to maintain.

Usually I vary my intervals depending on what I’m trying to improve/ maintain. Tonight is cruise shifting intervals where I will ride high Z4 for a minute, then change down a gear and increase effort to Z5a/b for 30 seconds. Repeat for 30 minutes (20 sets)

Thresholds are similar to others above and speed intervals are 1 min on (flat out)/ 1 min off, also do sprint intervals when outside too. Try pyramid intervals, they’re brutal!!

Need to plan it well though as it’s very hard knowing what to do to improve and what to do to maintain.

Yeah I guess this is what is behind my request. Been doing broadly similar routines of intervals and varying them based on measurements of FTP. Want to make sure what I’m doing is actually moving things forward and not just maintaining what I currently have. So I wanted to put together a new training plan and wondering what resources were available to make sure it’s a good one. I’ll just have to get stuck in to Joe’s book, hopefully a lot of it will be pretty obvious having read loads of running books.

Usually I vary my intervals depending on what I’m trying to improve/ maintain. Tonight is cruise shifting intervals where I will ride high Z4 for a minute, then change down a gear and increase effort to Z5a/b for 30 seconds. Repeat for 30 minutes (20 sets)

Ha, that’s what i’m doing tonight since its snowy here and i’m not risking riding outside. Although mine is 4 x 8 mins changing every min/30 secs, then 2 min recovery. By the time my cool down comes around, i need to get off the rollers to take off the resistance! 🙂

Ah cheers. Until now I’ve been treating those hours as a method of riding as fast as I can over the distance, worrying all the time about ride averages.

I think I’ll try 15 minutes warm up, then 4 on, 2 off X 4 with a 15 min cool down also, and use the weekend ride as a Z2 for distance (usual loop is 60 – 80km) then.

Joe’s Power Meter Handbook worth getting?

Ha, that’s what i’m doing tonight

First time doing them for me so need to gauge how hard they are before I change the timings. Will be doing mine outside tonight. I have a nice flat local stretch of road that runs along a valley of about 15 miles which is prefect for sessions like this. 20 minute ride out, do session then ride home as a warm down.