Workout of the Week: Base Sprints

It’s common knowledge that both base-zone riding and high-intensity interval training can improve your aerobic ability and cycling performance. Training needs both features because our bodies can handle a large volume of low-intensity riding; too much high-intensity can induce performance-damaging fatigue.

Many athletes choose an “either-or” mindset. Each workout session is either volume or intensity driven—but what if I told you it can be both! One way that I like to do this is to put sprint intervals into my base rides—called base sprints. These high-intensity segments increase muscle fiber recruitment beyond standard base riding and have numerous research papers supporting their inclusion.

I like to include four all-out, 15-second sprints for each hour of base riding that I do for 1 to 2 sessions per week. This is an unscripted workout which allows athletes to engage in a joyful manner; some may elect to do a town-line sprint, while others may surge up overpasses.

It’s your choice whether you complete your base sprints in rapid succession or space them out evenly. All that matters is that you’re out of the saddle and driving hard for the full 15 seconds, then focusing on base-zone riding the rest of the time.

A nice byproduct of this is that these extra efforts can build up some body heat, which is especially useful in the fall. Personally, I often dive into base sprints when I start to feel a bit cold!