Watts Doc

podcast

Podcast

Empirical

This episode takes a cue from Kolie's recent webinar on balancing aerobic and anaerobic training (linked in show notes) and delves deeper into the temptations of training to a metric or fitness test. We deconstruct some common FTP tests and metrics like FTP, FRC or W', and VLamax, and their interpretations and over-interpretations. Most of the discussion is about what drives these metrics, the pitfalls therein, and if you're actually getting less fit when they shift.

Ten Minute Tips #18: Metrics Are Not Fitness

This is an in-depth discussion on weight loss diets for endurance athletes, with Dr. Namrita Brooke. The conversation includes guidelines on finding your starting point and how to adjust energy intake, avoiding crash diets, performance expectations and markers when dieting, the effect of off-bike activity, and reasonable loss rates. We also discuss energy balance vs hormones, demonizing food groups and the role of each macronutrient, the best times of year to lose weight, and your listener questions on diet aids, recomp diets, calorie estimates from wearables, finding a good performance dietitian, and more.

Perspectives #23: Weight Loss Diets for Endurance Performance, with Namrita Brooke

This is an in depth discussion on the upsides and downsides of always training to raise FTP vs holding it longer. After defining terms, we discuss the training required, adaptation timelines, fatigue, long term development, plus coaching and event specific considerations. We also consider a few counterpoints for each kind of training, individual response and needs, whether or not this is an actual debate, and answer your listener questions.

Ten Minute Tips #35: Higher FTP vs Longer TTE

Whether you have a coach or are self-coached, leaving workout feedback helps to ensure you're getting the most out of your training plan and coaching. In this episode we discuss what kind of feedback to leave on what topics (like RPE, nutrition, sickness, sleep, etc), appropriate level of detail, and how we as coaches find it useful plus what we do with the information. We also answer your listener questions.

Ten Minute Tips #36: How To Leave Your Coach (or Yourself) Workout Feedback

We dig deep into a meta analysis' findings on the difference in muscular adaptations between training intensity and volume, especially what we can differentiate between continuous moderate intensity, HIIT, and sprint interval training. We also discuss the paper's findings on one aspect of "mitochondrial function", bullet point some practical takeaways, and answer your listener questions.

Watts Doc #49: Endurance Intensity and Volume

In this episode we recap the big lessons from the last Watts Doc episode and revisit pacing endurance rides in terms of RPE, power, and heart rate, and finding that first threshold. Then we spend a long while considering how to program endurance rides into low, medium, and high volume weeks which we roughly block into <10h, about 15h, and >20h and the considerations we have for each scenario. Then we answer your listener questions on HR zones, the talk test, fueling endurance rides, cadence, whether you should do the occasional high volume week when the opportunity arises, and more.

Ten Minute Tips #37: Pacing And Programming Endurance Rides

For this episode, Kolie and CTS coach Adam Pulford made lists of their most impactful coaching mistakes, how they recognized them, and their fixes. Lists include high intensity, training zones, communication, and more, plus things still ongoing. Also discussed is what makes a good coach, as well as your listener questions on the best coaching mistakes, fatigue management, trusting your coaching clients, and more.

Perspectives #32: Coaching Mistakes, And What Makes A Good Coach

Professor Patrick Smith joins to discuss performance psychology, its role in cycling performance and everyday life, and some of the underlying themes and tools he uses in practice. We also discuss race nerves, negative spirals, some of the stigma around psychology in sports and overcoming it, defining the metrics of success, and more.

Perspectives #33: The Psychology Of Excellence

Kolie and Kyle take a deep dive into the pros and cons of the many FTP tests. "What is special about 60 minutes to the human body?"

What tests should certain people avoid? How hard is it to ride at your FTP? 20 and 60 minutes, 8 minutes, ramp test, and variable-duration FTP tests as discussed here: https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/the-physiology-of-ftp-and-new-testing-protocols/

FTP Testing

The Watts Doc #1: FTP Testing

Bad news, everyone. You're training too hard for crits. Kolie and Kyle uncover the physiology of what makes someone successful at criteriums, cyclocross, and other types of repeated sprint performances. It's probably not what you think.

You're Training Too Hard For Criteriums

The Watts Doc #2: Why You're Training Too Hard For Criteriums

Kolie and Kyle look at how duration and intensity play a role in FTP training and the significance of the canonical 2x20min FTP workout. The discussion touches on how to structure workouts beyond 2x20, workouts for the time crunched and those with abundant time, and how to adjust workouts to account for TTE.

The Watts Doc #3: Is There Anything Special About 2x20?

What do high intensity intervals, the original Tabata protocol, and a calcium leak have in common? Kolie and Kyle take a look at three scientific papers, what they might mean for you, and how to apply the conclusions to your training.

The Watts Doc #4: How High Intensity Interval Training Makes You Faster

This episode begins with the mind-muscle connection of neural drive before diving into research on doing strength and endurance training concurrently, and how they interfere with each other. We then look at how the latest scientific research provides training solutions.

The Watts Doc #5: Can You Lift Heavy While Endurance Training?

Oxygen is corrosive, but we need it for life and exercise. This episode looks at how free radicals are made in the body, their role in adaptation to endurance exercise, and the body's natural defense mechanisms.

Watts Doc #13: What's So Radical About Oxygen?

In this highly anticipated episode, a scientific paper and some metabolic logic show us a simple, effective way to make your FTP training better.

The Watts Doc #14: Effective FTP Training

In the first episode in a VO2max series, we take a deep dive into why VO2max power, or maximal aerobic power (MAP), is not a simple number that can be found in a simple test. We discuss the history, physiological, and methodological underpinnings of ramp tests and what makes them flawed, and what some people have done to try and account for these. Additional methods of MAP testing and tracking and their drawbacks are discussed. We conclude with some practical advice for ways to monitor improvements your own VO2max.

Watts Doc #18: Why Everything You Know About VO2max Power Is Probably Wrong

In the penultimate episode of the VO2max series, we dive deep into how the heart pumps and adapts, how this stress leads to increased VO2max, and why cyclists may not want to take training cues from cross-country skiing.

Watts Doc #22: The Fick Equation Part 2 - Heart Adaptations For VO2max

This episode is the focal point of the previous VO2max episodes. We take the physiology from the previous episodes and use it to find easy ways to improve the effectiveness of any VO2max interval set. Ways to change your cadence, interval times, rest times, and interval intensities are discussed. Then we take apart a Ronnestad study on 30/15s and put it in context of VO2max and other fitness adaptations. We conclude with a training philosophy discussion on the physiology of true long term VO2max improvements.​​

Watts Doc #23: Training Your VO2max, and Why Not Rønnestad 30/15 Intervals

This episode begins a series on metabolism with the process of oxidizing fatty acids for energy, and why the process is anaerobic. We also discuss fats vs lipids, different types of fatty acids, and take a deep dive into the periodic table to explain why oxygen loves electrons so much.

Watts Doc #29: Why Fat Oxidation Is Anaerobic

Do you want to know how training makes you faster? Listen in. Kolie is a leading expert in endurance, sprint, and strength training for cyclists. Kyle is a NASA scientist and national champion sprinter on the track.

Empirical Cycling is a coaching company specializing in individualized training plans for all cycling disciplines. If you like the podcast, please consider a donation at http://www.empiricalcycling.com/donate.html

Watts Doc #18: Why Everything You Know About VO2max Power Is Probably Wrong

Empirical Cycling Podcast