Using HIIT workouts as part of a structured Ironman Training Plan delivers performance gains. We recently used five progressive cycling workouts as part of our athletes endurance training plans. Our goal was to increase watts per kg output at threshold.
The advantage of this progressive approach is that it allows greater power output for a cardiovascular response more representative of a threshold session. This is to due to the short work and rest intervals, it requires activation of more muscle tissue, in particular type II fibres to produce the supra-threshold power, but limits the cardiovascular strain. Our focus was to induce adaptation in type I and type II fibres to elevate watts per kg output at threshold power.
Using these workouts as part of customised structured individual training plans we saw an average increase in watts per kg at threshold of 6.4%. HIIT workouts deliver performance gains!