Lengthen the Intervals or Increase the power?

[grellboy]

Following some advice on here to do intervals instead of something less structured, I now do (3 times a week) 4 x 6 intervals @ 105 of FTP. These feel just about right in that I can do them but also feel battered by the end. My question is, as I progress with these intervals, should I lengthen the interval (4 x 7mins, then maybe 4x8 mins) or keep at 4x 6 but increase power, to say 110% for example? My goal is to improve my 10 mile tt time BTW.

 

[si_c]

You're looking to improve your ~20min sustainable power, so I'd incorporate a little sweet spot training as well as some higher intensity intervals as part of a warm up.

Something like this -

15min warmup
3x1 min @ 150% dropping to 60% for 2 mins between.
2mins at 70%
3x30s @ 200% with 1min at 60% between
followed by
5x5 sweet spot 5mins @ 85%, 5mins@75%
15 min cooldown.

And do that as an alternative to one of your existing sessions.

Edit: i'm not an expert but I have found that mixing up the interval types generally helps raise both my sustainable short term power (~30mins) and also helps me recover in a shorter period of time from higher intensity intervals.

 

[Milkfloat]

Just doing one style of intervals will get you good at one style of intervals. You need to mix it up.

 

[mattobrien]

By doing the same session three times a week then you’re likely to get good at that session, it is good to mix up what you do.

When I was self coached my bread and butter sessions included;
2x20 mins sweet spot, 85-90% ftp
Z5 pyramids, 1m on, 1m off, 2m on, 2m off, up to five mins on, the. Working back down with shorter intervals and shorter breaks
Z6 1m on, 1m off x10, 5m recover and do it again, but x5
I’d also have a longer ride at the weekend too.

I have been coached for a few years now and have much more variety, specificity and have made better gains and far less bored. I’m very much looking forward to the start of the TT season and putting this winter‘s work to use.

Regular testing is good and understanding how hard you can push yourself.

 

[grellboy]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I hadn't really considered how sticking with one type of session would be a bit limiting, will see try a bit of variety in future.

 

[mattobrien]

I haven’t used it, but Trainer road might be worth looking at for training plans / online training platform.

 

[HLaB]

I am on TrainerRoad. I think prior to lockdown I got some good results but probably over trained slightly in Lockdown. Not really their fault probably me picking too much volume in lockdown, the system perhaps allow you to do that to easily. I'm excited by their new Adaptive Training though which will work on AI when launched (its already launched but beta for a select number). Its supposed to automatically adjust things up or down to get you to your optimum and avoid the possibility of overtraining.