Needles -4 workout vs Perpendicular

I’m still learning a lot of the TR workouts! I have seen people say the Needles workout was rough, I completed the perpendicular and earlier in week and they layout regimen for the needles looks alot less intense - curious to how you all see the two comparing! Thanks guys -

well I did both this week, so I know! Honestly, both quite doable for me. Perpendicular is easier in my opinion due to the equal work/rest intervals and when you’re resting it’s at recovery watts, whereas with needles it’s 4.5min of being on, because even the 88% is only a slight respite from the 110% portions. Obviously both types of vo2 workouts have their place for different types of stimulus

Perpendicular is a VO2max 4.1, whereas Needles-4 is VO2max 4.6.

Also, Needles is what TR calls “Float Sets”, which feel quite a bit different than on/offs like Perpendicular (45/45). You might find yourself being better at one versus the other. Or maybe not. You’ll soon find out!

Float Sets are very productive, IME. Needles appears to be a new workout that rolled out earlier this year. The original Float Set progression in Short Power Build was Pierce → Whiteface → Mitchell. This was before Workout Progression Levels existed.

Mitchell was an absolute killer. VO2max 7.8, apparently.

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Sweet this is awesome, thanks so much for the reply!!!

Oh I didn’t think abt the intensity of recovery interverals :expressionless::expressionless::expressionless: oh this is going to be fun :star_struck: :exploding_head:

Perp was very easy I felt

About to do needles

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Half way done. Needles takes more focus. Not really harder. My cad isn’t as smooth due to ups and downs would rather do 45sec on and 1min at 88% no rest since the erg doesn’t like it

My hammer 2 hates this workout. It’s all over the place.

interesting, my hammer 1 didn’t seem to have much issue with this one. I keep my bike on 50-17

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Needles was much more intense for me must be how I’m laced lol!

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