Training on the Assault Bike [The Fitness Movement Podcast #005]

Show Notes

You can’t compare…
Brands: Rogue vs. Assault
Generations: Gen 1 vs. Gen 2
Individual Bikes: Bike 1 vs. Bike 2

Article: Assault Bike vs. Rogue Echo Bike: Battle of the Brands

Implications for Online Qualifiers: We won’t see an AirBike in Online Qualifier (e.g. The Open)

To reasons why you are using it…
#1: Competitions where an AirBike is (or at least could) be used
#2: Transferability to other fitness endeavors…cycling, fitness performance as a whole, gen conditioning, etc.

Reasons I Love the AirBike (and other ergs)

…for Warm-Ups, Cooldowns, Recovery Days, Fitness Testing

• Low Eccentric (Bodyweight is supported)
• Low Mobility Demands
• Low Strength Demands
• Low Skill Demands
• Full Body & Systemic (Less Local Stress & Fatigue)
• Testing: Safe environment to Redline (vs. MU, BJ, TnG Snatches)

Setting Up the Assault Bike

Optimize for leg drive (Seat height & Seat Slide)

Then torso lean is what it is.

Avoid pushing at terminal positions on handles: poor energy transfer

Optimizing the Pedal Stroke

Bi-directional vs. Tri-directional Power Output

Sprint vs. Sustain → not the same technique

A Bike with No Gears? WTF!?

Watts & RPMs are fixed (see chart)

Because the Assault Bike is challenging -if not nearly impossible- to hold a consistent pace above 100 RPMs, it is futile for a coach or athlete to attempt to program a specific wattage or RPM rate above this point.
*Burst or sprints that reach a threshold are more realistic, and when accelerating quickly RPMs and Watts uncouple, rendering RPMs and Watts unpredictable and inaccurate.*

Slow joint velocities sap your legs. This has the biggest implications for small, efficient females. To build efficiency back into that movement pattern, I recommend getting a bike with adjustable resistance.

The Concept 2 BikeErg would be a great tool for that job.

Technique for Met-Cons

Units almost always Calories (rarely distance)

“Burst & Bleed”
Burst – Build to a pace faster than you plan to hold
Bleed – allow wattage to slowly fall until you reach your sustainable pace

Ghost Cals – The bike is still ticking through calories, but you aren’t on the bike. Not all comps will allow you to leave the bike seat until the screen shows the target calories have been reached, others will allow for Ghost Cals.

Power & Dosage

People often think that a more powerful athlete has an easier time on the bike. But the opposite is true.

The stronger the athlete, the faster they can do damage.“
-Ben Wise

The solution is to customize time domains for sprint intervals…

Every 2 Minutes, x 6 Sets, 12 Minutes
-12s (If peak watts are >1500)
-15s (If peak watts are 1000-1500)
-20s (If peak watts are 600-1000)
-25s (If peak watts are <600)