Currently coming to the end of my build phase. Getting a lot of vo2 max attack workouts. Examples are Peters and Opheim. Basically 6 2 minute vo2 max intervals with 4 sharp 6 second sprints per interval between 150-200%.
The vo2 portions are fine. I am struggling to spin up and hit the sprint target powers. I can’t meet the average power for the sprint as I am behind from the start. Of course I am using resistance mode as ERG cannot handle that short an interval. Any advice?
I have tried shifting up earlier a few seconds before the burst, but this bogs down the end of the preceding vo2 portion.
I have tried shifting and going all out right at the start of the interval.
Any advice for nailing such short bursts? Or do I just need to improve technique and rate of force development to hit those bursts?
I wouldn’t worry about the power targets or shifting. Just find a cadence that allows you to be reasonably quick on the VO2 Max bit and then rev your bits off for 6 seconds on the sprints
Make sure your trainer does not smooth the power readings before sending it to the app. I have wahoo and I turned it off from the wahoo app and it fixed the lags with short burst.
Firstly workout profile graphs set impossible standards, its not physiologically possible to increase power output by 100s of watts in an instant.
If i was doing this kind of workout I would spin up before I changed up to avoid getting bogged down. i wouldn’t worry about the momentary drop in power as I change up, we have to change gear in the real world and the higher the power we are producing the higher the cadence needs to be. I’d be aiming for at least 10-20rpm faster cadence while sprinting compared to my cadence at VO2Max.
I still use ERG for these, and while there may be some slight lag in getting your trainer up to the power target during the sprints, there is usually equal lag bringing it back down (we’re talking a second or two).
However you decide to do these, I wouldn’t worry about being to-the-watt perfect, as whatever you’re able to manage is likely getting the stimulus we’re looking for.
0.5-1sec before big power jump increase cadence considerably (for me, it is about 130rpm). This way it does not hit you hard and can controllably lower cadence slowly for rest of interval (or not, I usually keep it up for ~15-20sec)
0.5-1sec before interval end lower cadence again to sustainable level, so actual power drop will not make you spin empty
With the Elite Suito on short intervals it can get confused or something and ramp up the resistance within a recovery and/or suddenly release it when you are only half way through an actual interval. Before I got dual sided power meter pedals it was a right pain and I’d do workouts entirely in resistance mode, now it works more often and I’ll stick in ERG mode more. Although I do wonder about the last interval when I feel ERG is restricting me from pushing to max as I would have done with Resistance mode
Thanks all for the help. I never considered erg mode for this kind of interval as thought the biggest was too short. Will try this with a big spin up before the sprint.
So is the training we’re going for just to be able to hold vo2 power while still being able to surge repeatedly? Rather than making sure you got certain sprint numbers.
Think of these as a sort of over/under workout. Being able to kick while already riding hard is something that can be useful in multiple situations – especially attacking on long climbs.
