What is the safest ways to transition between intervals?

I’m 10 weeks into HVSS and have been thinking about how best to remain injury free heading into the big final weeks of Base 2 and then on into Build by using correct form. One area I’ve been experimenting with, but have not come to a conclusion either way, is what is the safest way to transition between intervals - in particular, from say 40% recovery to 90%+ efforts?

Should I stay seated for the first few moments of increased effort or should I stand until the increased watts have settled in? I have not experienced pain, but do feel the additional tension in the knees and hamstrings and want to adopt the best approach before I head into Build, where the efforts are much higher.

I am using ERG mode exclusively.

All advice welcome!

Incresing cadence - you can try “attacking” the inteeval with cadence +10 to your normal (let’s say around 95-100)

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Think that’s your answer. Keep doing what you are doing.

I, Did manage to tweek my knee because i was not watching the countdown to the interval starting and the interval ramped up when i was not ready and then i pushed to catch up after my cadence had dropped. So watch the clock and up the cadence 2 seconds before hand as above 95-100rpm.

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Appreciate the advice d_diston. I agree that this would normally be the best approach - ‘if it aint broke, don’t fix it’ :slight_smile: I’m just conscious that I’ll be embarking on VO2 Max intervals for the first time soon and it already feels like big step for SS intervals and want to make sure I’m using correct technique before stepping up.

Increasing cadence is a good shout - the experience you described is exactly what I’m wanting to avoid, so thanks for the advice :+1:

Great advice jarsson, thanks. I’ll be giving that a try!

You can check nice video from GPLama that explains how erg mode behaves:

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This is a really useful tutorial! Attacking the transition changes with increased cadence seems to be the way to go. I’ll also have a go at ‘riding out’ the down changes from intervals to recovery as it seems I’ve been doing this all wrong too.

Appreciate the help :slight_smile:

Good luck . Don’t be intimidated, it’s just harder, but for not as long! Swings and roundabouts…

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