Steve — the VO2max point lands even harder in swimming than on land. A lab VO2max captures the engine and almost nothing else; in water, technique and drag decide how much of that engine becomes speed. A 400 or 800 time trial, or a critical swim speed test, integrates engine, economy, and drag in one number — which is why it predicts race pace while a lab number barely predicts who wins the heat. Same with your sprinting translation: most pool "sprint sets" are speed-endurance work in disguise, because true sub-8-second alactic work needs near-full recovery and almost nobody programs that. The three-legged stool holds up here — practice got both of these right long before the physiology caught up.
Good post, not to mention individual responses to the training methods. The research headline always shows ‘average,’ repsonses. That’s why I insist on our athletes keeping training logs: every person responds differently. And even that changes from year to year.
It’s almost as if training is complicated and nuanced and people want a quick fix…
I’m fairly new to cycling, fitness, and anything wellness really. Very very new. This month I’ve been trying to cycle every day (managed to get out or on a stationary bicycle) about 19 times in 21 days. And have journaled every day to try and see what works for me especially because of what you’ve written here…that the signals are confusing and influencer messages aren’t consistent. The journaling really has helped though - and running the data through AI like ChatGPT (though sometimes it can just make things up or get simple math wrong) has largely been useful to find trends in what’s been working and what I can do more of.
I wonder if AI’s ability to merge all our histories, research, and our individual “practice” as you put it can help tailor custom plans and insights for each of us. Will be interesting to see how the influencer and fitness worlds combine human charisma and content with computer power for the most customized performance gains.
Steve — the VO2max point lands even harder in swimming than on land. A lab VO2max captures the engine and almost nothing else; in water, technique and drag decide how much of that engine becomes speed. A 400 or 800 time trial, or a critical swim speed test, integrates engine, economy, and drag in one number — which is why it predicts race pace while a lab number barely predicts who wins the heat. Same with your sprinting translation: most pool "sprint sets" are speed-endurance work in disguise, because true sub-8-second alactic work needs near-full recovery and almost nobody programs that. The three-legged stool holds up here — practice got both of these right long before the physiology caught up.
Good post, not to mention individual responses to the training methods. The research headline always shows ‘average,’ repsonses. That’s why I insist on our athletes keeping training logs: every person responds differently. And even that changes from year to year.
It’s almost as if training is complicated and nuanced and people want a quick fix…
Thanks Steve. Awesome article. Love the fitness poem at the end.
The fitness influencers do not walk the talk.
I’m fairly new to cycling, fitness, and anything wellness really. Very very new. This month I’ve been trying to cycle every day (managed to get out or on a stationary bicycle) about 19 times in 21 days. And have journaled every day to try and see what works for me especially because of what you’ve written here…that the signals are confusing and influencer messages aren’t consistent. The journaling really has helped though - and running the data through AI like ChatGPT (though sometimes it can just make things up or get simple math wrong) has largely been useful to find trends in what’s been working and what I can do more of.
I wonder if AI’s ability to merge all our histories, research, and our individual “practice” as you put it can help tailor custom plans and insights for each of us. Will be interesting to see how the influencer and fitness worlds combine human charisma and content with computer power for the most customized performance gains.