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  • 2 week Turbo Training programme
  • iridemybike
    Free Member

    I’ve got a big MTB 7 day ride coming up in Scotland and looking to supplement my training with an intensive endurance training program using a turbo trainer for a couple of weeks.

    Just started an approx 1hr 45min turbo session each evening (with Wednesday off & 30 mile MTB ride on Sunday’s)…

    Turbo session =
    15 min warm-up
    20 min at approx TT pace
    15 min recover
    10 secs flat out sprint, 50 secs recover
    15 secs flat out sprint, 45 secs recover
    20 secs flat out sprint, 40 secs recover
    15 secs flat out sprint, 45 secs recover
    10 secs flat out sprint, 50 secs recover
    15 min recover

    Repeat all x 1

    Any improvements?

    NB: I don’t have a heart rate monitor so using traditional cadence as a measure.

    FunkyDunc
    Free Member

    Just started an approx 1hr 45min turbo session each evening

    Blimey I get board after 2 x 1hr sessions per week!

    Are you using Trainer Road? I would say that will help more to structure efforts, therefore making more of a difference.

    mrblobby
    Free Member

    What you looking to improve on? Is it race or just for fun?

    If you’re happy to spend ~2hrs on the turbo I’d be looking at doing longer sub threshold and tempo intervals if you’re looking to build endurance. I don’t see the point of the short flat out sprints.

    jonathan
    Free Member

    I’d probably go for longer intervals on your pyramid eg…
    1 min hard
    1 min recover
    2 min hard
    1 min recover
    3 min hard
    1 min recover
    etc

    You’ll know best what element you feel you need to strengthen, but your short intervals are obviously going to help explosive effort more, which maybe isn’t your priority for a 7 day ride?

    LS
    Free Member

    You shouldn’t need 15 minutes recovery after 20 minutes ‘TT pace’ (you don’t specify what length TT!) before going into the sprints.

    I’ll admit though that I can’t see the point of the sprints as training for a 7 day ride, nor doing the same session over and over. An hour at sweetspot and/or two hours at tempo mixed in with the above to relieve boredom might suit your needs better.

    DanW
    Free Member

    If the ride is in 2 weeks, you won’t get any fitter in that time so just keep things ticking over and keep the legs fresh.

    Time on the turbo is best kept to 1 hour very focused intervals IMO. Pick a duration (e.g. 1 min, 3 mins, 5 mins, 8 mins, 10 mins, 20 mins, etc) and match up the appropriate intensity and number of repeats. 5-10 min rest in between is more than enough. Mix up the intensities and durations of intervals over the week and jobs a good ‘un.

    iridemybike
    Free Member

    Good points thank you.

    It’s not a race, it’s the Highland C2C … My usually strong (ish) climbing has deteriorated in the last few months on longer ascents and I was thinking that a mix of explosive & endurance may help – I’m really no expert though.

    When I did the England C2C 4 years back I was also fell running and climbing was a whizz, but I can’t risk the knees anymore. Additionally; gearing has changed and I’m running 1 x 11, which doesn’t go as low. I do have a 28T chainring on order, which will undoubtedly help as it’s more like for like.

    What is “Trainer Road”?

    whitestone
    Free Member

    Trainer road is an app that you run on your phone/tablet/computer which has specified workouts for use on the turbo.

    There’s a BIG thread on it.

    mrblobby
    Free Member

    If the event is in two weeks and you want to get better at going uphill… crash diet 🙂 Seriously though, in that time frame it’ll be a lot easier to lose grams than to gain watts.

    Google Trainer Road. It’s rather good.

    FunkyDunc
    Free Member

    TrainerRoad – STW approved sessions

    Basically it allows to monitor and control the power you are putting through the pedals. So when you are going balls out, it actually tells you that you are sustaining enough effort or not, and when you are taking it easy, you actually ease off correctly.

    Pre Trainer road I always tended to work too hard in ‘rests’ and wasnt sustaining hard efforts through that phase. Trainer road brings you a whole new world of controlled pain.

    So therefore as the workout is more controlled, you are wasting your time less if that makes sense…

    You do need Ant + speed & cadence sensor though, and Ant + usb stick thing.

    iridemybike
    Free Member

    There’s not too much weight to lose, but there’s always room for improvement. I’ve always lost weight by upping the output, rather than lowering the input. So if I can mix in a bit of extra training, all the better.

    I’m not starting from a very low base, as fitness is fairly good. Just looking to improve … but if 2 weeks won’t deliver any improvement, I may as well use the time on the trails?

    iridemybike
    Free Member

    Basically it allows to monitor and control the power you are putting through the pedals. So when you are going balls out, it actually tells you that you are sustaining enough effort or not, and when you are taking it easy, you actually ease off correctly.

    Pre Trainer road I always tended to work to hard in ‘rests’ and wasnt sustaining hard efforts through that phase. Trainer road bring you a whole new world of controlled pain.

    So therefore as the workout is more controlled, you are wasting your time less if that makes sense…

    You do need Ant + speed & cadence sensor though, and Ant + usb stick thing.
    I’m downloading it as I type this … I need the cadence sensor etc though.

    muppetWrangler
    Free Member

    I think it’s too late to make significant gains or significant weight losses for that matter. You’d be better off making sure you eat well, sleep well and drink loads of water in the next fortnight. With 2 weeks to go you pretty much are where you’re gonna be.

