What watts would you save losing 5kg riding a road bike in semi aero position
The power savings from losing 5 kg while cycling in a semi-aero position can vary depending on a variety of factors, including your body composition, the terrain, wind conditions, and the duration of the ride. However, as a general estimate, losing 5 kg could save you around 20-25 watts on a road bicycle in a semi-aero position.
It’s important to note that weight loss is just one factor that can impact cycling performance, and other factors such as training, nutrition, and equipment also play a significant role. Additionally, it’s important to focus on sustainable and healthy weight loss strategies rather than trying to lose weight purely for performance gains.
Thats not what I mean. Look at week 6, for example. It suggests doing threshold intervals (4 x 20 minutes) on one day. Then you should also do “a 20 minute steady-state effort at threshold level on a non-interval day”. Which is another threshold workout in my book.
I asked GPT-4 “ What is a better training methodology for triathlon performance? Pyramidal or polarized?”
Both pyramidal and polarized training methodologies have been shown to be effective for improving triathlon performance, but which one is better depends on the individual athlete and their training needs, goals, and preferences. Let’s take a look at both methodologies:
Pyramidal Training: This approach features a progressive increase in training volume and intensity from base to peak periods, with a gradual tapering phase leading up to the competition. The bulk of the training is conducted at low to moderate intensity (60-70% of maximal heart rate), with a smaller proportion of high-intensity work (80-90% of maximal heart rate). This type of training is designed to build aerobic endurance and develop the body’s ability to sustain increased workloads over time.
Pros:
Builds a strong aerobic base, which is essential for triathlon performance
Lower risk of injury due to the gradual increase in intensity and volume
Can be more enjoyable for some athletes, as it includes a variety of intensities
Cons:
May be less effective for improving high-intensity performance, as it dedicates less time to high-intensity training
Polarized Training: This approach focuses on dividing training time into two distinct zones: low-intensity (60-70% of maximal heart rate) and high-intensity (90% or higher of maximal heart rate). The majority of training time (around 80%) is spent in the low-intensity zone, while the remaining 20% is dedicated to high-intensity work. Polarized training aims to maximize the benefits of both low-intensity endurance training and high-intensity interval training (HIIT).
Pros:
Provides a strong balance of both aerobic endurance and high-intensity performance
May lead to faster improvements in performance, as it focuses on high-intensity work
Can be more time-efficient, as it requires less overall training volume
Cons:
Higher risk of injury due to the increased intensity of training sessions
May be more mentally challenging for some athletes, as it involves a greater proportion of high-intensity work
Ultimately, the best training methodology for an individual athlete depends on factors such as their current fitness level, injury history, personal preferences, and goals. It’s important to experiment with different approaches and consult with a coach or sports scientist to determine the most suitable training plan for optimal triathlon performance
My point is that chatGPT didn’t seem to realise that that was also a threshold workout. It programs a progression with threshold intervals, starting from 12 minutes to 20 minutes, but also suggests this extra 20 minute block, which isn’t part of the progression. There are two suggestions going on, and it doesn’t realise that.
Maybe it’s learned by now, there is a new version out.
I wasn’t saying anything about the sense of that training plan. I just think that version of chatGPT is lacking in some aspects, one of which has to do with logical reasoning.
But, if you want to know, I doubt a human coach would come up with those additional 20min threshold blocks. It seems too long in the first week, and not enough work in the last week. Also it is unusual to emphasise “steady-state” when talking about threshold blocks. Threshold intervals are usually steady state, you’d probably emphasise if they were not.
Can you give me a strength training plan specific for cycling, which includes conditioning, that I can follow three times a week in a gym. I would like a periodized plan with every 4th week as an easy week.
Sure, here is a sample strength training plan for cycling that you can follow three times a week in a gym. This plan is periodized with every 4th week being an easy week, and includes conditioning exercises to help improve your overall fitness and performance on the bike:
Weeks 1-3 (Build Phase):
Day 1:
Warm-up: 5-10 minutes of light cardio (e.g. stationary bike or treadmill)
Squats: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Lunges: 3 sets of 10-12 reps (each leg)
Deadlifts: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Leg press: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Calf raises: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
Conditioning: 5 rounds of 30 seconds all-out effort on the assault bike or rowing machine, with 1 minute rest between rounds
Cool-down: 5-10 minutes of light cardio (e.g. stationary bike or treadmill)
Day 2:
Warm-up: 5-10 minutes of light cardio (e.g. stationary bike or treadmill)
Bench press: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Overhead press: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Pull-ups or lat pulldowns: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Rows: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Bicep curls: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Tricep extensions: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Conditioning: 5 rounds of 30 seconds all-out effort on the assault bike or rowing machine, with 1 minute rest between rounds
Cool-down: 5-10 minutes of light cardio (e.g. stationary bike or treadmill)
Day 3:
Warm-up: 5-10 minutes of light cardio (e.g. stationary bike or treadmill)
Romanian deadlifts: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Step-ups: 3 sets of 10-12 reps (each leg)
Box jumps: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Leg curls: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Planks: 3 sets of 30-60 seconds
Side planks: 3 sets of 30-60 seconds (each side)
Conditioning: 5 rounds of 30 seconds all-out effort on the assault bike or rowing machine, with 1 minute rest between rounds
Cool-down: 5-10 minutes of light cardio (e.g. stationary bike or treadmill)
Week 4 (Easy Week):
During the 4th week, reduce the volume and intensity of your strength training sessions to allow for recovery and adaptation. You can perform the same exercises as the previous weeks, but reduce the number of sets and reps by 30-50%, and decrease the intensity of your conditioning workouts.
