Guidelines:
SIT (Sprint Interval Training). Use these workouts when you don't have time to do a full run workout. Great to do after a strength workout when you are already warmed up.
RI = Rest Interval
Hi Cad = High Cadence (easy gear, faster legs, Cadence greater than 95)
Lo Cad = Low Cadence (harder gear, slower legs, Cadence less than 85)
Mid Cad = Middle Cadence (Cadence around 90)
Bike Workout #6 MIXED CAD (EASY-MOD)
Cadence workouts focus on leg speed. For High Cadence efforts select an easier gear that allow your legs to spin at a cadence greater than 90. For Low Cadence efforts select a harder gear that allow your legs to have a cadence less than 85.
After a 10-20 minute warm-up perform the following: This workout mixes up high cadence (1-2 gears easier than normal riding) and low cadence (1-2 gears harder than normal riding). Both efforts should be relatively easy, although the higher cadence will cause your heart rate to increase, and the lower cadence efforts will tax your leg muscles more. Keep the upper body relaxed.
Warm up:
Easy Spinning for 10-20 minutes. During this time perform the following:
1 x 30 sec High Cadence Seated Jump (easy gear). Spin for 2 min.
1 x 30 sec Lower Cadence Seated Jump (moderate gear). Spin for 2 min.
1 x 30 sec Lower Cadence Standing Jump (harder gear). Spin for 2 min.
Repeat this sequence of jumps 2 to 3 times until you feel ready to go.
Workout:
1 x 1 min Lo Cad Effort (EASY-MOD)
1 x 1 min Hi Cad Effort (EASY-MOD) : RI = 3 min Easy Spinning.
Repeat for a total of 3-4.
1 x 2 min Lo Cad Efforts: (EASY-MOD)
1 x 2 min Hi Cad Efforts: (EASY to EASY-MOD) : RI = 3 min easy spinning.
Repeat for a total of 2-3.
1 x 3 min Lo Cad Efforts: (EASY-MOD)
1 x 3 min Hi Cad Efforts: (EASY to EASY-MOD) : RI = 3 min easy spinning.
Repeat for a total of 1-2
Cool down:
Easy Spinning for 10-15 minutes
Bike Workout #7 Intervals (MOD-HARD to HARD)
Find a relatively quiet, safe and flat stretch of road to do intervals. You could also do these indoors.
Warm up:
Easy Spinning for 10-20 minutes. During this time perform the following:
1 x 30 sec High Cadence Seated Jump (easy gear). Spin for 2 min.
1 x 30 sec Lower Cadence Seated Jump (moderate gear). Spin for 2 min.
1 x 30 sec Lower Cadence Standing Jump (harder gear). Spin for 2 min.
Repeat this sequence of jumps 2 to 3 times until you feel ready to go.
Workout:
1 x 30 sec. MOD-HARD to HARD effort : RI = 30 sec. Easy Spinning.
Repeat 5 times.
RI = 1 x 5 min Easy Spinning
1 x 60 sec MOD-HARD to HARD effort : RI = 1 x 60 sec Easy Spinning.
Repeat 5 times.
RI = 1 x 5 min spin
Repeat the whole sequence 2-3 times
Cool down:
Easy Spinning for 10-20 minutes
Bike Workout #8 LSD (Easy to Easy-Mod)
Ride for 2 hours +. This is an endurance workout and the effort should be overall EASY. What can make it feel like a harder ride will be the distance / time in the saddle. Stay aerobic as much as you can. Select a relatively easy gear that allows you to ride with a cadence close to your natural cadence. Your effort may creep up into feeling MODERATE on the climbs. That’s OK, but overall try not to push the hills too hard. Aim for a consistent effort throughout the workout.
In the middle of the ride integrate several standing efforts. These are not a max effort type of interval. Shift to a harder gear that allows you to stand and pedal with a comfortable cadence. EASY-MOD effort. If you are not use to standing, you might find these are more of a MOD effort to begin with. That’s OK. They will get easier as you get stronger and use to standing. Start with standing for 10 seconds. Rest Interval is 3 min of easy spinning. Next stand for 20 seconds, and rest for 3 min with easy spinning, keep adding 10 seconds to the standing effort. See below.
When standing, rock the bike side-to-side with a relaxed grip. As you push down with your right leg, pull up with your right arm, and straighten your left arm to allow the bike to rock up to 4 inches to your left. The saddle should just graze your left inner thigh. With the next pedal stroke, you will now be pushing down with the left leg, pulling up with the left arm, straightening the right arm, saddle is moving to the right to graze your right inner thigh. Think about moving forward out of your seat, rather than up. Aim to have equal weight distribution between your hands and legs. Focus on a smooth pedal stroke with no dead spots. This means not just pushing down on the pedals, but also pulling up.
Effort:
EASY with some MOD on climbs and standing efforts
Cadence:
Natural Cadence / close to 90
Workout:
1 x 10 sec Standing. RI = 3 min
1 x 20 sec Standing. RI = 3 min
1 x 30 sec Standing. RI = 3 min
1 x 40 sec Standing. RI = 3 min
1 x 50 sec Standing. RI = 3 min
1 x 60 sec Standing. RI = 3 min
Bike SIT #9 (Sprint Interval Training): HARD
Warm-up:
5-10 min spin (include 3 x 30s Max Cad. 3 x 30s Time Trial efforts. 3 x 30s Stand)
Workout:
15 x 20 sec. HARD. RI = 40 sec. EASY
Cool down:
5-10 min spin
Bike workout #10 Indoor