low cadence / tempo intensity intervals - barking up the wrong tree?
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Hello,
So, a bit of background - me, mid 40's, bust my back a few years ago which turned into a spondy - so whenever I set foot in a gym I hurt it again. I've gone OK this season after a year's break (when I kept riding, albeit only 5k in the year), but felt that on the flats, my strength has been a limiter - I've found myself spinning at 95+, hanging on, one too many times. Uphill, not so noticeable - I seem able to hang ok, even if I'm not blowing anyone away. I'm doing more long rides now than I've done in a long while, seen a steady improvement over the season in my FTP from 242 to 284 - normally couple of interval sessions a week.
I cannot for the life of me remember where I heard this piece of wisdom: low cadence intervals at tempo-ish intensity increase neuromuscular adaptation. I've done a couple of blocks - 15 minutes-ish, which I certainly felt, but I'm not 100% sure if I'm working off a duff hypothesis. Am I wasting my time?
Cheers, Simon
So, a bit of background - me, mid 40's, bust my back a few years ago which turned into a spondy - so whenever I set foot in a gym I hurt it again. I've gone OK this season after a year's break (when I kept riding, albeit only 5k in the year), but felt that on the flats, my strength has been a limiter - I've found myself spinning at 95+, hanging on, one too many times. Uphill, not so noticeable - I seem able to hang ok, even if I'm not blowing anyone away. I'm doing more long rides now than I've done in a long while, seen a steady improvement over the season in my FTP from 242 to 284 - normally couple of interval sessions a week.
I cannot for the life of me remember where I heard this piece of wisdom: low cadence intervals at tempo-ish intensity increase neuromuscular adaptation. I've done a couple of blocks - 15 minutes-ish, which I certainly felt, but I'm not 100% sure if I'm working off a duff hypothesis. Am I wasting my time?
Cheers, Simon
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Velonews did a podcast on neuromuscular workouts:
http://www.velonews.com/2016/12/podcast ... ves_426397
http://www.velonews.com/2016/12/podcast ... ves_426397
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I have been doing low cadence intervals for long while. They help in the long distance tt's I do ( I think) but I don't think they are helpful in improving FTP.
What they seem to do is reduce the likelihood of cramp do j can push harder for longer without worrying.
What they seem to do is reduce the likelihood of cramp do j can push harder for longer without worrying.
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Thanks all - that was an interesting listen. I haven't done much high cadence work either for a few years - which is dumb, because I always went better for it. Interesting to hear that they may have helped with cramp, I wonder if that's to do with something like better recruitment in the glutes / lower back?
Cheers,
Simon
Cheers,
Simon
not sure of the benefits but it's worth noting that both Mikel Landa and Esteban Chavez recently said they do low cadence intervals
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Hi
I’m old school and old , a group of us have been doing Fixing Gear hill repeats for 20 years
Ages now 58 to 76 we’re slower but still do the 10 to 17 % climbs for two to three hours
Most of us run about 67 inch gear.
I think it helps the most is we stay in the drops every hill.
So when the season starts we’re all use to pushing a big gear in the drops if needed , no additional time to get
ready for long hours chasing the Kids
JB
I’m old school and old , a group of us have been doing Fixing Gear hill repeats for 20 years
Ages now 58 to 76 we’re slower but still do the 10 to 17 % climbs for two to three hours
Most of us run about 67 inch gear.
I think it helps the most is we stay in the drops every hill.
So when the season starts we’re all use to pushing a big gear in the drops if needed , no additional time to get
ready for long hours chasing the Kids
JB