VO2max Intervals

RapDaddyo

As I read your last post about your preferred races and your race strategy, it occurred to me that you may want to investigate the supramaximal intervals of short duration (e.g., 30s). These have been shown to increase both LT and VO2MAX as well as short-term sprint power. These would seem to help you for the last lap. There is an interesting article on this type of interval training here http://www.ausport.gov.au/fulltext/...papers/LAUR.pdf.

jeff828

Interesting article. The only think I can think of is they built a lot of muscular strength.

Here is my though on power & duration. I think that is the most important, you want to be able to hold more power for a longer period of time and "not" go anaerobic, the more aerobic you can stay the better. I read a post saying we all can produce just as much as lance on alp d huez (400+) but we cant hold it as long as him and he was probably at or below threshold. If your in a group ride and the pace is a steady 25mph notice how some people are comfortable, some are struggling a little and some are falling off the pace after a few minutes, and thats without any surges. What is their limiting factor? They can only produce that power for a few seconds/minutes before going anaerobic and falling off the pace. Whats your take on it.

Spunout

LT or anaerobic threshold. FT, whatever. The more watts you can produce longer aerobically, the better off you are.

The people off the back are into anaerobic zones, and they'll only last 4 minutes.

RapDaddyo

Well, the obvious result was the increase in sprint power. The non-obvious results were the increases in LT and VO2MAX.

What you're observing is differences in sustainable power, as Spunout said. More sustainable power is the Holy Grail of cycling (other than for sprint specialists). The issue is how to get it. You don't necessarily go out and ride the durations you are training for. For example, if your objective is to increase your max sustainable 1 hr power, you could go out and ride an hour every day as fast as possible. But, you would probably make more progress toward your objective by doing 20 min repeats at a higher pace. Training rides are intended to produce a specific adaptation (e.g., LT, VO2MAX, neuromuscular). It takes different combinations of power/duration to produce the desired adaptation.

Spunout

Qualify This: Track sprinters, right?

The road sprinter (Zabel, McEwen) still has to make it to the line in as good or better condition than everyone else. That demands as good or better aerobic power than the competitors.

Guys like Boonen (moreso, Valverde) are true allrounders. They have won from small groups where the best rouleurs, climbers have been dropped and still win a sprint.

RapDaddyo

Right. I'm not talking here about RR or crit sprint finishes. I'm talking about event specialists.

jeff828

I agree 100% with that

jeff828

I agree with you, gaining more power for a longer period of time, this is the Holy Grail, at least for me. I took a way different approach to this theory and it has been working for me. In order to gain muscle strength for a longer period of time, last August 2004, I decided to try a different method to achieve this. I rode my rollers at a low cadence so I had a good bit of resistance the whole time (I was not mashing, just turning the gear over smoothly) in a 53x16 at 70-75rpm and my HR at 160-165max (still aerobic) and just rode it. I just let the low constant resistance & time take its toll.

I did 2x10min, then was able to do 3x10min, then 4x10min, then 2x15min, now I can do these same intervals in a 53x15.
I did this twice a week in 6 week blocks last year, then the same this year in Feb./March & in June. What I found out was I did loose a slight bit of cadence but now I’m not as pegged in a race and have plenty of reserve. This last half of the season I was attacking and going with several breaks all the time, even though the 3s were averaging 25-27mph. My Hr is averaging now in crits 185-187, RR 175. I even see my HRs as low as 170-175 in crits. Don’t get me wrong, I still get pushed into the 200s but not nearly as long or as much. I believe it also taught me how to pedal a low cadence/bigger gear more smoothly without mashing. I don’t exactly know why this approach was working so well for me but it is, I've been told its totally wrong compared to what the books are saying to do.
I originally posted the power tap question because what was working for me just a little while ago now I question myself about it since I have a new tool to try and figure out. Thanks again for everybody’s input