Pyramid power ride: progressive intervals for stamina

This session focuses on building endurance and power through pyramid intervals, where you'll increase and then decrease the duration of your high-intensity efforts. The key is to find a challenging but sustainable pace for each interval and maintain good form throughout.

Warm-up

Start with a gentle ride to wake up the muscles and prepare your cardiovascular system. Focus on smooth, circular pedaling and gradually increase your effort.

Workout

The main set consists of pyramid intervals, where you'll alternate between efforts at a higher intensity and recovery. The effort segments will get longer, then shorter, like a pyramid. For your effort segments, aim for a perceived exertion (RPE) of 7-8 out of 10. For recovery, bring your RPE down to 3-4.

Cool-down

Ease off the intensity gradually. Focus on bringing your heart rate down and gently stretching the major leg muscles. Keep pedaling lightly for the full cool-down duration.

Coaching notes

• Cadence and Resistance: For effort segments, you can vary between higher cadence (85-100 RPM) with moderate resistance or lower cadence (65-80 RPM) with higher resistance, depending on what feels most effective for you to hit your RPE target. During recovery, aim for a light resistance and a comfortable cadence (70-90 RPM).
• Perceived Exertion (RPE): This is your personal effort scale from 1 (sitting on the couch) to 10 (all-out sprint). Listen to your body and adjust resistance or cadence as needed to hit the target RPE for each phase.
• Breathing: During efforts, aim for controlled, deep breathing. Avoid holding your breath. During recovery, focus on regulating your breath and bringing your heart rate down.
• Hydration: Keep water readily available and sip throughout the workout.

Scale it

• Easier: Reduce the resistance during the effort intervals, or shorten the duration of the effort segments by 15-30 seconds. You can also extend the recovery periods by 30 seconds if needed.
• Harder: Increase the resistance during the effort intervals, or aim for a higher cadence within your target RPE. You can also shorten the recovery periods by 15-30 seconds, or add an extra round to the main set if you're feeling strong.