Full gas efforts - how to incorporate?

Title just about covers it - how do you include max efforts into your TR training?? I’m new to structured training, having previously used Zwift and club rides.

Finding ERG mode quite useful for those 5x5mn type intervals but I had always previously trained with at least some form of full gas efforts, either on a nearby hill outdoors or Watopia.

How do you all include these type of efforts into your training using TR? My worry is that doing 5x5mn efforts below my max level will make me good at 5x5s, but not improve my 5mn power as effectively as going all out for 5mns.

You can still ride outside! I do my full gas efforts in C priority races, or on local hill loops with my club. If you don’t think you can do it on the trainer, head outside.

1 Like

Turn ERG mode off?

I do then on group / outside rides. Today I did three just under 6 minute all out efforts - short hills are great for this.

Plus I find doing these in group rides extra motivating, as I’m chasing riders the entire time.

I always do some really hard outside rides at the end of recovery week. Kinda like a primer for next ramp test…and to kom hunt lol

Thanks yes I’ve been using the club rides or similar for these types of efforts. However for the next couple of months outdoor riding will be limited (-10C and newborn) and I’ll be mainly using TR. Does anyone tailor their indoor plans to include this?

I know I can turn ERG off, but I’d still be doing below max efforts with or without ERG for the structured workouts.

Doing them as part of tests or in a taper week sounds like a good suggestion. Or maybe once at the start of a workout…

+1 for outdoor rides. Races, group rides, or at least a hill or Strava segment that motivates me to fully empty the tank. Trainer and erg mode is great for hitting target watts, but I need extra motivation to find out what watts I’m actually capable of hitting! Also the fact that those watts are translating into real world speed helps to work on specificity e.g. I’m not just putting the watts out I’m also trying to do so smoothly and while staying aero.

As an alternate to outside rides can you use the work out creator to set up some high power but short intervals e.g. throw some 15-20 second all out sprint efforts in broken up by 1 minute or whatever suits