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The 3min intervals that I do with proper recovery inbetween are aimed at VO2max, and I aim to get well above my threshold at the end of each - say 180+ (threshold is 172ish). The crisscross threshold one is different in that you don't get proper recovery but you don't go all-out either - so I'm aiming to vary HR between about 165 and 177. If there was proper recovery inbetween, the intervals probably wouldn't do a lot, but the constancy of effort makes it useful in improving power at / raising LT. At least, that's my reading of it!
Interestingly, Tony Williams' monthly factsheet deals with VO2max training this month - http://www.flammerouge.je/content/3_fac ... axints.htm - and presents the argument that:-
-VO2max training basically HAS to be aerobic since it's about oxygen uptake, and that being well over your LT means you're working anaerobically instead
-Therefore VO2max training should be based around LT speed or power (but not HR, which will probably be higher)
-Intervals should be around 3-5mins as you want to be working at the kind of intensity you can only maintain for 3mins and it takes about 90secs to get up to it.
So.. ..I'd got some of my terminology wrong in previous posts; the three-minute intervals I do are lactate tolerance intervals, and the slightly longer, slightly less intense ones that Friel calls "cruise intervals" (6-12 minutes building to just above LT) are more like VO2max intervals - but still a bit longer.
Any thoughts on all this, John?
-VO2max training basically HAS to be aerobic since it's about oxygen uptake, and that being well over your LT means you're working anaerobically instead
-Therefore VO2max training should be based around LT speed or power (but not HR, which will probably be higher)
-Intervals should be around 3-5mins as you want to be working at the kind of intensity you can only maintain for 3mins and it takes about 90secs to get up to it.
So.. ..I'd got some of my terminology wrong in previous posts; the three-minute intervals I do are lactate tolerance intervals, and the slightly longer, slightly less intense ones that Friel calls "cruise intervals" (6-12 minutes building to just above LT) are more like VO2max intervals - but still a bit longer.
Any thoughts on all this, John?
But a three minute interval is in very large part fuelled anaerobically. It's not a pure anaerobic interval (that'd be down in the 15 sec mark) but calling it aerobic is slightly confusing.-VO2max training basically HAS to be aerobic since it's about oxygen uptake, and that being well over your LT means you're working anaerobically instead
-Therefore VO2max training should be based around LT speed or power (but not HR, which will probably be higher)
-Intervals should be around 3-5mins as you want to be working at the kind of intensity you can only maintain for 3mins and it takes about 90secs to get up to it.
I don't know what he means about taking 90 secs to get up to power either. 90 secs to get HR up maybe, put power goes up instantly. That sort of unlabelled graph always gets me.
Personally I like the classic 5 x 5 minute intervals with 5 min rest between intervals @ ~113% threshold power. The first one doesn't feel totally full on and the last one hurts like hell. (For a one off 5 min interval you'd be looking at ~117-120% threashold, the need to do five consistent efforts means backing off the power slightly)
That's actually similar to what he recommends but at a slightly higher effort level. For most people threshold power ~ 95% of 20 min max power. The rest of the maths is left as an exercise for the reader
