POL Concept 2 erging

Training
1

I notice a fair number of C2 ergs in the pain caves. I use the C2 almost exclusively from mid-September to early February when I compete in my only 2k event of the erg season in Canada. The power numbers on the erg almost exactly match my power numbers on the bike. I have used this winter training approach for approximately 20 years. I have used the Wolverine plan and the Interactive on-line training plan in the past and also some home brewed plans. I tend to do too much threshold work, peak in December and hold on through January. My results every year tend to decline with age and not so much the plan I use.

This year I plan on applying the POL principles to my erg planning hoping to avoid an early peak and see how the additional aerobic work pans out in my one race result. I will use the 30s/15s intervals one day a week and the 4x 2000m (7 mins or so) intervals another day. My bike ftp was around 280 Watts at its peak in the late spring of 2018.

I’m thinking I should do the 30s/15s (3x12 with 3 min RI between sets) at 1:44 pace or 310 watts and the 4 x 2000m at 1:52 pace or 250 watts (high end of Z2). I will increase the pace as my fitness improves. I am currently totally aerobic doing a 15 minute warm up ( with 3 sets of 10 max pulls near the end of the WU) and then 3 x 20 min (3 min RI) at 2:02 pace or 195 watts with an avg HR of 125 (max 165). About 8 hours/week with additional time on the bike at 150 watts of 3/4 hours per week just to spin the legs.

Any POLers or ERGers with thoughts on this plan? My goal is simply to try to produce my best result at the race in February and get some feelings of accomplishment from the training.

Thanks

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2

Check out the following video - a lot of good interval ideas included.

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That was very appropriate and timely.

Thanks

4

Great ERG numbers!

I to have noticed the number of C2’s floating around paincave photos and am interested to know how much crossover there is between the TR approach to indoor trainers and the application of that philosophy to a C2.

I am going to be working my way through Petes Plan this winter along with SSB low volume. The C2 will play 2nd fiddle to the cycling it terms of anything getting dropped timewise, but I would still like to be sub7 2k by the time it is back to riding outdoors.

5

My plan for this winter is to polarize the C2 training and do strictly endurance on the bike with some tempo spurts during Zwift group rides.

Planing a 4 month C2 training program this winter. My version of polarization (3 Zone model) this year will be Z1 for the first month. Z1 (80%) and low Z2 (20%) in the second month. Z1 (80%) and high Z2 (20%) in the third month and finally Z1 (90%) and Z3/VO2max (10%) the final month with little to no taper. Bike training will be secondary.

I thought the Peter Pan got too intense too quickly the one year I tried it.

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I will let you know about the intensity mix between Petes Plan and SSB LV. Good luck over the winter.

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