Some sessions ease you into the work gradually. Others ask you to commit early, lift the intensity, and then hold your composure while the pressure builds. Judas Priest sits firmly in that second category. The early surge is there to wake the legs up and get the heart rate climbing, before the session settles into sustained threshold riding where the real training effect happens. If you stay patient through the opening effort and then keep the power steady through the longer blocks, you’ll come out the other side stronger — the kind of session that quietly builds the engine while you keep the effort just a touch beyond the realms of death.
Each Sunday, I’ll post a Smart-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.
I developed this workout by modifying a workout called “The Priest”:
Judas Priest
- 6min WU Level I;
- 6min WU Level II;
- 3min Level IV;
- 15sec Level V++ (150%);
- 4:45min Level I RI;
- 2x
- 30sec Level V++ (150%);
- 30sec Level III+;
- 10min Level IV;
- 8min Level I between sets;
- 10min CD Level I;
- 10min Stretching
Start the Warm Up (WU) at Level I for six minutes, then step up to Level II for a further six minutes.
The precursor efforts to get the Heart Rate (HR) up and the body prepared for the following efforts starts with three minutes at Level IV, prior to a Level V++ (above 150% of Functional Threshold Power (FTP)) effort for fifteen-seconds.
Take a Rest Interval (RI) for 4:45 minutes (through to the twenty-minute mark).
Then there are two, eleven-minute efforts that start with 30-seconds at Level V++ (above 150% of Functional Threshold Power (FTP)), drop down to the Level III+ for 30-seconds and then settle into Level IV for ten-minutes. Ride for eight-minutes at Level I between reps for your Rest Interval (RI).
The Cool Down (CD) is at Level I for ten minutes.
Finish with 10 minutes of stretching to assist with your recovery.
Here is my data from doing the workout.
If you would like further advice feel free to contact me.
I am the Head Coach & Director of Qwik Kiwi – Endurance Sports Consultant.
I specialise in assisting first-timers and recreational athletes to achieve their sporting goals. I can be contacted at coachray@coachray.nz and 021 348 729.
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Download the Garmin (.FIT) and Zwift (.ZWO) files for this workout for FREE
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