VO2 Max is a pretty good option when time is short and you want to maximize the potential benefits. That makes sense for the first workout in a week. If you do a second, I would do something else, like Sweet Spot.
One big consideration is to look at it with perspective of the demands from your CF workouts. Those seem to be likely similar to VO2 work from what I have seen and heard. If so, you may even benefit from doing Sweet Spot for 1 or 2 workouts instead of VO2. It will be a bit lower stress overall, but likely to benefit you anyway.
Iād say some experimentation is worth your time.
First, take a good look at the recent past and how it lead to your issues.
Then consider swapping for a lower intensity (maybe SS) workout that could work well for you, without over-stressing your time for work and recovery.
Yup, it is largely about aerobic conditioning, but has different goals that are more finite. Those differences matter less for you from a general standpoint. But review the following and see how much there is to gain from SS when compared to VO2 or any other zone.
Iāll do one SS on weekends for some weeks and then I see if I can do one more or not. That way I can have a rest day between all the workouts.
Thank you very much for all the help you gave me!
During holiday I may go for a ride outdoors, and in that scenario I may do a second SS with lower intensity
I just started with CrossFit and I am enjoying it a lot more than my normal strength training, but I am not sure how I am going to incorporate it in my routine later in the year when I want to start following the TR training plans again.
For now I donāt have a cycling event to train towards so I am mixing my workouts between outside rides (road and mountain bike), indoor rides and CrossFit.
Previous winter I did LV plans where I would do TR in the morning with the 1 to 1:15 hour workouts and do gym work the evening. The 1:30 workouts I did in the evening with a rest day in between and that worked pretty well.
But I am not sure if I am able to do the same with CrossFit, as it currently it takes a lot of energy.
Would stretching the plans still have enough benefit? In other words, if I do three LV workouts in 9 days instead of 7 days still help towards my cycling (I donāt race, just want to be a better/stronger version of myself after a plan)?
That is difficult to answer. It depends on your prior history, your actual cycling goals, and the impact of the other training. Canāt hurt to try it and see how you respond.
I realized I need a bit more structure than what Iāve had lately with training so I am going to try it out with the following.
SSB LV2 mixed with two days of CrossFit.
In general my coming weeks are going to look like:
Monday - CrossFit
Tuesday - TR/TR workout side on RPE (donāt have PM)
Wednesday rest
Thursday - CrossFit
Friday - TR/TR workout side on RPE (donāt have PM)
Weekends - Maximum of 1 recovery ride or just rest.
Idea behind is that my legs are usually fine the first day after CrossFit, the big soreness usually hits me on day 2 when I will be having a rest day or a recovery ride anyways.
I am hoping the plan will work and that the TR to Garmin feature rolls out soon
I guess this thread has came a long way. I had to give up crossfit as I blew up both labrums in my shoulders. I eventually did a sprint tri and then gained about 20 lbsā¦ So here I am approaching fall months in Ohio and re-subbing so I can ābecome fasterā and gain some fitness in the process. I only lift like 2-3x a monthā¦ About to switch gyms again so I can have a pool, and move so I have been checking out the pain cave threadā¦ Will be switching to the low volume tri-plans over the winter months, but will probably just crank out SS base low before I start (I have yet to ever complete any portion of a plan)ā¦
FWIW, Iāve used cross-fit as part of my off-season fitness program for the last two seasons (October through December). I find it fun and a nice break from cycling specific training. It also helps make me a stronger athlete and āstay in the gameā with bike racing. This past off-season, I combined it with two or three days of sweet-spot training each week. I think I just followed the low volume plans. I found this allowed me to keep my aerobic fitness and start more structured training with a head start.
I like adding in strength training, including lower body work. Doing heavy squats and dead-lifts are great for getting a strong core. I also noticed that I get a good ājuicedā up feeling after lifting heavy weights. We might get some good strong legs from cycling, but I think we could benefit from some heavy weight or impact to balance out the fact that cycling is such a low impact sport. Which is a problem if we have a big impact in a race, like to the ground!
Iāve never done crossfit though, so no experience there.
I get what you are saying with it being at nice break, from the moment I wrote the my earlier post I actually put cycling a bit on the back burner and did more crossfit.
Started making some progress on certain lifts and definitely felt my stamina go up, the progress really made me feel positive and I think it did carry over in my cycling.
I felt way stronger on the mountainbike and on the road I seem to be able to put more power for a longer period or more frequently than before.
Unfortunately I donāt have a power meter on my bike so I can only go off of improved PRās on Strava segments.
Sadly my gym has been taking over by a lower budget chain and they are kicking out the crossfit section, will need to find a new place to train.
From October onwards I will most likely be back on the trainer on a regular basis and will just have to figure out schedule to combine the two
