Many factors come into play when you want to improve your cycling performance, including following a training plan, working out off the bike, and adopting a strong mental game. But one of the most important factors that influences your ride is your VO2 max.
VO2 max is a measure of the total amount of oxygen you can take in and use during an effort, but it’s not just how much comes in, it’s also how well you can use that oxygen, especially when you’re exerting your all. Think of this as a measure of efficiency. The more you can get the most out of the process, the better your endurance and speed will be.
The most notable challenge in assessing VO2 max is that you may not have access to a sports lab equipped with a gas analyzer or open-circuit spirometer to measure the amount of oxygen you consume while riding a stationary bike.
However, most smartwatches automatically estimate your VO2 max, even if it’s not as accurate as an in-lab test.
For more information on how to increase your VO2 max, consider these suggestions from certified cycling coaches and researchers on how to increase your efficiency in ways that improve your performance.
1. Do HIIT training regularly
If you haven’t yet incorporated high-intensity interval training (HIIT) into your training rotation, this might inspire you to do so. Research shows that HIIT can significantly increase VO2 max compared to an endurance-only approach. For example, there are studies such as: Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 40 moderately trained participants found that HIIT improved VO2 max more than running long distances at a constant pace.
Another study conducted on cyclists PLoS Onepointed out that HIIT can increase VO2 max by up to 46% in 6 months if participants perform HIIT sessions three times a week.
As for how to replicate these results in your own cycling, setting sprint intervals may help you reach your goals, especially if you value longer recovery times. For example, recent research shows that Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise The study looked at VO2 max in 14 participants who performed four 10-second sprints with an 80-second recovery and two 20-second sprints with a 160-second recovery. VO2 max improvements were greater with the latter strategy.
How do you put this into practice? Garret Seacat, CSCS, certified cycling coach at Train Absolute, says that for beginners or intermediate riders, a solid starting point is to do six three-minute intervals of work, with four minutes of rest in between. he says bicycle This will look like this:
- warm up: 15 minute easy ride
- interval: 6 x 3 minutes at maximum effort, with 4 minutes of easy riding between each.
- cool down: 10 minute easy ride
“For more advanced or experienced riders, it is usually more difficult and takes longer. [max effort] “These are zones with slightly less relative rest. These are particularly suitable for endurance racers and gravel racers,” Seacat added. Its contents are as follows:
- warm up: 15 minute easy ride
- Interval set 1: 6 x 4 minutes at max effort, with 4 minutes of easy riding in between.
- Interval set 2: Stay in Zone 2 for 20 minutes straight from your last interval.
- cool down: 10-15 minute easy ride
2. Keep your endurance rides on schedule
Paul Wolowski, a certified cycling and running coach at Simple Endurance Coaching, says doing sprint intervals once or twice a week can help, but so can long, slow rides that build up your endurance.
“Longer, slower distances help build metabolic adaptations such as increased mitochondria and capillaries, and increased fat utilization, which can lead to improved VO2 max because the body can use oxygen more efficiently,” he says. bicycle. “An example of this pace is a multi-hour drive where you can easily have a conversation with someone.”
research in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Looking at VO2 max in endurance athletes supports this, adding that VO2 max can become more stable over time as performance levels improve through endurance training.
3. Add high-intensity strength training
While cycling intervals can help increase your VO2 max, research shows that strength training may play a similar role. meta-analysis sports medicine Researchers investigated training variables in runners, and researchers looked at the effects of high-load strength sessions (heavier weights for fewer reps), plyometric training, isometric training, and submaximal load sessions (more reps for lighter weights).
The researchers found that higher loads improve running economy (a term similar to VO2 max, which refers to the efficient use of oxygen) the most, and lead author Cristian Llanos-Lagos, Ph.D., a sports science researcher at Spain’s Pablo de Olavide University and a certified cycling coach, says the findings likely apply to cycling as well. That’s because this type of training creates neuromuscular adaptations and increases muscle recruitment in the lower body, he says. bicycle.
“All strength training has benefits, and we believe it’s important to include more than one type, as they provide a variety of benefits,” he says. However, incorporating higher weight, lower rep sessions into your training mix can provide some efficiency gains, especially when increasing your VO2 max.
4. Focus on consistency
As with any training plan focused on progression, the key is consistency, suggests Walloski.
To keep riding regularly, especially if you want to increase the number of interval workouts you do, make a plan. For example, if you start with one HIIT workout per week, add another weekly session on non-consecutive days after about four weeks. Focusing on such progression from the beginning will help you create a training framework that leads to improved VO2 max.
Also, if you don’t regularly assess your VO2 max, check your perceived exertion. When your sprint intervals and endurance rides start to feel easier, it’s time to add more challenge as a way to continue your progress. (But also celebrate the effort victory of getting easier, which means your VO2 max increases.)
Over time, you can start building your cycling economy in a meaningful way, even if you don’t know your specific VO2 max.
Elizabeth Millard is a freelance writer focusing on health, wellness, fitness, and food.
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