Cycling Fitness / Training Advice

I appreciate this isn't essential, but I'd like a free iOS app that provides me with workout details, tells me when to start/end intervals, for when I can't be arsed to program in various workouts into the Garmin. Anything out there?

Does Trainerroad do that stuff on iOS?

I think todays plan does something like that, if I understood someones photo right.

Yeah, but $12 tho...

Thoughts on training twice a day?

Hard effort for 90 mins in the morning, easier spin for 90 mins in the evening. Does it work?

Does what work? What are you trying to achieve?

Yeah there's quite a few, just search for like 'interval timer'

Motivo looks alright

Do it other way around.
Easy morning hard evening.

Yes it works, but 'works' depends on what objective is.

Training during the week to build up fitness/strength. Long ride at the weekends to build stamina.

@skinny

Just wondering it an extended commute each side of work can be used to train effectively or not.

100% it can.

Especially if you need to build a higher CTL, as you do.

Well, if this stupid pile of cunts (I'm looking at you UK population) didn't vote for Brexit, that would be about 80p right now.

That's my commute training plan. How dare you!

If it's an extended commute I find the roads quieter in the mornings and I'm not fucked after a day at work so there's no reason not to do it hard->easy IMHO.

an extended commute each side of work can be used to train effectively

It absolutely can. As @skinny says, especially in terms of building CTL. Adding an hour of upper z2/lower z3 each day will do good things for general fitness, without taking too much out of your legs.

Also double dose of testosterone/HGH for the gainz

Perfect. Planning on that 2/3 times a week, with one longer 150km+ ride at the weekends on an average week.

On weeks where the distance goes up at the weekend, I'll take it back a notch midweek.

Other life stuff means this is aspirational rather than absolute but I figure its a good plan.

Its okay - I don't think you've got much to fear from me :p

I've not seen that porridge topping at Pret.

I was just joking you'd accessed my training plans. For years peeps mocked commutes as junk miles... while I smoked them...

Just remember I'm -riding- TCR, but assuming TABR goes well, I doubt I will be in any shape to be competitive. I just didn't want to miss out on all the Euro fun :)

Last year I went to Mallorca with a few pals. I go most years and we ride pretty easy between hills and then usually little races develop between us on the climbs.

They invited their boss with them, who hadn't really done much training beyond commuting around 15km each way everyday with an occasional extended commute. He had about 15 years on most of us and put in pretty crazy efforts on every single hill on the island.

I've been wary of people who 'just' commute ever since.

My commutes...

+

A question for those that know.

What percentage of your vo2 max is your FTP?

I'm geeking out a bit in WKO4 and trying to work out training as I start to build. My FTP is currently at 80% of vo2 max, which seems low to me. The numbers are going in the right direction, but I want to know where I can expect ftp to get to before needing to do any vo2 work.

Also, while I'm at it. Does anyone do 4x8's at about 105-110% (recovery 1' between sets)?

There was a discussion on another forum that suggested they were not effective as they fell in between working on increasing FTP and vo2. Doing neither very well.

I've been using them as midweek sessions to boost ftp, as they are quick and not too tiring.

Are they a waste of time though?

How are you measuring Vo2?

There is not defined limit, but if FTP stops increasing then maybe it's time to do raw Vo2 work more. But then again, FTP work may well push up Vo2.

Nothing is a waste of time, if it has purpose. Ask yourself what you want to achive from a session, and if it matches that objective then it's got purpose.

Personally that workout would have no purpose for me. I'd rather stretch out the recovery and hit each effort harder. Or not murder my legs.

If you only need 1 min recovery, you really need not stop at all. 1 min isn't really recovery.