A study shows that elite cyclists can improve performance by doing speed endurance interval training and that the number of intervals can be halved without affecting the improvements. The study is part of a number of studies aiming at understanding how top athletes can train optimally.
When Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegård sprint towards the top of the Alpe D’Huez for a stage win, the final effort is decisive for who wins and who stands on the second top step of the podium.
Both cyclists give everything their bodies can offer to win, and the decisive factor therefore often becomes the training before the Tour de France.
A new study shows how to optimise the training that aims to maximise the last efforts in one short burst of energy.
“We focus on optimising training so that you do not train too much or too little in relation to the purpose of the training. This study showed that the number of intervals can be halved for the very short and very intense interval training with 30-second intervals called speed endurance training,” explains a researcher behind the study, Jens Bangsbo, Professor, Department of Nutrition Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
The research has been published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.
30 seconds at full speed
Interval training can be performed in many ways. It can be intervals lasting one minute of high intensity followed by one minute of rest. It can also be shorter or longer intervals with shorter or longer breaks between each phase.
The researchers investigated speed endurance training intervals, already used by highly trained cyclists.
The type of speed endurance training investigated had intervals of 30 seconds separated by 2.5 minutes of active rest.
“We are trying to optimise interval training to increase the ability to work intensely for both shorter and longer periods of time. With speed endurance training, the load is so high that the work intensity cannot be maintained for all 30 seconds,” says Jens Bangsbo.
The major question is the optimal number of intervals to include in an interval training session – and the new study answers this.
Made Zidane and del Piero better footballers
Jens Bangsbo says that he introduced speed endurance training within various sports – including working with coaches responsible for elite rowers in Denmark to improve their performance in 2,000 metres.
Before this type of training was scientifically studied, he also trained footballers such as Zinedine Zidane and Allesandro del Piero to increase their physical ability on the football pitch.
Now cyclists are in the spotlight.
“Speed endurance training is muscle specific. Maximum oxygen uptake can be increased through different types of training, with benefits across sports. But for speed endurance training, the training needs to be muscle specific,” explains Jens Bangsbo.
Interval training already improves top athletes
The study involved 24 highly trained cyclists for six weeks. They replaced their usual interval training with 12 intervals of speed endurance training or six intervals of speed endurance training, both groups with a 30% reduction in training volume, or continued their usual type of interval training as controls.
After the six weeks, the researchers measured improvements in several physical parameters of the ability to sprint on a bicycle, including a six-second sprint and a four-minute time trial despite the reduced training volume.
The results indicate that more is not necessarily better. On the contrary, the group that trained with six intervals in the interval training improved their four-minute time run by 3.8%, while neither the 12-interval group nor the control group showed any improvement.
Now 3.8% may not sound massive, but it is a lot for highly trained cyclists. The researchers found that the group with the six intervals did not perform worse on other physical parameters.
The researchers found that the group with the 12 intervals had more muscle adaptations in response to the interval training, but this apparently did not affect performance.
“The study shows that six intervals are enough for this type of interval training, because they do not benefit more from 12 intervals. In addition, the amount of training can be considerably reduced without affecting performance. This also avoids overloading the body,” says Jens Bangsbo.
Reducing much volume training
Jens Bangsbo notes that there is increasing demand for studies that compare types of training worldwide within elite sports.
The goal is to put together a training regimen that provides optimal conditions for winning, whether it is cycling, football, rowing or any other type of sport in which being able to carry out intense work can make all the difference.
Speed endurance training can also reduce the need for long training sessions.
The researchers previously investigated how much speed endurance training can reduce the runners’ need for long runs.
This experiment showed that the amount of training might be reduced to as little as 15% of the original, if speed endurance training intervals are included.
“We found that this improved the runners’ 1,500-metre times without decreasing their performance in 10,000 metres. With this type of experiment, we learn that the volume of training can be reduced markedly when adding some types of intense training to the weekly training and still make the athletes become better at their sport,” concludes Jens Bangsbo.
