Hitting the right numbers on the bike in VO2 max workouts
Finishing up week 3 of the VO2 max workouts. After a little experimenting, I noticed two things about my bike workouts:
1) The only way for me to hit 120%/Z5 and hold it there for 2.5 minutes is to crank the resistance nob on the trainer down to the point that the wheel barely turns, drop it into a massive gear and grind at 75-80 rpms. I just can't sustain the effort level at a much higher cadence. When I do them outside, I have trouble hitting the right numbers for VO2 work on flats, and need a hill to spike that high. Again cadence drops. Am I doing these wrong?
2) The first couple of times I did the V02 intervals, there was a gigantic spike -- way over the goal effort -- when the interval began, which quickly fell off and then power steadily declined through the interval, with a couple of bumps when the Garmin told me I was dropping below the programed numbers. We should be shooting for an even output, and hence producing a flat line during the interval, right?
Comments
@Mike, spikes, I found those as well at the start to spool up to speed outside, they are sometimes huge for me 450W+, the file looks ugly when I look at it. I have been spending focus on truly not doing that. I think it takes away from later power when I need it. Trainer, on the other hand is much better with much lesser spike and more even output, still could use some work tweaking it to look nicer.
I only had one really quality executed workout, the last one, I posted it here. More than half of my VO2max work happened on the road, stationary bikes, no idea on quality of work except that I was ready to fall off a few times. This used to be my strength during self coaching days as I was doing these at 4x4min and 6x3min with equal recovery. These, no, as there are a lot of them, 3 workouts a week. No other program uses that much of VO2max work and I simply think that it is possible to hit all of them really correct only if you are following recovery as suggested and not swimming or adding any extra work anywhere. And even than, I almost bet that our best athletes do not quite hit them all as targeted at 120%. I think Matt and Tom here hit them all so far, quite impressive.
Cadence. Don't know what to tell you there. I never spent time observing it nor I display mine during rides, but my VO2max intervals range 103-107. I am inclined to say, do as you find the most appropriate to hit the targets, there is no wright or wrong, I don't think. Muscle fiber comp dictates a lot of that and you inherited it. I think you find that sweet spot where you can make it happen and hold on to it.
With optimum cooling (fans....) I find these much easier to hit indoors. Outdoors with a slightest decline or tailwind, my eyeballs are coming out and I can just see watts draining.
Try to be as even as you can. Early on, first minute, it should not feel as if you are straining terribly to make it happen, breathing should be just spooling up, don't allow to go over the target not even for a second, by 1:15, should feel now I need to focus,, breathing is reaching it's VO2max level, burn......just like with swimming. I cap the first one or two to 110%, I open it form there if I can.
Hope this helps, others will chime in with suggestions, should be all good, we have some seasoned veterans here.
Hills do make it easier to hit 120% at a steady pace, but it can be done, even on a flat. Tough part is between the ears. It takes focus to stay on it. If you can do it on a hill, you can do it on a flat.
As far as cadence goes, gotta go with what you're comfortable doing. Hard to give any rules there.
Outside: I'm afraid to do these outside, on a hill or otherwise, as they require so much focus on intensity that I can not pay sufficient attentiion to my immediate environment, a risky thing when working very hard on a bike. So all mine are on a CompuTrainer.
Cadence: When this round started, I was doing aroun 75-82, but I've since been trying to force myself faster, just cause it makes me work harder, and I was doing the intervals declining from 1.2 IF on the first to below 1.15 on the last. I needed something to keep the effort up thruout, and faster turnover produced that.
Cranking the trainer: That doesn't apply to my CT, but I have noticed that even though I pre-program my CT to sit at 1.2 IF, by the time I get to the last few intervals, my PT is recording lower watts than it should. I suspect I'm losing a bit of air from my tires during the course of the workout, and also the CT pressure is easing a bit from the strain.
Consistency: yes, effort level should remain steady both in the work interval and the recovery interval. A funny thing I've noticed about VO2 intervals is that the NP for the entire main set, say the 30 minutes of 6 x 2.5' (2.5') is equal to 100% of my FTP (my most recent was 99.7%).