Help please with MAP-Threshold and "Sweet spot"

[cannondalerugby]

Hi

Thanks for reading

I am a rower who has entered a 110km sportive in 5 weeks time and I want to get as bike fit as possible in the 5 weeks

Quite comfortable on the bike and regularly ride to work 30 miles return

I have been tested on the bike at a lab and my results are as follows:

Age 55 Weight 105kg 6 feet 6inches

Max Power 1780 w
Max Aerobic Power 390w
Max HR 166
Threshold HR 154
RQ1 330 W
Threshold Power 350

Here is my problem

I have read that sweet spot training is a great tool for performance improvement

So today I went on the static bike at the gym to do 3 x 10 mins at level 3 143 - 153 hr

Found it hard to keep 220w at 75 rpm for each rep but hr was only 135 at end of third rep!

When I say hard It was my legs that were feeling it not my breathing

What am i missing here as I cannot get on my road bike for two weeks and need to be on the static in the gym!

Thanks in anticipation

Steve

 

[DAL1955]

Originally Posted by cannondalerugby .

Hi

Thanks for reading

I am a rower who has entered a 110km sportive in 5 weeks time and I want to get as bike fit as possible in the 5 weeks

Quite comfortable on the bike and regularly ride to work 30 miles return

I have been tested on the bike at a lab and my results are as follows:

Age 55 Weight 105kg 6 feet 6inches

Max Power 1780 w
Max Aerobic Power 390w
Max HR 166
Threshold HR 154
RQ1 330 W
Threshold Power 350

Here is my problem

I have read that sweet spot training is a great tool for performance improvement

So today I went on the static bike at the gym to do 3 x 10 mins at level 3 143 - 153 hr

Found it hard to keep 220w at 75 rpm for each rep but hr was only 135 at end of third rep!

When I say hard It was my legs that were feeling it not my breathing

What am i missing here as I cannot get on my road bike for two weeks and need to be on the static in the gym!

Thanks in anticipation

Steve

Very Impressive numbers... My thoughts are that you already have a very well developed aerobic system, but not cycling legs... meaning that you will have difficulty getting fuel to and waste from your legs in a cycling application. I'm not sure I would worry about where your heart rate is and focus on building muscular endurance for your legs. Endurance is built by using the muscles for long periods of time at moderate intensity, power is built/maintained with higher intensity intervals. Keep increasing the working time, even if you have to do so at lower intensity initially. Bump up your cadence a bit, but big guys like you frequently have lower cadences. At a higher cadence, reduce the resistance a bit but keep the power at the same level and your heart rate will increase some, but again, I wouldn't focus on your heart rate for this training effort. Once you can do an hour or so at the 220W, which is 63% of FTP, bump up your power to about 70% of FTP. Once you can hit the road, do some longer rides in the 2-3hr + range at your 65-70% of FTP. Maybe once a week do a set of high intensity intervals like to 2x20 at 90% just to maintain your FTP.

There are several threads on this forum that discuss training in great detail, I would suggest you review the Its Killing me thread which seems to have emerged as the "gold standard" for training to improve one's FTP. The primary recommendation for increasing ones power involves 2x20 min 90% FTP intervals, however, with an FTP of 350 already, I'm not sure that is where I would focus as you already seem to have ample power for a 68 mile ride, even if you intend to do this ride at 20+mph. Whether your legs will have the endurance to sustain the effort for 2-3 hours will be the question and where I think you should focus your training with only 5 weeks to train.

Good luck and keep us posted

DAL

 

[cannondalerugby]

Hi DAL

Thanks for the indepth reply

So today I will back of the resistance and up the cadence to 85 and see how 45 mins at 200w feels

I will only put in 1 2 x 20 sessions per week but at the weekend try and get out for 2 x 2 hour rides

My sportive is 130km - my maths is not so strong

I am also going to lose 5 kg over the 5 weeks

Will check oiut the thread that you reccommended

Thanks for now

Steve