6 Min Indoor Cycling Routine feat Dax J 'The Wonk'

Power 90 Intervals are as the name suggests a longer interval that runs for 90 seconds. We are probing that edge where aerobic power systems are shutting down and anaerobic power kicks in. This drill is inspired by 'The Wonk' a 6 min riding soundscape that is about as high-octane as it gets. "The low-end is savage and ever-present, the hi-hats and snares give it even more pace and that title? Well that refers to the alien-melody that wavers in-and-out of focus like some sort of mutant laser.This is not only techno music that we can see Klock dropping at the Berghain, but also techno that's going to take Dax J to same dizzy-heights as the genre's current flag-bearer."

The Power element refers to the level of effort expended. If you regularly do an FTP test we will run the intervals at +90% of your 20 min FTP average watts. The pace is brisk to fast - I suggest >85 RPMs. For RPE lead class the big idea is that if you can easily blow away 110 RPM on any segment - you are not adding enough resistance! 🙂

The second element to this drill is the idea of "Negative Splits." (My full post on this here). The basic idea is we back load the harder effort on the interval work pieces to the second half of each interval. A negative split or the action of negative splitting is a strategy that involves completing the second half of a race (row,swim,run) faster than the first half. In an indoor cycling class my way of looking at this is that we complete intervals or repeats at higher watt's in the second half of the interval then the first half (via RPM increase and/or resistance increases). ​

​So - here we go. 6 min drill. Three 90 sec seated power intervals with partial recovery 30 sec standing "active recovery." Add into this the negative split. That is we will break the 90 second interval into two stages. The first 45 seconds we "hold back" a bit. That is not to say we are dogging it. RPE "hard" and is between 7~8 for the first 45 ticks... we then up the level of difficulty to "harder" in the second half to 8~9 out of 10.

To do this we can hold the RPM steady and increase the resistance a little or hold resistance and increase RPM a bit. Either or and both. The effect is that the average watt's will increase in the second half of the 90s interval. And overall a more balanced power production over the 3 intervals.

So putting this all together here is your 6 min Power 90's with Negative Splits​

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