peaking

[leanman]

not really sure how to word this..

in my perfect world, i would do 8 hrs training my first week, 10 hrs in week two and then 12 hours training in week 3, have a slight rest week in week 4 and repeat..

i did this a month and a half ago, but realistically i have 10 hours a week to train..

my question....does it matter what type training i do on my wednesday ride?

i been doing 20 minute intervals on wednesdays. a 2 hour total workout.. and the 80 mile hard group ride saturdays.. rest of the week, its trainer ez rides..

does it matter if i decide to do 4 ten minute intervals on wednesday, or 20 one minute intervals with a few 5 minute intervals?

just keep the interval time the same, or even do a small percentage more on my wednesdays.

my one training partner said if i stop doing my two 20 minute intervals and replave them with 1,5 or ten minute intervals i'll peak?

i cant figure out how i would peak, as i'm not cutting back mileage or time on the bike, just doing different training..i'm still doing my weekly 10 hours..

i say its ok to do 30 secong intervals, 1 minute, 5 minute 10 minute 20 minute or 30-60 minute hard rides..of course the 30 second and 1 minute intervals will be harder and faster than the 20-30-60 minute ones, but i still say you wont peak if all you do is switch up your workouts as long as you arnt reducing mileage and eliminating long rides.

hard 20 minute efforts these last 3 months have been great, i just want a mental change. thats why i plan on doing 40 minutes of 30 seconds - 10 minute intervals..



comments

thanks

 

[bgoetz]

Ok, I think I know what you are trying to state, and the main flaw in your thought is that training volume is the only factor in training when in reality it is only a portion of the equation. I will take a stab at explaining.

Results from training are brought about by the response of your body to stress that you place upon your body, that stress is a function of time and intensity. Your idea of allowing a "rest week" every 4th week is a good idea because that is when your body adapts to the stress you put on it over the previous 3 weeks. So with this idea 10hrs of just easy tempo is not the same stress as 10hrs of the same easy tempo with 20min intervals. The whole idea to peaking is to slowly introduce increasing stress to your body and then reduce that amount of stress to bring about a peak. When you would like that peak depends on when your key race or key event is.

Most people don't come out of the gate training high intensity, firstly because your body needs to become conditioned to avoid injury and perform the required intensity to the fullest extent possible. Second because results of short intervals that train VO2 (less than 8min) are fairly quickly realized, so you don't need to train that aspect from a long ways out. Third, this is the most stressful type of training and continual training at this intensity, will at some point reach a tipping point to where due to the level of continual mental and physical fatigue you will be doing more harm than good. Longer intervals such as 20min intervals train your lactate threshold, which can be slowly improved upon from a long ways out, especially for new cyclist who have not built this aspect. However, similar rules apply in that you can't continually train this aspect and expect good crisp results. I think you need to be especially aware if you are training at this level multiple times a week, because there is a real potential that if you are not well rested for the times later in the week you will again be doing more harm than good.

So in a way your friend is correct, high intensity training will at some point bring about a peak whether you want one or not. Even if you are not intending to peak, your intensity will begin to drop, simply from accumulated mental and physical fatigue from training at such a high intensity, driving you to put out less of an effort that you think, or causing you to make a conscious/subconscious decision to back the intensity down. Either way the result will be a drop in training stress and an eventual peak.

Will all of this in mind and a 10hr fixed schedule you should be increasing intensity and shortening your intervals as you get closer to your intended peak.