So, based on an old workout my coach gave me, and some of the discussion here recently, I had a go at the following last night.
Warm up, then:
90s @ 125% FTP, 20s @ 60%, then
(40s @125%/20s @60%) x 7
5 minute break (50% FTP), repeat twice more, for 3 blocks in total.
While it was definitely not an easy workout, my heart rate only spent just over 3 minutes at over 90% (though it was between 85-90% for about 15 minutes), and it definitely wasn’t really hideous. Hr peaked at 173 (max 188) and my subjective view was it never got harder than 8.5/10 (maybe the last couple of bursts in the last set were 9/10).
So, was this workout:
a) just a bit too easy full stop?
b) a bit too easy for me at the moment?
c) just not very well designed?
I’m no coach but you say the workout wasn’t easy and you pushed into the VO2max HRzone (over 90%) by my book it sounds like it was hard enough. IME its almost impossible to be completely in the maxed out zone from the start and if you are it’ll be impossible to finish. Maybe elite athletes can do it and finish.
NP across each 8.5min block of intervals was ~110%, which is theoretically very close to my maximum. For the whole session (including the 5 min recovery periods but excluding w/u and w/d), it was 99% - in other words, 40 minutes at FTP, which probably should feel not easy but not utterly hideous either…
My gut feeling is/was I need to at least try it at slightly higher power.
If you want to follow the same structure, as said on most Vo2 threads here, turn off erg and try the workout at max power. Will likely to end up with more time with HR above 90%
But I like longer efforts to target this response. 4 x 5, 5x5, etc.
What are you trying to achieve with the VO2 workout? As above, I think if the focus of your training block is VO2 then really would be looking at longer intervals I.e. Building up to at least 3-5 minutes, maybe longer 8 minute intervals depending on your target race. And accumulating 20-30 minutes in zone.
Where I think the short intervals are really useful is if you want to touch on that VO2 zone but without too much fatigue. E.g. If you’re in a maintenance phase where training is on the back burner but you don’t want to lose too much fitness, or if you’re in a base block of training but still want to regularly touch that higher intensity zone (particularly relevant for masters athletes where the thinking with VO2 seems to be “use it or lose it”) but the main priority of the block is sub threshold work.
The purpose is really to start touching up the top end (after quite a long period focusing on tempo and SS) but without building up too much fatigue as I’m also doing 2 quite long and hilly rides each week (prepping for 2 long and hilly gravel races in April and May). Having just turned 42, there’s also an element of ‘use it or lose it’ thinking, especially as I’ve noticed over the last 12-18 months that I’m definitely less punchy than I used to be.
I would basically forget about power targets for VO2 workouts. Just go max. You maybe have to pace the first couple efforts just a touch so you don’t blow up too early but it should basically be all out. Power targets just hold you back IMO.
You should maybe have a power floor where if you fall below it you are likely too fatigued to be getting the intended benefit, but no ceiling.
If the goal is not to get too tired, the workout looks quite good from your rpe and hr descriptions.
If you want higher rpe, raise the power.
If you want longer time in hr zone, start harder. Do the first interval for 2 min (as long as YOU need in fact), or skip the first 20s rest. That should get your HR up, and it should stay up during the rest of the workout
What’s interesting is that my breathing never really felt uncontrolled. If anything, my legs would have been the limiting factor if you’d asked me to go harder.
Yep, that’s not VO2 then. It also depends on your anaerobic power and capacity. I can do TR’s 30-30 workouts with relative ease and I’m not gassed until the last half of the final set. But tell me to spin at 95+ RPM at 140% FTP for 5 minutes, my anaerobic stores are smoked at 90 seconds and I’m gasping for air at minute 2.
