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The Ultimate VO2 Max Training Session

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THIS is the story behind how I developed an effective, motivating and personalised interval session, which is the perfect booster for VO2 max. If you want to go directly to the interval session, please scroll down to the bottom of this article or watch the video.

During the last few years, I have analysed lots of heart rate and power files from cycling races. I’ve spent time focusing on the most decisive moments during races; for example, the moment when you try to shake off your nearest challengers.
Based on my analysis and research, I’ve developed a unique training method that will dramatically boost your VO2 max. And I’ve been using this new interval training session during the last year with great success.
This is the first time I have shared this exclusive information, so you could say this is a world premiere…

My analysis of heart rate monitor and power meter files

At the crucial moments during a race you will perform at your five-minute maximum power for about two to three minutes. Since you are already warm (on 80-85% of max heart rate) because you have been racing, it only takes a short burst of power before you hit your VO2 max peak.

Riders who launch an attack typically establish a gap of between 50 to 100 metres during these initial minutes of aggressive cycling. All cyclists, breakaway riders as well as people left in the peloton, will feel the burn in their legs at these moments, so everybody will be suffering.

Since the breakaway riders have already expended a lot of energy to establish their lead, they will have to keep struggling on in the hope that the peloton will allow them to get away.

If they succeed in establishing a small breakaway group, they will keep the intensity slightly below or around threshold power. But as the initial two to three minutes were at their VO2 max, they would have already used a significant part of their anaerobic reserve. This means they have to maintain the highest possible intensity without accumulating additional lactic acid to avoid blowing up. So they have to ride at an intensity close to their functional threshold power during this continued attack. The following five to eight minutes are crucial in deciding if this will turn out to be a winning break or not.

If the peloton fails to reel in this group of leaders within five minutes, it is more than likely that they will not see them again during the race. But if the pack does manage to chase down the breakaway riders, then the race becomes wide open again, and there is a golden opportunity to launch a counter-attack.

Please bear in mind that we are talking about breakaways established at the ‘business end of a race’ – not tactical moves during the early stages.

Five Reasons Why This Training Method Works

VO2 Max. You get an extended stimuli of your aerobic system at an intensity close to or at your maximal oxygen consumption. The initial two minutes activates your aerobic system, so it performs close to maximum. When you reduce your intensity to threshold power, you’ll be able to continue at maximal oxygen consumption without accumulating too much lactic acid. Therefore, you get an extended period of time with maximum impact on your aerobic system without too much suffering (don’t forget though, it’s still an EXTREMELY hard workout). You’ll reach a heart rate >92% of maximum heart rate.

Motivating interval design. The initial 30-40 seconds is a piece of cake but then it begins to get harder. When you’ve completed the first minute you will be halfway through the toughest part. By pushing the highest power outputs at the beginning of the interval, you’ll have a good feeling that you can actually complete this interval as scheduled.

High specificity. It is an old rule of thumb that you should train with your goal in mind. Make the training as relevant as possible. This interval is designed to simulate a cycling race and it certainly feels like one. When you struggle during the last four minutes of this interval, it feels you are enduring the pain of a tough race. Those riders who have been test pilots on this interval session will readily confirm that the mental and physical experience is the same.

Personalised intervals. This workout is based on your performance in two different physical tests to create a customised interval session to suit YOU. It will offer you the huge advantage of securing optimal training of your VO2 max.

Great results guaranteed. Your aerobic engine will thank you for it, and after just a few of these training sessions, your overall performance will improve significantly.

They are the five main reasons I believe this training method should be an integral part of your interval training, at least during the last six to eight weeks before important races.

What you also need to know before starting this interval session:

This VO2 max session is based on your performance in two separate physical tests. This knowledge gives you an advantage when you plan your training session. Instead of calculating your VO2 max as a percentage of your threshold power (or the opposite), you will base your decisions on your actual fitness at those intensities representing different physiological skills. So you end up with a bespoke training session that is perfect for you.

