This is a windtrainer session that is great for developing your specific race fitness which will help you deal with surges in pace and effort. Although targeted toward road cyclists, mountain bikers, and draft-legal triathletes, it is also a good off-season fitness session for other triathletes.
Each Wednesday I’ll post a Windtrainer Workout that you can do in about 60 minutes to enhance your cycling. See a previous post about training intensity (Levels) to know how hard to work. If you are working directly with Coach Ray he will in most cases prescribe either a Power Zone or Heart Rate Zone to work within if you are training with these tools.
This session is inspired by a workout published in Bicycling Magazine the original article can be found here.
Bicycling Mag’s Ladder Intervals
- 10min Level II WU;
- 4min Level III;
- 3min Level IV;
- 1min Level V;
- 5min Level II RI;
- 1min Level V;
- 3min Level IV;
- 4min Level III;
- 10min Level II CD;
- 10min Stretching
The Warm Up (WU) should be done at an intensity that is steady but not overconsuming at Level II for ten minutes.
The Main Body is made up of two reps. Each rep is eight minutes long. For the first rep start with four minutes at Level III, then increase to Level IV for three minutes and then finish with a minute at Level V. Take a five-minute Rest Interval (RI) at Level II, then get into the last rep which is the opposite of the first. Start with one minute at Level V, then three minutes at Level IV, and finish the rep with four minutes at Level III.
The Cool Down (CD) is at low intensity (Level II) for a minimum of ten minutes.
Finish with 10 minutes of stretching to assist with the recovery.
Here is my data when I did the workout:
If you would like further advice feel free to contact me.
I am the Head Coach & Director of Qwik Kiwi – Endurance Sports Consultant.
I specialise in assisting first-timers and recreational athletes to achieve their sporting goals. I can be contacted at coachray@coachray.nz and 021 348 729.
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