We’ve all done brutal workouts. You know the kind where you go in thinking- “I’m not quite sure I can do this…”
Whether it’s an FTP boosting session on the bike or VO2 max intervals on a run, these types of challenging workouts serve a purpose.
They help us:
- increase overall fitness
- develop stronger muscles
- get used to operating at a higher intensity
- become faster
- create physiological change that helps our bodies become more efficient at utilizing oxygen
Still, knowing this type of workout is good for our growth as an athlete doesn’t make them feel any easier! Most of the time they just suck.
But with a combination of mental skills, good technique, and physical cues, you can make those challenging workouts just a bit easier to complete.
7 Tips For Hard Bike Workouts
This morning I had a pretty hard bike workout with several blocks I like to call over/unders. Basically, this involves a period of riding over and under a certain intensity.
For example, if your desired intensity was for an Olympic triathlon, you might ride a few minutes slightly over Olympic intensity followed by a few minutes slightly under Olympic intensity. These blocks tend to repeat without any rest, at least for a few cycles before you get a break. Then, you start all over again!
Today my over/unders were in and around FTP (functional threshold power) so it was pretty tough.
For experienced cyclists, a few of these tips may seem like second nature, but they’re all important and I think worth mentioning. There might even be a few techniques you haven’t heard of before.
1. Dial in your set-up.
If you’re doing a hard workout inside on a stationary bike trainer, having a fan is non-negotiable. I actually have two: One directly in front my bike and one overhead. This is important because you don’t get any airflow when riding inside, like you would when riding outdoors in the wind. Besides making it feel 10x harder, riding without a fan is a good way to jack your heart rate up unnecessarily high. The reason why muscles eventually stop working isn’t necessarily due to fatigue; it’s because they overheat.
We always keep two bottles on a stool next to our bikes. One has carb mix with electrolytes and the other has ice water. Where the carb mix gives you the necessary fuel to help keep you going, ingesting cool water has been shown to reduce core temperature.
The last part of my set-up is more for “sweat prevention purposes.” I keep a towel draped across the front of my bike to prevent sweat from dripping down on expensive components that can lead to the corrosion of metal and wiring. Also, I wear a headband to keep sweat out of my eyes (as much as possible). Then, the last thing is a sweat mat underneath the bike to protect the floor.
2. Do a proper warm-up.
Most of our bike workouts are programmed into Training Peaks by our coaches, but even a stock workout on the internet should have some type of warm-up.
Most warm ups start out easy and build, but it’s also a good idea to include short bursts of higher intensity to get your muscles, heart, and lungs acclimated to the effort you will be exerting during the main set. This often looks like short periods of high power and/or high cadence.
I like a longer warm-up (10-15 minutes) because I have more of a diesel engine, whereas Matt is fine with a shorter warm-up. You have to figure out what works best for you.
3. Craft a killer playlist.
There’s something about listen to your favorite song that helps hard efforts feel easier. Maybe it’s the lyrics or even the beat, but music definitely has the ability to give you an extra boost of energy during a really hard workout.
I wrote an article for Triathlete Magazine showing how listening to music during a workout can provide motivation, lower (RPE) rate of perceived exertion, and improve physical performance. One study found that cyclists rode 1-1.25 km/h faster during a 10km time trial while listening to music. A study of triathletes showed that time to exhaustion was delayed by 18.1% when running while listening to motivational music.
Part of it is the distraction factor, but it goes much deeper than that. Riding while listening to a song with a certain tempo can actually improve cadence, because your pedal stroke naturally changes to mimic the beat of the song. One study showed the best music tempo for cycling is 125-140 BPM.
Need some suggestions? Matt loves music, so he makes playlists for our trainer rides. Here are a few favorites.
- Power- Kanye West (E)
- Can’t Hold Us- Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
- Remember the Name- Fort Minor, Styles of Beyond (E)
- Till I Collapse- Eminem (E)
- Monster- Skillet
- Send the Pain Below- Chevelle
- Coming In Hot- Andy Mineo, Lecrae
- Hope- NF
- Bodies- Drowning Pool
4. Don’t look ahead. Take it one interval at a time.
One of the worst things you can do during a hard bike workout is look ahead at all the intervals you have left. That’s incredibly overwhelming! Instead, take one interval at a time.
