Intensive turbo training

Many riders who train seriously have a tendency to train too much, but not intensely enough. Interestingly those riders whose staple training is long rides risk training themselves to be slow. It’s important to mimic what is going to happen in a race situation and building in some intensive turbo sessions into your weekly programme can help boost fitness levels and performance significantly. Here’s three suggested sessions:

Intensive session to train the anaerobic system

10 min warm up

1 min effort
15 sec recovery
1 min effort
30 sec recovery
2 min effort
1 min recovery
2 min effort
30 sec recovery
1 min effort
30 sec recovery
1min effort
15 sec recovery
30 sec effort

10 min warm down.

Total session time 34 minutes. All the efforts should be flat out (short, sharp blasts). Easiest way to remember this session is to print it out and tape it to your bike!

TT effort session

10 min warm up

2 min effort
1 min recovery
Repeat 5 times

10 min warm down.

Total session time 35 minutes. All the efforts should be flat out.

Threshold session

10 min warm up

5 min at 10-mile TT pace
5 min rest (easy spinning)

5 min at 10-mile TT pace
10 min warm down.

Total session time 35 minutes.

Try to add two of these sessions into your weekly programme. Rotate the sessions so that you cover them all. To get the maximum benefit you need to be pretty fresh, so do not attempt them after a hard race.