Riduck with Animal Friends

When reviewing Riduck's analysis results, you may encounter some animal friends.

But... why... of all creatures, did you happen to meet that friend? Or why haven't you met them yet?

Check which animal friends exist and how to train like them to tailor your training effectively.

🐢 Recovery / Turtle

To ride a bicycle for a long time at once, and to ride a bicycle for life, it is necessary to optimize the body and training methods through recovery from time to time.

What is needed at such times is the movement of a turtle. Turtles move slowly and steadily at low intensity, replenishing energy continuously and preparing to use that energy when needed. Thanks to this habit, the turtle has become synonymous with the longest-lived animal in the world.

Training known as recovery riding or active recovery is similar to the habits of such turtles. When riders move slowly and cautiously at low intensity, the process of energy metabolism helps relieve muscle fatigue and maintain good physical condition.

While recovery riding itself has minimal training effects compared to other types of training, it serves as a foundation for recovering faster than during static rest, enabling more frequent and efficient high-intensity training.

To meet the turtle

Ride for 30 minutes to 1 hour at Zone 1, below 55% of your FTP, to increase the likelihood of encountering a turtle.

🐶 Balance / Dog

Dogs enjoy running freely or going for walks. Hunting dogs have agility and strength to hunt wild animals, and they also have excellent endurance.

Balance riding is similar to the usual behavior of dogs. It involves engaging in various types of activities during one ride without being constrained by current power, and adjusting behavior flexibly according to the environment and situation.

If you meet this friend on Zwift, it's likely that you rode freely without a plan or goal, or you trained in a traditional way. If you enjoyed leisurely rides with friends or family without specific training goals, that's fine.

However, if you encountered a dog during a ride focused on training goals, you may need to reevaluate your overall training approach.

To meet the dog

Ride through various zones from Zone 1 to Zone 7 without focusing on specific power ranges to increase the likelihood of encountering a dog.

🐮 BASE / Cow

Cows have been considered symbols of patience, diligence, positivity, and tranquility regardless of cultural differences between the East and the West. T

ypically, cows leisurely wander around all day searching for food. Such sustained low-intensity activity helps with efficient energy expenditure and enhances aerobic capacity, benefiting overall fitness and stamina. Base training resembles the behavior of cows.

Consistently riding at low intensity improves cardiovascular fitness and enhances endurance and post-exercise recovery. While it may seem a bit dull at first, approaching training with patience and diligence will eventually lead to the sweet taste of endurance.

To meet the cow,

Make efforts to maintain Zone 2 (56-75% of your FTP), focusing on Zones 1 and 2, and ride for over 1 hour but less than 2 hours. This increases the likelihood of encountering a cow.

🐫 FATMAX / Camel

FATMAX training is also known as LSD (Long Slow Distance) or HVLI (High Volume Low Intensity) training.

Camels can travel up to 200km in a day in the arid desert, thanks to their unique ability to regulate body temperature and store fat reserves in their hump. Their secret lies in their stamina, which allows them to endure prolonged movement in the extreme desert environment without fatigue, along with their exceptional ability to burn fat for energy even under extreme conditions.

Engaging in consistent low-intensity activities to avoid wasting energy is akin to BASE training. However, focusing more on Zone 2 and spending longer periods pedaling helps improve both stamina and fat metabolism. This allows the camel-like reduction of carbohydrate dependence and minimization of physical fatigue, enabling efficient and prolonged travel even with minimal supplies.

Through Metabolism, FATMAX training allows you to determine the most efficient zone and the estimated sustainable duration.

To meet the camel

Strive to maintain the power zone indicated in yellow as much as possible in the "Metabolism" menu while riding for over 2 hours to encounter the camel. In most cases, the efficient zone for FATMAX training aligns with Zone 2, but depending on individual physical conditions or training status, it may fall into a different zone other than Zone 2.

🐗 SST / Wild Boar

Wild boars possess remarkable agility, capable of consistently covering distances of 40km in rough mountainous terrain. This agility stems from their instinctive ability to discern the most efficient way to cover long distances rapidly.

Sweet Spot Training (SST) mirrors this approach, involving riding at a moderate intensity that is neither too strong nor too gentle, akin to the pace of a wild boar. SST gained popularity for its ability to sustainably enhance both aerobic and anaerobic capacities over a moderate duration, offering a balance between riding speed and a sense of achievement, making it appealing for simultaneously developing aerobic and anaerobic capabilities. However, with the emergence of polarized training methods, which are more efficient for enhancing endurance in higher-intensity zones (Zone 5 and above), the popularity and significance of SST have somewhat diminished.

Nevertheless, SST remains attractive in situations where experiencing similar speed and physical stress as in actual race conditions, efficiently covering a set distance, and having limited training time are essential factors to consider. Therefore, depending on the circumstances, SST can still be a compelling training method.

To meet the wild boar

If you spend 30 minutes or more in the Sweet Spot zone, which corresponds to 88% to 95% of your FTP (Functional Threshold Power), the likelihood of encountering a wild boar increases.

🐺 Vo2MAX / Wolf

The Vo2MAX, or Long Interval Training (LIT), resembles the behavior of wolves. While wolves may not match the instantaneous top speed of lions or tigers, they exhibit exceptional endurance, persistently pursuing prey with a much higher hunting success rate.

In this training method, individuals engage in repeated cycles of high-intensity efforts followed by rest, akin to the hunting behavior of wolves. By maintaining an appropriate level of high intensity, individuals aim to increase their maximal oxygen uptake (Vo2MAX), thus enhancing their stamina and endurance to effectively pursue their prey or goals.

