Posts Tagged ‘tempo pace workout’

Indoor Cycling Workout for 4-4-2012

Posted: April 4, 2012 in Indoor Cycling Workouts
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Hard to believe it’s April already.  Out here in the midwest, the weather has been incredible and enjoying riding outside with shorts on much earlier then in years past. This has led me to this week’s cycling workout. This workout is essentially 3 sets: a 10 min set, a 9 min set and an 8 min set.  All are a little different, but good tempo  pace sets that you can do either inside or out.

The first set is essentially some a long interval set changing gears from your base gear to +3 and -2 from there. Start off easy, then after the 3rd minute or so, start to add in some tempo to threshold pace efforts. The idea is to simulate changing terrain and changing pace.

Next set is a true tempo pace effort set. :50 sec in base gear @ 95 + RPM then a :10 sec sprint of at least a 10 rpm increase.  Repeat this 8 more times. The key is to maintain the same pace / effort (RPM or Watts) during the :50 sec segments. Recover for 2 minutes before heading onto the last set.

The last one is a hill simulation. Start off in base gear -2 then add a gear every :45 sec for 6 minutes. Then start backing down the gears every :30 sec. Spend the last gear out of the saddle.

Finish up with a warm down set of :20 sec @ 90 RPM’s and :20 sec @ 100 for 4 minutes. Then cool down for another 10 minutes,Image

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Indoor Cycling Workout 3-21-12

Posted: March 21, 2012 in Indoor Cycling Workouts, Uncategorized
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ImageShort Intervals is the plan for this workout. Two minute steady state intervals and some :60 sec intervals w/ short rest make up this weeks plan. Start out with a standard warm up of :30 sec fast and :30 sec easy. Add some gears as you go while keeping the pace consistent.

The 1st set consists of four 2 min intervals with :60 sec or recovery.  The key on these is to maintain the same effort / pace for the entire 2 minutes. Start off in your base gear for 2 minutes and maintain 93-97 RPM (or +/- 5 watt variation) for the entire 2 minute interval.  Take 1 minute easy by backing down 2 gears or shifting to your small chainring. Next interval is base gear +2 maintaining 83-87 RPM for the entire 2 minutes. Take another 1 minute easy. The third interval is base gear +3 @ 78-82 RPM with another :60 sec easy. The fourth interval is in base gear -1 @ 98-102 RPM. Then take 2 minutes easy before hitting the next set.

Next is a set of 1 minute intervals with only 20 seconds recovery. Start off in base gear for :60 sec @ 90 RPM with :20 sec easy. The next one is base gear -1 at 100+ RPM for 1 minute with :20 sec recovery. The 3rd interval is base +1 @ 95 RPM (tempo pace) with another :20 sec off. Fourth interval is back to base gear for another minute. Next is another tempo pace interval at base gear +1 @ 95 + RPM. The final interval is at base -1 @ 100 + RPM. Take 2 minutes easy to get the hear rate back down.

The 3rd set is the same as the first, 4 x 2 minute steady state intervals with 1 min off inbetween. Finish up with a 10 min cool down.  I finished up this one with a 10 min fast run off the bike to start getting used to doing bricks again.

Indoor Cycling Workout 3-14-2012

Posted: March 14, 2012 in Indoor Cycling Workouts
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Today’s workout is a mix of intervals and some big gear, low cadence work. The warm up is more spin ups, similar to the last workout I posted. Start off at : 30 sec in an easy gear as fast as you can pedal until you start to bounce around in the saddle (think of a paint shaker), then back off the pace just slightly. From there increase to 2 sets of :45 sec spin ups then a final one for 1 minute.

The first interval is 10 min where the pace changes every :30 sec. The first couple of minutes are easy in base gear or +/- 1 gear. From there, the pace and gearing varies with some fast and some big gear, low RPM work.

Next is a set of five, 2 minute intervals with :30 sec recovery or a 4:1 work to rest ratio. The key segment of this is the :45 sec at tempo pace where you really need to focus on maintaining a consistent pace of +/- 2 RPM or +/- 5 watts over all 5 intervals.

The final set today is a hill set which is broken up as 6 min up the hill, 1 min standing at the top of the hill then 3 min back down. Start off the 1st couple of minutes easy then add gears as you go up. IN the middle, the road “flattens out” and you have a :30 sec easier stretch before dig in for the last 2 minutes.

Finish up with an easy 10 min of quick spinning and back down a gear every 1-2 minutes and work on getting your heart rate back down to the low 100 range.

Ride strong, ride FAST!

Indoor Cycling Workout 2-22-12

Posted: March 12, 2012 in Indoor Cycling Workouts
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I swear, one of these days I will get caught up on my posts. The type “A” personality that I am won’t let me just crank through (no pun intended) to get these added to the blog. Anyway, this week I focused on 5 minute blocks.

