Workouts that provide high training stress on your body provide a lot of fitness improvements. This workout provides repeated efforts close to or above your VO2 max and is perfect for short-course triathletes, road cyclists, and mountain bikers.
Each Sunday, I’ll post a Smart-Trainer Session 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.
The inspiration for this session comes from a workout in an article on Eliel Cycling about their staff’s favourite exercises. You can read the article here. This is a precursor workout prior to doing the Full Spanish Needle. Credit for this workout belongs to Trainer Road who developed this series of workouts.
Spanish Needle -2
- 2min WU Level I;
- 2min WU Level II;
- 2min WU Level III;
- 1min WU Level I;
- 3x 12sec Level V++, 24sec Level I RI;
- 3:12 Level I RI;
- 4x
- 16x 15sec Level V++, 15sec Level I RI;
- 5min Level I RI;
Start the workout with a seven-minute Warm Up (WU). Start riding at Level I for the first two minutes, then increase to Level II for another two minutes. Next up is two minutes at Level III before a minute at Level I.
To round things out there is a precursor set to give you a wee taste of what is to come. This is made up of three, twelve-second reps at Level V++ (130%, 135% & 140% of Functional Threshold Power (FTP)), with a 24-second Rest Interval (RI) at Level I after each. At the conclusion of the set ride a further three minutes and twelve seconds at Level I for a Rest Interval (RI).
The main set is made up of four sets.
Each set is made up of sixteen, fifteen-second reps at Level V++, with only a fifteen-second Rest Interval (RI) at Level I after each rep.
For the first of these four sets, complete the first five reps at 130% of Functional Threshold Power (FTP), the next five reps at 135% Functional Threshold Power (FTP), and the final six reps at 140% Functional Threshold Power (FTP).
For the last three sets, complete all sixteen reps at 140% Functional Threshold Power (FTP).
After each set ride a five-minute Rest Interval (RI) at Level I. After the final set, this five-minute period is effectively the Cool Down (CD).
Finish with ten minutes of stretching to assist with your recovery.
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 in achieving their sporting goals. I can be contacted at coachray@coachray.nz and 021 348 729. Make sure you sign up for my informative newsletter.
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Do this workout with the Qwik Kiwi Squad Today
Do this workout today with the Squad. Every two hours within our Velocity platform, there will be a session held riding this session.
http://app.vqvelocity.com/join?a=rhs956
Sign up for a full 14-day FREE trial and get complete access to ALL On Demand and Replay workouts (as well as the opportunity to join in on Live workouts when they are being held).
Simple as 1, 2, 3
- Click this link and enter your details including FTP and weight (no cheating).
- Select “Full Access Membership” and click on “Spanish Needle -2,” then “Start this Workout.”
- Connect your trainer, power meter, and/or heart rate monitor (make sure they are disconnected from your trainer app, Zwift, Rouvey, etc… first), then come ride with us.
http://app.vqvelocity.com/join?a=rhs956
Download the Garmin (.FIT) and Zwift (.ZWO) files for this workout for FREE
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4 weeks of training is all you need to do to destroy your current FTP significantly. On the average following, in this programme cyclists improve by 8% in the first month.
Some people have improved by more than 40 Watts following this programme!!!
Designed for Cyclists of ALL abilities who are wanting to improve their FTP, the primary goal of this training plan is to make you FASTER. Choose the programme based on your ability. This programme is for cyclists that are comfortable riding between 40min and 1:20 hours in duration and want three sessions per week.
Lasting 4 weeks long this programme can start anytime. Each week includes 4 rides and a stretching session. Although not essential, I recommend using a heart rate monitor in conjunction with your power meter.
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Prior to using this plan, you should be able to ride for up to 40 minutes comfortably.
Purchase of this plan gives you access to my fortnightly coaching calls where you can ask me any training or racing-related questions.
When purchasing, use the discount code “web25” to claim your 25% discount.