Typically, sustaining 105% to 110% of one's FTP for 8 minutes is considered the most efficient approach for improving performance. However, the optimal duration and number of sets may vary for each individual.

To meet the Wolf

Ride for approximately 20 to 30 minutes in the Zone 5 range, corresponding to 105% to 120% of your FTP. This effort level is akin to engaging in a hunt alongside wolves and increases the likelihood of encountering their attributes.

🐆 HIIT / 레오파드

Leopards efficiently hunt by silently stalking their prey, swiftly closing in and grasping their prey's neck to suffocate them.

Similarly, High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), also known as Short Interval Training (SIT), is a key component of polarized training alongside Vo2MAX training. It involves performing high-intensity exercises for short durations followed by recovery periods. Training in this manner mimics the leopard's quick bursts of energy during hunting, followed by brief moments of rest to gather strength for the next burst.

This type of training can lead to improvements in cardiovascular fitness, endurance, and power. While it's typically conducted in a ratio of 2 intervals to 1 rest period, it's essential to adjust the method according to individual body conditions and capabilities.

To meet the Leopard

Riding for approximately 10 to 20 minutes in Zone 6 (121% to 150% of FTP) increases the likelihood of encountering the leopard.

🐯 Tabata / Tiger

The tiger quietly waits for its prey, then attacks with powerful force and explosive speed in a fleeting moment.

Many athletes have improved their Vo2MAX area with classical training approaches without major issues. However, there was someone who believed that aerobic capacity wasn't being adequately trained or utilized. He discovered an effective workout protocol for enhancing aerobic capacity, and this training method became known as Tabata training, named after him, Tabata Izumi.

The characteristics of Tabata training align precisely with the hunting style of a tiger. It involves performing very intense, high-intensity exercises for extremely short periods, yielding highly efficient results such as improved anaerobic capacity or prey hunting. Additionally, it includes allocating fairly long periods for rest intermittently.

The Tabata training method is commonly known to involve performing high-intensity exercise for 20 seconds followed by 10 seconds of rest, constituting one set, with a rest interval of 10 minutes between sets.

To meet the Tiger

During your training, try to spend as much time as possible in Zone 7, which corresponds to 150% or more of your FTP.

🦁 Sprint / Lion

Lions almost remain stationary until they spot prey, then they can reach speeds of up to 80 km/h in an instant to make a kill. However, their success rate is relatively low.

When it comes to humans generating energy while cycling, there are primarily three methods: aerobic, anaerobic, and neuromuscular. The earlier encounter with the tiger (Tabata) also involves neuromuscular activity, but sprinting explicitly focuses on and trains this aspect even more effectively.

Sprinting is primarily needed towards the end of races or competitions lasting around an hour, where strategic goal-scoring is crucial. Similar to a lion stalking its prey, positioning oneself behind teammates or within a pack, carefully considering timing, position, and direction, then decisively sprinting out at the opportune moment to aim for the goal, is a common sight in events like Grand Tours, UCI WorldTour races, and virtual races.

However, sprinting abilities can somewhat conflict with aerobic training. Developing neuromuscular and aerobic capabilities simultaneously is quite challenging. Therefore, it's essential to carefully assess one's strengths, weaknesses, role, and strategy before undertaking sprint training.

To meet the Lion

본인 FTP의 200% 이상에 해당하는 신경근 영역을 최대한 자극해보세요.

🐴 Race Pace / Horse

Horse racing has been conducted since ancient times, dating back to ancient Greece and Rome, with a rich history. It encompasses various types of races, including short and long-distance endurance races, and shares considerable similarities with cycling races.

If camels are specialized in covering the longest distances with minimal supplies, horses are animals specialized in moving as fast as possible. Engaging in various high-intensity activities for extended periods, akin to how horses move, can yield a powerful physical stimulus similar to intentionally performed alternative training.

To meet the Horse

Engaging in riding activities that include various high-intensity zones ranging from Zone 4 to Zone 7 increases the likelihood of encountering horses.

🐘 Polarization / Elephant

The mighty elephant, the strongest land animal, can charge at speeds of 40 km/h with its 5-ton body and boasts overwhelming endurance, capable of traveling 200 km in a single day.

In recent years, the training trend in endurance sports like cycling and running can be described as Polarized Training. Research has shown that incorporating low-intensity activities alongside high-intensity efforts for performance improvement and fatigue recovery leads to greater training effects over the same period compared to solely performing high or moderate-intensity training.

The daily life of elephants mirrors this approach. While they can exert powerful bursts of strength or sprint at high speeds when needed for long-distance travel or encountering predators, they also engage in low-intensity activities during peaceful times to recover from the fatigue accumulated during high-intensity activities and maintain their stamina.

To meet the Elephant

Meeting animals corresponding to high intensity (such as wolves, tigers, lions, etc.) and low intensity (such as camels, cattle, etc.) alternately increases the likelihood of encountering elephants.

🦆 Duck

Ducks on the water may seem to just float, but in fact, they constantly use and train their webbed feet to live in the water.

Even casual cycling in everyday life, where training or skill improvement is not the goal but simply moving, can have some impact on the rider's body, even if it's just for a short time. While professional and scientific training is beneficial, integrating cycling into everyday life can also be a method.

And besides, who can resist their cuteness? 🦆

To meet the Duck

Engage in cycling activities focused on simple movement or ride for relatively short durations, which may not be classified as formal training.