Many athletes, myself included, have multiple areas of their cycling performance they would like to improve. For example, I would like to increase my VO2max, seek a higher FTP, Sprint faster, and lift heavier weights at the gym. Those are just a few goals I find desirable and you probably have a long list yourself.
The problem is, even if we are committed to working hard on our goals, we have unlimited workout combinations to choose from and a natural tendency to get lost in the jungle of session modelling and planning. The result? We halfheartedly commit to all interval styles but never improve the quality of certain sessions. It’s exhausting but not rewarding.
Therefore, I would like to introduce you to my experience and the system that I use as a coach that (just maybe) will make these difficult session choices a little bit easier. As you see, however, the approach to mastering many areas of your cycling performance is somewhat counterintuitive.
Too Many Good Choices
Training session modelling can be a complete information overload. In fact, when I design interval sessions for my athletes, I can create intervals ranging from seconds to hours. I can manipulate the intensity of intervals. I can combine different interval types into one workout. I can vary the amount of recovery between intervals, and on and on.
And yet despite all the choices available, most of the workouts I use come from only a few combinations. Why? Because workout structure doesn’t need to be complicated to be effective.
Quite the opposite.
By striving for simplicity, I can derive most adaptations I’m looking for with the right combination of interval number, duration, and recovery.
On the other hand, complexity is tempting because we are quickly impressed by intellectual stimulation, even if it’s less effective. As a result, many cyclists take workout choice a step too far by including way too many styles of intervals that work the same aspect of fitness. For example, to improve your VO2max, you can use constant intervals, fast start intervals, varying intervals, and much more. Just have a look at the graphic below.
Despite being different in nature, these intervals all aim to do the same thing – keep you at an intensity close to VO2max. So instead of including all, focus on 1 or 2 interval styles that you enjoy doing and find easy to perform.
Surprisingly, this is exactly what a study on Kenyan runners found. When studying what distinguishes Kenyan and European runners, scientists found that the Kenyan runners focus on short VO2max intervals only, of about 2-4 minutes long, rather than including long intervals or other complicated styles. Instead of adding complexity Kenyan runners use the many benefits of focusing on central workouts.
The Benefits of Focusing on a Workout Range
When you try to include all kinds of interval styles, you can’t compare them with each other. Otherwise, you will end up comparing apples and oranges. Besides, you will need different climbs, roads or routes to get all the different intervals done.
This will only get in the way of a simple scientific principle.
Here’s what I mean…
1. Adaptations Take Time
While central adaptations regarding your heart and blood have a shorter time frame, and improvements in VO2max can be noticeable after just 4 weeks, structural changes within your muscles live on a far longer time frame. A time frame that most research studies don’t have any time for, let alone participants.
In fact, to notice adaptations within your muscle fibers you will need a period of at least 8 weeks but better 12-16 weeks. Now, if you change your interval sessions week after week, because of reading about a new magic workout, you will play against this simple rule of endurance training.
Becoming a faster cyclist takes time, so your best asset in this case is to accept this fact and use time in your favour. Which brings us to the next point.
2. Simplify Tracking Fitness Improvements
When you focus on a narrow range of sessions that are in line with your training objective, you will avoid being overwhelmed when it comes to selecting the workouts.
On top of that, it makes it easier to track improvements over time as you’re always comparing like-with-like workouts week after week. For example, if you aim to improve your aerobic efficiency with tempo intervals you could do 6×10 minute efforts week after week, and track the average Efficiency Factor of the intervals. Over time you should see an increase in the Efficiency Factor for the given interval set. Using a training platform like TrainingPeaks will make it easy to do so.
But there’s more to gain when you focus on the right things. Below are two more effects you will notice once you habitualized a workout pattern.
Firstly, with a focus on certain sessions you will avoid so called failed sessions. This happens when you’re unfamiliar with the workout style and blow up the pacing. On the other hand, by repeating the same interval session you can improve your pacing and perform the intervals at a higher quality over time. Besides, you will also discover routes or sections of roads that work particularly well for your chosen interval style.
Secondly, it’s easier to spot a change in effort. You might notice a lower perceived effort, and a lower heart rate for your target power output. Additionally, you might note that you can complete more interval sets, are faster for the segment you ride, or cover more distance. Tools like Strava or WKO5 make it easy to track Segments nowadays.
3. Compare Similar Training Phases for Several Seasons
Improving throughout a season is one thing. But improving throughout several seasons is something else. Now, with a similar interval pattern repeated within the same period of the periodization cycle, you are able to compare certain intervals season to season.
For example, during the offseason you might want to work on aerobic efficiency with tempo intervals. If you now repeat that pattern across several offseasons you can compare your improvement for that type of interval. Also, using the same road or climb will help you identify seasonal improvements on that particular segment. I think this is a very powerful thing to do.
Change Your Cycling performance Without Changing Your Entire Training
Alright let’s review what I have suggested so far and figure out some practical takeaways.
- Choose a central workout range to target a training objective. For example, I like doing 2-4 minute VO2max repeats and find them easy to do. So I perform 2-4 minute intervals to target VO2max improvements.
- Repeating the same intervals will simplify tracking improvements over time because you can compare like-with-like workouts.
- Doing the same intervals within a certain period of the periodization cycle will make improvements over several seasons more obvious.
This brings us to the punchline of this article…
The counterintuitive insight from my system and the research presented is that you don’t need to include every new workout that did well in a study. Instead, it’s best to focus on a specific interval, work on it until you master it, and make it a powerful tool of your toolbox. Then, repeat the process for the next intensity domain.
The way to become a faster cyclist in the long-run is to simply focus on a couple interval sessions you enjoy right now.
Things that might help you
My training plans are available on TrainingPeaks. To see all my training plans click here.
Follow me on Instagram for more cycling and endurance related content.
Find performance related gear I use below:
- *Polar H10 heart rate strap
- *Shockz Open Run Pro Headphones
- *Wahoo Elemnt Roam v2
- *Clif Bloks Energy Chews Mountain Berry
- *Aosun Sleep Mask
- *Theragun Prime Massage Gun
Studies Used in This Article
- Deliberate practice in training differentiates the best Kenyan and Spanish long-distance runners
- World-Class Long-Distance Running Performances Are Best Predicted by Volume of Easy Runs and Deliberate Practice of Short-Interval and Tempo Runs
- Training Periodization, Methods, Intensity Distribution, and Volume in Highly Trained and Elite Distance Runners: A Systematic Review
- The Training Characteristics of World-Class Distance Runners: An Integration of Scientific Literature and Results-Proven Practice
- What is Best Practice for Training Intensity and Duration Distribution in Endurance Athletes?
- Effect of work duration on physiological and rating scale of perceived exertion responses during self-paced interval training
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