How do I get fast?

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Anonymous's picture
Anonymous

I have been cycling for several years now. On group rides, I am pretty comfortable keeping up at speeds of 20-25 mph and hold 21-22 on the flats when I am riding alone pretty comfortably. My sprinting speed is really bad though. I really can't seem to get above 30 no matter how hard I try. I am looking for some good suggestions for drills/intervals to help me improve. (no Testosterone patches please)

Anonymous's picture
Bill Koslow (not verified)
Be happy with what God gave you! (nm)
Anonymous's picture
chris (not verified)
intervals

To start with, intervals are a key way to increase speed. Riding steady and fast is great, but will not necessarily build the twitch muscles needed for the sprints.

Intervals can be: seeing some pole (or other far off marker) then sprinting for it; or doing x minutes on then x minutes off, repeat.

With my old team, on certain days, we would sprint for all the town line signs, and regularly do intervals of:
5,4,3,2,1,1,2,3,4,5 ie:

5 minutes on, 1 minute off.
4 on, 1 off
3 on, 1 off
2 on, 1 off
1 on, 1 off
1 on, 1 off
2 on, 1 off
3 on, 1 off
4 on, 1 off
5 on, 1 off

Do vary the interval time as to your level and ability. Doing it with others makes it much more fun (and bearable)

You might try some coaching: CRCA has free race coaching, and from what I hear and have seen it seems to be pretty good.


http://www.crca.net/coaching/

Anonymous's picture
one slow mo fo (not verified)

Thanks! those sound great!
My question about them though, is how hard do you go on the 5 minute intervals? If I go at an absolute 100%, I am pretty sure I won't be able to keep my speed or effort up more than 1-2 minutes, if that. Should I go 100% and then just slow down as I fatigue during the interval or should I go at the hardest effort that will allow me to hold an effort that whole time?

Anonymous's picture
Itworkedformesowhynotforyou (not verified)

"Nobody can go ""all out"" for one or two minutes.... you go all out for a sprint that lasts 10-15 seconds. Here, you're talking about 100% for a certain duration.

Go at what is 100% for your last (fourth, fifth, sixth) 5 minute interval.

That means it must feel below 100% during the first interval. If you slow down after 2 minutes, you're going too fast for a 5 minute interval (you're doing a 2 minute interval).

When you improve, you can add another interval or push harder.

By the way, if you add a few rpm per minute, you'll be faster :)



"

Anonymous's picture
ted (not verified)
Shorter intervals

If you are searching for blinding end of race sprint top speed, 5 minute intervals are not going to help. Training should be specific for what you want to do. Robbie McEwen comes off his lead out wheel within 200 m of the finish and sprints for a max of 10 seconds.
There are lots of good sprint training plans on the internet. And they all focus on very short time intervals. (10-20 seconds)

http://www.trainright.com/articles.asp?action=display&uid=2536

As for your question on the 5 minute interval, you should shoot for intensity you can just hold for 5 minutes. This will make you a better climber, give you a chance to get away before the sprinters open up, and probably increase your flat land speed, but won't help the top end speed.

Anonymous's picture
chris (not verified)
intervals

As a follow up to my thoughts on intervals and sprints.

Sprints WILL help with speed (do work them into your training regime), and intervals help several ways.

1. The quick change from easy spinning to full speed interval will help like sprints, 2. but time at almost-full-on will show you/teach your body as to what its abilities are, and
3. help your body learn to recover quickly from these bursts, and do the nextone.

This simulates race experience more closely. Races are rarely full-on the whole time. You need to be able to keep up with the spuratic bursts of speed that occur in a road race, and the fast acceration out of corners in a criterium.

That said: What could really help with sprinting and speed? Actual racing.

Anonymous's picture
one slow mo fo (not verified)

you're definitely right about that last point-Its time to stop messing around and just start racing-not that getting dropped in a cat V is my idea of a good time or anything, but I just need to go out and try it.
thanks!

Anonymous's picture
ben (not verified)

Starting now until the end of the season is a good time to start racing. Many of the faster Cat 5s have upgraded to 4. The other 5s have improved too so you may get dropped for teh first few races, but no worries. Use these as practice so you know what you're up against next spring and you know how what to prepare for this winter.

Anonymous's picture
chris (not verified)
good point

ben-

very, very good point. I agree. It is no fun starting out, when many are 3-4 months ahead in experience and racing ecxperience.

Anonymous's picture
one slow mo fo (not verified)

one more question guys-
how often should I do the sprint workouts? I ride 5-6 times per week nowadays.
thanks again,
osmf

Anonymous's picture
chris (not verified)
training

FYI: years ago I was a Cat 2 racer. My general training schedule while I was racing was:

monday - easy spin - longer than saturday
tuesday - Intervals in the middle of a longer ride
wednesday - hills with sprints to town lines.
thursday - training race* or long hard ride with sprints.
friday - long steady hard ride
sat - easy spin
sunday - race

distance varies depending on 1) when in the season 2) skill, expernience, and time availablity.

take it or leave it, but that's what i did - with coaches' guidence.

chris

* casual weekly 35 mile event where you could jump in and out of the 'race' as you wanted. you could try to break away or do any other 'stupid' try, drop out to rest, then get back in

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