Things to train to get me over 1000w

Training
1

I don’t race really, and definitely not at the point that would require a sprint finish but I you know what I’d like to do break 1000w. Seems like a thing that’d be cool to have done at least once.

Quite a few years ago I hit 945w so it’s close and doable.

I’ve got 16kg and 20kg kettlebells and using them regularly. Not sure if I should do more squats or single leg stuff (quite like to be able to pistol squat too if I’m aiming high).

I’m in a base section of my plan but can fit in an anaerobic session a week or out in sprints during my outside fun ride. Hit me up with any tips or exercises you have.

4 Likes
2

What’s your cadence when you sprint?

1 Like
3

Tip #1

Be fresh. Super-fresh.

8 Likes
4

Maybe controversial, I pull up with the back foot for very short term max efforts. You can only push down so hard. Pulling up with the back foot adds to that.

4 Likes
5

Power is a product of strength and speed. You seem to have the strength side under control so working on your speed is probably a way forward. A high cadence is of course helpful, but you also need explosiveness; the ability to produce a lot of force in a short amount of time. My suggestion is that you work on things like plyometrics, running up stairs, weighted jumps and stuff like that.

You can actually improve muscle activation by saying things like “pow” when you initiate a jump, pedal push on your pedal etc.

In addition you should work on being comfortable at higher cadence. It’s not to difficult to momentarily reach 140-160 if you’re comfortable at 120 for an extended time.

5 Likes
6

Also consider technique and equipment:

  • you need a strong core and upper body to throw and counterbalance bike underneath you during each pedal stroke.
  • bike you’re confident with – my best numbers come from fully fixed rigid smart bike (100%) , then MTB with curly bars (~90%), and lastly endurance bike with a lot of compliance (~70%). This plays bigger role in short sprints around 5sec, less important for 30sec

And yes, cadence. For 5sec, go as high as you can; after that it is more about how long can you keep it up.

2 Likes
7

Yes sir. Power is force x speed. Speed meaning how fast you can apply the power, which implies two things as you said: explosiveness and leg speed. Plyometrics and the ability to turn your legs over quickly are the training points. Force generation in terms of squat and deadlift strength certainly help, but many people seem to neglect the speed aspect.

I’ve seen a number of recreational riders with no sprint because they just try to press really hard on the pedals like they’re doing single leg squats, but good sprint power has to come from the ability to explode and then maintain power as you accelerate your legs up to a fast speed.

And then as @svens said, core strength is key because that’s your foundation. In order of operations, I’d go:

  1. Core strength. Train anti-flexion (planks or ab wheel) and anti-rotation (paloff presses, unbalanced planks).

  2. Leg speed. If you can’t spin up to 120 or 130rpm in a light gear, improve your neuromuscular ability to generate leg speed.

  3. Technique work.

  4. Force generation through strength training, squats and deads.

  5. Plyo.

Odds are pretty good there’s some low hanging fruit in those first 3 that could get him/her up over 1000W without crushing the weights.

11 Likes
8

I don’t have any ground breaking tips but to say I am on board and totally here for this goal! I too will never be in an epic sprint finish but I totally want to hit 800 watts so I can get the “toaster badge” on Zwift. I’ve gone from 400 to hitting 700 in a short time so keep with it! I will say make sure your equipment can handle the watts, my bike on the trainer must have a worn out 11t because whenever I hammer on it over 500 it skips like a mo fo so I can’t use that gear right now. I also got better by using my upper body more but by swinging forward while sprinting vs rocking side to side. Watch some videos of Cav and those guys just crushing it and you will see how they just make it look so effortless (besides the grimace on their faces)!

1 Like
9

I changed from 175mm cranks to 170mm and my sprint went up over 100w. Much easier to spin fast and with good technique.

10

I’d love to downsize my cranks as I’m of below average height but power meters are pricey! Sadly can’t buy the gains this time.

Will just have to follow the other tips and see where I get to.

1 Like
11

Unnecessary, at 120rpm you only need 48kg on the end of a 170 crank to produce 1000w. Apologies if you are lighter than that.

