When looking to lay out a plan for the year ahead a key feature for me is to make sure I get enough rest - not just days off but actually riding, running and rowing slow on easy days. Then on faster days doing higher intensity workouts as opposed to my usual Temp rides. This in general fits the Polarized model but as you will see though this series - and hear if you listen to some of the podcasts I will link to - The Polarized Method does not rule out the high end of Zone 2, in a three zone model or Zone 3, in a 5 Zone model, as that would simply be part of the 20% harder work. That said for me I am going to work to minimize that area, sometimes called the Grey Zone, as it is where I have been at for much of my training and it does not give me the rest I need or the high end efforts I also need.
Here is a short summary - as I see it - from what I have read and realize as in any plan there is nuance so some may have a slightly different view on each of these. Also, as I go through this I will look at some overall plans as well as more workouts that could be used in each plan. I will do the Polarized Model last as it is what I will be doing this year so will get fleshed out more in future posts.
Lets Start with Zones:
Zones can be tough to define but I am going to explain them as I have read from others and I will tend to use. First there is the 3 zone model with Dr. Seiler seems to like when thinking/studying about training in general as just makes it easy but a 5 Zone model, even a 6 Zone, can for some help to lay things out better for training, day in and day out. The key breaks in zones are often defined by the Lactate Threshold 1 (LT1) and Lactate Threshold 2 (LT2). In a 3 Zone model is Zone 1 is up to LT1 and then Zone 2 is between LT1 and LT2 and Zone 3 above LT2.
- Read here on Training Zones and Lactate Threshold to get an idea as to what it is. By the way there are ways to get these demarcations even if you do not have the ability to get actual Lactate Thresholds.
- This is a good one on Lactate and HR as well
For a short answer on LT1 and LT2 - LT1 is that first rise in lactate and is often seen as when blood lactate levels reach 2.0mM but it can vary. It can also be seen as when there is a physiological shift from - for lack of a better term - easy to needing more oxygen. Above LT1 may still feel relatively easy but you are entering what I would say for many - speaking to myself - the grey area as now you are heading to the LT2. I did a Sub-Max Lactate test on myself and for the test I went from 1.4 to 2.0 mM when HR went from 117 to 125 and power from 183 to 203. On my 1-5 RPE scale I was at 3 so makes sense.
LT2 is defined as the next rise in Lactate and usually seen at 4.0mM and the top end of Zone 2 on a 3 Zone plan and top of Zone 3 on a 5 Zone model. In my Sub-Max test it showed up at 129 HR and power of 239 when LT went from 3.4 to 5.4. Interesting though that my RPE was still at 3. I do think this would be a better number in a max test. Doing your own test is sort of messy and the harder you ride the harder it is to do the test so some error likely there. Even harder to do on your own running - have only done the bike test so far.
I have been using a Tymewear HR/Ventialtion monitor and did an initial Max test - need to do again. I will speak more on ventilation later on as a metric but this strap measures not only your HR but your ventilation and in the test uses that for your VT1 And VT2 - Ventilatory Threshold. Based on this test my VT1 (top of Zone 2) was 112HR and 189 Power and VT2 was 134HR and 269 Power so VT1 was close to LT1 and VT2 is likely more accurate than my Sub-Max test but still in there.
Hope that makes things as clear as mud. Bottom line the science is important to know but unless you have a way to track and cover all this stuff you have to use the tools you have which for most are HR and RPE - maybe ventilation later. In the case of RPE you want to be at an easy effort where you can hold a conversation for the majority of your work - so below LT1 and then it gets more nuanced. How much time you spend between LT1 and LT2 depends on you in many respects. As I have shared before I tended to live too much in the Zone between LT1 and LT2 and often closer to LT2 and thus do not get the maximum benefit and also do not get enough rest. Thus for me I am going to work to stay below LT1 on easy rides, runs and rows. Where I will play this a little different is in that Grey zone - for many that is called SweetSpot training - as I need to work more at efforts over LT2. This does not mean I won’t do a High Zone 3 (5 Zone model) but it will count for part of my 20% but want to do more Zone 4 and 5 as that seems to be where I lack.
OK back to the training models and modes and a quick view of them:
Pyramidal Training
Pyramidal Training and Polarized are very similar in many ways and at times I am sure they can look the same. The one difference I see - at least in how I will implement it - is with pyramidal you will likely have more Zone 2 than Zone 3 in a 3 zone model - however not the volume of Zone 2 as you find in Sweet Spot/Threshold Training. The communality is that both have a large portion of training in Zone 1 - again in a 3 Zone plan. For me, and I think many others, Zone 2 is what I see as the danger/grey zone. While if on the low end you may be good but the issue is, if you are like me, you will migrate to the top end of Zone 2 and it is here where for some you may get some great gains early but as you are not pushing the limits as needed you may not progress as you could. Also, for me Zone 2 gets me often to think I am not pushing “too” hard so am good to live there - but it is not so and loose the Low end training. I think in truth, as will look at next I likely have been doing SweetSpot/Threshold Training for themes part.
Sweet Spot/Threshold Training
In this model, or in some instances simply used as workouts themselves, you do get some easy rides and some harder VO2 max efforts but the majority of time is in Zone 2 of a 3 Zone model. This model is popular for those who seek to minimize time spent training and I will admit it will probably give great results early on. Where I think it finally does not deliver is you will eventually plateau as you will not have the Low end base training you really need and often miss the higher end work. Sure if you are short on time this gets some results but to be honest to progress as far as you can go you will need some volume - even if you periodize it. As with Pyramidal Training SweetSpot/Threshold can fit into a Polarized plan but only as part of it and for a time not long term.
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
I add this here as in truth HIIT, as with SweetSpot can be used in Polarized Training but is not the main thing. The attraction of HIIT is that it gets a high level of work in a short amount of time - as you will find in things like CrossFit. This is the allure of HIIT as it promises hard work, in a short amount of time, as well as results on a limited schedule. As it relates to Running and Riding an HIIT workout will likely be closer to, or above LT2, and thus in a Polarized System will make up part of the 20% of hard efforts one will do. I think filtering in SweetSpot and HIIT is a good idea when coupled with Low Intensity, below LT1, training. The one area to be careful of with HIIT is that often since the hard efforts are short one may think you need less rest but at the end of he day those short hard efforts add up and rest - as with any training modality - is required.
OFM Disruptive Periodization Training (DPT)
I am adding this as I work with OFM/Vespa and the OFM DPT works alongside becoming fat adapted and having metabolic capacity/flexibility. The advantage of being fat adapted is that when you do not solely rely on carbs for your energy and you move the needle up on fat oxidation rates you can do more work since less oxidative damage is done when not solely during carbs for your energy source. Thus this is part of my training as the work we do is not solely based on some workout pattern but working to improve ones metabolism to work to use all the files we were designed to use is just as important. So with OFM DPT we build in all the standard hard work-out modalities as well as what we call “Absorption” workouts that are easy runs, rides and other activities that allow the body to progress.
The Polarized Method:
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| 6 Zone Model |
The next step is to lay out the actual plan with workouts and such so as to plan for the major races ahead. For me this is a new one as I tend to be a “just do what I feel like doing” person and often get into a habit of looking at my running and riding as separate but need to see them as a whole and with adding in rowing need to do this even more so. Part 3 will start to focus on this aspect.
Here is the first part of this series - Training Plan - Part 1
Click on images for more information and if you want more info on OFM check out this post:
To order Vespa you can go here and use coupon code - tkonvalin15 - for 15% off.
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