Written by Jim Karanas
13th March 2013Pyramid training is a method typically used by strength athletes and body builders. A session starts with high reps and low weight and incrementally adds weight while reducing reps per set.
The infrequent use of pyramids in indoor cycling always amazed me. I rowed competitively – on the water in the ‘70s and indoors in the ‘90s. Rowing ergometer (“erg”) workouts explore every variation of pyramid training and provide useful templates for indoor cycling instructors. With them, you can create an almost endless variety of trainings.
Typically, pyramids are actually ladders, either ascending or descending. Descending pyramids are also called reverse pyramids: you warm up, and start with your heaviest weight. From there, you decrease the total load, while adding a few more repetitions. Triangle (or up-down) pyramids include both ascending and descending ladders, making them actual pyramids.
In cardio, pyramids are less common, and are mostly ascending ladders. The format involves decreasing time with increasing intensity. An example is a 4-3-2-1 ascending pyramid (ladder): 4 minutes easy, 3 minutes moderate, 2 minutes hard, 1 minute very hard.
You have four primary variables: cadence, resistance, intensity, and time. In cycling, most ascending pyramids use only time and intensity. The interval gets shorter and the intensity (RPE, HR or power) goes up. What about time and cadence? Interval gets shorter and cadence goes up.
How about time, cadence and intensity? Interval gets shorter, cadence goes up, but RPE, HR or power output has to stay the same. This requires a subtle adjustment in resistance, as well as the integration of breathing to facilitate relaxation.
How about an ascending pyramid to build strength at higher RPM and improve the ability to spin a hard gear? Time and resistance stay constant, but cadence increases. Perform three 1-minute intervals with fixed resistance and ascending cadence (80-100-120 or moderate, fast, faster). You can also put three of those pyramids together and add ascending resistance. After each pyramid, the fixed resistance increases for the next pyramid.
How about a reverse pyramid to develop strength? The intervals get longer as cadence decreases, but intensity must increase. This requires added resistance, as the slower RPM will tend to drop the HR or reduce power. Increasing intensity while cadence is slowing is hard. Increasing duration as this happens is quite challenging.
Up-Down (triangle) pyramids are my favorite (and the only actual pyramids). An 11-minute triangle is formatted 3-2-1-2-3. How about cadence going up and down (80-100-120-100-80) while intensity goes up and down?
One of my favorite ways to coach this pyramid is to extend a super-threshold effort. First, do an extensive warm-up. The ascending and descending portions of the pyramid target different intensities. I’ll use HR percentages of max just as an example: 75%, 85%, 90%, 88%, 86%. As the above-threshold effort begins to induce muscle failure, you drop the HR just enough to squeeze out the next interval.
You can vary this. How about using the same ascending pyramid for HR but with a fixed cadence at 100 RPM. On the descending portion, maintain the 90% HR, but drop the cadence (90 rpm, then 80). The slower cadences will likely make 90% impossible for most people when sitting, so move everyone to the standing position. 90% is possible when jogging at 90, as well as 80, rpm, but you’ll have to increase the resistance as you drop to 80. Brutal.
The variations are endless. I’d strongly recommend the rowing workouts available on the Concept 2 website (www.concept2.com ). You’ll find many workouts that are easily adaptable to indoor cycling.
