Imagine yourself in this scenario….the pace is high, anticipation is building, riders are getting nervous as they sense the finish line. The pace is lifted even more and riders are strung out single file, trying to hang on. You’re pushing hard, confident in your ability to get to the line first.
There it is, the finish line (or city limit sign). The sprint begins…..will you use raw power, as Tom Boonen does, to crush everyone? Or will you be more tactical and hide in the slipstream, unseen by the others, as Robby McEwen is famous for, until the final seconds?
You jump out of the saddle with all the power you have, pushing the monster gear at 120 rpm. You clench your teeth; every muscle in your body is going all out as you hurtle toward the line. You’re accelerating, just a few more meters……a final push – and you did it! You won!
The most exciting moments in bike racing are the sprints. And while you must have the conditioning to get to the line in order to participate in the sprint, you need that “extra gear” to get the glory.
Today’s workout will help you do just that. This sprint workout can help you build your explosive power so you can compete for the most important part of your ride or race…..the sprint! Check it out:
WARMUP:
- 5 minutes easy spin. Heart rate should come up gradually.
- 3 x 1 minute “fast pedal” drills (110+ rpm), each followed by 1 minute easy spin recovery
- 5 minute sub-threshold effort. This is warm-up only, so don’t overdo the effort. The purpose is to warm up your muscles, open blood vessels and raise your heart rate, not to have you tired out for the main part of the ride.
- 5 minute easy spin recovery
MAIN SET:
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Small-ring sprints – 4-8 reps. Begin each of these from a slow speed (8-10 mph). Jump out of the saddle and pedal all-out for a very short distance (50-75 meters at most). Remain in the same gear for the entire effort, and make sure you’re spinning at 120 rpm+ be the end of the sprint. Recovery interval is 2-3 minutes between each interval. The purpose of these sprints is explosiveness, quick acceleration and fast turnover, not speed. Train your neuromuscular system to “pop!”
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Recover 5-10 minutes, and then perform a set of Big-ring Sprints (2-4 reps). Begin these from a moderate speed (20 mph) in a moderate gear (53:17). Once again, jump from the saddle and explode into the pedals. Spin out in this gear (110+ rpm) and shift. Continue the sprint until you wind this gear out (110-120 rpm), then recover 4-5 minutes before the next repetition. Err on the conservative side for the recovery intervals. More rest is better than less, especially in your first training sessions.
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Recover 5-10 minutes after this series of sprints, and then begin another set of Big-gear sprints. Again perform 2-4 repetitions with 4-5 minutes recovery between each. The difference here is that you’ll begin your sprint from a higher speed (22-25 mph) and in a bigger gear (for example, 53:16). Your procedure will be similar to the previous set of big-gear sprints, with one change. Here you should plan to make not 1, but 2, gear changes as you spin out. Push hard and BE SMOOTH!
COOLDOWN:
- Ride easy for 5-10 minutes or more. Spin in a small gear with low pressure to flush your legs. You’ll find this ride to be very taxing, both on your muscular system and on your central nervous system, and you may be ready to call it a day at this point. If so, that’s great. You had a very productive ride. But if you feel up to it, you may add some additional z2-3 endurance riding to finish it up.
Practicing sprints is beneficial for road cyclists, MTB riders and triathletes alike. Even if you don’t race, this is a great workout to help build your high-end power. Perform a workout like this once a week, and before you know it you’ll be right in the mix for the sprints!
Workout Recap:
This is my recovery week and I’m tired, so I’m backing down. Yesterday I rode 2 hours, mainly z1-2.
There are many, many variations on this sprint-specific workout. Do you have a favorite to share? If so, add it to the “Comments” section below. Contact me with any questions, then GET OUT AND RIDE!
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