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INTERVAL TRAINING
Interval training is best described as – short bursts of intense
activity interspersed with rest or recovery. It is a means of over
loading our bodies for a short period of time to achieve fitness
gains.
An example would be –
After a 10minute warm up -
• 1 minute “hard” pace (high intensity)
• 1 minute “easy” pace (low intensity)
• Repeat hard – easy efforts 10 times
Cool down 10 minutes.
During the early and peak seasons of the training planner (from
week 9), interval training is used to develop aerobic and anaerobic
fitness. Because it is quite stressful to the body, no more than
2 interval sessions / week are done and those new to mountain biking
should only do 1 session / week. Interval training is not done any
earlier in the programme than this, as a good base level of endurance
is required first. Also, because of the high intensity of interval
training, too much, too early in the season can cause burn out.
Interval training is the final boost towards peak fitness as it
develops burst speed for short sharp hill climbs and the sustainable
speed needed for a Merida Bikes MTB Marathon Series. Our bodies
are being trained to better tolerate the accumulation of lactic
acid and also become more efficient at clearing it away. This will
therefore help to delay the onset of fatigue.
In the training planner, you will see that there are two types of
interval training described – Long and short intervals.
Long Intervals
Long intervals are excellent for building aerobic endurance and
should be performed at a moderately hard but sustainable pace –
you shouldn’t be going flat out. These sessions are particularly
good for those new to MTBing, but more experienced riders can use
both long and short intervals.
E.g. – week 9 – Regular MTBer
Warm up 10 minutes
• 6 minutes moderately hard pace
• 3 minutes steady cycling at low intensity
• Repeat 4-6 x
Cool down 10 minutes
Short Intervals
With short intervals the work time is less but the intensity is
greater. You should aim to cycle at flat out pace. It is an excellent
way to develop anaerobic capacity as lactic acid clearance improves
and you will be able to maintain faster speeds for longer. Short
intervals at this highest intensity should be avoided if you are
new to MTB.
E.g. week 9 – Regular MTBer
Warm up 10 minutes
• 2 minutes hard pace
• 3 minutes steady cycling at low intensity
• Repeat 4 – 6 x
Cool down 10 minutes.
Progressing your Interval training sessions
As you progress through the 4-week cycle, the number of repetitions
can be increased to make the session harder. For example –
Start week – 4 repetitions
Build week – 5 repetitions
Push week – 6 repetitions.
Recovery week – no interval training
Other ways to progress the interval session are
• Increase the duration of each repetition
• Reduce the recovery of each repetition
• Repeat the same session but uphill
Interval sessions are excellent for quick after-work burns on the
bike, as they are quality workouts that take relatively little time.
Treat them with respect though – don’t do too many and
avoid a high intensity session the day before your long endurance
ride. You will need plenty of recovery and a good meal after one
of these workouts! |