I dont think this is the thread for a long discussion on the subject. The idea behind bonk workouts are to increase the bodies ability and efficiency to burn fat. Which help you when you train/race for more then 2 hours. When your glycogen stores are depleted.

To answer your last question. The improvement is dramatic in different areas. It does not improve my FTP or CP120 but my post-2 hour power is increased and I recover faster then I have done before (although I havnt got any data to prove/disprove that I recover faster) My stamina is improved and it especially show in the 3 hour-no fuel training session. I went from a big bonk the first time i tried, which meant I went from a power output of 80% FTP for the first 2 hours to around 60% FTP in the last hour. Now I can maintain the 80% FTP throughout the entire workout. I did a race last weekend, and while most other people in the group got tired near the end. I could easily win the group sprint. Something I havnt done before.

As I said: Im sure its working for me.

Fair enough, I'll start a another thread separate.

FWIW, I would NOT recommend training rides of this nature. Eat, drink and power on. Reasons will be outlined in future thread.

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"Physiology is all just propaganda and lies... all waiting to be disproven by the next study."
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Bonking on purpose has been discussed previously here

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=69049

Bonking on purpose is a terrible, terrible idea. CHO consumption during workouts does not drastically alter fat metabolism if done properly and at even intervals. This means waiting to supplement to a point at which glycogen stores have been sufficiently depleted, supplementing with the proper amount of CHO at the proper rate so that your body does not begin to rely entirely on ingested food, and finally making sure that your blood sugar profile stays even. Bonking has dozens of negative side effects and a true bonk takes the body a long time to recover from. From what I've gathered lots of pros will ingest CHO every 15 to 30 minutes during longer training rides especially after the first 60 to 90 minutes. Sure you can still often hit a given power target, but there are a lot of hormonal and physiological drawbacks to doing so including an unnecessary increase in protein utilization for energy, a delayed and lower rate of lactate buffering, and a significant increase in post-ride recovery.

What people don't understand is that few cycling disciplines rely on fat for energy for significant periods of times. Most pros don't even rely on it and they do 4 to 7 hour races and training rides. Amateur races are often under 4 hours and most are under 3 so you are barely going to even burn enough KJ to deplete stores in the first place. A typical base/LSD ride has a very slow KJ turnover so you probably won't feel as hungry and you won't use as much glycogen most likely, but you will use some and you won't suddenly only use fat just because you use a bit more of it. If average race power is in zone 3, as it is for most people, its foolish to think that training such an aspect will give you more finishing power, energy and endurance when much of your racing will have a significantly higher kj turnover and completely different energy systems demands.

saw the training routine thread, but i don't think my post will fit in there.

i'm not fit and have beer belly fat that i can't get rid of for the longest time. currenly standing at 153lbs (69.4kg). usually weekend rider doing anywhere from 22-36 miles.

i plan on riding during lunch daily (about 45mins or so) to drop down my weight.

where i work there are some light rolling hills and some steady climbs. then there is a straight up climb on country club drive towards summit point golf course in milpitas.

any suggestion on how to train to build up leg muscle and get ride of my belly fat?

thanks..

calories in<calories out. make better food choices. drink less booze.

Ride more. You're not riding enough to be fit.

45 min is better than nothing but it's not much. Can you do longer rides in the morning? You might have to get up early.

And your weekend rides need to be longer. Go ride Mt Hamilton.

KW.. actually i quit drinking beer... my uric acid is a bit high with family history of gout.. i stay away from beer. wine on the other hand.. i definitely need to cut back on.

eric.. actually i'm hoping to train to ride mt. hamilton by years end. suck at climbing.. but starting to get better and better. learning how to breath through stomach and pace myself. but definitely 2-3hr ride is not long enough.. but with 2 little ones.. i'd be lucky if wifey lets me go out to ride that long. haha

It depends on what your goals are. If you're a crit racer or doing the shorter local road races you don't need to go much past 2 or 3 hours. But you need to ride during the week, and do a lot of intensity.

You can make deals with your wife- she watches the kids for your ride and then you take them and she gets to go do something.
Some people in my racing club hook kiddie trailers on their racing bike and tow the small kids around in the trailer. Not on group rides of course and the kids can only take so much.

Hamilton is a good way to get into doing long climbs, as it's not steep at all, just long.

If you make that lunch time ride an interval session (which there are plenty in here to choose from) that will certainly speed up the process of getting fit.

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@eric: i'm no way a crit racer. but my goal is definitely get fit and be able to hold my own on climbs. i guess you can say my goal is to be a good climber. i got the equipment.. now just need the engine to be a good climber. but yea.. i'll take your suggestion to wifey... it sounds pretty fair.

@Tinea Pedis: i'll search this thread for some quick interval sessions. how do you guys gauge the time though? hate wearing a watch and my cateye cadance 7 doesn't have a stop watch function either.

If you want to get fit, with your time schedule, it's going to come down to time and intensity.

If wearing a watch horrifies you, then you probably aren't that keen to get fit.

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Baum Ristretto, Baum Mondrian Corretto & the '89 Merckx! | "If you could eat it in one sitting, hold your line." | twitter.com/Tinea_Pedis

wait.. so ur saying i should pedal like hell during intensity training and look at my watch a the same time? never done that before.

pair it with HRM?

Don't be obtuse, that's not what I am saying at all.

We're here to help.

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Baum Ristretto, Baum Mondrian Corretto & the '89 Merckx! | "If you could eat it in one sitting, hold your line." | twitter.com/Tinea_Pedis

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=watc ... iQfE5IDYBw

^^ these. get one of these.