Cadence (fast vs. slow) during workouts
While I was in the "pain cave" tonight I got to thinking and wondering what's the recommendation for cadence during the workouts. I was maintaining 90rpm tonight and hitting my power numbers, but thought that maybe I could mix it up and do some hill, slow rpm work and still hit the power but at a much slower cadence.
What's the general rule for the OS plan ? 90+ rpm target or just hit the power target for the specified time ?
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Comments
Hit the power!
What Nemo and Matt said. It sorts itself out. Sweet spot is supposed to be 90, but I will be in the upper 90's most of the time. I hammer best at higher cadence.
It is very cool to watch Chris Lieto (high cadence) vs. Maca (low cadence) in Kona. We are all individuals.
Thanks for the info. I'll work on higher rpm and still hit the power numbers.
what everyone else said, and I bet that you find if you play with it a bit that you will not be able to hold high power in longer intervals at a lower cadence. But really, you will self select the right cadence when you are doing intervals trying to hold the highest power you can. The self selection -- in all but the rarest circumstances -- will be between 85 and 95.
Here's some information. Doesn't exactly answer your question, but this is objective information.
Performance of Competitive Cyclists: 2588: Board#96 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Paton, Carl D.
Author Information
2AUT University, Auckland, New Zealand.
3HortResearch, Hamilton, New Zealand.
Email: carl.paton@wintec.ac.nz
PURPOSE. High-resistance interval training produces substantial gains in sprint and endurance performance when added to the usual training of cyclists in the competitive phase of a season. Here we report the effect of changing the cadence of the intervals on performance and physiology.
METHODS: We randomised 18 road cyclists to a low-cadence (60-70 min-1) or high-cadence (110-120 min-1) group for 4-5 wk of training. Both groups replaced part of their usual training with eight 30-min sessions consisting of three sets of explosive single-leg jumps (20 for each leg) alternating with three sets of high-intensity cycling sprints (5x 30 s with 30-s recoveries between repetitions) performed on a training ergometer with resistance set individually to achieve the desired cadence. Saliva samples were collected before and after each training session to assay testosterone concentration. Performance and physiological measures, obtained on a cycle ergometer before and after the intervention, were mean power in a 60-s time trial and the following measures obtained from a continuous incremental test: peak power, maximum oxygen uptake, 4-mM lactate power, fractional utilization of maximum oxygen uptake at 4-mM lactate, and exercise economy.
RESULTS: Power output in the interval sets over the training period increased by 11.0% ± 5.4% (mean ± SD) in the low-cadence group and by 8.3% ± 2.1% in the high-cadence group. Testosterone concentration increased in each training session, by 96% ± 25% (mean ± between-session SD) in the low-cadence group and by 62% ± 20% in the high-cadence group. There were substantial enhancements in performance in the low-cadence group (6-11 %) and high-cadence group (2-3%). Mean changes (±90% confidence limits) in the low-cadence group relative to the high-cadence group were: 60-s mean power, 2.5% (±4.8%); peak power, 3.6% (±3.7%); maximum oxygen uptake, 3.2% (±4.2%); 4-mM lactate power, 7.0% (±5.9%); fractional utilization, 0.9% (±4.9%); and exercise economy at 50% and 80% of pre-testpeak power, 5.1% (±4.9%) and 0.2% (±4.1%) respectively.
CONCLUSION. Low-cadence interval training is probably more effective than high-cadence training in improving performance of well-trained competitive cyclists. The differences in performance could be due to different effects of the two training cadences on economy and maximum oxygen uptake, possibly mediated in part by training-induced changes in testosterone.
©2006The American College of Sports Medicine
Everybody chimed in and I will add. I have a similar approach to what has been said, but I truly allow my body self select all the time but when I used to do low cadence work on the trainer (that was done at 60-65rpm). My self selected range for FTP work always falls in 100-103rpm and that is where I also race from sprint to HIM. The only exception is longer steady or shorter easy rides fall around 95-97rpm.. I don't display cadence while riding with an exception as indicated above.
I would suggest to try to ride the trainer the same way you would outside. It maybe impossible though as you may fall "in between gears" like I do for some work.
When it comes to cadence, there is no right or wrong. It is very individual and depends on many factors, one being your genetic composition slow vs fast twitch muscle fibers........Coaches have access to a huge number of training and racing files and can extrapolate statistical averages among different level athletes and can provide some input from that standpoint. Whether you mash like Chrissie or Macca or spin like Chris Lieto, has very little affect on how you run after. Yes, many articles and a study or two point toward higher cadence=better run after, still is a subject of discussion.
Bottom line, principle of specificity, train the way you will race, truly allow self selected cadence, things will sort themselves out.