Interval Training on E-Bikes: A Complete Guide to Maximizing Your Fitness Gains
Interval training is a type of exercise that alternates between short bursts of high-intensity effort and longer periods of lower-intensity recovery. It can improve your cardiovascular fitness, metabolism, speed, endurance, and power, as well as help you burn more calories and lose weight. E-bikes are electric bikes that provide pedal assistance to make cycling easier and more enjoyable. They can also enhance your interval training by allowing you to adjust the resistance and power levels, tackle challenging terrains, and vary your speed and intensity. In this article, I will explain how to do interval training on e-bikes, what are the benefits, and what are some tips and resources to help you get started. Let’s begin.
How to do interval training on e-bikes
To do interval training on e-bikes, you will need to follow these steps:
- Choose an e-bike that suits your preferences and goals. There are different types and styles of e-bikes, such as city, mountain, road, or hybrid. You can also consider the speed, range, battery life, and features of the e-bike, such as the display, controls, and sensors.
- Choose a route or a program that offers varied terrain and elevation. You can use a map, a GPS, or a preset program to select a route or a program that simulates hills, flats, and curves. This will make your interval training more challenging and interesting.
- Choose a level of electric assistance that matches your fitness level and desired intensity. You can use a button or a screen to change the power setting of the e-bike motor. The lower the power, the more effort you will need to pedal. The higher the power, the more assistance you will get from the motor.
- Choose a type and duration of interval training that fits your goals and abilities. There are different types of interval training, such as VO2 max, billats, tabata, and fartlek. Each one has its own benefits and challenges, and you can choose the one that suits your goals and fitness level. For example, VO2 max intervals are designed to improve your maximal oxygen uptake and endurance capacity, while billats are short but intense intervals that can boost your power and speed. You can also decide how long and how often you want to do interval training, depending on your schedule and recovery.
- Warm up for 10 to 15 minutes at a moderate pace. This will prepare your body and mind for the high-intensity intervals. You can also do some dynamic stretches, such as leg swings, arm circles, and shoulder rolls, to loosen up your muscles and joints.
- Perform one or more sets of high-intensity intervals, separated by low-intensity recovery periods. For example, you can do four sets of eight minutes at 90% to 95% of your maximum power output (FTP), followed by four minutes at 60% to 70% FTP. Rest for one minute between each set. You can use a timer, a monitor, or a feel-based scale to track your speed and intensity. You should aim to push yourself beyond your comfort zone during the high-intensity intervals, but not to the point of exhaustion or injury.
- Cool down for 10 to 15 minutes at a low intensity. This will help you lower your heart rate, relax your muscles, and prevent soreness and stiffness. You can also do some static stretches, such as hamstring, quad, and calf stretches, to improve your flexibility and range of motion.
Benefits of interval training on e-bikes
Interval training on e-bikes can offer you many benefits, such as:
Improved cardiovascular fitness:
Interval training can strengthen your heart and lungs, improve your blood flow and oxygen delivery, and lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. This can reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes, as well as improve your quality of life.
Increased metabolism:
Interval training can boost your metabolism, both during and after the workout. This means you can burn more calories and fat, even when you are resting. This can help you lose weight, maintain a healthy body composition, and prevent obesity-related diseases.
Enhanced performance and endurance:
Interval training can improve your cycling speed, power, and efficiency, by training your muscles and nervous system to contract quickly and forcefully. This can help you cycle faster, longer, and harder, which can boost your confidence and enjoyment.
Variety and challenge:
Interval training can make cycling more fun and challenging, by varying the intensity, duration, and frequency of your workouts. You can also try different types of intervals, such as power-based, heart rate-based, or feel-based. This can keep you motivated, prevent boredom and plateaus, and help you overcome mental and physical barriers.
Tips and resources for interval training on e-bikes
Here are some tips and resources to help you get the most out of your interval training on e-bikes:
Start slowly and gradually:
If you are new to interval training or e-biking, start with a low level of electric assistance, a short duration of intervals, and a long duration of recovery. As you get more comfortable and fit, you can increase the level of electric assistance, the duration of intervals, and the number of sets, and decrease the duration of recovery .
