The winter period coincides with the phase of general conditioning, the moment in which the athletic foundation on which the entire season will rest is built.
Tradition has it that winter is the season of long: many hours in the saddle, moderate intensity, a large amount of aerobic work to create the solid base necessary for subsequent specific work.
This vision is not wrong, but today it is incomplete.
Research in recent years has shown that even during the general period it can be useful to insert quality stimuli, as long as they are calibrated and consistent with the objectives of the phase. Variations in pace, if well-managed, allow for significant adaptations that improve the cardiovascular system's response and make training more effective, without distorting the core logic of the workout.
🔍 Why isn't volume enough (anymore)?
Z2 remains the pivotal area of this period:
- improves metabolic efficiency;
- develops basic aerobic mechanisms;
- optimizes the consumption of fat as an energy source;
- It allows you to accumulate many hours without excessive stress.
However, modern cycling – especially XC, marathon and granfondo – requires a constant ability to raise, exiting corners, tackling short climbs, managing technical sections where the HR rises rapidly.
For this reason training only Z2 can create an athlete with an excellent aerobic base but not very ready to changes of pace, not very elastic and slow in recovering from intense efforts.
❤️ The concept of “cardiac elasticity”
The heart's ability to rapidly adjust its rhythm and cardiac output is what we call cardiac elasticity.
An elastic heart is able to:
- rapidly increase blood flow when required,
- quickly return to lower values after a peak,
- reduce the time muscles are in oxygen deficit,
- allow for relaunches, bursts and out-of-threshold phases without "getting stuck".
For technical endurance sports like MTB, this is a key performance factor.
Variations in pace are one of the most effective tools for training this quality, even in the general phase, without compromising the focus on endurance.
🔧 Fartlek and tempo variations: what they are and why you should use them.
Fartlek, literally “speed game,” is a methodology that alternates phases of different intensity without the rigidity of the classic interval.
In the general period the aim is not to push hard, but:
- keep neuromuscular mechanisms active,
- improve the ability to modulate intensity,
- create a varied but not excessive cardiovascular stimulus,
- make work more dynamic and less monotonous.
Applied to MTB it also becomes an excellent way to simulate real terrain: short climbs, pushing sections, technical segments, relaunches.
🧩 How to structure a session with variations in pace
Here is a general outline, adaptable to the athlete's level:
1. Warm-up – 15' progressive
- Starting in Z1
- Climb up to Z2
- Possible activation with 2–3 light accelerations
2. Activation phase – 10' in low Z3
It helps to reach a stable metabolic threshold before work.
3. Central block – 2 or 3 blocks of 15–20'
The type of variation depends on the athlete's experience.
🔀 Method A – Terrain-Guided (Experienced Athletes)
- A fixed ratio is set
- You ride on a hilly/XC course
- Intensity varies with slope
Advantages:
- direct transfer to race dynamics,
- greater neuromuscular work,
- more fun and natural session.
Contraindications:
- difficult to standardize,
- requires experience in controlling intensity.
🧭 Method B – Default intensities (less experienced athletes)
Here we work on time and FC, with a ratio of 2:1 between moderate phases and phases of greater intensity.
Example of a 15' block:
- 2' Z3 low
- 1' Z3 high
- 30'' Z4 (threshold)
- Back to Z3 low
- Repeat the sequence until the end of the block
Effects:
- stimulation of the aerobic system + cardiac elasticity,
- low residual fatigue,
- ideal for building variation skills without excessive stress.
🏞️ Method C – XC route with programmed intensity
Perfect for those competing in XC or marathon.
How to build it:
- identify 3–4 segments (short climb, intense climb, pedaled section, technical part),
- assign an intensity to each segment,
- repeat them 2–3 times.
This type of session develops:
- effort control,
- ability to relaunch,
- technical coordination + intensity,
- MTB specific resistance while remaining in the general scope.
(I.e. Recommended weekly volumes
- Young people and beginners: 1 session per week with slight variations.
- Advanced amateurs: 1–2 sessions, alternating fartlek and varied XC.
- Elite athletes: 2 sessions, with greater emphasis on quality and fatigue control.
️ Balance: the heart of the general period
Rhythm variations should not replace the background:
- 80–85% of the work remains in Z1–Z2,
- strength (in the gym or on the road) remains a pillar,
- quality is a intelligent complement, not the main focus.
Inserting them means creating an athlete:
- more ready,
- more elastic,
- more capable of supporting the specific work that will come in the next phases.
🎯 Conclusion
Training volume remains essential, but adding variations in pace throughout the overall training period allows you to develop better cardiac elasticity, make the heart more reactive, and prepare the body to face the real demands of mountain biking.
It is an effective, enjoyable, and sustainable method that maintains high-quality training without over-preventing specific workouts.
For a personalized planning tailored to your level, Contact me through 365 Training Lab.
