i’m not a real coach (yet lol) but one thing I’d work with any person at some point is being able to ride sweet spot for at least 1x90. last week I did 2x60 tempo (which at 86% may or may not be sweet spot depending on how you label things), and it really unlocks a level of comfort doing just about any type of ride I set out to do. even with 8hrs/week, doing two quality sweet spot sessions of up to 90mins and having the other 5hrs of the week riding endurance would go a long way in helping people
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He’s done a time crunched episode. Substitute periodized intensity for duration… but you’ll only get so far.
Edit: late to the party, Kurt. STFU. 
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But only up to certain point. I imagine, sooner or later you’ll run out of FTP increase room with only Z2-Z4 for any given volume. Of cource, can still keep pushing TTE for different intensities even longer but that’s it.
For me this “forever base” period has lasted 4 years. Last half a year, no matter how I fill available time with <= Z4 intervals that I still can recover, FTP increases are marginal. I have thoroughly enjoyed this “easy” period (dirty lie, suprathreshold is never easy) but now is time for some serious prolonged VO2max period.
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Usually people improve measurably within the training block, or week, after they recover. My coaching methods rely on a good feedback loop of positive improvements.
I mean, I could tell you what I think but there are many definitions out there. For me it’s after training for about 2 months at typical volume and intensity. I have a little thing we use to track this but won’t be publicizing it.
Just because it’s race specific doesn’t mean you need to “save it” for closer to the race, and in fact if such things are a weakness addressing the limiter earlier may benefit you more. Generally, when getting closer to races I like to work on very race specific stuff plus the normal limiters based on someone’s aerobic limiters (endurance or capacity) and their ability to recover.
I bet I joked about this in that podcast. Individualizing training is infuriating for some people but I think this is something we’ll be addressing on the pod a lot in the future as I hadn’t realized until recently just how little there is out there about it.
This is why threshold work is “spicy endurance”.
Right call on doing vo2max, but be careful with “raising the roof” too long. At a certain point the fatigue may catch up to you, or you’ll just quit seeing improvements; doing more more adds fatigue but no fitness. There’s a reason most of my clients only do about 2-2.5 weeks on average, and oftentimes need >1.5 weeks recovery, and sometimes don’t even see the true power improvements for a month or two afterwards (men and women both btw). I’d start by adding in a vo2max session once a week to your normal training routine, and seeing how that helps. Plus you get information on performing the session and recovery time. Then if it seems meh for improvements, add another (try the next day, try a few days later, etc) but you don’t want to just full court hail mary a vo2max block when you’ve got plenty of time to fuck around and find out.
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Through a lot of the threads here about VO2max training people have fallen in love with “the block” style of doing VO2. Kolie hits on a key point here - if you’re not regularly training VO2max, or haven’t in the past, IME you’re likely to see gains simply by adding one workout a week (or even every other week) because the stimulus is still novel. Having coached a dozen or so athletes just this last season, and done several different styles myself (including one coached by an Empirical coach this past year), the fatigue management is a huge part of this. Diving headlong into a VO2 block when you don’t NEED a full VO2 block is probably not the way for a lot of people to go.
And then block design and overall volume varies by individual, training history, age, etc. I had one guy I gave a massive VO2 block to, two more did a more reasonable version, and then about a half dozen where we just did simple, 2x per week, and then a few where we did no blocks but did some VO2/MAP work on a weekly basis for a while. Everyone saw the gains. Keep in mind minimum effective dose, especially with stuff that’s as stressful as VO2max.
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So you didn’t have to do above 90% maxHR for over 18 mins time in zone because science said so? Pretty sure I don’t have those numbers right. Also, pretty sure it doesn’t matter.
I have been guilty of over-indulging in the endless Zone 2 threads here. Glad to hear I didn’t waste my time with the endless blah blah about which intervals to do. That’s what coaches are for. It is individual.
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Im no coach, but I don’t see mixing in some long Z2 rides and doing some VO2 work as mutually exclusive
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Things I think would be massively helpful for everyone (if you’re feeling generous) would be:
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Define “well trained” … or at least give your definition? I think people who ride 4-5 hours a week as well as 15+ hours a week often consider themselves “well trained”
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What is your definition of “time crunched”? … I feel like the generally agreed upon definition of this is 6-8 hours a week. Also, there seems to be this general idea that 15+ hours a week is not “time crunched”.
I feel like I fall in a gray area. When I’m training well, I’m targeting 10-12 hours per week and have been doing so for ~3 years. Sometimes as high as 14 hours, but rarely over 15 hours, sometimes ~8 hours depending on life stuff.
I do feel “time crunched” … but I don’t know when people say “time crunched” or “well trained” if either applies to me.
Would love your POV.
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I don’t either. Not my point.
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Free idea for any coaches (from a non-coach, non-physiologist, late-onset-middle-aged cyclist):
When prescribing workouts (as a coach) or planning workouts (for someone self trained) … label some of your days a “holding serve” days. Meaning, you’re not trying to get better today, you’re just not trying to get any worse.
I think many people here (myself included) often make the mistake of thinking that every single ride/session has to be a step forward. But I think sometimes we should just be trying to not get worse. I.e. go easy today, get better tomorrow.
I think this is what Kolie’s point is trying(?) to illustrate … I think it’s just a mindset tweak that would help athletes comprehend this.
Just a thought. I could be wrong. I probably am 
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Yep, for me, everything has to be compatible with Z2 
For intervals, I usually ride 30min to suitable roads out of city, do the intervals, still away from city and then crawl back to home. This way 1-1.5h interval workout usually becomes 2.5-3h. I would say 15-20% of total volume comes from those to/from segments. This is also reason why I prefer doing intervals on gravel bike, it keeps total distance in more reasonable range.
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A.k.a, “moderate intensity filler workout” (not really long, not intentionally hard, but not a recovery session either).
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I dunno, yesterday:
Equivalent terms for me:
- endurance
- conditioning
- maintain or increase capacity to do future hard work
Some people don’t need it, but I for one absolutely, 100% benefit from riding 4 or 5 days/week, and doing 3 days/week of gym work.
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Interesting. I guess everybody has a diff definition. I think of well trained people in terms of volume and consistency. So I would have said:
3 or more years of at least 300h/year. And have the implicit assumption that people that ride that amount do different intensities and challenge themselves somewhat.
I have never understood the obsession with time above 90% max HR.
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I use the term “maintenance” quite a bit, especially with less experienced riders. Endurance maintenance, 3x15 SST/threshold maintenance, etc.
Pretty sure it’s related to Astrand (?) positing whether more time at 90% or less time at 100% was more effective at raising vo2max. And using HR as a proxy for oxygen distribution capacity, voila you get 90% HR max as a proxy.
This can work too, but in practical terms I consider “well trained” the fuzzy line where noob gains run out. Again, not a very good definition.
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I consider myself “trained” on 10-13 hrs per week and have been seriously training 5ish years. (4 ish w/kg)
I consider 15+ hrs per week/ cat 1 / Pro cyclists as “well trained”. That’s my mid pack average Joe definition.
Worth noting at this point that 90% of max HR =/= 90% of VO2max.
Back in the day, we would instruct research participants to attempt to drive their HR to w/in 5 bts/min of max during each interval (Hickson protocol).
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