The Need for Speed

A few weeks ago, I did a playlist of just sprints. Now, most people do sprints incorrectly. It is very easy to go like a bat out of hell on a spinning bike. Usually this involves little resistance and out of control cadence. On the contrary, a true sprint is very controlled, short, and has resistance. The point of sprinting, even on a flat surface, is to move your bike as far as possible as fast as possible. That means you would want your bike in a high gear so that every pedal stroke is moving that bike as far as it can go. You can spin and spin your wheels in a low gear and get no where. A true sprint is also about 10-20 seconds and no more than 30. The muscles and energy system that your body uses to go "all out" can only last that long. Anything else isn't at your max for the entire time. If done correctly, doing a true sprint workout is extremely difficult and you may find yourself needing more recovery time than usual. Studies have shown you can even have a slightly raised metabolism for 24-48 hours afterwards.
Make sure resistance is heavy, not the most you can move, but you may need a little jump at the beginning to get over the gear. Too little and you will bounce in the saddle which can be bad for your joints. Each sprint song is designed for you to go fast when the music speeds up. In between is a song of recovery, so your heart rate can fall just a bit and you can gather strength for the next sprint.

Get ready to rev up those engines....

Sprints (50 minutes)

1.When Love Takes Over- David Guetta (warm up)
2. Every Little Thing She Does is Magic- The Police (sprints)
3. Hot N Cold- Katy Perry (recovery)
4. Check Yes Juliet- We the Kings (sprints)
5. My Life Would Suck Without You- Kelly Clarkson (recovery)
6. Face Down- The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus (sprints)
7. You Can't Always Get What You Want...-The Rolling Stones (climb)
8. Pump It Up- Elvis Costello (sprints)
9. When Did Your Heart Go Missing?- Rooney (recovery)
10. Ocean Avenue- Yellowcard (sprints)
11. Simply Irresistible- Robert Palmer (recovery)
12. 99 Red Balloons- Goldfinger (sprints)
13. Come On Get Higher- Matt Nathanson (cool down)

Portia

I was in Northern Wisconsin for a few weeks and got the opportunity to ride my bike outside in the woods. That is where I prefer to ride, down here it is too busy, too urban and I’m too chicken. I don’t like traffic and I like hills, both things are how I like it in Wisconsin. It is meditative and healing for me to be there, and riding in the early morning by myself is like going to church (but a much better workout). I was comparing my real ride to spinning and was struck by both the differences and similarities they have.


The Tour is on if you didn’t know. The Tour De France. That really BIG bikerace in Europe. I cannot think of a more challenging event on the planet both physically and mentally. As I learned while doing my wimpy 20 mile rides, cycling is about suffering. Rarely are you not in some state of discomfort. I can only imagine riding your bike up a mountain. I have watched a bit of the Tour, which may seem boring at first but once you start to learn about the riders and the stragedy and the history, it is actually quite exciting. I’ve watched the riders move with their bikes, their whole body moving in rhythm, not just their legs. They are not listening to music like we do in spinning (don’t do that on the road by the way, TOO dangerous) but they are moving at a beat regardless. It is quite beautiful to watch. The French actually call it “dancing on your pedals” when a rider gets out of the saddle. They are one with the bike, moving together.

I felt that alone in the woods in Wisconsin. This week’s playlist is supposed to mimic that a bit. It is basically all in the heavy resistance range, because you are always pushing it on the road, and also designed to use the beat of the music to gauge cadence. I told my students they should always feel a slight burn in their legs, the good kind of burn. It feels like you are working but can keep going. Occasionally it gets tougher but it never lets up.

By popular request …

Slow Burn Summer 2010 (52 minutes)

1. Cooler Than Me- Mike Posner (warm up)
2. Waka Waka- Shakira (run resistance 5-6)
3. Getting’ Over You- David Guetta & Chris Willis (run resistance 6-8)
4. California Gurls- Katy Perry (run resistance 7-8)
5. Dynamite- Taio Cruz (climb resistance 7-9)
6. Kiss ‘n’ Tell- Ke$ha (run resistance 6-7)
7. On the Dancefloor- David Guetta (resistance 7-9)
8. Wavin’Flag- K’naan (climb resistance 8-10)
9. Club Can’t Handle Me- Flo Rida (run resistance 7-9)
10. Uprising- Muse (seated climb resistance 8-9)
11. You Make the Rain Fall- Kevin Rudolf & Flo Rida (run resistance 6-8)
12. Beautiful Monster- Ne-Yo (run resistance 7-8)
13. Alright- Pitbull (run resistance 7-9)
14. Ridin' Solo- Jason Derulo (cool down)

Have a good ride!

Portia