After a long warm up which consists of a pyramid plus a couple of minutes of spin ups, we start off with the 1st of five 5 min intervals. These 5 min blocks are meant to simulate the changing pace and gearing of road or mountain bike racing. Start off in base gear then go into a tempo paced block. This is a threshold pace maintaining 95 + RPM’s and approaching your Lactic Threshold (LT)  or 90% + of your max HR and / or Power output. Next, add a few gears and slow it down, then add a few more and slow it down again. Back off for :30 sec and take a working recovery, then its back on the gas at the Tempo / Threshold pace. Back down a few gears and sprint it home.

The second interval is similar to the first with a little different variation. Again, start off in base gear, then go “uphill” by adding a couple of gears. Add a few more and slow the legs down a little more before taking another :30 sec working recovery. Back on the for a minute at tempo / threshold pace. Next add a few gears for a strength section then finish out with a fast sprint.

I’m changing up the 3rd set by doing true threshold intervals. Just like last week, these are 5 x :30 sec all out intervals followed by :30 sec easy. These will have you at your VO2 max or 100% of your max heart rate (HR) and power (watts). Shoot for 2-3 gears over your base and 100+ RPM.

The last 2 sets are a repeat of the 1st two 5 min intervals.  Be sure a take a nice long cool down after this workout and include some fast segments to help flush out the legs.

Ride strong, ride FAST!

Indoor Cycling Workout for 1-25-2012

Posted: January 25, 2012 in Indoor Cycling Workouts
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Hills! This workout will simulate riding varying terrain with a set of four, 5 minute hill intervals. Easy warm up followed by a 3 min random interval to be sure the legs are good and ready for the hills. Essentially, the 4 hills have the same format: 4 min of low cadence work, 60-85 RPM, followed by 1 minute of fast spinning at 100+ rpm’s. This should be slightly easier on your cardiovascular system by keeping your heart rate at a lower range and out of the higher VO2 max range. You may still get up to the Anaerobic range (80-95% of max HR). The hills are defined in the table and vary slightly between them.

After the hills, you will hit a short, threshold set just to see what you have left in the legs. These are 3 x :30 sec on, :30 sec of recovery at a very high (Rate of perceived exertion of a 9+). The key with these is a consistent pace, either the same RPM or the same power output (Watts) across the intervals.

Finish up with a longer cool down to help flush any lactic acid out of the legs.

Enjoy!

Indoor Cycling Workout 1-4-2012

Posted: January 10, 2012 in Indoor Cycling Workouts, Uncategorized
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ImageHappy New Year!  I hope everyone who follows the cycling workouts here at SpinPipeline and TriPipeline.com are ready for another rockin’ year in 2012!  That being said, sorry for not posting for a while, but I have been “off the grid” travelling to Hawaii for the Ironman and Xterra World Championships with some of our athletes then down to South America for some pre-season training. But we are back and ready to post some more killer Indoor Cycling Workouts!

Here we go! For this week, We will focus on some more tempo pace intervals while maintaining a consistent cadence (rpm) or Power (watt) output. After a longer then usual workout, we will go into a 7 min set of tempo intervals. These will closely simulate group riding in a paceline. Start off in your base or flat road gear then add another gear. Maintain 95+ rpm (or what ever the equivilent Watts output for those of you with a power meter) for 50 seconds. Next, hit an even faster sprint for 10 seconds before returning immediately back to tempo pace. After 7 min take a 3 min easy spin in your small chainring.

Second set is a descending ladder where you start off in base gear  + 4 and maintain between 65 & 75 RPM. From there you will drop a gear every minute for 5 minutes and increase your cadence (RPM) by 5 ex: the 2nd minute you should be in base gear -3 at 70-80 rpm’s. Take an easy minute of recovery.

The last set is another set of the 50 sec at tempo pace, 10 second sprint set. After 7 minutes on this set, take another 3 minutes off. The key to this set, like the first one, is to maintain the same effort either RPM or Power Output (watts) during  all 7 tempo intervals.

Wrap up this workout with some spinups. Do 30 sec on and 30 sec recovery. 30 sec ”on” is done as 10 sec @ 100+ rpm, after 10 sec increase speed by 10 rpm and finish out the last 10 sec by 10 additional rpm (120+ rpm range). Cool down with some easy sprints and some smooth pedals drills.

Indoor Cycling Workout for 10-19-2011

Posted: November 3, 2011 in Indoor Cycling Workouts, Uncategorized
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I’m still a little behind on my weekly workout posts, but I should be caught up soon!  This one is a mixture of aerobic, anaerobic and some real riding simulations. Focus on your power output and/or your RPM’s and keep it consistent throughout the interval. The 3rd set will be tough so be sure to really focus on the consistency in either your power output or cadence (RPM’s).