Remember to listen to your body and adjust the plan as needed based on your individual fitness level and recovery capacity. Over time, you can gradually increase the volume and intensity of your strength training sessions to continue making progress and improving your cycling performance.
A better answer IMHO would be to start with that 4x8 because it was required by the question. However the actual request was to increase threshold TTE.
So give the 4x8 as the initial workout per the overly specified question, and then stop with threshold workouts and switch to progressing other more productive workouts.
Same question asked 3 times (how many watts can I save by losing 10 Kg whilst cycling uphill on an average 5% climb at 12 km/h. Currently I’m 82 Kg).
(Conclusion only):
1- Therefore, losing 10 kg in weight while cycling uphill on an average 5% climb at 12 km/h could potentially save approximately 163.35 watts of energy.
2- Therefore, by losing 10 Kg of body weight while cycling uphill on an average 5% climb at 12 km/h, you can save around 240 watts of power. However, it’s important to note that this is an estimate and the actual power savings can vary depending on many factors such as wind resistance, road surface, and the aerodynamics of the rider and bike.
3- Therefore, losing 10 kg while cycling uphill on an average 5% climb at 12 km/h could save you approximately 13.7 watts of power. However, it’s important to note that this is just an estimate and there are many other factors that can influence the amount of power you need while cycling, including wind resistance, rolling resistance, and your own cycling efficiency.
Cycling: how many watts can I save by losing 5Kg whilst cycling uphill on an average 5% climb at 12 km/h. Currently I’m 75Kg
The power required to cycle uphill at a given speed depends on a variety of factors, including the rider’s weight, the grade of the hill, and the aerodynamic drag of the rider and bike.
Assuming that you are currently producing a power output of around 225 watts to maintain a speed of 12 km/h on an average 5% climb at your weight of 75 kg, we can estimate the power savings that you might achieve by losing 5 kg.
Based on some rough calculations using the cycling power calculator at bicycling.com, we can estimate that losing 5 kg could save you approximately 18 watts on this climb. This assumes that your power output remains constant at 225 watts, and that the only change is your weight.
I wanted to play around with the mentioned calculator and couldn’t find it. Best I could find was this article about power to weight ratio. I find it very scary how the AI does not hesitate to make things up.
Yes it can be read different ways. The first request is for cycling workouts that progress and result in an increase in threshold TTE. And then a second request to start with a specific workout.
From that point of view, these 3 requests could result in an answer with the exact same progression, and only differ in the first workout:
Please build me a cycling progression of workouts to increase my threshold time to exhaustion starting with 4 x 8 minutes at threshold
Please build me a cycling progression of workouts to increase my threshold time to exhaustion starting with a recovery ride
Please build me a cycling progression of workouts to increase my threshold time to exhaustion starting with a kettlebell swinging workout
bike + rider weight (kg) x 9.8 x elevation gain (meters) / time (seconds) = power (watts)
This formula also suggests adding 10% for rolling and air resistance.
Using this formula, we can estimate the power required for your scenario as follows:
Assume your bike weight is 10 kg, so your total weight is 82 + 10 = 92 kg
Assume your speed is constant at 12 km/h, which is 3.33 m/s
Assume your elevation gain is 5% of your horizontal distance, which is 0.05 x 3.33 x 600 = 99.9 meters (600 seconds is 10 minutes)
Plug these values into the formula:
92 x 9.8 x 99.9 / 600 = 152.6 watts
Add 10% for rolling and air resistance:
152.6 x 1.1 = 167.9 watts
This is the power you need to climb the hill at your current weight and speed.
Now, if you lose 10 kg, your total weight becomes 82 kg, and everything else stays the same. The power required then becomes:
82 x 9.8 x 99.9 / 600 = 133.4 watts
133.4 x 1.1 = 146.7 watts
This means you can save about 21 watts by losing 10 kg while cycling uphill on an average 5% climb at 12 km/h.
Of course, this is only an estimate based on one formula and some assumptions. There are other factors that may affect your power output, such as wind, road surface, bike efficiency, pedaling technique, etc.
I hope your plan for losing 10kg whilst cycling uphill involves jettisoning bottles and things from your bike bags, otherwise this sounds an unpleasant prospect.
the other part of my point is that to increase TTE at threshold, a truly intelligent response might be to not do progressive threshold intervals and instead do other types of intervals.
