| A couple of years ago I proposed some radical ideas | | | | Another landmark study that came out in the |
| on cardio training for mountain bikers. Ever since then | | | | September 2006 Journal of Physiology studied the |
| I've had a lot of people doubt my sanity. Aerobic | | | | effects of 20 minutes of interval training (30 second |
| base training has been a staple of training programs | | | | sprints followed by 4 minutes of rest) vs. 90-120 |
| for decades and many an off season program for | | | | minutes of traditional aerobic heart rate zone training. |
| mountain bikers has included an extended period of | | | | They found that the interval group which did only 1 |
| time reeling off boring miles on a trainer. While some | | | | hour of exercise per week had the same |
| people embraced my concepts (and proceeded to | | | | improvements in aerobic capacity as the aerobic |
| achieve better "aerobic endurance" despite doing little | | | | group. Did I mention the aerobic group spent 4-6 |
| to no aerobic training) many others have questioned | | | | hours per week exercising? |
| why this concept is so different that the "scientific" | | | | 4 to 6 times as much exercise to get the same |
| one. | | | | results in aerobic capacity? This isn't even taking into |
| Let me explain why this is - people in the strength | | | | account that the interval group improved their |
| training trenches figure out what works in the real | | | | anaerobic capacity, something the aerobic group did |
| world (which is MUCH different than a controlled lab | | | | not. This finding is astounding and shows just how |
| setting) and then implement it. Sometimes what we | | | | much time you can waste with aerobic training. |
| do flies in the face of the traditional "science" of | | | | I've mentioned this before and here is the proof - |
| training. Sports scientists pick up on what we are | | | | anaerobic intervals will increase your aerobic capacity |
| doing, study it and then tell us why it works. This | | | | as well as your anaerobic capacity but aerobic training |
| process usually takes about 5-10 years or more to | | | | does not increase your anaerobic capacity. All of this |
| go from the cutting edge in the trenches to being | | | | means that if you have limited training time (and who |
| taught in the classroom. | | | | doesn't) you may be wasting your time with aerobic |
| So, this meant that there was not a ton of scientific | | | | training. Anaerobic intervals are the only way to |
| studies to confirm what I knew - aerobic base | | | | maximize the effectiveness of limited training time. |
| training simply does not work on a consistent basis in | | | | Also, there is no evidence at all that you will burn out |
| the real world. But, now there are two landmark | | | | or get injured by training with intervals year round. |
| studies that suggest that anaerobic interval training is | | | | This is simply a myth that has been told so many |
| vastly superior to the out dated models still being | | | | times that it has been taken as the truth. I challenge |
| promoted by the mainstream fitness media. | | | | anyone to find me a single study that backs this |
| The main reason that mountain bikers felt compelled | | | | claim. |
| to include aerobic base training in their program was | | | | What has been found is that going straight into hard |
| to increase their aerobic capacity. The scientifically | | | | training (either strength or intervals or aerobic) |
| accepted method to determine aerobic capacity is | | | | without a preparatory period will increase the |
| VO2Max (Maximum Volume of Oxygen Consumed), | | | | likelihood of injury. So, like everything else, you must |
| which is an indicator of how well your body can utilize | | | | work into full blown hard core intervals and cycle |
| oxygen. Aerobic training had been shown to increase | | | | their intensity and duration but there is no reason you |
| your VO2Max, so therefore was considered | | | | can not do intervals year round. |
| necessary for overall cardiovascular development. | | | | Now, just to balance this out, there are 2 times |
| However, strength coaches on the cutting edge | | | | when aerobic training has a place in your program. |
| realize that the best way to raise your VO2Max, and | | | | First, if you are so out of shape you can not tolerate |
| therefore your aerobic capacity, is through interval | | | | even the easiest intervals then you should spend |
| training, not aerobic training! While this may not make | | | | some time doing aerobic training to build your work |
| a lot of sense, it is true. Several recent studies on | | | | capacity up a bit. But once you can do intervals you |
| anaerobic intervals produced some of the largest | | | | should make the switch. |
| increases in VO2Max ever seen, including studies | | | | Second, aerobic exercise is great for active recovery |
| done on aerobic training. | | | | (something I have also mentioned before). Going out |
| One study in particular was done on what is popularly | | | | for a light 20 minute jog or ride will help to flush |
| known as the Tabata Protocol. This method calls for | | | | blood into the muscles and help you recover from |
| 20 seconds of sprinting followed by 10 seconds rest | | | | your strength training and interval sessions faster. |
| and these mini-intervals are repeated 6-8 times per | | | | Outside of these 2 things, though, aerobic base |
| round. A workout may involve 1-3 rounds (complete | | | | training may be dead. |
| recovery is allowed between rounds). Researchers | | | | My mission in life is to bring our sport into the 21st |
| found massive increases in the subjects VO2Max in | | | | century. You can get better results in aerobic |
| addition to the anticipated increases in anaerobic | | | | capacity in less time while also increasing anaerobic |
| endurance markers. The increases in VO2Max were | | | | capacity. This should be something that mountain |
| some of the largest ever seen in a study and | | | | bikers everywhere rejoice at because aerobic training |
| showed that aerobic training is not the only (nor the | | | | is some of the most tedious and boring stuff around. |
| best) way to increase aerobic capacity. | | | | |