    Kryton57
    Full Member

    Personally I’d used TrainerRoad to get 2 x or 3 x 20 mins just below ftp in one session, and 5 x 6 mins just above ftp during another session with a rest in between (say Tuesday and Thursday). Then 2 x hard “skills” sessions on the trail focuseing on short sharp bursts.

    At least, that’s what the Trainer road has me doing for XCM.

    jonathan
    Free Member

    I’ve done my fair share of panicky last-minute training – the one thing I’ve felt has produced a benefit (although it maybe entirely psychological) is forcing the body into recovery with a series of back-to-back-to-back days. Getting in a few good sessions where you’re starting off with tired legs seems (for me) to help kick my body into a slightly higher gear – although the tricky bit is then making sure your well rested enough before the start!

    thisisnotaspoon
    Free Member

    I think it’s too late to make significant gains or significant weight losses for that matter. You’d be better off making sure you eat well, sleep well and drink loads of water in the next fortnight. With 2 weeks to go you pretty much are where you’re gonna be.

    +1

    Rule of thumb is 10 weeks to get 10% more FTP on a good training program. So 2 weeks will get you 2% fitter, and probably actually leave you tired for the actual trip.

    I’d say of more value would be riding some long days this weekend (including riding to work on Friday, do a long ride on the way home, then all day Saturday and Sunday and commute next week too) to get used to fueling for multiple days and riding while fatigued.

    Then rest the week before.

    ultimateweevil
    Free Member

    Your other option alongside trainerroad or even on its own is the sufferfest videos. Very focused training with suggested cadences including expected effort levels. The videos/sessions can be loaded on to trainer road too. I found using these better than some of the trainerroad sessions due to the videos and music as it helped keep the boredom of the turbo away for the hour or so your doing it. Obviously you can just stick your own music on and find a video on YouTube if your happy with the trainerroad stuff on its own.

    iridemybike
    Free Member

    Resting the week before & plenty of water is good advice thanks.

    I’ll be using a long term structured plan going forward, so thanks for all the tips in response to my question. In the meantime, I agree, it’s a bit of a 2 week panic fest, but there’s also a theme of getting some high/regular miles in prior to the rest period. Which I could do as a mix of long “real” riding (I’m now living in Calderdale & there are steep hills in every direction!) & turbo training sessions.

    whitestone
    Free Member

    If you are in Calderdale then do the Mary Towneley Loop both days of the weekend, clockwise one day, anticlockwise the next.

    iridemybike
    Free Member

    If you are in Calderdale then do the Mary Towneley Loop both days of the weekend, clockwise one day, anticlockwise the next.

    Excellent idea … it goes by our new place about 3/4 mile down the lane. I’ve ridden loads of routes that cross it, or incorporate part of it. It’s about time I just rode the whole thing.

    LS
    Free Member

    I found using these better than some of the trainerroad sessions due to the videos and music as it helped keep the boredom of the turbo away for the hour or so your doing it.

    I would suggest that if you’re getting bored in a one-hour turbo session then you need to up the intensity 🙂

    DanW
    Free Member

    To be fair some of the Trainerroad sessions are incredibly dull and pointless

    whitestone
    Free Member

    @danw If the profile of the session doesn’t look like the Manhattan skyline then I don’t bother. Did one of the recovery week sessions – 75mins of tedium – I was looking forward to wanting to throw up!

    FunkyDunc
    Free Member

    Would going out in the fresh air and doing hill reps help?

    I’ve started doing a session a week recently, and it’s the thing that has made overall difference to power and climbing in general. Hasn’t helped endurance though

    Trouble is at this stage if imagine your risk just fatiguing your legs rather than helping them

    thisisnotaspoon
    Free Member

    I’ll be using a long term structured plan going forward, so thanks for all the tips in response to my question. In the meantime, I agree, it’s a bit of a 2 week panic fest, but there’s also a theme of getting some high/regular miles in prior to the rest period. Which I could do as a mix of long “real” riding (I’m now living in Calderdale & there are steep hills in every direction!) & turbo training sessions.

    If you’re taking a week to rest beforehand (I would), I’d absolutely beast the first week, waste of a rest week if your legs aren’t completely shredded before hand. In fact, stuff the riding and hit the gym to do some squats. That or really short, sharp, hard efforts that take the longest to recover from. It’s a question of whether you want practice at riding big distances day after day, or some training benefit. Both may be useful, but the long slow rides wont actually get you fitter.

    iridemybike
    Free Member

    Well … I took the general advice of really thrashing it for a week (Mary Townley Loop and some intensive Turbo session) then rest for a week; although I did do a nice trail in the Peaks during the rest week 🙄

    I must admit to it being a bit of last minute panicking (as pointed out), but climbing and endurance was back to normal levels & finished the Highland Coast 2 Coast yesterday with no real problems with energy or stamina levels, just the usual achy legs … what a blast!

    Interestingly, I found the MT Loop more knackering, so I guess it was a good warm up.

    Thanks for all of the tips.

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