VO2 max power (five-minute maximum watts)

Threshold power (30-minute maximum watts)

If you haven’t performed these tests recently (<2 months), then it makes sense to tackle them again. If you’ve never tried these five and 30-minute performance tests before, you can read more about them here.

The Best VO2 Max Training for Cyclists – Here is the deal:

Warm up for at least 10 minutes. (Here is a quick warm-up routine)

2 min: VO2 max intensity

8 min: threshold intensity

10 min easy rolling

2 min: VO2 max intensity

8 min: threshold intensity

10 min cool down

No power meter? Here is what you should do…
If you don’t have access to a power meter or ergometer bike, it gets a little more difficult to control pacing, but you can still have a decent workout. Ride the first two minutes as if it was a 4km pursuit and ride the following eight minutes as a 40km time trial. It’s not optimal but it works.

What to do after the VO2 max session

After two rounds of 2+8min, you’ve had a decent workout. Some riders may want to ride more after finishing the interval session and that is no problem. You may prefer to ride for an hour or two with low intensity. You can add as much distance as you like.

Remember to refuel immediately after finishing the second VO2 max interval. This workout has a huge impact on your recovery time, so give yourself the best odds to recover quickly so you reap the full benefits from your effort.

Take action now…

Here is one thing you MUST do:

– Try the VO2 max training session and leave a comment about your experience.

and two things that will make me VERY happy:

– Write about this new training method on your personal blog or website.

– Share this link on your personal blog, Facebook, Twitter or Google Plus:

The Ultimate VO2 Max Training Session

10 Steps for Better Cycling Performance in 2011

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10 Steps for Better Cycling Performance in 2011

The New Year has arrived and this is the perfect time to set new goals and targets. So why don’t you challenge yourself to improve your overall cycling skills and performance?

Here are ten failsafe ways to boost your performance in 2011”¦

1 ”“ Take responsibility for your own training

Take the bull by the horns and be proactive. January 1 is a great time to start changing any bad habits. If you are a “reactive cyclist” then it’s time to change.

It’s always tempting to blame others when things don’t work out the way you want.

In these instances you are being reactive and that is simply a negative attitude that will hinder you from reaching your goals. Being proactive is about taking responsibility ”“ don’t talk, just do it.

If you take responsibility, you will achieve a lot more success. Being positive has several side effects. For example, it’s better to try to make your group rides attractive instead of complaining about why so few people join them. Make sense?

2 ”“ Apply the 80/20 principle to your cycling training

Apply the 80/20 principle to your cycling training

I always like to use the analogy of the financial world. You invest in training time and you get a strong rate of return in cycling performance.

Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto made a rule about investments: the basic principle is to focus your effort on the 20% that is responsible for 80% of your results.

But how can you apply the 80/20 principle to your cycling training in 2011?

Well, take a look at your training in the past year. Think of the days that had the most positive impact on your future performance. Examine those days in detail. Why were they the best?

It is not a difficult task to highlight the most challenging workouts but these are the most crucial to successful optimization with regards time effectiveness and successful training planning for 2011.

3 ”“ Every ride should have a purpose

I always urge my riders to have a purpose with all their training sessions. It is not just about interval days and race days. I want to make them stronger and better cyclists every day. If they’re on a recovery day, it’s a great opportunity to practise some technical skills, which do not require physical power.

You could, for example, improve your cornering and recovery in the same ride. Bin the junk miles and give every session a real focus.

4 ”“ Sleep more

This may sound obvious but one of the healthiest things in life is to sleep well. Most people don’t get enough sleep and their health suffers as a result.

For cyclists, lack of sleep will cause fatigue and affect performance. As a cyclist, sleeping is a crucial part of the recovery process. Try to get at least 7 to 8 hours sleep each night.

5 ”“ Eat better and time your post-exercise meal

Good nutrition is vital to performance and recovery.