Be consistent and flexible:
To see the best results, you should aim to do interval training on e-bikes at least once or twice a week, on non-consecutive days, and complement it with other types of exercise, such as strength training, core training, and flexibility training. However, you should also listen to your body and adjust your workout plan according to your energy, mood, and recovery .
Have fun and enjoy:
Interval training on e-bikes can be a fun and enjoyable way to exercise and improve your health and fitness. You can make it more fun by choosing a scenic route, listening to music, or cycling with a friend or a group. You can also reward yourself with a healthy snack, a massage, or a nap after your workout.
Research and Studies
- A study by Peterman et al. (2021) compared the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on e-bikes and conventional bikes on cardiorespiratory fitness, body composition, and blood pressure in healthy adults. The study found that both types of bikes improved these outcomes, but e-bikes had a greater effect on cardiorespiratory fitness and systolic blood pressure.
- A study by Schröder et al. (2020) examined the effects of e-bike commuting on physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness, and metabolic health in inactive adults. The study found that e-bike commuting increased physical activity, improved cardiorespiratory fitness, and reduced body fat and blood glucose levels.
- A study by Louis et al. (2012) investigated the effects of sprint interval training (SIT) on e-bikes and conventional bikes on aerobic and anaerobic performance in trained cyclists. The study found that both types of bikes improved these outcomes, but e-bikes had a greater effect on peak power output and anaerobic capacity
Does interval training improve speed?
Yes, interval training can improve speed by training your muscles and nervous system to contract quickly and forcefully. Interval training also increases your anaerobic capacity, which allows you to sustain high-intensity efforts for longer. Interval training can be done on a bike, a treadmill, a track, or any other surface that allows you to vary your speed and intensity. To do interval training, you need to alternate between short bursts of hard work and longer periods of easy recovery.
For example, you can sprint for 30 seconds and jog for 60 seconds, repeating this cycle for 10 to 20 minutes. You can also adjust the duration, frequency, and intensity of your intervals to suit your goals and fitness level.
Interval training can help you improve your speed for various sports and activities, such as running, cycling, soccer, basketball, and more. Interval training can also boost your metabolism, burn more calories, and improve your cardiovascular health. If you want to learn more about interval training and how it can improve your speed, you can check out some of the web search results that I found for you.
What are the 3 types of interval training?
There are many types of interval training, but they can be grouped into three main categories based on the intensity and duration of the work intervals:
- High-intensity interval training (HIIT): This type of interval training involves short bursts of very hard exercise (80% to 95% of maximum heart rate) followed by longer periods of easy recovery (40% to 50% of maximum heart rate). The work intervals typically last from 10 seconds to 4 minutes, and the recovery intervals last from 30 seconds to 4 minutes. The total duration of a HIIT session is usually 20 to 30 minutes. HIIT can improve your aerobic and anaerobic fitness, metabolism, and fat burning.
- Moderate-intensity interval training (MIIT): This type of interval training involves longer periods of moderately hard exercise (60% to 80% of maximum heart rate) interspersed with shorter periods of easy recovery (40% to 50% of maximum heart rate). The work intervals typically last from 2 to 10 minutes, and the recovery intervals last from 1 to 5 minutes. The total duration of a MIIT session is usually 30 to 60 minutes. MIIT can improve your endurance, cardiovascular health, and blood sugar control.
- Low-intensity interval training (LIIT): This type of interval training involves longer periods of low-intensity exercise (40% to 60% of maximum heart rate) alternated with shorter periods of moderate-intensity exercise (60% to 80% of maximum heart rate). The work intervals typically last from 5 to 20 minutes, and the recovery intervals last from 2 to 10 minutes. The total duration of a LIIT session is usually 60 to 90 minutes. LIIT can improve your aerobic capacity, muscle strength, and joint mobility.
