Beethoven Symphony No. 2
Setting: Time traveling through the Viennese countryside on a warm day in late April, 1802. Trees are green
Profile: Challenging, Experienced Spinners, about 35 minutes. Recommendations: Entire Four Stages (movements) can be used as a completely integrated spin session, or pull out the second or last stage for a great climb, or the last stage as a run with resistance, or a hell-bent-for-leather sprint (about 130 bum depending on the performance). Fitness Objective: Except for warmup and Stage II climb, high aerobic with bumps to anaerobic threshold throughout. To listen to a complete performance to the Second Symphony: Click Here |
Stage I: A. Warm up: Slow cadence @ 42 (84 bbm) (Moderate Resistance 7-8) B. Running With Resistance: Fast Cadence @ 84-100 (168-200 bbm), Resistance Levels Moderate 2-4) Mostly Position 3 and 2, with brief rests in the saddle.
“Waking up” with a climb. Some seated stretches and pulls, then getting up to position 3 (with movements to 2) as the music builds. And then, without a pause, we’re off! It’s a race on the flats in the countryside, with a stiff spring headwind: near Maximum effort as we are really competing with ourselves. Propelling forward, we struggle against the wind, as we go off the main road with unexpected twists and turn. At last we careen back to the main road and head at full speed back to the start, with occasional rests in the saddle. Near the end, we dig for our last reserves ... and with a final burst, bang ourselves back to the start. Stage II: Heavy Climb with Heavy Resistance. (Cadence approximately 60 revolutions per minute, or 90 bbm, triple meter with each pedal stroke on the beat Resistance Level 7-8)
Some Position 1, with frequent movements to Positions 2 and 3. Very atmospheric. It’s twilight, we we are riding alone in the hills above a village, the full moon lighting the valley below us. We climb, one song to another, like a string of pearls that serenade our spinning. Higher in the hills, we lose our way in the dark, and find ourselves on rocky footing away from the climbing trail. After some spooky moments, we find our way back to the trail, and continue our climb, back past familiar sights and sounds. Stage III: Racing Away (Light-Moderate Resistance (Fast Cadence at 100 revolutions per minute or 300 bbm -- triple meter with either the
left or right pedal getting the downbeat) We’re still in the hills, playful racing nothing serious here ... just good exercise. Scurrying forward, keeping those pedals rotating, with occasional movements to Position 3 and 2. After some exertion, we’ll rest a bit in the saddle (but not lose our cadence at all) with some surprises along the way. And then it’s back off to the races. Stage IV: Two Options:
Option 1: (Running with Moderate Resistance -- Moderate Upward Grade (Moderate-Fast Cadence 68-80 revolutions per minute (136-152 bbm) Moderate, challenging Resistance 2-4) Option 2: (An all-out 6-7 minute SPRINT at a Cadence of 140-152, and the extreme range of possibility, anaerobic all the way with light resistance 1-2)(Go ahead, I dare you to try to move your legs that fast, much less get out of the saddle) An all-out race, tearing through the countryside. Twists and turns, jumps and sprints. At one point it gets serious as we find ourselves off the main road, but we fight to get back on. And then, back through familiar countryside we race ahead again. Toward the end, just when we think we’re back, we tear off on a extended detour ... and pause for just a moment on a hill ... but then go tearing off back down the main road, and maximum effort to the finish line. Go back to "Biking to Beethoven" Click Here |