I created a version of the long HIIT workout. Screenshot below. Because TR’s workout creator forces us to create ERG workouts (which is irritating, as other app workout creators allow users to create ERG, power, and grade workouts), I just went with some estimates on power, based on my own personal power average PRs for those time segments, from WKO4. A whopping 311 TSS! However, there is no way I could maintain those power averages 10x in a row. I am guessing my final TSS might be something in the order of 250 TSS, maybe a bit higher. I have no idea.
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Here is a question I pitched to the lead researcher who conducted the study:
ME: "I am wondering if this routine would achieve that same result, by grouping all of the 12, 30, and 45s intervals into one long set, followed by set recovery periods, and finally by a longer recovery interval:
Warmup
Set 1: 10x15s(50s)
Set Recovery for 5 min
Set 2: 10x30s(150s)
Set Recovery for 5 min
Set 3: 10x45s(225s)"
DR. PATON: “Funny you should ask that, as I actually have a Pro I coach who prefers to do it that way as 3 different sets, as to its effects I don’t know but i would assume that it would be very similar”
I do not. I run a dumb trainer. (Only slightly less dumb rider.)
I took max efforts from a SF 4DP test I did, using the 5sec and 1min values as guidelines. I just plugged 300/250/200% as rough estimates. The description in my workout states: “The intervals levels provided are general guidelines; perform them at the highest intensity possible.”
I am considering doing this protocol in May 2019, 3 weeks before my A Race (coincidently a 20km TT, the same as used in the testing). Super risky but I think only from an exhaustive workload standpoint. I’ll have 2 weeks of taper following the test week.
First time using the Workout Creator. Both program and user are definitely not pro status so I’m sure there are more than a few wonky things.
I read the study and it didn’t mention anything about sets/recovery between sets; only interval and rest durations. Total workout time was also mentioned as ~2 hours, so I assumed everything was just done as one solid set. Also not mentioned was the order of intervals, my construct was just one of a few variations I want to create…just as the Pro has a preference…
interesting.
Before we get too carried away here, let’s revisit the OP:
Looking at the recent study (posted by @krispenhartung), the interval efforts are performed at higher than VO2max levels (>120%) yet resulted in an increase in VO2max levels. Podcast wrong? 
Gotcha. I assume you saw the workout I posted above. That mirrors exactly what I confirmed with Dr. Paton, who was the lead on the study. I admit, the study was not clear on the protocol, which is why I sent the request to the research team in the first place, to ensure I had understood it correctly. I am in base period right now and won’t even be thinking about HIT until another 2 months or so, but this one will be on my list of workouts when I start ramping up for my first track race.
I’ll create a few more versions of this protocol, maybe 7 – a different one for each day! I’ve never done a study protocol before so it’ll be interesting to try it out just to see what it’s like to be a test subject. Ha!
It was also noted that all subjects finished 100% of the intervals…Challenge!!
No doubt, you can finish them…the question is can you finish them at your historical max effort record. Theoretically, you should not be able to maintain that max effort each interval. because you will fatigue over time. Give it a try. I predict that your average power for each set will decline slightly as you get toward the final 10th set. Also, the way this workout is structured seems to use the basic principle behind Tabata intervals, which is you reduce the recovery time between intervals (and in this case, eliminate recovery all together in between sets), and it forces the body to adapt to max efforts while still in a partial fatigue state, which forces physiological adaptations for those interval times. This is totally different than the traditional interval workout where you do an interval, recovery, repeat, etc. Tabata intervals seem to emulate a race environment more effectively to me. In the real world of racing, you don’t have the luxury of a nice recover after every hard effort This is one reason why I am not a big fan of using ERG mode in HIIT intervals, or using ERG in general. I prefer to maintain the power myself and let the natural variations, dips and spikes occur, like the real world.
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