Amending TrainerRoad Plans - Replacement for Microbursts

I don’t have a Smart Trainer, so it’s difficult to do a high quality microburst workout. Would high-end VO2 Max intervals be a good replacement for these microbursts? Thanks in advance!

Can you explain why it’s hard for you to do a microburst workout? I don’t have a smart trainer either. I just use a regular Kurt Kinetic Road Machine, but I have a Quarq power meter and I have no trouble with the microbursts. I’ve actually heard it’s easier to do them with ERG mode OFF when using a smart trainer because the power spikes are so short that the trainer can’t catch up to them before they are over. But I can’t speak from personal experience on that.

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I agree with this. I used to think it’s hard with my dumb trainer because it’s so easy to overshoot and burn yourself or to undershoot because you ramp up too slowly. But what I found is that it just takes practice. Often, it’s enough to experiment during the “teaser” bursts in the beginning of the workout, sometimes it takes a few efforts into the first set. But what I end up doing is establish gearing and then pay attention to the cadence at which I hit the target power. Then I end up settling into a rhythm where I use the last 3-5 seconds of rest (depending on how much shifting I need to do) to get the gearing right and when the interval starts all I look at is hitting the right cadence and maintaining it. It takes practice, and occasionally you will miss a few watts or go a few watts over, but you get better at it all the time! I actually find microburst workouts easier than they look and they make me feel incredibly strong when I successfully complete them. :wink:

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Exactly what i do when using my KK road machine, it does take a bit of practice but once you have the feel for it its almost second nature.

I guess a better way to describe it is just that its a lot of shifting, and it’s kind of a pain in the butt. If the physiological benefits of this workout can’t be replicated using any other interval structure, than I’m willing to suck it up and do it. If they physiological benefits CAN be replicated with a different interval structure, however, I would appreciate an alternative. Thanks for all the advice thus far.