Intervals and why we use them

Cycling is an excellent way to improve your cardiovascular fitness, gain speed and power, and strengthen your legs. To get the most out of your cycling workouts, incorporating intervals using heart rate and power zones can help you achieve your fitness goals faster. Here is a quick guide to some different types of cycling intervals, including the heart rate and power zones they target. If you want more information on setting your zones for training, head to this blog post.

Sprint Intervals

Sprint intervals target your anaerobic capacity and maximal power output. You should aim for a heart rate of 80-100% of your maximum heart rate, and power output at 120-150% of your functional threshold power (FTP).

Threshold Intervals

Threshold intervals target your lactate threshold, which is the point at which your body can no longer clear lactate from your muscles. You should aim for a heart rate of 85-95% of your maximum heart rate and power output at 90-105% of your FTP. These intervals can be challenging, so it's important to properly warm up and cool down to prevent injury.

Vo2 Max

VO2 max intervals are a type of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) that target your VO2 max, the maximum amount of oxygen your body can consume during exercise. During VO2 max intervals, you ride at an intensity that is very challenging, typically around 110% of your FTP or heart rate, for short intervals of 3-5 minutes. These intense efforts push your body to consume more oxygen and produce more energy, leading to increased cardiovascular and muscular adaptations. VO2 max intervals are particularly effective for improving your aerobic capacity, allowing you to ride at a higher intensity for longer periods of time before fatiguing. However, due to the high intensity of these intervals, it's important to properly warm up and cool down, and to gradually increase the volume and intensity of your VO2 max interval training over time to avoid injury or overtraining.

Hill Repeats

Climbing repeats are a type of cycling workout that focus on improving your climbing ability, specifically your strength and endurance. It is also one that whilst you can replicate it indoors, it is much better to perform in real life. During climbing repeats, you ride up a hill or climb for a set period of time, then recover by riding back down or along a flat section before repeating the effort. The length and intensity of each repeat can vary depending on your fitness level and goals, but typically they are done at an intensity that is challenging but sustainable for 5-20 minutes. Climbing repeats can be done on a variety of terrain, from short and steep hills to longer, gradual climbs. Incorporating climbing repeats into your cycling training can help you develop the physical and mental skills needed to tackle challenging climbs, as well as increase your overall strength and endurance on the bike. Additionally, the repeated efforts can simulate the fatigue and recovery that occurs during longer climbs or races, helping you become more resilient to those types of demands.

Big Gear Intervals

Big gear, low cadence intervals are a type of cycling workout that focus on improving your muscular strength and endurance. During these intervals, you ride in a harder gear than you would normally use, and maintain a slower cadence of around 50-70 RPM. This places a greater load on your muscles, particularly your quadriceps and glutes, and forces them to work harder to turn the pedals. The length and intensity of each interval can vary depending on your fitness level and goals, but typically they are done at an intensity that is challenging but sustainable for 3-10 minutes. Big gear, low cadence intervals can be done on flat or rolling terrain, or even on a trainer. Incorporating these intervals into your cycling training can help you develop the muscular strength and endurance needed to maintain high power outputs for longer periods of time, particularly on steep climbs or during time trials. However, it's important to gradually build up the volume and intensity of these intervals over time, as they can be stressful on your muscles and joints if done too frequently or at too high of an intensity.

Tempo Intervals

Tempo intervals are a type of cycling workout that target your lactate threshold, the point at which your body starts producing more lactate than it can clear. During tempo intervals, you ride at a sustained effort level that is challenging but manageable for an extended period of time, typically around 20-30 minutes. This effort level is usually around 83-94% of your functional threshold heart rate or FTP. Sweet spot intervals are a specific type of tempo interval that are done at around 88-94% of your FTP, which is considered the "sweet spot" for maximising training efficiency. These intervals are great for improving your aerobic endurance and increasing your lactate threshold, allowing you to ride at a higher intensity for longer periods of time. Incorporating tempo intervals, including sweet spot intervals, into your cycling training can help you become a stronger and more efficient rider.

Endurance Intervals

Endurance intervals target your aerobic capacity and endurance. You should aim for a heart rate of 70-80% of your maximum heart rate and power output at 60-85% of your FTP. These intervals are performed at a moderate intensity for a longer period of time, typically above one hour.

Recovery Intervals

Recovery intervals target your body's ability to recover and reduce the risk of injury. You should aim for a heart rate of 50-70% of your maximum heart rate and power output at 50-60% of your FTP. These intervals are performed at a lower intensity, usually in between high work intervals. Recovery zones are also incorporated into easy days during the week.

Incorporating intervals using heart rate and power zones into your indoor cycling workouts can help you target different aspects of your fitness and keep your workouts interesting and challenging. By properly setting your zones and monitoring your effort level, you can get the most out of your training and achieve your fitness goals faster