I enjoy doing some of my interval work at low cadences. A common workout I have built is 8-10min sweet spot intervals broken into alternating 2mins 90+ cadence and 2 mins 50-60 cadence. I’ve built up to this and have no knee issues.
I know there is limited evidence and research to the effectiveness of low cadence (or high cadence) work. It seems to have worked for me, and mostly it makes trainer intervals more interesting. Is there any downsides to doing this? Even if there is no benefit to low cadence work, does it hurt anything? Is there a good reason to not do it? Besides the knees, which seem to be fine.
My partner and best friend came from the lineage that created World Tour pros and TDF winners and low cadence work is one of their staple workouts.
Really, I think almost all coaches agree with doing various types of training and this falls far into the various category, if you look at torque quadrant analysis you are more in that top left quadrant on this page which is something many people don’t get.
Read more here.
I believe it makes knees stronger if you do it right but you should start with shorter intervals and move to longer. Really in the 55 range Andrea would suggest doing Z5… which is way more stressful. We have both Z2 and Z5 low RPM workouts in Coach Jack. So you could also go to higher torque from where you are but easing into it is a good idea.
Good work on the work-outs and a very good question. The evidence is limited because the questions they ask are often the same.
In low cadence research they compare the work-outs to strength training with weights. And, of course, in every research the conclusion is that you can become stronger with weights.
But the purpose is not to find a way to build the strongest muscles. One purpose of of low cadence training is to make the knee stronger in the specific motion of cycling. Another purpose is to train and feel the power you need to climb. You can’t mimic that with weights.
So, low purpose training is a usefull tool to use. For my clients, I use zone 2/3 blocks to strengthen the knee in early season and zone 5 later in the season as a climb interval.
Researh shows that, in general, adjusting your cadence to produce a certain power is not beneficial for amatures in terms of getting the best fitness effect from that interval. You’re own prefered candene is far more effective.
That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t train cadence. I use the warm up to do cadence sessions. They don’t have to be long. You can do 30 second intervals, starting at 80rpm and add 10 rpm every 30 seconds until you are bouncing on your saddle. Take one minute rest and repeat. Important is that you don’t gear up. Choose a low gear and keep it there. Yes, it looks ridiculous, but it is very effective.
The blocks you are doing are good to do too. I suggest you save these blocks for when you have reached a basic level of fitness that you are happy with. Use the same principle I just gave you for the high cadence, instead of gearing up, gear down and keep the speed the same so you have to use a higher cadence.
The benefit of these workouts is that you will be more comfortable with different cadences.
I do believe in the usefulness of low cadence, largely because it seems like lots of top WT pros do it and I’m doubt their teams would waste their time and resources on something that doesn’t work. It’s more that I’d like to hedge my bet in case it doesn’t actually do anything. As in, even if it’s not helping, there is no reason it’s making my intervals worse.
Would you suggest a lower cadence for tempo/sweet spot? I also do some 2x15 at 80% usually around 40-45 rpm.
I did build up to it, my approach was to do an outdoor ride at around Z2 on a route filled with steep punch hills about 1-2 min long (which is all we have), and do all the hills at 60-70% of ftp at around 40 rpm. After awhile I started doing the Dynamic Force intervals, which I enjoyed and thought I saw benefit from.
As you know you have to always take “research” with a grain of salt as there is frequently opposing research but for sure it should be part of the conversation. I would say lots of people that have tried low cadence work at TrainerDay have suggested they feel it definitely has a benefit, myself included. Here is example “research” that suggests it can be beneficial.
It’s really about torque and the torque formula is pretty simple, I used a 175mm crank length but generally it’s all relative anyway so only if you want to know the exact torque number does it matter. Also there is some variability here. Here is the basic idea below with similar torque levels and approximate mid-point of RPM target. So yes around 47-48 as a mid point depending on actual % of FTP you are targeting.
Here is ChatGPT’s response, which usually is looking at a large body of evidence.
Yes, there is evidence suggesting that low-cadence training may have specific benefits, particularly for cyclists seeking to improve muscular strength and torque production. Here’s a summary of what the research and practical experience indicate:
Improved Neuromuscular Adaptation:
Low-cadence training (e.g., 40–70 rpm) at higher resistance increases neuromuscular activation, mimicking strength training principles on the bike.
It helps in recruiting more muscle fibers, particularly fast-twitch fibers, which are important for explosive efforts and hill climbing.
Increased Muscular Endurance:
Sustained low-cadence efforts can increase the muscles’ ability to resist fatigue under higher loads, benefiting performance during steep climbs or time trials where torque is essential.
Better Torque and Power Output:
By training at low cadences, cyclists can improve their ability to generate higher torque, which translates to better performance in low-speed, high-force situations like climbing or accelerating from a stop.
Simulation of Strength Training:
Low-cadence, high-resistance intervals on the bike can serve as an alternative or complement to gym-based strength training for improving cycling-specific strength.
Cardiovascular Efficiency at Low RPMs:
Some evidence suggests that low-cadence work at sub-threshold power outputs can result in lower heart rates for the same power, potentially enhancing long-term aerobic efficiency.
Practical Application
Structured Workouts: Low-cadence intervals (e.g., 3-5 minutes at 50-60 rpm with high resistance at 85-95% FTP) are a common way to integrate this type of training.
Focus on Form: Maintaining proper pedaling technique and avoiding undue stress on the knees is critical during low-cadence training.
Periodization: Incorporate low-cadence training into the offseason or base phase to build strength before transitioning to higher-cadence, race-specific training.
Caveats
Joint Stress: Excessive low-cadence training can strain the knees, so careful monitoring is essential.
Specificity: The benefits of low-cadence training are context-dependent and might may not always directly transfer to high-cadence racing efforts.
Low-cadence training can be a valuable tool in a cyclist’s training arsenal but should be used strategically and in combination with other types of training for balanced development.
So I guess my final thoughts are, it’s pretty fun, feels like it provides benefit, many pros do it. If you are careful and provide safe progressive overload it should make your knees stronger.
Additionally there are studies that suggest it can be effective and should be especially valuable for stuff like mountain biking, sprinting and/or for people that don’t like going to the gym.
Likely less useful for someone that does high quality consistent leg weight training year round (it still likely is useful or at least might be useful but it’s not as clear how valuable).
