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3 Leg-Strengthening Bike Intervals for Triathletes

Workout No. 2 - Big-Gear Endurance

You can incorporate this workout into a training ride on the road or indoor trainer.

  1. Warm up for 15 to 20 minutes.
  2. For the main set, complete five sets of five-minute efforts at a pace just below your 40K time trial pace. Remember this is not your best 40K bike leg in a triathlon, but the fastest speed you could sustain for about an hour on the bike.
  3. Keep your cadence between 60 and 75 rpms for the entire five minutes. Find a number you can comfortably maintain. 
  4. Follow each five-minute effort with a two-minute recovery, pedaling at 100 rpms or greater between sets.
  5. As these become easier, slowly increase the time of each set to a max of 10 minutes.
  6. Cool down for 15 to 20 minutes to finish your ride.

More: 4 Bike-Handling Drills for Triathletes

Workout No. 3 - Big-Gear Climbing*

This workout works best on a long climb of four to six miles. If you don't have access to any hills that are that long, find one that's at least a mile in length and do repeats.

  1. Warm up for 15 to 20 minutes before you begin the set.
  2. For the first mile, pedal uphill in your aerobars. Keep your cadence between 70 and 75 rpm. Your pace should not be all-out. Concentrate on an even effort for all four to six miles of climbing, keeping your heart rate or power just below your 40K time trial pace. 
  3. For the second mile, sit up from your aerobars and switch to a cadence that's between 90 and 100 rpm. Maintain the same heart rate and power output. 
  4. Alternate between these high and low cadences for each mile until you reach the top of the climb.
  5. Remember to generate your power, particularly while in your aerobars, in the hips and down through the legs with minimal upper-body movement.
  6. Spin easy in a cadence of 90 to 100 rpms on flat terrain for 15 to 20 minutes to cool down.

More: Ask A Coach: Are Power Meters Worth It?

*Though you aren't likely to have long, sustained climbs during a triathlon, practicing climbs is a great way to build leg strength.

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