Workouts that provide a high training stress on your body provide a lot a fitness improvements. This workout provides repeated efforts at close to or above your VO2max 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 favourite workouts. 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 -1
- 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;
- 5x
- 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 a further 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 five 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 five 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 four 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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