By Hunter Allen
There is much discussion about “Polarized” training and traditional training across all the training zones, which includes a large amount in the Tempo (76-91% of FTP) and Sweetspot (88-93% of FTP) zones. If you are below 35 years old and a Pro or a category one racer, you can stop reading here. Or if you are a Masters rider from 35-45 years old and you legitimately have a shot at winning masters nationals this year, you can stop reading here. Polarized training might be for you. HOWEVER, for the rest of us…..POLARIZED training is NOT for you.
First off, what is polarized training? Polarized training is a way of distributing your training in two polar opposite intensities. You are either riding very slowly at endurance pace for long periods of time OR you are riding very intensely at your FTP, VO2 or Anaerobic Capacity zones. There is no “in-between” riding. You go easy and slow or you go like a manic and kill every interval. This distribution is generally 70-80% at lower intensity and 20-30% at high intensity. This concept was introduced and promoted by Dr. Stephen Seiler, who is a well-known exercise physiologist. There IS a lot of good research that proves that this approach to training does work and works well.
Secondly, what’s the opposing training method? I will call this the “traditional” method of distributing intensity more evenly across all the intensities which include a big part of the training in the “in-between” intensities. This “in-between” is a “no-go zone” for the polarized training advocates. The tradition method of training includes riding at endurance pace, tempo pace and the higher intensities as well, but takes a more equalized approach to training. This distribution would look like the traditional bell curve, 10% Recovery, 25% Endurance, 35% Tempo, 15% FTP, 10% VO2, 5% Anaerobic and Neuromuscular power. Which means that the majority of your training is done in the tempo zone, which equates to 76-91% of your FTP. The “sweetspot” intensity is 88-93% of FTP and blends the upper end of Tempo and the lower end of FTP, crossing both zones. In the traditional method, you will want to spend a good portion of your training at “sweet spot” as well. There IS a lot of good research that this approach to training works and works well.
So….why do you want to avoid the “polarized” training method? Because. It’s. Not. Fun.
Yup, that’s it. It’s not much fun. Not because it doesn’t work or isn’t well thought out. It’s just not fun. Let’s face it, you do this because it’s fun. If it wasn’t fun, you’d do something else like golf or bowling or backgammon. With the polarized method, you drone along for hours (do you have 3-4 hours a day to train???) at a low intensity, and let’s say that equates to riding at 14-16mph for 3-4 hours. It’s boring. And if you are stuck inside???? Who wants to sit on their trainer and spin their legs for 3-4 hours. Plus, for most of us, we would just lose fitness as it’s not intense enough to create any meaningful training stress. When you are not being bored out of your mind, you are going to do intervals as hard as you can. All the rest of the time. ALL.THE.REST.OF.THE.TIME. So, you are suffering like a dog, legs are burning, heart rate is maxed, you are breathing at your limit and negotiating with yourself every 15 seconds to just convince yourself to finish the interval. “Come on, dammit, you can do this. One more minute. Come on…” and you have to do that for hours. So, unless you met the requirements in the first paragraph, then seriously, polarized training is not for you. For us working stiffs, it’s just too hard, not fun and sucks all the fun out of cycling after about a week of trying to do it.
What to do instead? Do the traditional method of training. Spend more time at tempo and sweet spot, which will also create enough training stress to keep you fit on your limited budget of 10-12 hours a week of training and those intensities are “do-able”. Yes, you must focus and stay in the “present” to keep the pressure on the pedals, but you will not be suffering like a shaggy dog in the swamps of Louisiana in August. You still will do some high intensity work of course because you need that, but we’ll limit it so that it doesn’t make your training life a hell of suffering. You’ll do some longer endurance rides on the weekend when you get out in good weather, but it will have peppered in some sweet spot, some tempo, some FTP, some sprints and more and you’ll come home tired and satisfied. With the traditional method, you’ll still enjoy training, with a good variety of workouts and plenty of work at your “sweet spot” to keep your FTP up and continue pushing it forward.
When you use the traditional method, you maintain your fitness at a higher level throughout the year as well. This is important and desirable. Most riders over 35 do not have time to lose fitness as it takes too long to gain that fitness back, so it’s better to maintain a higher level of fitness all the time and then punch it up to a peak when you want one. When you are 60 years young and your CTL drops from 80 down to 50, it’s a long fight for months to get it back to 80! Keeping your fitness at 90% of your absolute best is a great way to enjoy cycling, always be in the group with your friends and then with just 8 weeks of focus, you can bump up that last 10% to a peak.
Most importantly, with the traditional method of distributing the intensity, you’ll have fun. Since you’ll be having fun, you’ll stick with it longer and you’ll reach an even higher peak than doing the “polarized” method for 2-3months and quitting.
Hunter Allen is the co-author of “Training and Racing with a Power Meter, co-developer of TrainingPeaks WKO+ Software, and is the CEO and Founder of the Peaks Coaching Group. Along with coaching, directing power training camps, he consults with athletes and coaches around the world to help make them even better. Check out www.PeaksCoachingGroup.com Hunter also has online training programs available at TRAINING PLANS Archives – Shop Peaks Coaching Group You can follow him on his Instagram page as well. Peaks Coaching Group (@peakscoachinggroup) • Instagram photos and videos