The first set is an extension of the warm up. Start off in base gear and spin at 90 + RPM’s for :60 sec. Take a :20 sec recovery in you small chainring or by shifting down 2 gears. Next is a :60 sec interval at base gear + 1 at 85 RPM’s, then a :20 sec recovery (same as the 1st minute). Followed by another :60 sec interval at base + 2 and this time 80+ RPM for :60. Take an easy minute then repeat the entire set.

Four minute intervals make up the second set. Start off in base + 1 and pedal at 95 + RPM’s for :60 sec, then the pace changes every :30 sec. Rather then explain it here, it will be easier to follow the chart below. Repeat the 4 minute intervals for 4 sets or 24 total minutes including the 2 minutes of rest between sets.

Finally, finish up with some 2 minute intervals. These are time trial type efforts and the goal is to maintain a consistent power output with your power meter. If you don’t have a power meter, keep a consistent RPM (+/- 2 RPM’s) for the entire 2 minutes. :20 sec recoveries then repeat 2 more times.

Cool down for 5-10 minutes and be sure to stretch well afterwards.

Indoor Cycling Workout for 10-12-11

Posted: October 31, 2011 in Indoor Cycling Workouts
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This week’s cycling workout simulates pack riding and racing with some big gear and high cadence (RPM) efforts. Start off with some :20 sec high cadence spins followed by : 20 sec easy as a warm up.

The first set is 5 sets of 5 minute intervals. Each interval has 1 minute of recovery built-in but there a lot of gear changes on this one. Start off in your base gear (gear you can easily maintain that 90 RPM pace) for :30 sec. Then add a gear and bump up the pace to 95 + RPM. Add 3 more gears and slow the pace down to 70 RPM’s or faster. Take :30 sec easy by backing down 6 gears or shift to your small chainring. Back to your base gear + 2 and maintain 80-90 RPM for a minute – keep the pace consistent (RPM’s +/- 1 or if using a power meter +/- 5 watts). Now back down 2 gears and pick up the pace to 100+ RPM for :30 sec. Working recovery for :30 sec by backing down 2 more gears or shift to the small chaniring. 2 minutes of recovery after the last of the 5 intervals.

Next set is a short, time trial type effort where the key is consistent power output (watts) or RPM’s. Base gear + 1 at 95 RPM or faster for :50 sec, :small chainring for :10 then hit a second set. Keep the power the same or increase it between sets.

The last set is an easy :30 sec at 100, :30 sec at 90 and decrease a gear after each interval. Cool down for 5 minutes and stretch afterwards.

Finally a New Post – Indoor Cycling Workout 9-7-11

Posted: September 7, 2011 in Indoor Cycling Workouts, Uncategorized
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After what seemed to be a very short summer focusing on triathlon training with my athletes, I am back in the spin room and ready to post some new workouts. I spent a majority of my summer racing Xterra off-road Triathlons with my next focus on the Xterra national Championship Race at the end of this month. That being said, this workout is geared towards short, burst type intervals with 10-30 sec sprints.  This is perfect for the late summer races, mountain bike or cyclocross type intervals.

Warmup as usual then flow right into a ladder set: 1 min, 2 min, 3 min and 4 min at varying pace with :60 sec of rest in between. The go into a set of :30 sec sprints in a moderate gear and a high cadence (RPM). A little technique work with 1 legged drills – 3 sets on each leg increase a gear with each interval. The key is to have enough gear so that you are doing the work, and the momentum is not carrying you over the top. The last set is 7 min of :50 sec at a tempo pace with a :10 sec sprint at the end of each minute. The back to the tempo pace and repeat.

Enjoy!

Indoor cycling workout 5-4-2011

Posted: May 4, 2011 in Indoor Cycling Workouts
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Today’s workout is all about tempo pace and maintaining consistent power output. The first set is 5 x 5 min intervals. The first 2 minutes is spent pushing a bigger gear then you are used to at 95+ RPM. Take a short break then you will switch into a larger gear for :45 sec, then an easier gear at 105+ RPM for :45 sec followed by a minute of recovery. The key is to maintain the same pace / power output throughout all 5 sets. This set really translates well to riding outside and helps you ride faster in that larger gear while still maintaining the 90+ cadence.
Next is a power interval set where you maintain 90+ RPM through 3 gear changes and only a :15 sec recovery for each set.
The final set is 7 sets of :30 sec spin ups. Pedal as fast as you can while still maintaining good form, little to no bouncing in the saddle and controlled upper body.

Enjoy!

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