When considering post-exercise nutrition, always have a recovery drink immediately after exercise. Then you should consume 1g of carbohydrate per kg and 1/3g protein per kg of body weight within 30 minutes of finishing moderate to high intensity training sessions.

The post-exercise drink is extremely important and is an opportunity to use legal doping since you benefit from the insulin boost you get when you drink both carbohydrate and protein. Insulin is an anabolic hormone that helps you rebuild glycogen stores and muscles after training sessions.

If you don’t get energy immediately after exercise then you maintain the catabolic status and delay the recovery process.

6 ”“ Analyze your training sessions

Analyze your training sessions
Take some time to reflect. What did you achieve in 2010 and how did you achieve it? What were the highlights and downsides?

Analyzing your performance in the past 12 months will make your workouts even stronger in 2011.

If you have access to power meter or heart rate monitor data, you should also spend some time analyzing the metrics from your key workouts, performance tests and races in 2010.

7 ”“ Include power meter training

Power meter training is a growing phenomenon. It’s easy to do and the single most effective way to monitor progress.

There is one significant reason that I strongly recommend power meters: it makes it possible to precisely control the workload during interval training, making sure that the right physiological skills get trained. If you don’t have a power meter, make it a priority to at least experiment with one during 2011.

8 ”“ Prioritize high intensity intervals

There is no doubt in my mind that training with high intensity is the most time effective way to improve your performance. Elite and professional riders need to train at (or very close to) VO2 max to make further progress.

When you give the highest priority to your interval training, it’s also much more likely to be successful.

Try to perform intervals as the most important part of your ride. Making interval training the most important thing will put it above achieving your planned distance, joining a social group ride or even taking part in a race.

9 ”“ Make your training as specific as possible

What are the decisive parts of a race that you are preparing for? A hill? A sprint finish? A basic rule of solid cycling training is to focus your training on what you are aiming for during a race.

If you make your training more specific, your body will receive the optimal physiological improvements for the specific event you have in mind. So, for example, if you want to take part in a hilly race, you should train on courses that have undulating profiles.

10 ”“ Make your 2011 cycling training plan now

The fastest way to improve as a cyclist without working harder is by adding some structure to your training. Following and sticking to a training plan is a simple but effective approach and it pays off quickly.

Riders often believe that they feel stronger because of the special combination of intervals that I devise for them but, to be honest, the more likely explanation is that they simply have some structure to their training program.

If you are a hard-working cyclist, you deserve to achieve the best possible results with the work you do.

You don’t (necessarily) have to train more or harder to achieve better results.

If you achieve the right structure with proper amounts of interval training on the right days, there is a good chance that you will improve quickly and continue doing so.

And the best part is that you won’t have to spend more time away from your family or friends to achieve this progress.

If you haven’t got a training plan for 2011, you can try one of the free cycling training programs here on Training4cyclists.com or, even better, use the detailed 16-week training program included in my recently published e-book, Time Effective Cycling Training.

11 ”“ Do the little extra it takes to succeed

Yes, I know this is supposed to be 10 Steps for Better Cycling Performance in 2011, but I’ve included point 11 to highlight that sometimes it can pay off to go the extra mile. Sometimes you have to dig a little deeper into your reserves when you train. The saying is “no pain, no gain” and there’s no doubt a bit of suffering can go a long way if you want to beat the opposition.

Optimal Bike Training: Threshold Power vs VO2 Max

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In the last couple of weeks I have covered the importance of VO2 max intervals. Even though VO2 max is an important physiological skill, threshold power is even more crucial. The absolute power output at your threshold power is often a lot more important than the absolute number at VO2 max. That also explains why the athletes with the highest VO2 max values not per definition are the strongest performing riders in the peloton.

VO2 Max intervals improves your threshold power

Even though VO2 max is not the single most important power output, it still needs lots of training because the physiological adaptations to VO2 max training are the same as the you receive from threshold training. The biggest difference is the time needed to train to achieve the same progress.

