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High Intensity Interval Training                         2022-08-11
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This is a form of workout where you switch between short periods of
intense exercise and brief periods of recovery. Most of the time
the intense periods are between 30 seconds and up to 5 minutes. The
level of intensity during every interval should in principle be
'all-out', you will be reaching your VO2Max and anaerobic zone.

Although HIIT is all the craze nowadays it should not be taken
lightly, and only considered after you have completed a good base
period and your body has properly adapted and is ready for more
intensive workouts. Without proper preparation HIIT can easily lead
to overloading and burnout. Given its higher intensity you will
need more time to recover after an HIIT workout, you need to be
perfectly rested and "fresh" before every one of this kind of
workouts so you can fully reap the benefits,

Benefits
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- boost your VO2Max - boost the amount of oxygen your body can use,
  the more the better
- speed up your fat burn - after your workout, fat burning
  continues
- improved mitochondrial function - increased mitochondrial density
  helps to produce more energy
- when done correctly you can pack a great beneficial workout in a
  short period of time
- when you've reached a plateau, done properly HIIT can elevate
  your fitness to a new, higher level
  
Even 5 times 30 seconds of high-intensity intervals can give you
the same benefits as a long moderate training ride.

Pros and Cons
-------------
Although HIIT sounds like a perfect way to improve your fitness and
boost your performance in high-intensity zones, then why do the
training plans of professional cyclists not solely consist of HIIT
workouts?

High-intensity interval workouts should be a part of every training
plan, but it can not be based on HIIT alone. Professional cyclists,
for instance, spend about 90% - 95% of their training below or in
their threshold zones. The conclusion that follows from this is
that there are no shortcuts where it concerns your overall fitness.

The benefits of HIIT workouts are short term, and thus you need to
maintain them. The benefits of longer workouts are long term. In
other words, if you want long term results you need to spend long
hours riding your bike.

HIIT workout example
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The example below is my own regular HIIT workout, I tend to combine
HIIT with steady state riding, I simply like riding longer
distances, in that respect I adhere to the old teachings. I like to
do my HIIT workouts on a country road where there is little
traffic, no traffic lights, no people walking on the bike path with
their dog and staring at their mobile phones, and more annoying
distractions like that...

1. Warm up
- 10.0 km @ 96-123 bpm - Zone 1
  (Seems perhaps long, but from where I live, it takes me to the
  road between Kangasala and Valkeakoski, away from a bike path
  that does have school children and people walking their dogs, and
  the occasional deer.)

2. Ramp up in 4 steps
- 1.00 km @ 124-142 bpm - Zone 2
- 1.00 km @ 143-161 bpm - Zone 3
- 1.00 km @ 162-175 bpm - Zone 4
- 1.00 km @ 176-192 bpm - Zone 5

3. Active Steady State
- 5.00 km @ 124-161 bpm - Zone 2/3

4. HIIT repeat 4 times
- Hard: 1.00 km @ 176-192 bpm - Zone 5
- Easy: 0.50 km @ 143-175 bpm - Zone 3/4

5. Recovery
- 4.80 km @ 96-123 bpm - Zone 1

6. Active Steady State
- 15.0 km @ 124-161 bpm - Zone 2/3

7. Cool Down
- 10.0 km @ 96-123 bpm - Zone 1