For example, if I have three, 3-minute sets (9-minute block) before I get a rest period, I’m definitely not looking ahead to see that I have to do it three more times… Instead, I focus on the set I’m in. That’s it. No looking ahead. Nothing matters but that moment.
I find that when I’m really in the thick of it, feeling like I can’t breathe and my legs won’t keep moving, it’s easy to think there’s no way I can finish this interval, let alone do it three more times! But after the rest period comes, my heart rate goes down, and I can breathe a bit easier, I start to think more rationally and realize that I can do another set.
All too often it’s our mind that tells us we need to stop, long before our body actually needs to.
5. Pedaling technique- use all four quadrants.
This is something my coach taught me that helps make hard efforts on the bike feel easier. When we ride at a higher intensity, sometimes our pedal stroke suffers. You know the feeling you get when you start pedaling a square instead of a circle?
To improve cadence and promote a full pedal stroke, think about these four phases: push, scrape, pull, and kick. The push is when you use your quads to push down on the pedal. The scrape happens at the bottom of the pedal stroke, just like you’re scraping gum off the bottom of your shoe. Then, you pull up the back of the stroke with your hamstring. Finally, the kick is the top part of the pedal stroke when your foot moves forward to start the cycle over again.
One way I use this technique is by focusing on one leg at a time. Because our cadence on the bike is pretty quick, I pick one leg and think about each part in succession: push, push, scrape, scrape, pull, pull, kick, kick. Sometimes, I use both legs: push right, push left, scrape right, scrape left, pull right, pull left, kick right, kick left.
Not only does it provide a mental distraction, this drill also encourages you to use a full pedal stroke and increases cadence and efficiency, which helps during hard efforts.
6. Breathing technique- 2:1 breathing.
This is a trick Matt taught me to help regulate my breathing during hard workouts. It works great whether you’re riding the bike or running. Essentially, it’s two quick inhales followed by a half second pause and one longer exhale.
Often during hard efforts we often don’t take a full inhalation, which leads to gasping and a feeling of breathlessness. By taking two shorter inhales, you force yourself to take in more oxygen. The half second pause is the most important part, because it helps lower heart rate. The longer exhale prevents the build up of CO2, which also contributes to that breathless feeling. If you can, inhale through your nose and breathe out through your mouth. But if you feel like you need more air, breathing through your mouth the entire time works as well.
Another trick is to switch to nasal breathing during rest periods. Most of us can’t breathe through our nose when doing hard efforts, but if you can switch to a nasal inhale and exhale through your mouth during the rest period, it will help lower heart rate dramatically.
TIP: I use this technique on the wall during rest periods in my swim sets as well.
7. Use a power phrase.
It might seem silly to some, but having a mantra or positive affirmation definitely helps during hard workouts.
Need proof? One study had cyclists ride as long as they could in a 95 degree room. Ouch. Then, half of them went through 2 weeks of motivational self-talk training.
They learned how to replace thoughts like- “It’s boiling in here- I’m so hot.” with “Keep pushing” or “I am focused.” When they repeated the test, those trained in self-talk rode an average of three minutes longer than those who didn’t.
This is something I use while running as well.
7 Tips For Hard Run Workouts
Of all three triathlon disciplines, running is the one that feels hardest to me. Over the years, these are the best tips and techniques I’ve learned to get through those brutal run workouts.
1. Avoid negative forecasting- ie. “This run will go bad.”
It’s easy to start off a hard workout with a bad attitude. Perhaps the weather isn’t ideal or you’re not feeling confident in your ability to hold a certain pace. Maybe you just know it’s going to hurt, and you aren’t looking forward that feeling.
This is a form of negative forecasting. It involves overestimating the likelihood that a situation (in this case the workout) will actually be bad. We also have a tendency to exaggerate how terrible something will actually be. Also, we underestimate our ability to deal with the situation.
To avoid negative forecasting, do this instead. First, think about the likelihood on a scale of 1-100% that your workout will actually be a disaster. Then, think about the evidence you have to support this claim. Next, think about the times you made an inaccurate prediction. For example, when you thought a workout was going to be horrible, but you surprised yourself in execution, or it wasn’t quite as bad as you thought. Finally, think about the worst possible outcome and decide if you can live with it.
