Hey everyone! Cyclocross is near! As for Cyclocross training, does anyone find theirselves standing up out of corners during races? Does anyone during V02 max intervals stand up to target this muscle group? What’s the benefits of either or? Should we mix standing and seated? Thoughts?
I’m trying to do as many as I can seated. It’s not that I don’t stand in CX races but there may be times I try to do that and don’t get the best rear traction, which is important. So I try to do power seated
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Imo VO2max is a dish best served seated. You want to to accumulate a decent amount of work at 90-95% hr. While standing you will most likely accumulate large amounts of lactic acid.
I have no experience from cyclocross but I guess you need a large anaerobic capacity and ability to clear lactic acid. I would target this ability the way you suggest: alternating acceleration standing and seated recovery. There are many popular variations, 30/30, 40/20 etc. As a bonus you get a great VO2max workout…oops, did I just contradict myself?!
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It’s definitely an interesting conversation. I noticed last week I wanted to push myself and try 2 “breakthrough” workouts and I found myself standing up a lot near the end but honestly it didn’t feel as hard as I thought it should. I then tried to justify myself for standing as I do find myself standing a lot coming out of corners / accelerations. I’d say it was about 60% seated 40% standing.
Here’s a glimpse from last week.
I would say both, mix it up!
I alternate starting the interval (non TR user) seating and standing. I don’t normally stand for more than about 20 seconds in a race so if they are 40/20’s I might go the first 15 seconds standing on one then start seated on the next one.
Depends a lot on where you race but I’m in Colorado and our races tend to be dry. I work on being in the right gear and spinning up to 100 cadence to accelerate out of turns. This saves your back where if you are flogging it out of every turn with a low cadence it puts a lot more strain on your lower back. So… when I do Vo2 intervals in the on/off variety I shoot for a 95-100 cadence to mimic what I want to do in CX racing.
Personally I think for vo2max workouts it doesn’t matter, because you want to train your cardio system and not your leg muscles.
But then I would also do cross-specific intervals outdoors, offroad.