Intervals close to VO2 max is a really potent stimulus for your aerobic system. Actually, it there is scientific evidence indicating that well trained athletes must have intervals close to their VO2 max to continue further progress. VO2 max intervals not only improve your VO2 max power, they also give a great lift to your threshold power.

Remember that threshold power is only a percentage of your VO2 max. You don’t train specific physiological skills with threshold power intervals that don’t get stimuli at VO2 max. If decide to train at lower intensity than VO2 max, you have decided to train your aerobic system less effectively. Bump.

VO2 Max Intervals are better than threshold intervals

I know that there are circumstances where intervals at lower intensities are handy, but from a strict theoretically point of view, VO2 max training is the most effective.

There is a common myth that training exactly at threshold power is the most optimal way to train. Let me make it clear:

There is nothing magical about training exactly at threshold power. Training a little above or below threshold power improves performance in exactly the same ways.

Conclusion: Training exactly at your threshold power is great, but slightly below or above threshold power is just as great. Well trained athletes need training close to their VO2 max, because it helps them to further progress of both VO2 max AND threshold power. From a strict theoretically point of view, VO2 max training is the most effective way to improve your performance in endurance disciplines like road cycling. Both VO2 max and threshold power training can be beneficially for riders at all levels.

VO2 Max Is Crucial In Road Cycling

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The basic rule of training is to train what you aim for. Interval training with an intensity close to your maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max) is the most secure way to improve your VO2 max.

Elite riders must do VO2max intervals

The closer the intensity is to 100% of VO2max, the better training you get. This means you have to train less time to improve your performance.

If all your intervals are done at an intensity around e.g. 80% VO2 max, you still get stimuli to increase your VO2max but it takes a lot more work (time) to make significant improvements.

Elite and pro riders need training at (or very close to) VO2max to keep further progress. Thus, VO2 intervals are always included in the training programs I design for top athletes and I will also strongly recommend them to any ambitious athlete who wants to continue their progress.

How to train for a better VO2 max

Unfortunately training at this intensity is very, very tough, so we split it up in shorter intervals. I have already shown you some examples of how to do VO2 max intervals, but there are also other ways to train this physical skill.

Participating in road races or criteriums is not as specific as interval training, but still it gives you a great training. Often it is more motivating to ride a criterium instead of doing strictly paced intervals using a power meter as your training partner.

Do I really need to improve my VO2max?

Yes, you can’t increase your VO2 max enough. Having a large aerobic engine is crucial in road cycling. In road cycling you spend most of the time on a lower percentage of your VO2 max, but in the decisive moments it is guaranteed that you perform close to your VO2max.

It is also important to remember that your performance at lower intensities always is close related to what your maximum is. Thus, when you get a larger VO2 max, you will feel more comfortable at lower intensities and it’s easier for you to accelerate at the final moments of the race.

I like to use the term aerobic engine, because you can think of VO2 max as the size of a car’s engine. If the engine gets bigger, it’s clear you can drive faster, but it the car also feels better and more comfortable at lower speeds.

Question to the readers:

Are VO2 Max intervals a part of your current training program?

Should 2009 Be Your Best Season Ever?

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It is all about taking the decision. Should 2009 be your best season ever ”“ yes or no? If the answer is yes, please continue reading”¦

Making 2009 to your best season is a good decision and more importantly, you have taken the decision at the right time. Normally I recommend serious training to begin in November with a progressive increase in training amount throughout the winter. Thus, if you plan to make big results in April, starting out on scheduled training efforts in November is perfect. Endurance events like road cycling takes time, and no one will become super start overnight.

Even natural born talents have to train consistently to be able to make results in the spring.

That is good news for many of us, because when it comes to talent most of us are not that talented. But in road cycling you can achieve great results if you plan your training carefully and stick to it.

Thus, if you decide to train consistently and work hard, results are waiting for you. It’s just about taking the decision and right time to take action is now..!

Over to the readers:
1) Do you have plans about making 2009 to your best season ever?

2) What steps will you do to make next season successful?