• 4min easy at 1.5% grade
• 3min easy at 1% grade
• 2min easy at 0.5% grade
• 1min easy at 0% grade

Grab your towel, fill your bottle, and buckle up!  Our one20percent co-founder Amanda Lau, Coach of Coaches @methodcycling and Instructor @theridebykeiser has curated an hour of high intensity suffering on the indoor bike trainer just for you.  This workout will challenge cyclists of all fitness levels and can be done on any indoor trainer or spin bike.   As Coach Amanda likes to say, “people, add a gear!”  #commanda

This program has 3 sets of intervals.  Complete all the intervals in each set before moving onto the next set.  Recovery is easy spin between each interval in each set, and between sets. Work to rest ratio should be 2 to 1, meaning no more than half of the total work time should be rest.  If the interval is 3 minutes, easy spin recovery should be no more than 1:30.

Total time, between 1 hour and 1:10, depending on amount of rest taken and warm-up/cool down time.

Coach Amanda gives intensity levels two ways – either as a percentage of FTP or using good old RPE (rate of perceived effort). If you know your FTP and ride with watts, use your percentage of FTP as indicated, otherwise go by RPE on a scale of 0-5, with 0 at rest; 1-2 easy intensity; 3 moderate; 4 hard and 5 is maximum effort.

Warm Up

10-15 min gradual build, varying cadence (RPM) and intensity.

Set 1:

 Repeat 3 times:

• 3 min seated at 90+ rpm at RPE 3 or power zone 76-90% of FTP
• 1:30 min easy spin recover 

Set 2:

Repeat 3 times:

• 2 min seated at 100rpm at RPE 4 or power zone at 91-105% of FTP
• 1 min standing at 70rpm at RPE 4 or power zone at 91-105% of FTP
• 1 min seated at 80rpm at RPE 4 or power zone at 91-105% of FTP
• 2 min easy spin recovery

Set 3:

Repeat 2 times:

• 4 min seated at 80rpm at RPE 4 or power zone 91%+ of FTP
• 1:30 min seated at 90+ rpm at RPE 5 or power zone 110%+ of FTP (all in!)
• 2:30 min easy spin recovery

Cool Down: 5 min at 90rpm easy spin recovery

Strength and Stability!

We round out this month’s newsletter with Part 1 of a new series on strength and stability from one20percent ambassador Gemma Slaughter, NASM-CPT, sub-3 hour marathoner and functional strength and conditioning trainer.  This month Gemma shares with us one of her favorite body-weight strength and stability exercises – the single leg deadlift into reverse lunge. 

Gemma combines two lower body exercises into one to improve coordination and balance and to strengthen the entire posterior chain – back, core, hamstrings and glutes.  We love this exercise and think you will too! 

SLDL (Single leg deadlift) into Reverse Lunge

Benefits:

• Improves coordination and balance through a unilateral (one side) hip hinging pattern
• strengthens your back, core, hamstrings and glutes (posterior chain)

 Cues:

• Start by standing on one leg
• hinge at your hips, ‘bowing’ towards the ground. Keep your trunk and pelvis parallel to the floor without rotation either side
• extend your opposite leg back and upward, while simultaneously reaching arms out and up (lining biceps to ears). Keep a slight bend to your standing leg knee
• return to your start position then flow smoothly into a reverse lunge on the same working leg
• try to return back to standing without placing your floating leg back to the ground
• during both movements, keep toes light, while maintaining contact of your big toe to the inside of your shoe. Apply pressure through your heel. Image you are gripping the ground using your big toe and heel while maintaining a ‘tri pod’ shape connection between big toe, pinky toe and heel. This will aid in balancing and in posterior muscle engagement
• Continue your repetitions on the same working leg before switching sides

Perform 5-15 reps each side, for 1-3 sets.

Gemma tells us not to get discouraged if it is difficult to remain on one leg the whole time.  Stabilization and balance take purposeful practice. 

She says that because this is two lower body exercises combined into one, it can be broken down into two parts.  Gemma suggests that if the whole exercise is challenging then start by performing just the SLDL reps on each side, then start again with the reverse lunges.

Our thanks to Gemma Slaughter for her expertise!  Learn more about Gemma’s training and personal one on one fitness programs at @gemmaslaughter and be sure to follow her fun and informative posts on social media.

R120 Natural Recovery Cream now available!

R120 is scientifically formulated and designed to reduce pain and discomfort with a blend of powerful analgesic and anti-inflammatory natural and essential oils.  Our proprietary blend of unique ingredients includes organic Copaiba Oil, organic Arnica Montana Flower Extract, natural Menthol, Magnesium Chloride, and organic Licorice Root Extract, all combined with luxurious Shea Butter and organic Sweet Almond Oil into a smooth, hydrating cream that delivers soothing warming and cooling comfort.

Don’t let chafing woes interfere with your training, indoors or outside! 

#protectyourbits with P120 and V120