Warm-up 10 minutes. Build up from easy to a steady pace for a few minutes.
Cadence pyramids Do the following progression two to three times with 10 minutes of easy/steady riding in between:
- 100 r.p.m.
- 105 r.p.m.
- 110 r.p.m.
- 115 r.p.m.
- 120 r.p.m.
- 115 r.p.m.
- 110 r.p.m.
- 105 r.p.m.
- 100 r.p.m.
Stay at your lowest heart rate and power output possible. Spend one minute at each cadence except the top stage. Spend two minutes at 120 r.p.m.
** easy/steady riding = max 80rpm
Shorter plan
- 80 rpm 2 mins
- 90 rpm 1.5 mins
- 110 rpm 1 min
- 120 rpm 45 sec
- 130 rpm 30 sec
- 2 min spin down
- Then work down the pyramid
Only go as high in the pyramid as you can with a smooth pedal stroke. If you start bouncing on the saddle, treat that cadence as the top of your pyramid. Hold those r.p.m. for two minutes, and then work your way back down. In the video, you’ll see editor Matthew Pioro max out at about 120 r.p.m. He should use 115 r.p.m. at the top of his cadence pyramid, holding it for two minutes.
If you are really having trouble with the cadence work, you could start the pyramid 5 or 10 r.p.m. lower to build your co-ordination.
Do the pyramid three times with five minutes off between each set.
Cool down 10 minutes.
If you can’t spin as high as cadence as Andrew Randell, make sure to practise this drill and take Neal’s advice: “The biggest thing you can do is relax throughout the pedal stroke. We’re not pushing down that hard at this cadence. It’s really about learning when to push a little bit, but also when to relax to stay smooth.”