How to mix up your regular ride
Maximise your ride with these tips on how to mix things up
Fartlek training
Also called speedplay, this is an interval session where the intensity and duration of each interval is random – ideal for commuting where junctions and other road users influence how fast
you can ride the various sections. For example, sprint to the next set of lights, keep it steady until the mini-roundabout, stay in the saddle up the hill past the golf course…Cadence work
Concentrate on spinning your legs fast
– about 10 per cent quicker than normal. Resist the urge to shift into a higher gear and instead rely on crank rpm to increase your speed. Getting used to a higher cadence should improve your endurance and acceleration.High-resistance pedalling
Use higher gears so your cadence is ultra-low to stimulate the development of leg strength. This will affect your ability to accelerate, so be sensible about where you try it.
Skills practice
Practise trackstanding at lights and junctions – a handy skill to have in your armoury. Can you get all the way home without dabbing a foot?
Acceleration
Use enforced stops at junctions as opportunities to practise accelerating
. Get the power on as fast as you can for 10 seconds before settling down to a sustainable pace.Extend your route
You’ve got your kit on and you’re out there anyway, so why not add some extra endurance training by increasing the length of your ride? Turn one standard evening commute into your week’s big training ride and you’ll have more time to play with over the weekend.
Vary the intensity
Traffic speed and volume will influence how hard you can ride, but you can vary the intensity. Aim for most of your rides to be 60-80 per cent of your maximum effort, but a weekly 90 per cent blast, where conditions allow, will help boost your top-end speed.
This feature is brought to you by Get Into Cycling from Future Publishing, the publishers of www.bikeradar.com
