Interval Training

I posted this ride once before with different music, but I think it's worth posting again for a few reasons.  I teach it with a regular group every month or so, just to mix it up, and it's SO simple but effective. It's a good opportunity for students to take more control, learn about pace, and really get in touch with their heart rates and bodies.  It's also a good ride to know if you can't get to class and are on a bike by yourself.  Throw on some good music and go for it. 

Here's how it works:  I start out with a regular warm-up and then ride about 5 minutes on a seated flat, increasing resistance by small amounts every minute or so, but trying to maintain cadence, staying on the SF.  Heart rate should be up to 75-80% at the end of this push and we're ready to start the intervals.

For the first 6 intervals, I give a choice of a seated climb or a standing flat.  Students make the choice of where they want to work.  I always alternate positions for each interval, and most follow me.  But, if someone wants to mix it up or concentrate on one position, they do.   So, we choose the position.  For the first minute in that position, we get comfortable and raise HR a bit (80-85%).  The second minute in that position is an all-out push, raising HR to 90-92%.  After this minute, we come down to a seated flat and recover (no lower than 75%) for one minute.  Then, we do it again (and again....).

After the first 6 like this, we do 6 more, but the choice is either a climb in hand position 3 OR a run WITH resistance.  Either way it's a hill.  Same HR drill.

Interval 13 is the last, and a double....I tell students to choose one of the 4 positions we have done over the ride, that they can hold for 4 minutes.  It's 2 minutes at the "comfortable" pace and 2 minutes pushing.

I love to finish on a fast seated flat, throw in a few cadence increases and visualize putting all the intervals behind us, flush out the legs and race for the line.

When I first started teaching this one, I did less intervals over the hour and gave a full 2 minute recovery between each.  I also realize that some students do not wear HR monitors, so I also offer the 1-10 scale to help them gauge how hard they are working. The recovery flat is so important, as we want HR to come down a bit and work back up. That's the whole point. 

This week, I pulled music from all my other rides and added a few.  I keep it pretty high tempo.  Enjoy the ride.

INTERVALS

1.  Breathless (Original Mix)/SBP [Spinning:  No Time. No Space.  Vol. 13](warm-up)

2.  Touch of My Hand (Bill Hamel Club Mix)/Britney Spears (seated flat)

3.  Since U Been Gone (Jason Devins Dub)/Kelly Clarkson (intervals start)

4.  Good Vibrations/Loleatta Holloway and Marky Mark

5.  Are You Gonna Be My Girl/Jet

6.  Watch the Tapes/LCD Soundsystem

7.  Holiday (faded ending)/Green Day

8.  Never Let You Go/Third Eye Blind

9.  Listen to the Music (DJ Malibu Mix)/The Doobie Brothers

10. Read My Mind/The Killers

11.  Let it Rock/Kevin Rudolf and Lil Wayne

12. A Little Less Conversation (XL-VIS Radio Edit-Rud-dee Remix)/King Junior (flat push to line)

13. How to Save a Life/The Fray

14. After Tonight/Justin Nozuka