I need to improve both my MAP and ability to do repeated short hard efforts (30s to 5 mins). I used to have a pretty good sprint and AC but I suspect a couple of years TT training (and age!) has dulled it. What workouts would we suggest to help? I’m think 14VG, Revolver, The Shovel. Any others that I’ve missed? I’ve done Rue the Day and The Model quite a bit, and really like them but I’m looking for something as a different training stimulus.
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Don’t forget strength training and drills that work on cadence, single leg work and standing starts. AC is dependent on volume and percentage of muscle fibres that “fire”.
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@TTDragon I agree with @JGreengrass on adding strength, cadence builds and standing starts.
I would also suggest checking out the building block plans - specifically MAP and AC. Also Violator will certainly work your AC and help improve quick recovery from those efforts which is also something you want to develop.
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Very good point about the strength/cadence work. Thanks. Violator… it’s been a while but I do remember needing to bring a bucket!
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Might I recommend some old school training methods courtesy of American Flyers? Nothing wagered, nothing gained! 
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Nightmare! As a young person I delivered newspapers using a bike for a couple of years and got a bite from an unfriendly dog once. Luckily, that dog didn’t live on my route (just on the way home), so I just used a different route to get home after that. But ever since I’ve probably been more afraid of loose dogs than I need to be!
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I am in the same situation. Been there done that sub hour 40k bit a decade ago when I focused on long efforts, which I still love, to now needing back the sprint power which is half what it was. Sure, I’m 64 now but dag gum, I’m getting killed on the BMX track (still earned that #1 State plate in age group) but the 20-40 year old kids need to know I at least showed up by being on the same straight.
I’d suggest Butter, A Very Dark Place, Full Micro Rangers, Half Is Easy, any of the MAP*, MICRO* videos/workouts. Of course, as others mentioned strength and cough cough yoga.
Good luck.
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At :43 - friction shifters!
Hi @TTDragon ,
In The Knowledge podcast episode on MAP they mention AVDP as a very uncomfortable but efficient workout for improving MAP, so that is one I would add. The No Vid MAP series is an interesting one as well as it will build up gradually and won’t take you into the furnace right away. There is no try is another workout that looks interesting.
For AC, I like Do As You’re Told and The Trick. Here anything that has you doing repeated efforts with short breaks will help, but The Trick is a good one for the minute long effort.
Sprinting is mostly NM, Violator is the one for that but I think that if you start attacking your MAP and AC and work on higher cadences drills, you will build a good foundation for sprinting.
Don’t forget as @JSampson said; there are also the building block that will help you.
Cheers,
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Good tips here so far. I will add just a few things:
i. you say “repeated” AC/MAP efforts, which means your overall training focus actually probably won’t change much: although max one minute power (just for example) is going to be primarily anaerobic, how well you recover from that is ALL aerobic. Which means, aerobic trainings (FTP on down) are still the biggest base of your training. FWIW, my highest MAP and AC values ever on 4DP have been during times when i was mostly grinding a ton of tempo, with only judicious, targeted use of HIIT. Every parameter increased a lot except sprint (which remained, let’s just say, “paltry”)
ii. one thing you may need to do is get more rest and make your easy days easier, so that you can execute with even more quality on the hard days. Just repeatedly overloading AVDP will be counterproductive. Remember te big motor units you need for these efforts dont’ recover as fast, and when you’re tired repeatability in particular goes away. This is a good overview of it here: You're Training Too Hard for Criteriums—Here's Why | TrainingPeaks
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