You can block train one energy system at a time or apply the block theory in others more "general" ways.
As was mentioned stage racing is a block too and results in improved fitness.
PURE block training will focus on one energy system at a time. David Morris, exercise physiologist and coach of several national champs likes the PURE approach and has written a book about it.
It's a great way to train if you don't have a lot of time to train.
It's a great way to train really hard more frequently and geyt away with it.
It's a great way to improve an "energy system".. and especially effective at increasing power at LT and VO2 max.
......please read on.....
Classic block training has you train hard for 2-3 days in a row followed by an EQUAL TIME of recovery which includes very short recovery rides(30-60 minutes) with a HR below your endurance range and off day.
AT A MINIMUM after 2 hard days you take 1-2 days off. After 3 hard days you need at least 2 days off. You have to be in tune with your body. Masters riders and very young riders should always be sure to make rest days equal to work days.
Rest time also depends on how hard you have worked to some degree. ie: when working very hard at sustainable power at threshold or when working hard at trying to increase your VO2 max and power at VO2 max then I would make the rest days equal the work days.
After doing killer group rides Saturday and Sunday then I would take two full days of recovery.
Here's a quote from David Morris in regard to rest days after an interval block.
"Remember, improvement in work capacity requires hard work and periods of rest and recovery. Thus, you should follow each block of interval work with an equal number of days complete rest or easy recovery rides."
The chart he posted mixed VO2 max intervals with anaerobic intervals......It had 4 min intervals on day one then 2 minute intervals on day two followed by an off day than a recovery ride day for an hour.......then 4 min intervals again followed by 3 minute intervals the next day and then 1 minute intervals the next day and ending it all with two easy/off days and a day of recovery riding for an hour.
Be sure that you have recovered because the "Golden Fleece" of block trianing, as with any good program, is RECOVERY. It is during the recovery time that your body gets stronger. It is RECOVERY that most guys don't get right as most of us are willing and do train HARD and are even willing to sit on the trainer at 5am when "the wife" is still in bed, to do so. 🙂
Generally training load is REDUCED a bit as the training block progresses...but not always.
Early in the year I would focus on building a big aerobic base with endurance rides in blocks. You can do some LT work after a month or so but your focus should be endurance.
Sprinting is done year round on one day, but with more focus "in season".
Next focus on building sustainable power at threshold with blocks but keep your endurance hours high. Do this for at least 6 weeks. Endurance time can be tacked onto LT days.
Start doing some hardish group rides.
Next focus more on building power at VO2 max with blocks. Along with LT work this work is the most important a racer can do...and dare I say even more important than LT work.
Some LT work remains and can be tacked unto VO2 days.
Endurance time is reduced but take one long endurance ride a week and or tack endurance time onto the VO2 days.
Hard group ride once a week.
Do some very high intensity pure anaerobic type intervals...ie: 1 min repeats....to work your anaerobic system. They can be tacked unto lower volume VO2 days.
You might even need to do some specific blocks of these intervals if anaerobic fitness is a weakness.
Sprinters can do blocks of sprinting days....YUK!
All of us can tack them onto other days.
In season.....what you do depends on how much you race.
Racing works all energy systems of course.
But between races VO2 max intervals are important as is some LT work and anaerobic interval work.
Sprinting becomes more important as well.
Endurance time is at it's lowest and you may need an endurance focus for a couple weeks mid season or when you ae not racing much.
Here is a quote form Tim Crowley CTS coach
"Block training- This training concept is quite popular for elite cyclist and multi sport athletes. Simplified, block training combines several (usually 2-3) quality training days, followed by an equal amount or more days of recovery. Hard training on Saturday and Sunday can be followed by 2 days of recovery. Another 1 or 2 quality days mid week can round out the training week. This is an effective method of increasing the total minutes of quality training in the week without over reaching or over training."
Here is a quote from Carmichael....
whe talking about workout and recovery days he says......"this can mean alternating workout days and recovery days one for one, or applying trianing load over two or three consecutive days and then allowing one or two days for recovery"
"After giving athletes appropriate recovery time, I found that the consecutive days of load lead to greater training adaptations"
David Morris says this about PURE block training.....focusing on one energy system at a time
....."involves training very hard for several days in a row and then reating for several days to allow the body to recover and super compensate. Frequently, to increase the training stress on the body, the same types of workouts are performed on each day of the training blocks. The theory behind block training is that overloading a single system and then allowing adequate rest will cause the system to supercompensate more than with traditional training strategies"
**Don't forget a recovery week every 4th week...or 6th tops.
Good luck
