This session is a great way to develop your anaerobic capacity. It is perfect for road cyclists and mountain bikers but also for Olympic distance and Half Ironman/70.3 triathletes.
Each Wednesday I’ll post a Wind Trainer session that you can do in about 60 minutes to enhance your cycling. See a previous post about training intensity (Levels) to know how hard to work. If you are working directly with Coach Ray he will in most cases prescribe either a Power Zone or Heart Rate Zone to work within if you are training with these tools.
4-8x 90sec Hill Reps
- 10min Warm Up Level II;
- 4-8x 90sec Hill Reps Level V (60sec seated 60-70rpm, 30sec shift to higher gear, stand sprint to end), 4min RI Level II;
- 10min Cool Down Level II;
- 10min Stretching
Do this workout three weeks in a row. Start with four reps in the first week, six weeks in the second week and then step up to the eight reps in the third week.
Start the workout with a warm up of ten minutes easy riding at Level II.
The main set involves between four and eight reps at Level V lasting only 90 seconds. For the first 60 seconds ride seated in a gear that keeps you at a cadence of between 60 & 70 RPM, at Level V intensity. When you get to the 60 seconds mark on each rep, change to a higher gear, stand up and sprint for the last 30 seconds. BURN!!! Change to an easy gear and gently pedal for four minutes at Level II as your Rest Interval (RI).
After the main set, cool down for ten minutes riding at Level II.
Finish with 10 minutes stretching to assist with your recovery.
This session can also be done on the road riding an actual hill. Utilise a hill that takes more than two minutes to ride up and is about 6-8% gradient. For the Rest Interval (RI), turn and cruise down the hill. You may need to spend a bit of time cruising on the flat, timing your turn around to head back up the hill so that you are back at the bottom of the hill to start the next rep at the right time.
If you would like further advice feel free to contact Coach Ray.
Coach Ray is the Head Coach & Director of Qwik Kiwi – Endurance Sports Consultant.
Coach Ray specialises in assisting beginner and recreational athletes to achieve their sporting goals. He can be contacted at coachray@coachray.nz and 021 348 729. Make sure you sign up to his monthly informative newsletter.
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For more great workouts of this nature check out my eBook Top 10 Cycle Workouts from Coach Ray.
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