The likelihood is probably yes, so lace up your shoes, and reframe into a more positive mindset- “I’m not feeling great about this, but I’m going to give it absolutely 100% and do the best I can today.”
2. Run through your form checklist.
During a hard run, it’s easy to lose track of your form. Your shoulders start to creep up, your footfall gets heavy, and your arm swing becomes sloppy. Both Matt and I have a mental checklist of form cues that we cycle through during hard runs.
Are my shoulders down and relaxed? Is my core strong? Am I landing with my foot underneath my body? How about my cadence? Is my arm carriage swinging back and forth or across my body?
By running through this mental checklist periodically, you can ensure that you’re keeping good form, which not only helps you run faster and more efficiently, but also helps to prevent injury.
3. Stay in the present moment.
Sometimes you need to go for a run to escape from it all. Some of my best ideas come while I’m running! But there’s a time and place to let your mind wander, and it isn’t during a hard workout.
Especially during high intensity efforts, spend this time focused on staying in the present moment. Pay attention to sensations, surroundings, and sounds. Listen to your breathing and hear your feet hit the pavement.
Distraction is certainly one method we use to help us cope with uncomfortable sensations, but focusing on good form and breathing patterns will go a lot further in helping you complete a hard workout more effectively.
4. Negativity will happen. Talk back.
Chances are, at some point during a hard workout, negativity will start to creep in.
“I can’t keep going.”
“I’m not hitting my paces. This sucks.”
“I can’t breathe. I need to stop.”
That’s just your mind playing tricks on you. Because your body doesn’t enjoy the physical sensations of what you’re putting it through, your brain tries to get you to stop.
Although this negativity will happen, you don’t have to believe the negative thoughts. Talk back to yourself!
If you think, “I can’t keep going.”
Respond with, “I’m going to finish this interval.”
If you think, “I’m not hitting my paces. This sucks.”
Respond with, “Give it your best effort, right now.”
5. Pick a spot to run to.
Sometimes it can be hard to convince yourself to keep moving when your legs are on fire and you feel like you can’t breathe. Instead of looking at the time left on your watch (which seems to last an eternity) pick a spot off in the distance. Maybe it’s a tree, a street sign, or a house.
Commit to getting to that spot before you stop. Then, once you get to that spot, pick another spot a little further down the way. By the time you look down at your watch, the interval will be over.
TIP: This is also a great technique to use during a race as well. It works well because it allows us to shift from an internal perspective (hurt, pain, struggle) to external focus (surroundings, environment).
6. Take a break.
Although it might sound counterintuitive, you can take a break during a hard run. Now there are certain workouts that require a specific rest period in order to achieve a desired physiological response. But, on the whole, it’s ok to take a short break during a hard run workout.
Instead of thinking of it as a hard stop, view it as a reset. Use it to shake things out, reset your form, pour cold water over your head, and get your mind right. Just because you rest for 60-90 seconds, do you think the physiological adaptation from your run stops immediately? That’s not how science works.
The most important part of these interval style runs is being able to run the hard periods at the right intensity. So if you can’t do that, take more rest.
7. Don’t overcook your rest intervals.
It’s easy to fall victim to running your rest intervals at a moderate pace, just to keep your average pace up. But that defeats the entire purpose of an interval run.
Sure, if you’re doing a steady state run, keep an eye on your average pace. But if you’re doing short, intense efforts, there needs to be rest periods of easy running in between.
The most common mistake triathletes, and runners, make is not running hard enough and not running easy enough. This follows the 80/20 principle. Research has shown that the most effective way to improve as an athlete is to have 80% of your weekly training be at low intensity and 20% at high intensity.
All too often, athletes don’t run easy enough on their easy days. Then, when a hard workout rolls around, they can’t execute it as intended. This causes athletes to stay in the dreaded gray zone. You don’t get any slower, but you don’t get any faster either.
I hope you’ve enjoyed these tips to make hard bike and run workouts feel just a bit easier. Try out a few during your next workout and let me know what you think!
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