Cycling interval training

Cycling interval training is an important part when you build up improvements in your performance. Cycling interval training means that you train in consecutive periods with a high heart frequency combined with resting periods and low heard frequency.

Heart frequency is defined as the number of times the heart pumps in a minute. You should always use interval training with care. 

You should only use cycling interval training as a prelude and in your peak season, which typically is during the summer months. It is also recommended for you to use cycling interval training 1-2 month before your primary season starts in order to push your performance so you are ready for the season to start.

Cancellara push it to the limit. Winning Paris Roubais could never happen without using Cycling Interval in his Training PlanHowever, if you are a track rider you have to train various interval types in the winter, which reflect the goals you have set yourself.

In practice, cycling interval training means that you ride shorter passages 2-3 times on a medium long training trip, where you ride close to your maximum capacity. The idea with this type of training is to push your muscles to the max. Thereafter you relax nice and easy again so the muscles gain complete rest. After this the exercise is repeated. In this way you train the muscles up to your pain threshold.

You will be able to train even harder on the next interval training day when you train intervals combined with resting periods.

On the actual interval training day, you will be able to feel the improvement from interval to interval, as you use up your energy during the day with this kind of extreme training method. The muscles produce more red blood corpuscles with interval training. It is the red blood corpuscles, which transport oxygen round the body and are one of the most important factors in order for muscles to work.

You will be able to feel the improvement after one or two days of resting. It is important to remember that it is in your recovery period that you rebuild and increase your capacity. However, your capacity cannot begin to increase until you train close to your max. and the muscle will with subsequent recovery compensate by further building up muscle, so the muscle can handle even tougher training the next time. It is popularly called muscle over compensation.

This is why cycling interval training is an absolute necessity, if you want to increase your capacity and performances, whether it is time trials or longer distances (bike races/exercise racing) you wish to improve at.

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