Dear all,
I am trying to structure my own programme to the best of my abilities. I am pretty scientific in my approach, and I am certain I have missed a lot of the info relevant to my question, but it is quite difficult to convert everything into actual programmes.
Now to the case: I am through a month of base training, and though I will add more vo2max training the next two months, I am very curious to what extend I can utilize differences in cadence throughout. A normal week of training is 4-6 sessions and seldomly less than 10 hours. Right now, I have two-three key sessions a week, where I am gradually increasing the amount of sweet spot training.
I have a fairly natural high cadence, and thus train and ride mainly in the +105 domain. But from what I can tell, fat oxidation is higher at lower cadence, perhaps even as low as 60. I am a punchy rider with a pretty decent stamina (my spirit animal is Wout, although I ride both road and MTB, so I should perhaps be in the MvdP-camp). My current FTP is around 300 (havenât really done any tests) and my vo2max is currently somewhere in the high 50s, I am assuming I will peak in mid 60s once I reach late April/early May. Taking into account that I am a bit too heavy for some of the races I plan to do this year (83kg, 185 tall and +3000m elevation events), how on earth do I best use cadence in my training?
I hope this is sufficient info. All the best,
Niklas
The best cadence is the one which is self selected and most natural to the riding at hand. Sure, you can do some low cadence work if you like but you need to understand it in the context of specificity and overall planâŚthere is probably some more low handing fruit to be had elsewhere in my opinion.
If I was to promote anything ref use of cadence in training it would be when performing vo2max workouts - high cadence to reduce fatigue on muscle (so you can do more work) and to promote breathing rate.
Side note - how are you measure vo2? An increase from 50-60 (what units)?
It dependsâŚ
If you spin at 100 rpm with a HR below AeT, it will not make much difference. But most athletes canât spin those high cadences with a low enough HR and end-up above AeT (and a significantly higher breathing rate) which tends to favorise carb burning. Simply the high energetic movement causes them to go above the point where fat burning is predominant.
If you can spin 105 rpm with a low HR and easy breathing, thereâs no reason that you would burn less fat.
Given all this, I would rather suggest doing Z2 work with a mix of low and high cadence parts. The low cadence parts will demand more torque from the muscles and trigger those fibers to become more efficient at that rate. Adjust output power to stay at a low HR.
But thatâs just my opinion and I have no proof of that.
I do absolutely agree with @Olly_Thomas that self-selected cadence is the best solution in events and races. But by introducing wider cadence ranges during training, you will become more efficient over that wider range.
Thank you, adjusting in accordance to heart rate makes sense. And I am purely speaking about training cases here, but seeing as both you and Olly comment on this, I do have to ask: Did I not make it clear that this was only with relevance for training? And luckily enough for me, I can maintain a high cadence, while also staying below AeT.
However, follow up Q: I know some pros work with extremely low cadence training, so what how would you/others suggest to incorporate this. Which kind of sessions should this be a part of.
Because different cadences has different physiological effects. If I am - as in this case - to focus on fat oxidation, I should train at a lower cadence. But I am curious as to how I should structure it. If my usual avg is 105-ish, do I still go as low as 60rpm? How long and frequent should my low cadence sessions/intervals be? And it is questions as those I am trying to find answers to, so I can incorporate it better in my training, especially now I am building base.
Tempo sessions @ 60 - 65 rpm
So try something like a 3x15 @ 260w and 60rpm or a 2x20 at same. Even a 5x10 would work.
They will help build leg strength.
260w is based off your estimated FTP of 300w.
Pick a suitable duration and adjust accordingly week on week to gradually increase load.
3 sessions of SS training a week after just one month of base training sounds like too much intensity to me, but ymmv. Each to their own.
Iâll just throw in my own observation that may be full of bias.
I do cadence drills during my zone 2 rides to break them up a bit.
I will vary between my normal self selected cadence and pedal pressure then alternate between my easiest gear (high cadence) and my hardest gear (lowest cadence) while keeping my HR in the desired zone ( 125-130).
Iâll hold each interval 5-10 min depending on what Iâm watching on TV.
I find the power to be highest during the low cadence interval.
Yeah, this sounds reasonable, albeit âjustâ a confirmation of what I was already expecting to be the case. For now, I am focused on low cadence in z2, but in late february (I have 10 days of skiiing), I should be including sweet spot at low cadence as well.
Bonus question: Do you know of any advantages/disadvantages of switching during sessions? Ie. doing 2x15m at 260w and 60rpm + 15m at 260w at 110rpm (so 60rpm â 110 â 60 â 110) with 5 mins of low to mid z2 in between
Can you elaborate on this? I would assume those pathways to already be well established (or maybe itâs only during base training to re-stimulate them?)
Iâm not a physiologist, so I need to be careful how I word/explain it, as I understand it.
Extremely low cadence (40-50rpm) drills is where you are trying to get as much torque (not power) as possible. The force you push into the pedals is torque multiplied by crank length. As the crank length is fixed, the focus is on producing as torque as possible.
More torque means more force, which if you can turn at a faster rotational velocity (cadence) you will theoretically be capable of producing more power.
As you start fatiguing, you would need to recruit fast-twitch fibers to do the aerobic work, which keeps you more efficient, for longer; hence the term muscular endurance. These workouts facilitate the coordination between brain and muscles, which is where the term neuromuscular comes into the training.
Here are some examples. Iâve done the High/Low MAF HR and the High/Low cadence ones. Havenât tried the âladderâ yet. Itâs inspiring but I donât have enough experience to say something about efficiency.
Thank you. So essentially, it is not quite the same as low cadence z2 training, but rather âthe basicâ form of motoric muscle recruitment training (as first levels of muscle recruitment is primarily (if not exclusively) neuromuscular). Very interesting, as this indicates - insofar as you are correct, of course - that there might be three relevant cadence zones to distinguish between. And I would be surprised if super high rpm is not also a relevant zone to consider for training purposes.
The ultra low cadence workouts are, as @Gerald explained, another form of training that is most often referred to as âSFRâ workouts. Itâs a âlightâ form of strength training on the bike. Some swear by it, others call it useless.
I know that if I do them, I can feel it in the legs the next day. So I would think that it has some effect on leg strength.
As you note, I certainly think we need to consider SFR as muscular endurance rather than strength in anywayâŚI donât personally thinks it is comparable to actually doing strength work.
Thatâs probably a better description then what I could come up with.
SFR work is very low cadence (~40) at low HR and intervals progressing in duration from 1 min up to about 5-6min and number of intervals. 1 min @ 40rpm is 40 reps. Thatâs endurance in weight training. And as @Gerald said, avoid if you have weak knees.
On bike strength training is more like max output for 5-15 full revolutions on a steep hill at high gearing.