micro intervals

You might want to read this study ausport.gov.auLAUR.pdfOpen ↗. If you want to attain neuromuscular adaptation, you might want to shorten the duration (e.g., 10secs) and ride them at max power. It sounds hard, but it actually isn't very hard because it's over so fast. But, I think you'll see from the article that they result in an improvement in FT and VO2MAX as well.

[quote="RapDaddyo"]You might want to read this study [url="http://www.ausport.gov.au/fulltext/2001/acsms/papers/LAUR.pdf"][/QUOTE]

Is that this study?

ncbi.nlm.nih.govquery.fcgiOpen ↗

acoggan said:

Is that this study?

ncbi.nlm.nih.govquery.fcgiOpen ↗

It looks to be the same, certainly the same authors. I can't find a publication date at either link. I think the study in my post was published in 2001. I can't find the date of the article in your link, but I'm guessing it's the same study. The HIT protocols look to me to be best suited for increasing VO2MAX and FT more than anything (not to say the best protocols for those adaptations, but the best use of the tested protocols).

whoawhoa said:

I'm thinking of trying micro intervals for improving "burstiness" in crits and mountain biker races. Anyone have ideas on protocol?

I work these into my weekly speed workouts in base. After a few weeks of leg-speed, I start doing the last 4 intervals as 'form sprints' at 300% FTP for 10 seconds, no more.

Gradually replace the spinups with form sprints until you're only doing two spinups as part of the warmup.

Into late build, I'll start replacing the form sprints with more realistic all-out sprints.

Spunout said:

I work these into my weekly speed workouts in base. After a few weeks of leg-speed, I start doing the last 4 intervals as 'form sprints' at 300% FTP for 10 seconds, no more.

I don't think what you do would fall under the category of "microintervals", at least as how I (or, e.g., Peter Keen) would use the term.

acoggan said:

I don't think what you do would fall under the category of "microintervals", at least as how I (or, e.g., Peter Keen) would use the term.

What is your definition of microintervals? (sorry, I am too lazy to search it on the web. Or euhhh... well, I am on the job right now :o )

SolarEnergy said:

What is your definition of microintervals? (sorry, I am too lazy to search it on the web. Or euhhh... well, I am on the job right now :o )

I guess I would define them this way: a long series of intervals (e.g., 5 min or more) done with very short (i.e., 15 s or less) on and off periods, so as to at least partially dissociate the neuromuscular and cardiovascular/metabolic demands created by the average power output. I therefore don't consider the long-popular 30 s on, 30 s off intervals to be microintervals, as the work and especially rest periods are too long to really achieve the above goal. Similarly, I don't consider doing just a few short, hard efforts to be microintervals, as unless you continue the sequence for an extended period of time you're really just doing a few sprints with partial recovery in between.

acoggan said:

so as to at least partially dissociate the neuromuscular and cardiovascular/metabolic demands created by the average power output.

Sorry, I hit a language barrier here. I don't understand this sentence.

acoggan said:

I guess I would define them this way: a long series of intervals (e.g., 5 min or more) done with very short (i.e., 15 s or less) on and off periods

In other words, this type of work doesn't necessary improve the energetic file generally associated with the workload's duration.

10X(15s on, 15s off) would be more likely to improve the upper limit of VO2Max? And then what, you repeat that 4 times?

e.g. 4 (10X(15s on, 15s off)) with 10 minutes recovery between each 5 min?

Thank you so much

SolarEnergy said:

Sorry, I hit a language barrier here. I don't understand this sentence.

When the "on", and especially the "off", period is very short, the overall cardiovascular and metabolic response to the exercise will closely resemble that seen at the same *average* power. However, the neuromuscular demands - i.e., the forces that have to be generated, the motor units recruited to do so, etc. - will be largely dictated by, and thus primarily reflect, the power during the "on" period. Thus, you can say that microintervals at least partially dissociate the neuromuscular and cardiovascular/metabolic demands, and if there is any point in doing them (aside from, say, variety's sake) that's where it lies.

SolarEnergy said:

In other words, this type of work doesn't necessary improve the energetic file generally associated with the workload's duration.

Now I've hit a language barrier, as I'm not entirely clear what you mean.

SolarEnergy said:

10X(15s on, 15s off) would be more likely to improve the upper limit of VO2Max? And then what, you repeat that 4 times?

e.g. 4 (10X(15s on, 15s off)) with 10 minutes recovery between each 5 min?

Thank you so much

There are million-and-one ways of structuring "microintervals", but the above would certainly be one of them (provided the power during the on periods was high enough to bring the average into level 5).

Boy!! is all that fascinating. It had never cross my mind to try such a thing. Thanks.

But when do you prescribe that exactly? When in the yearly schedule, and when in a rider's career?

And maybe one more. Given that you put more stress on neuromuscular system, do you need to allow more recovery in the days following these type of workouts?

acoggan said:

Now I've hit a language barrier, as I'm not entirely clear what you mean.

Euhh well, you kind of answered already. I was simply stating that the cardiovascular and metabolic response was associated with the average power maintained during the set (5min @ 15s on 15s off), not with the duration of the "on".