Polarized Training Workouts & Experiences (80/20)

Rough and ready would be to assess breathing pattern - with LT1 falling when breathing rate become noticeably increased and spoken sentences would be a little broken/disrupted (very subjective).

Or, as you wrote, <70% HRM. Remember it’s a zone and not a binary crossover point - if it feels easy, then you’re probably in the right spot.

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I was thinking about your question a little more regarding two shorter rides versus one longer ride. Because consistency is such a crucial component in improving fitness the best option is really the one that will allow you to be consistent. I’m by no means an expert at any of this. There are so many very knowledgeable folks on here so just speaking from my personal experience. I’m a father of three and have a pretty intense job in the summer months(concrete contractor). A polarized approach doesn’t burn me out and the endurance rides early in the morning on the trainer actually allow me to read or turn the stress knob down a little where as threshold training just punished me mentally and physically.

Here’s a screen shot of a two week block of training. The 2 VO2 max sessions were made with workout creator but I know others have used similar workouts from the TR catalog.

Hope this helps and best wishes in your training!!

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You’re right, I had my plan laid out like that originally to maximise compliance because I usually always get up early to complete the rides - I have an 18month old so aim to get them done before the family get up, thats not realistic on rides >2hrs.

Thanks for the screenshot, looks like you’re doing similar sort of weekly hrs as me, I’m looking forward to getting into this training block

Good call. We’re in the same boat. I complete the rides early in the morning too and have to be done before work. Would love to go longer, it’s just not realistic. Found out the hard way that sacrificing sleep turns me into a very unpleasant/unproductive person.

Glad to help. Good luck and please let me know how it goes for you. Always fun to hear others experiences.

Check your breathing, if you are able to breath through your nose and able to talk almost as if you were resting then you are below LT1. If not then you are above.

You can also do this test if you want a power or hr target to aim for.

This is a good description in how to check if you are still below LT1 while training :

When fats are the primary fuel (below VT1), the demand for O2 is met by increasing tidal volume. Therefore, the ability to talk continuously during expiration should not be compromised. This implies taking a noticeably deeper breath every five to 10 words, but not gasping due to the increased breathing rate.
However, when carbohydrates become the primary fuel (above VT1) the demand for CO2removal is met by increasing breathing rate. Therefore, the ability to talk continuously during expiration becomes compromised. This implies a noticeable increase in breathing rate where the ability to string five to 10 words together becomes challenging or difficult.

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Just read a very good post by Tom Bell, an athlete and coach in the UK, about Polarised training, which I thought I’d share:

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You’re talking about periodizing. Train to meet the demands of whatever it is your event or type of riding/racing demands. I wonder if you incorporated a 30/15 or 40/20 type vO2 session 1x per week if you’d see changes to the limiters you’ve been describing. I would think that the 4x8 sessions would help with the sweet-spot nature of the type of riding you do, but maybe the 8-min isn’t long enough.

Thanks @anthonylane!. I think you’re spot on. After experiencing the lack of punch I started adding in (30/15’s) a couple weeks ago and hoping to give it a try on the dirt this weekend. Thanks for the suggestion!

Don’t forget to do the anaerobic sprints either. That’s going to give you more bang for your buck. 30/15s are great but sprints at 10-30s all out are really tough. Especially when done after 3h of riding Z1(POL)

Never thought of this. Thank you for the advice.
I have to ask… Does it actually work?

Thanks for sharing, that was the best written piece on polarized that I’ve read. No dogma, just practical information and clearly stating why there is a place for the so-called “gray zone.”

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I can’t say yet. But I’m doing it. Seems to help me not loose anaerobic power though.

I’m very leaned towards anaerobic power since I’m riding MTB and always done efforts with bursts. Currently working on my aerobic power and POL seems do to wonders for that!

No worries, I thought exactly the same thing! :+1:

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Nice. I’ll start working it in tomorrow. Thanks again for the suggestion. Report back how it works and I’ll do the same.

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You can have a look at my Strava for examples.

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Very interesting thread. @lebowskii98 - thank you for linking that great article. I think that was the easiest summary for me to digest that I have seen.

I am curious if anyone is obtaining a polarized power or workout distribution using TR low volume plans + a bunch of z1/z2 (referring to 5/7 zone power model zones)?

I have been doing low volume plans (3 workouts) and adding 2 x z1 recovery rides and 2 x long rides on the weekends. From looking at my history in intervals.icu my power distribution ends up being more pyramidal when going through SPB, but at the time my weekend rides were ‘free’ rides and I got in lots of z3/z4.

I think if I exercise some zone discipline on the weekends I will have more of a polarized distribution when next going through SSBII-LV and SBP-LV. I am thinking of doing the 3 scheduled workouts plus 2 x z1 recovery rides, 2 x z2 weekend rides and 2 additional 60-90min z2 rides and double up on two week days.

My high-volume z2 base experiment ends next week and after a recovery week I’m dropping into SSBII-LV, so this might be another interesting experiment.

I’m currently doing a polarised plan and apart from zone 1 stuff I am doing 4x 8mins at 90% to 95% of max HR and longer threshold interval at around 2 x 20mins. I am thinking of swapping out one of these intervals every other week but not sure if I should do (A) 30/15 @ 120% of FTP( of 3 sets of 12 reps) OR do all out 30sec to 60sec sprints. I have never done any of these shorter interval stuff. I am training in ultra endurance biking.

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Hi, just curious what %FTP you were doing these at? I just done Dicks +5 with the same rough intention, its 5x8mins at 105% but my HR only got up to 90% MaxHR by the end of the final interval, worried I’m not going hard enough

Given that I’d suggest, if your aim is 90 - 95% HRmax, ‘Hard start’ intervals at least for the first couple. First 20 - 30 seconds of each interval at about 115 - 120% to get the HR up, or if you can handle it the 8 minutes at 108 - 110% ftp.
Having said that Dicks +5 is a Threshold session so it is not a surprise you are getting little time (if any) at VO2max or 90 - 95% MaxHR

True! :man_facepalming: