NY Times Article on Interval Training

[bocarider]

This is an interesting article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/17/fashion/17fitness.html?ex=1366171200&en=7d72893aa47831a7&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

While the subject is runners, the methodology of using intervals for cycling is equally applicable. I have been doing less longer riding during the week in favor of doing shorter but more intense interval training with good results (I still do a long ride on Sundays). I have been doing a block of 3 minutes trying to keep above my 5 minutes maximum wattage, with 6 minutes recovery. This really hurts, but I have seen a decent (12% over the past 8 months) improvement in my 5 minute wattage when I test every 8 weeks or so. In my Saturday group ride, I have been pretty happy with my performance in that I am hanging on with riders who are generally much stronger than I am or, when I ride with guys that are the same level that I am, I end up pretty strong at the end of the ride after taking some strong pulls during the course of the ride.

[fiamme red]

Richard is a genius. Follow his advice.“You can’t keep up with a heavy workload” of running if you don’t recover between sessions, Mahon said. Hall schedules a weekly sports massage and, after hard interval sessions, settles herself into an ice bath (a tub filled with ice-cube-laced water at the sports medicine department at U.C. Riverside, where she trains) for 15 minutes.

This immersion is widely believed to help reduce the swelling and soreness that can follow intense workouts. Ice baths after intervals “feel really good,” she said. The scientific evidence is more equivocal.

A study published last month in the European Journal of Applied Physiology showed that cold-water immersion did hasten muscle recovery and also reduced swelling in men assigned to complete repeated leg press exercises. Other studies haven’t shown similar benefits from ice baths.

But Mahon, at least, believes ice baths are helpful in reducing swelling and soreness in his athletes, allowing them to return for another interval session within only a day or two. (Most sports medicine doctors suggest waiting until any significant muscle soreness is gone before repeating a hard workout.)

[Too Tall]

Great read. FWIIW all of my guys use Garmin on runs so that I can calculate running pace and apply it to intervals and giving what is essentially sweet spot running pace for longer runs blah blah blah. GPS is really having a positive impact on training. Good stuff.

Dang. I'm up to 3.5%

[goonster]

after hard interval sessions, settles herself into an ice bath for 15 minutes. [/I]

Liverpool F.C. now do this after every match.

Let's hope they reap the benefits next Tuesday. :beer:

[Fat Robert]

go short and hard* 2-3 days

burn a lot of kjoules 2-3 days

rest 2 days

works

* hard varies. i switched to hitting threshold pretty much year-round three years ago. with enough rest, i think you stay can fresh and motivated while hitting L4 40 or so weeks out of the year. the L5 stuff is where you have to be stingy.