Ask a coach: 'Why are over-under workouts so hard?'

Here's what's going on inside the body which makes these workouts so tough - plus all the benefits of completing them

Male cyclist completing an over-unders cycling workout
(Image credit: Future)

For the uninitiated, over-under cycling workouts involve repeated short periods above threshold power interspersed with short periods below threshold power. They can be one of the toughest indoor cycling sessions - often more so than simply riding at threshold! But why is that? Cycling coach James Spragg explains what's going on in the body that makes them so hard.

Image shows James Spragg.
James Spragg

Sports scientist and coach James Spragg is one of the experts who will be answering your questions in Cycling Weekly's ASK A CYCLING COACH series which comes out every Wednesday. Working both in research and applied settings, he currently runs Intercept Performance Consultancy

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