Aero Base Builder Vol.16
80 minutes in duration
Click
Here to View a Segment of Aero Base Builder 16.0
IMPORTANT:
Before beginning
any exercise make sure you have taken the necessary
health precautions regarding your current physical
conditioning. Make
sure you have plenty of some type of liquid with which
to hydrate, whether it be water or your favorite
nutritional drink. I highly recommend a nutritional
drink. Most of your popular brands on the market are
great. Find one that suits your taste. I also suggest
drinking about every 5 minutes during your rides.
NOTE:
After reading this review, if you are unfamiliar with
any of the terminology or the design of the Spinervals
workouts, please read our introductory article on the
Spinervals training system: Getting
to Know Your Spinervals DVD.
The Aero Base Builder series of
DVD’s (16.0, 17.0, 18.0, 21.0 and 25.0 (a 2 hour and
20 minute compilation of the first four) were designed
to fit into your pre or post-season training with the
emphasis placed on maintaining a lower, aerobic heart
rate while pedaling at a higher cadence. However, there
is no reason you could not include these base-building
DVD’s as part of your regular season training as well.
The DVD takes place in Walters
Art Museum in Baltimore Maryland with a crew of 9
individuals including triathletes – pro and age group,
cyclists and personal trainers.
The Workout for Aero Base
Builder 16.0:
The Warm-up:
The workout begins like most
Spinerval workouts with a warm-up set consisting of 3 x
30 second pick-ups with 30 seconds rest between each.
This set is designed to warm-up the legs and get the
heart rate pumpin’ just a bit! But not too much!
Remember this an aerobic base-building workout.
After the warm-up, you will then take about a 90 second
break (while still spinning in an easy gear) as Troy
explains the main and upcoming set.
Remember, as in all of the
Spinervals workouts, Coach Troy is with you every step
of the way. He explains each upcoming set and segment
prior to you beginning. He prepares you for the start of
each set up to the point where he states:
“ready…begin!” He keeps you motivated throughout
the entire set and finally, let’s you know when its
time to take a break!
Set # 1 (Main Set):
The main set of this DVD is an
excellent one! Below is the set in the correct order
- Segment # 1 – Ideal gear for this set: Big
Ring in the front and the 15
tooth cog in the back: 4 x 5 minutes aerobic riding with one minute
of easy spinning between each (ride five minutes,
rest/easy spin for a minute, ride 5 minutes,
rest/easy spin for a minute, and so on…do this set
four times) then rest 90 seconds prior to moving
on to the next portion…
- Segment # 2 - Shift to an easier gear while in
the Big Ring: 4
x 4 minutes aerobic riding with 45 seconds of easy
spinning between each in an easier gear (ride 4
minutes, rest/easy spin for 45 seconds, ride four
minutes, rest/easy spin for 45 seconds and so
on…do this set 4 times) then rest 90 seconds
prior to moving on to the next portion…
- Segment # 3 Shift to an easier gear while in
the Big Ring: 4
x 3 minutes aerobic riding with 30 seconds easy
spinning between each
(ride three minutes, rest/easy spin for 30
seconds, ride three minutes, rest/easy spin for 30
seconds and so on…do this set 4 times) then
rest 90 seconds prior to moving on the last portion
of this set…
- Segment # 4 – Ideal gear for this set: Small
Ring in the front and 15
tooth cog in the back: 4 x 2 minutes with 15 seconds rest between each
(ride 2 minutes, rest/easy spin for 15 seconds,
ride 2 minutes, rest/easy spin 15 seconds and so
on…do this set four times) then rest 90
seconds
After a brief cool-down, Troy
introduces the last set of the workout…
Workout Set # 2
3 x 30 second builds (10 seconds
at 80% effort, 10 seconds at 90% effort, 10 seconds at a
pretty hard effort). Do this set three times with 30
seconds rest between each.
Warm down – easy spinning for
the remaining 2-3 minutes of the DVD.
As you progress through each
segment of the main set, you will be riding in an easier
gear. Segments
#1 and #4 should be the same for everyone, for
despite the set up of your rear cassette, we all should
have a 15 toothed cog. However, the particular gears you
choose for Segments #2 and #3 may differ with
each rider depending upon your specific set up. The rear
cluster set-up referred to in most of the Spinervals
DVD’s is a 12 – 25 based on 9 gears or 9 cogs (12,
13, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25).
NOTE: Remember each number represents the number of teeth
on each cog.
However, this may differ with
each individual. For example, I live in an extremely
flat area of the country so the set up of my rear
cassette on my bike is a straight shot: 12, 13, 14, 15,
16, 17, 18, 19, 21. I don’t think I have ever used the
21st gear and spend most of my time riding in
16 and 17. Consequently, the set up on my trainer bike
(the extra bike I use on my stationary trainer) is a
straight shot as well: 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. As
you notice, I only have 7 gears on my trainer bike so
during Segments #2 and #3 during this particular
workout, I ride in the 16 and 17 toothed cog
respectively.
And that’s ok!
There are no hard and fast rules
as to which gears you choose during these workouts. They
key is that you keep your heart rate within your aerobic
zone while maintaining a higher cadence. If you are able
to follow along with the DVD exactly, terrific! However,
if you cannot, and find yourself needing to shift to
easier gears, that is fine as well.
Important
Notes
This is an aerobic workout. And
as Troy will point out throughout the DVD, the idea is
to STAY in your aerobic heart rate zone (about 10
beats below your Lactate Threshold) throughout the ride,
even if it means riding at an easier pace, in an easier
gear or at an easier resistance on your stationary
trainer. That is why a heart monitor is essential to the
success of this type of workout. And by aerobic, we
mean, erring towards the “easy” side of your effort
vs. a hard effort.
(for more on aerobic training
and heart rate training see our article: Follow Your
Heart)
It is important you try and
determine your aerobic heart rate zone. There are
several books on the market that will tell you how to do
this. I typically subscribe to the 180-Method Heart Rate
Training. And in doing so, I try and keep my heart rate
within my specific zone. You can read more about this
method in our article, Follow Your Heart. This article
will help you determine your aerobic heart rate zone.
*Cautionary Note
Throughout the entire set and
specifically the last two segments of the main workout (Segment
#3 and Segment #4) you will be pedaling at a cadence
higher than perhaps you are used to. And you will be
asked to stand out of the saddle while pedaling at
various times throughout these segments. Simply hoping
up and out of the saddle, standing and pedaling at a
high cadence could cause some undue stress to your
knees. Initially, when standing and pedaling, be very
careful. When instructed to stand, slow your cadence
down just a bit. Then as you become comfortable you can
begin to pick up you pace.
For more information on
Spinervals visit the Spinervals website at www.spinervals.com
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