# How trainable is 5s - 10s power?



## jared_j (Jun 11, 2009)

I have heard it asserted before that 5s power is not as 'trainable' as the longer duration metrics typically used (e.g. 5 min and 20 min W / kg). Is this correct? 

In the Coggan and Allen chart, I have a power profile that is very downward sloping to the left, e.g. I have relatively "better" 20 min and 5 min W / kg than 5s W / kg.

I have never trained for "sprinting" or explosiveness as a rider, and perceive it as a limiter for me?

How trainable is this power? My approach would be to throw in 'bursts' of 5 to 20 seconds in endurance and tempo rides, generously spaced out (at least a few minutes apart). Is this going to do me good? Or are the naysayers correct?


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## Ghost234 (Jun 1, 2010)

5-10s power is trainable. But it is a little different. 5-10s power generally comes from fast twitch muscles and is not really dependent on your endurance background. It can be common to see weight lifters have a really good sprint, but poor endurance. 


To train this power weight training can be very helpful in developing the force needed for those burst movements. Outside of that, doing 10-15 jumps in a heavy gear with about 1-2 mins rest between each will help. I find a slight incline can help.


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## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

Yes they are trainable; I have experienced this myself and expect to do so again later this year as that part of the training cycle comes around. 

"How much" they are trainable is the question you're really asking... and nobody can answer it except you, by doing it. 

Skeletal striated muscle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## Wookiebiker (Sep 5, 2005)

All aspects of your power profile are trainable...however you will have maximal outputs for each area (what ever your physical limitations are)...Regardless of whether it's 5 second power, 5 minute power or 1 hour power (FTP).

If you are trying to build 5-10 second power...Plyometrics are a good place to start. You can also look at add in 8-12 full on 10-20 second sprints during rides. Also weight lifting can help as well.

I know I've been doing some very minor, light weight lifting since last September in my living room and set 5 second power number PR's for myself back in December without even realizing it.

You can search for workouts, or if you have a coach talk to them.


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## chase196126 (Jan 4, 2008)

Sprinting is not something I have ever really "trained" for outside of local races. Some of the pro and cat 1 guys I train with do "standing start" style intervals. Basically pick a large gear and start from 2-3 mph and accelerate as hard as you can for 30-60 seconds. Another drill they do is riding in a fast paceline/motor pacing, and every 5 minutes or so they start a sprint at speed and work on producing power at a high cadence out of the saddle (they do this 5-10 times depending on the training schedule). I know Kyle Wamsley will sometimes ride local crits using only his little chain ring, which forces him to work on his ability to produce power at very high cadences. 

One thing that a lot people forget in training is that you will not be anywhere near fresh at the end of a race. You will be fighting for position and producing a large amount of power to be at the front, as well as having fatigue from the previous hours of a race. Try riding 1-3 minutes at a pace that you could hold for 5-10, and then launch your sprint. Your power may not be as high as it would be if you start fresh, but it is important to get used to this sensation so you are prepared for the end of a race. Every once and a while you might want to start your sprint intervals at the very end of a long ride so you have some fatigue built up. These type of intervals are not something you should do all the time because they will not allow you to produce the higher power that will aid in adaptation, but they are important if only to prepare you mentally for what a real life sprint will feel like and how to get yourself up to speed when you are totally exhausted. 

The same goes for training to break away. Every once and a while add in some in some intervals where you have to accelerate hard for the first 30-60 seconds and then settle into your normal power. Being able to recover and settle into a hard pace after a sharp acceleration will help massively if you want to break away and not have the entire field jump onto your wheel immediately.


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## jared_j (Jun 11, 2009)

Thank you all for thoughtful replies. Chase, thanks for the reminder to 'contextualize' sprint training.


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## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

Great reply Chase.


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## Nevermiss (Jun 7, 2011)

I started riding road bikes in Sept. and after 3 months of just riding, I decided to get a coach to help guide me, even though I only have about 6 hrs a week to train. About 2 months into my training, my coach had me work in 15 sec all out sprints at the beginning, middle and end of each of my tempo intervals for a couple weeks.

This DEFINITELY helped me in my first road race today.

I come from a fast twitch background and that also helped with sprinting power (1600 watts the first time I got on the bike) but I learned a lot in my first race today and there is SO much more to sprinting effectively in a race than my 5 sec power.


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## BBW (Jan 1, 2009)

Ghost234 said:


> 5-10s power is trainable. But it is a little different. 5-10s power generally comes from fast twitch muscles and is not really dependent on your endurance background. It can be common to see weight lifters have a really good sprint, but poor endurance.
> 
> 
> To train this power weight training can be very helpful in developing the force needed for those burst movements. Outside of that, doing 10-15 jumps in a heavy gear with about 1-2 mins rest between each will help. I find a slight incline can help.


+1 hit the nail in the head
That is basic power; from an energetic standpoint this is as anaerobic as it can be. The energy system used is known as ATP-PC or phosphocreatine.
As mentioned by Ghost234, How many fast twitch fibers you have (which is genetically predisposed) will be the upper limit to your availibility to produce power.
You should know that we have some "in between" fibers. They are fast BUT with a higher aerobic capacity than the "regular" fast ones. THOSE are the ones that are more trainable and can become "faster" (which means, increase the enzymes related to the energy production with high intensity/shorter duration bouts)
Explosive, short duration as said is the key to target those pathways :thumbsup:


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## stevesbike (Jun 3, 2002)

this helps:


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