Would it be better to do an extra interval if you had the legs for it? One of the most difficult questions to answer is when it is the right time to stop doing intervals. More intervals will under normal circumstances inspire your body to grow stronger. Thus if you are able to maintain the correct intensity for an extra interval then you will probably get even stronger.
Avoid failure training
Still I have to underline the importancy of not burning out. If you are not able to complete that extra interval you will have to pay for it. There are both psychological and physiological debts you have to pay afterwards. Therefore I always recommend you to keep yourself in safe distance from failure training. That means you have to stop intervals before you are not able to maintain the correct power output.
Today I’ve designed intervals where you are the one to decide when you’ve got enough. I would like you to stop the intervals at the where you are completely sure that you could do 1 extra intervals if you had to.
Day 7
Total time: app. 1hr
10min incremental warm up
5min 70% VO2 max
3min 75% VO2 max
2min 80% VO2 max
10min 60% VO2 max
?? x (30+30sec) 100 / 50% VO2 max (close to your max repetitions, but no failure training)
15min easy rolling
Next step: Day 8 – More training and summary of Week 1 (Did you miss Day 6?)
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Just curious – I recently completed a test to find my FTP (essentially my CP60). Can I use a certain percentage of this value as my VO2 for these workouts? If so, what percentage should be used?
Thanks.
rob
Why not do the 5min VO2 Max test? If you calculate your 5min power based on your 60min power it gets too unprecise.
Jesper,
, and I was aiming to a value higher (well, a little higher) than 100% of VO2max (I know it because I own a PowerTap).
what is a typical “??” value? I was able to complete 21 rounds before getting bored
21 is a high number, well done. I guess you will make a nice improvement next time you test your VO2 max.
Jesper
I had it in my mind to match the 21 from Simone. I completed them and still had a little gas in the tank I will save for day 14.