By Scot Willingham.

@##=#<1,R>@##=#LSD

Long, slow, distance (LSD) training. What is that? LSD training emphasizes a recuperative, aerobically fueled riding style. By riding slowly and with minimal effort, the body won’t go beyond its 100% aerobic system where it works most efficiently.

Until there were portable HR monitors, aerobic training was done through feel or by using a fixed gear that required the legs to slow down on hills and spin out on downhills. Then came advances in the ultra-endurance sports training and the subsequent applications to cycling. One of the biggest changes is not the quantity of miles, but quality. While quality of training gets a lot of attention in discussions regarding intensity training, not much is said about the quality of the aerobic rides of LSD.

Why do LSD?

The basis of our energy systems is the aerobic system, work done using oxygen. We spend almost 80% of our day using this amazingly efficient system. The aerobic system produces 36 molecules of ATP per breakdown of one glucose molecule. No other energy system in the body comes close to this yield. Even when we go anaerobic, the aerobic system is still working. It’s a continuum of energy systems, not some line you cross and suddenly you are completely anaerobic.

Miraculous adaptations can occur if one works in their aerobic zone using LSD qualitatively. Capillary growth increases, the number of mitochondria increase, cell membranes become more elastic (meaning that in case of intercellular transfer, the membrane is more permeable). Extra-cellular fluid movement is improved.

And on a larger level, the fascia, tendons and muscle belly tissues have time to recover from your racing season. In the same way that a massage after racing relaxes and flushes out the tissue, LSD training can flush waste fluid out of the tissue through the light muscular pump. LSD can also lessen stress on joints allowing them to re-align.

Traditionally, racers will do long 80 to 125-mile rides without paying attention to the intensity. It is assumed that during that ride, some percentage of effort will use the aerobic system. What if you could maximize the time that you spend in aerobic intensity so that it is for the entire ride? That would be a huge increase in quality and a decrease in quantity. Instead of doing a 100 mile ride and 55% is of aerobic intensity, you would get 100% aerobic intensity for your entire ride and none of the “dead” time.

Whether you use a heart rate (HR) monitor or a power meter, they are perfect for maximizing your LSD rides. In LSD, you are looking for your body’s response to effort. A HR monitor is the inexpensive, low tech option, but records response not output as does a power meter. Since you are dealing with a much broader RANGE of numbers, instead of a smaller or more specific number in intensity work, the HR monitor is adequate. A power meter gives you more specific, immediate information that can further increase the attention and specificity of your rides.

But how do you qualitatively use LSD?

To maximize your LSD training, you want to be in your aerobic zone for the entire time you are on the bike.

Let’s look at an example: (this applies to both genders. I am using a male just for example)

A 25 year old rider has an aerobic HR zone of 140 to 155 or a complementary watts output, depending on your choice of bio-feedback. After a 15 minute warm-up on the bike, this rider will be constantly pedaling to keep his HR response between 140 and 155. If he is looking to improve his output during his aerobic phase, he will push the higher number. If he is recovering because he feels tired, he will stay closer to the lower number. If he can’t reach 140 without extreme perceived effort, he goes home and rests.

The result of this is that he will be pedaling medium-fast with medium pressure on the pedals on flats, pedaling slower on hills (a +/- 40 inch gear* is suggested to avoid stressing the knee joint with too heavy a resistance too soon), and on the downhills, he will be spinning out the legs with light pressure on the pedals.

So let’s examine all the positives of this style of LSD.

• The rider is improving his use of the aerobic system. Any number lower than the 60% of max (using formulas or field testing) would not stimulate adaptations.
• If he decides to push the higher number progressively, he can actually improve his power output at the same HR response over a course of time.
• He is constantly pedaling so the body responds and adapts to constant work.
• The slower pedaling on the uphills is a form of light resistance training on the bike and if he pays attention to his position on the bike, he is adapting to better bio-mechanical work.
• The fast pedaling on the downhills with light pressure allows him to work on leg speed with light resistance, thus adapting his muscles to speed work without stressing the musculature.

So in one ride, this rider has worked on adapting his aerobic system, improving cellular and circulatory changes that will benefit him in his season, increased his power output at the same HR response, done constant work for more than 3 hours, done light resistance training, thus beginning the strength adaptations for his climbing muscles, and worked on leg speed work for later sprint workouts or racing.

What more could you want!

* For Gear inches calculator go to: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gloss_g.html