Tabata Intervals

[dunk]

I first heard of these intervals 8-10 years ago from a Speedskating friend of mine, at the time I wasn't too interested, but now they seem to be getting popular. As I'm always looking for the easy way out, I was wondering if anyone was doing/done them, and your opinion?

 

[dunk]

Well I tried these intervals for the first time this morning, pretty hard but not as bad as I thought. I guess we'll see how they go after 6 weeks.

I should have pointed out these intervals are:

20 sec max effort
10 sec rest

repeat 8 times.

They are supposed to do good things for both aerobic and anearobic systems.

 

[DarrenHunt]

Interesting.
I've heard about these, i just dont understand the science behind it.
Surely training for endurance events requires a few hours, rather than 4 minutes.
Kepp us updated on how it works out.

 

[dunk]

You need to have a pretty good base already, it's really just an added workout 5 times a week. Seeing as it's a 14 minute workout, I thought they would be a good addition to my existing "training" as you could nearly do them in an ad break.

 

[chuckrockswell]

You need to have a pretty good base already, it's really just an added workout 5 times a week. Seeing as it's a 14 minute workout, I thought they would be a good addition to my existing "training" as you could nearly do them in an ad break.

damn i was all ready to blow the dust off my trainer, i was hoping for 'fitness in a can'!

but i'm interested to see how you go, so please keep us updated with your progress. i started turning the pedals again yesterday for the first time in 2 months and it felt like 2 decades, urgghghh.....

 

[Stylin]

Look up interval training on google and it will tell you all the science behind what happens.

The quick bursts help build power and train the body to recover quicker. I did it a while ago (unfortunatley running though). It did seem to work but was boring as hell

 

[schmackster]

Interval training is all about pain and that is why most people don't do it. If it doesn't hurt then it is not doing you any good.

I hate intervals with a passion but the payoff in performance increase is worth the effort in my opinion. I only do them when I have a really good base endurance fitness like dunk says and for a few weeks prior to a race. I really should do them all the time but I think that it would start to effect my enjoyment of riding in general if every third or fourth time I got on the bike was going to end up in a world of suffering.

My thoughts on these short type intervals is that if it doesn't hurt as much then the corresponding increase in performance will be less. Maybe it might be a better approach than what I do at the moment, do less strenuous intervals but more often and still end up with the same result. Mmmmm to many choices I think I might have to go and have a lie down .

 

[WolfCreekPsycho]

Well I tried these intervals for the first time this morning, pretty hard but not as bad as I thought. I guess we'll see how they go after 6 weeks.

I should have pointed out these intervals are:

20 sec max effort
10 sec rest

repeat 8 times.

They are supposed to do good things for both aerobic and anearobic systems.

Interestingly So did I... I did some reading after seeing this post and thought it could be something to throw into the training... I didnt make the 8 reps though, which is good in a way as it provides me a reference point to measure improvement over the next few weeks.

 

[bazza]

i hate harping on about my CTS training dvd's but i really like them haha. they are a decent added work out with some decent interval work in them, and i seem to trust them more so than things i read on the internets......

 

[dunk]

Well I've done these interval sets three days now. Wednesday just a quick warm up and the intervals, Thursday morning on the way home from a 2 x 20min before warming down, and this afternoon on the trainer. So far so good, no pain and the intervals while hard aren't impossible to complete.

I'll see how I go on the bunch ride tomorrow morning, might pull out of the bunch with a few k's to go and add another set of Tabata's on the end of the ride. Hill ride Sunday morning (I don't like hills) so I might give them a miss then.

 

[dunk]

Done the first two weeks of the "Tabata Protocal" now, and have been doing these particular intervals 6 times a week. I must say they seem to be quite effective, recovery times after maximum efforts have come way down and I'm feeling much better during fast/hard bunch rides.

Only four more weeks to go.....

 

[alchemist]

On track for some rainbow stripes come October?

 

[dunk]

ha!

Thinking about it - even toying with the idea of quiting my job for a few months beforehand...need someone to ride my scooter for me for some motorpacing though.....

 

[akashra]

Intervals are seriously the fastest way to get faster. Even over two weeks for me they made a massive difference to anaerobic performance. Only reason I was only doing them once a week was because I also had a crit once a week - would do intervals (5x(3+3)+5+5x(2+2)+5+5x(1+1)) on Tuesday and race on Thursday.

Nowadays I commute to work and am training for endurance, so haven't done intervals in ages, but I'm certainly seeing the lack of performance at VO2max, so have been thinking lately about starting doing them again.

 

[crosser]

Thanks for bringing these intervals to our attention, dunk. I've incorporated them into my last few trail rides.

They are especially fun on a singlespeed in traffic.

 

[Mick01]

I've found interval type training really good for increasing fitness.. especially good for when you don't have a lot of time to train.

A good interval program was given to me by a friend who is a PT. He calls it the 'pyramid'.

10 min warmup
1 min flat out, 1 min easy
2 min flat out, 2 min easy
3 min flat out, 3 min easy
4 min flat out, 4 min easy
4 min flat out, 4 min easy
3 min flat out, 3 min easy
2 min flat out, 2 min easy
1 min flat out, 1 min easy
10 min cooldown

Total = 60min


Mick

 

[Smiker]

The reasons intervals still help your aerobic capacity is due to the impetus being created to recover faster. It's generally accepted that interval training (or riding for short, intense bursts) will give you all the benefits of long aerobic training except for increased capillarisation and increased VO2 (actual volume).

Those Tabata intervals sound good though - keep it up!

 

[hillrider]

Theres some good reading about intervals HERE. It depends what side of your fitness you want to improve in relation to interval/rest time. A good fitness base is re commended before taking on interval training, where someone just starting training is better to work on endurance first (longer rides at a lower heart rate). I'm reading Joe Friels "The mountainbikers training bible" at the moment, definatly worth reading a copy if you've not already, unless you race against me of course, then I'd say give it a miss