A Rant on Power-Based Training

[iheartbianchi]

The other thing about polarized training is that I don't see how a power meter would help it much at all. Polarized training is so simple. It's easy to ride at 60-70% of HR Max. Once you know the RPE of the long/slow riding you could even leave your HR monitor at home.

Dr. Seiler prescribes longer Z3 (3 zone) intervals - 8 or 16 minutes. It would be pretty easy to do those intervals with just a HR monitor or even on RPE.

BTW, I did just buy a power meter and I have power on my smart trainer. I've read Friel and Hunter and all the usual cycling training books. I do find them over complicated and detailed. Maybe once I get my power meter installed and start looking at Golden Cheetah it will all make more sense.

Dr. Seiler is a very smart and intellectually curious man. And like a true academic, he's not trying to make money off of his research, he's very open and shares his research and doesn't try to sell you a product at the end, unlike some other people

A power meter will be very useful for you in gauging your progress. Just try don't get too micro with it and obsess daily over the numbers...week to week, if not month to month trends are what really matter.

[iheartbianchi]

Sorry for getting a bit excited, but I wanted to share a few more things, which I think AJS914 will appreciate :

https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Abst ... 94814.aspx

"World-Class Long-Distance Running Performances Are Best Predicted by Volume of Easy Runs and Deliberate Practice of Short-Interval and Tempo Runs"

Published just a month ago, I expect cycling will adopt this philosophy (slowly) within the next 5-10 years or so Note how the results of this study perfectly coincide with past research about: 1) aerobic AND vo2Max benefits of easy runs, 2) equal or more benefit from sprint interval training than mid-interval training 3) importance of "steady state" training (tempo efforts are a bit faster).

https://twitter.com/StephenSeiler/statu ... 7642178563

Similar to my preference for a sustainable 5-year plan.

https://twitter.com/StephenSeiler/statu ... 7074663424

An interesting discussion on power tests and HR values (note how careful Seiler is in monitoring his HR while doing a power test), which is not mentioned in any of the FTP testing literature that I have seen and as far as I know trainingpeaks doesn't even mention the use of HR monitors in their FTP test instructions.

[ichobi]

What I really like about Seiler is that he doesn't hide his research behind academic journal paywall! It's all out in the open and you don't need University account to read them. Amazing guy.

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[AeroObsessive]

The other thing about polarized training is that I don't see how a power meter would help it much at all. Polarized training is so simple. It's easy to ride at 60-70% of HR Max. Once you know the RPE of the long/slow riding you could even leave your HR monitor at home.

Dr. Seiler prescribes longer Z3 (3 zone) intervals - 8 or 16 minutes. It would be pretty easy to do those intervals with just a HR monitor or even on RPE.

BTW, I did just buy a power meter and I have power on my smart trainer. I've read Friel and Hunter and all the usual cycling training books. I do find them over complicated and detailed. Maybe once I get my power meter installed and start looking at Golden Cheetah it will all make more sense.

Dr. Seiler is a very smart and intellectually curious man. And like a true academic, he's not trying to make money off of his research, he's very open and shares his research and doesn't try to sell you a product at the end, unlike some other people

A power meter will be very useful for you in gauging your progress. Just try don't get too micro with it and obsess daily over the numbers...week to week, if not month to month trends are what really matter.

On these points I whole-heartedly agree.

And on the point of power meters and the polarised approach, especially if doing longer rides, tracking calorie expenditure (in terms of work done) can help with recovery and if needed - managing weight.