1 Like
12

Interesting. Over how much of a crank rotation does that 48kg need to be applied? I only get about 60 degrees of good force on the pedals on each side. At 120 rpm, I’m barely generating any torque at all.

13

Yes, but you’ll need to generate more than that to be able to input 48kg at the required foot speed to create that power. Actual force produced is very rarely the biggest limiter when sprinting.

If you can pull up you’re not spinning fast enough.

15

if you haven’t done it yet, try doing regular sprint workouts. it sounds silly but your power will increase as your technique improves. I had the same issue and can now hold 1000w for 20seconds on a good day. a lot of it is technique and mindset I think, you’ve got to be pretty fearless, and be ready to try and snap the cranks off the bike

2 Likes
16

My N=1 experience: strength training (squat, deadlift, bench press) and trying to improve my sprint technique were enough to get me above 1000 watts for the first time this summer. Prior to that my ceiling over several years was about 800 watts. Good luck – it’s a fun goal to work towards :flexed_biceps::man_biking::flexed_biceps:

17

If you’re doing it outside, go as fast as you can at the end of a downhill that goes into an uphill. Biggest gear and spin at 200 rpm if you can into the uphill and keep it up.

if you do indoors, you need big gearing. I get to 200rpm on my biggest gear but that’s only 700w or so. I just need bigger gears to go higher because I can’t increase my cadence.

18

Sorry but 200 rpm is bonkers and will not help in a 1000 watt sprint… 200 rpm on a 50-11 gear is 116kmh… 52-11 is over 120kmh.

Spinning at anything over 120 rpm is going to be detrimental to an all out effort, unless you are a highly trained world tour sprinter who might hit 140 rpm.

2 Likes
19

That training is probably not the most effective way to increase power but that doesn’t mean it won’t work, generating the same amount of force quicker has a much bigger effect on power than people think.

WT sprints are unique because they’re all ‘submax’ as the riders arrive fatigued, they’d more than likely make more power at a higher cadence fresh.

OP will make more power just by sprinting more often. If they were specifically chasing a new PMax I’d just give them my session, 2x seated revouts to max rpm, 1x big gear effort, seated/standing doesn’t really matter, then 2x 5s efforts with at least 10m in between. I did a little primer in the gym the day before as a bit of a bonus

20

Im not questioning the logic of high cadence workouts, im questioning if spinning a max gear at 200rpm is even possible on anything less than a -15% gradient.

21

I can’t provide tips, I can only tell you what I do/have done. I’m not saying “do this". Just n=1. I have never tried to improve my sprint as other than being fun, it serves a limited purpose for me (primarily an XC racer, and there are limits to traction**).

I’m spinning, fast. How fast? No idea. But it’s up there. I like longer cranks for my height, so maybe I would hit bigger numbers with shorter cranks, but I’m not interested.

I’m NOT lifting the back of the pedal. If I do, my cleats will pop out on my road bike. But I’m certainly not weighing my pedal down on the back side, and that does matter. I think it is more that I’m concentrating on being smooth, and applying maximum effort on that short period of time when you can.

It’s a whole body experience. Core, arms, legs, everything is working in unison for me to hit those numbers.

I’m sure lifting weights would improve the numbers, but I haven’t done a dedicated gym routine in well over a decade. Problem is I like riding my bike too much, so I don’t want to skip riding to go to the gym*.

I also run a lot, no idea if that makes any difference.

I absolutely get walked on by the local fast crit guys, so that 1000+ watt sprint isn’t doing me any good. It’s all about tactics. Since I don’t road/crit race, I only do local practice races where I am there to destroy myself for the workout while they are out there to train for races. So when the finish line appears, they just walk right on by me. Getting that power is cool and all, but it won’t do you any good if your tactics suck (my tactics suck).

*I go to the climbing gym for upper body work, otherwise my upper body gets too weak and I get injured mountain biking.

**MAYBE having to “sprint” up hard obstacles (more peak torque than peak power) is related, don’t know.