Combined L5/L6/L7 Intervals

[strader]

I've been doing some intervals lately on my computrainer which hit L7, L6, and L5 all within the same interval. The way it works is I set up the computrainer .erg file to start the interval at L7 (600watts), then rapidly decrease wattage over the next minute to L6 (360 watts), and ramp down over the next two minutes to L5 and finaly to my FTP wattage. In practice the interval starts out with an all-out neuro muscular effort and then hold on for dear life to try and finish the effort. My thinking is that I can get the L7 neuromuscular adaptation with the all out start, the L6 training during the next minute or so while AWC is used up, and L5 when I hit VO2Max over the last two minutes or so. In other words I just go all out for 4 minutes, and I'm packing all my high-intensity training into a single 1 hour session. The efforts are obviously hard as hell, and I'm still trying to get the wattage dialed on the computrainer so I can actually complete the interval. Does anyone else do workouts similar to this? Opinions on the effectiveness of this type of workout?

 

[Steve_B]

I've been doing some intervals lately on my computrainer which hit L7, L6, and L5 all within the same interval. The way it works is I set up the computrainer .erg file to start the interval at L7 (600watts), then rapidly decrease wattage over the next minute to L6 (360 watts), and ramp down over the next two minutes to L5 and finaly to my FTP wattage. In practice the interval starts out with an all-out neuro muscular effort and then hold on for dear life to try and finish the effort. My thinking is that I can get the L7 neuromuscular adaptation with the all out start, the L6 training during the next minute or so while AWC is used up, and L5 when I hit VO2Max over the last two minutes or so. In other words I just go all out for 4 minutes, and I'm packing all my high-intensity training into a single 1 hour session. The efforts are obviously hard as hell, and I'm still trying to get the wattage dialed on the computrainer so I can actually complete the interval. Does anyone else do workouts similar to this? Opinions on the effectiveness of this type of workout?

Ironically, tonight I did the first trial of what I call "my RWM". (RWM = Race Winning Move, from the Allen and Coggan book). It's not the same as your interval but they are close in "spirit".

In the book, the RWM is described as starting out with a sprint then power down to about threshold for a few minutes then finish with a sprint. In my case, I'm interested in this not necessarily to win races but because it's similar to the attacks I make to bridge to breakaways (obviously no sprint at the end). However, riding at threshold would not be enough to cleanly get away from the crew I race with - maybe not having a 1500 watt sprint is part of the problem too . So my twist is instead of riding threshold, it's L5 (VO2). This is pretty realistic from a race standpoint for me and it also fulfills my desire to fit in some L5 work where I can. I also didn't start out with a completely all-out sprint. I did, however, finish with a sprint, or as much as I could do of one at that point.

So, it probably needs some refining but this is last of the four intervals that I did tonight. The dotted line is my FTP. I did these on flat ground (no hills but there are some slight incline sections) to replicate crit conditions. I did about 15 sprints before this and I was pretty worked after about 4 of these. I'll see if I can do longer intervals in the coming weeks. I think I also need to get the cadence up above 90 rpm to be more realistic but that may be hard to do and maintain power in that terrain.

 

[Jono L]

Sound alright to me, if it motivates you to train really hard then it's great.

Sometimes just routine intervals can get a touch boring

 

[Alex Simmons]

I've been doing some intervals lately on my computrainer which hit L7, L6, and L5 all within the same interval. The way it works is I set up the computrainer .erg file to start the interval at L7 (600watts), then rapidly decrease wattage over the next minute to L6 (360 watts), and ramp down over the next two minutes to L5 and finaly to my FTP wattage. In practice the interval starts out with an all-out neuro muscular effort and then hold on for dear life to try and finish the effort. My thinking is that I can get the L7 neuromuscular adaptation with the all out start, the L6 training during the next minute or so while AWC is used up, and L5 when I hit VO2Max over the last two minutes or so. In other words I just go all out for 4 minutes, and I'm packing all my high-intensity training into a single 1 hour session. The efforts are obviously hard as hell, and I'm still trying to get the wattage dialed on the computrainer so I can actually complete the interval. Does anyone else do workouts similar to this? Opinions on the effectiveness of this type of workout?

if the erg power is truly in the zones you speak of then I doubt you will be able to complete the interval.

if you start an effort with an all-out strategy, you will die a natural death somewhere between 45 and 90 seconds and power will likely fall below FTP levels.

In other words I doubt the effectiveness of these at training VO2 Max. That is not to say they don't have an impact on VO2Max, just that they would not be optimal training for improving your VO2Max.

KISS might be boring but it works.

 

[NJK]

Try it as a one off session but i don't think you will get the correct amount of quantity or quality for L7. L7 training i would suggest is better trained in an endurance type ride. You will be stratching the surface will all the zones.

I'm experimenting with an interval model at the moment to vary sessions from 85%-110% MAP. It is by Guy Thibault.

 

[postal_bag]

Ironically, tonight I did the first trial of what I call "my RWM". (RWM = Race Winning Move, from the Allen and Coggan book). It's not the same as your interval but they are close in "spirit".

In the book, the RWM is described as starting out with a sprint then power down to about threshold for a few minutes then finish with a sprint. In my case, I'm interested in this not necessarily to win races but because it's similar to the attacks I make to bridge to breakaways (obviously no sprint at the end). However, riding at threshold would not be enough to cleanly get away from the crew I race with - maybe not having a 1500 watt sprint is part of the problem too . So my twist is instead of riding threshold, it's L5 (VO2). This is pretty realistic from a race standpoint for me and it also fulfills my desire to fit in some L5 work where I can. I also didn't start out with a completely all-out sprint. I did, however, finish with a sprint, or as much as I could do of one at that point.

So, it probably needs some refining but this is last of the four intervals that I did tonight. The dotted line is my FTP. I did these on flat ground (no hills but there are some slight incline sections) to replicate crit conditions. I did about 15 sprints before this and I was pretty worked after about 4 of these. I'll see if I can do longer intervals in the coming weeks. I think I also need to get the cadence up above 90 rpm to be more realistic but that may be hard to do and maintain power in that terrain.

I tried this on my group ride (~80 riders) into a strong headwind, on a slight incline. I stayed seated and just rode off the front about 3 km from the sprint. I couldn't believe nobody chased, since I was only doing ~30 km/h.

 

[Steve_B]

I tried this on my group ride (~80 riders) into a strong headwind, on a slight incline. I stayed seated and just rode off the front about 3 km from the sprint. I couldn't believe nobody chased, since I was only doing ~30 km/h.

Maybe no one chased because there was a headwind?

I think doing these sorts of efforts in a group ride is even more realistic as it will come in the middle of an aerobic effort. I find that makes these much harder. I've been able to do this sort of thing (multiple trips off the front for a few minutes at a time) in some of the training races here without looking like too much of a tool (for attacking at a stupid time and/or then not making it to the break on purpose).