Metabolic Conditioning Can Get You Fitter Faster and You Can Easily Add It to Your Rides
As cyclists, it’s easy to just hop in the saddle and ride at a steady pace for hours on end. But if you only ever pedal at one intensity, then you’re missing out on a host of fitness benefits. And that’s where metabolic conditioning comes into play, helping you improve your fitness on a new level.
A form of high-intensity interval training, metabolic conditioning (a.k.a. metcon) can help you ride longer and stronger as you tackle any kind of terrain.
“Everybody should add a metabolic conditioning session into their workout [schedule] and just notice the benefits,” says Bake McBride, exercise physiologist and certified cycling instructor at Moved by BJC in St. Louis.
Here, we explain what metabolic conditioning is, its benefits for cyclists, and how to work it into your routine. Plus, try the simple, beginner-friendly (and still highly effective) metcon workout you can try today.
What is metabolic conditioning?
Metabolic conditioning is basically any form of exercise that increases the efficiency of your body’s energy systems, says McBride. These systems help your body store and use energy efficiently so you can do a lot more in less time.
Metcon is focused on short bursts of high-intensity work followed by periods of rest, making it a form of high-intensity interval training.
Unlike long steady-state bike rides where you’re mostly working in the aerobic zone (which uses oxygen to create energy), metabolic conditioning takes place in the anaerobic zone. The anaerobic zone in when you’re really pushing yourself at a level of intensity that you couldn’t sustain for more than 90 seconds and because of the high intensity, there’s not sufficient oxygen for your body to turn to for energy, so it relies on sugar (and creates extra lactate in the process).
Some popular forms of metabolic conditioning include Tabatas, EMOMs, and AMRAPs, all of which also count at HIIT workouts.
What are the benefits of metabolic conditioning for cyclists?
Metabolic conditioning offers a host of benefits that can level up your riding. Like we mentioned, metabolic conditioning is designed to increase the efficiency of your body’s energy systems. And when that happens, you’ll be able to perform better, says McBride. Think: ride longer, tackle that hill without getting so winded, and sprint to the finish line at a faster pace. This is because it makes harder work feel easier.
Your body will also be able to get more oxygen into your muscles and blood to help prevent lactic acid build up, so you’ll feel better after tough efforts. And even though metcon takes place in the anaerobic zone, it’ll also increase your aerobic capacity, says Nicole Meyer, ACSM-certified exercise physiologist, trainer, and cycling instructor at Forge Fitness Studio in Cornelius, Oregon. That means longer, steady state rides will feel easier, too.
Moreover, metabolic conditioning will increase your caloric burn during exercise as well as afterwards. “Hours after you finish, you’ll still be burning calories,” says McBride. That’s because metabolic conditioning increases the Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC) effect, which leads to a higher resting metabolism for the next several hours.
EPOC is basically about the amount of oxygen that’s required to restore your body to its normal resting metabolic function, says McBride. After a particularly tough workout, such as a metcon session, it’s going to take your body a good amount of time to recover and restore back to normal, and in order to complete that restoration process, your body will continue burning calories.
Now, how soon you’ll see the benefits of metabolic conditioning depends, in part, on your current fitness level. If you’re just starting out with exercise, you could likely notice the payoff of metabolic conditioning within 14 days, says McBride. But the more fit you are, the longer that process will take.
How do you add metabolic conditioning to a cycling workout schedule?
You can do metabolic conditioning three times a week–either as a standalone workout or as part of your longer training rides, says McBride. If you’re doing a standalone workout, limit it to 30 minutes or less and pay attention to how you’re feeling. When your form starts to slip, or you feel pain, or you simply can’t push anymore, call it quits. “Once the body hits its limit, anything after that is really not helping the progression,” says McBride. “You’re just moving at that point.”
If you’re incorporating metabolic conditioning into a longer ride, it could look like 10 minutes of high-intensity intervals done in the middle or at the end of your ride. Approaching metabolic conditioning this way may be a good idea if you’re not a fan of high-intensity efforts, says Meyer, because it’s less daunting than a full-on standalone workout.
Doing metabolic conditioning with others can also cut down on the intimidation factor while also giving you the motivation you need to really push yourself. “I don't enjoy [metcon workouts] by myself, but in a group setting, I definitely find it more enjoyable,” says Meyer.
When planning your workout schedule, pencil in at least one day in between metcon sessions so your body has enough time to recover.
Outside of metabolic conditioning, it’s also important to train your aerobic system so you can ensure you have the muscular endurance you need to ride long and strong. “I wouldn't do only metabolic training,” says Meyer. Regular core training is crucial too, adds McBride, because many cyclists struggle to engage this important muscle group that’s vital to performance and injury prevention.
A Metabolic Conditioning Workout for Cyclists
Ease yourself into metabolic conditioning by trying a simple 15-minute interval workout that you can do on the bike. Here’s how it works:
Pedal hard enough for 30 seconds that you reach an intensity level of 8 on a scale of 1 to 10
Rest for about 15 seconds, or however long it takes your intensity level to drop to a 4
Repeat this pattern for 15 total minutes (less, if you feel like you’ve reached your max sooner)
For a metcon workout you can do at home, check out this 5-minute EMOM routine:
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