Flat and Fast Road Ride: Aero Position Practice

Session Overview

A flat, sustained-effort ride built around holding your aero position for extended blocks rather than short bursts. Best done on a quiet flat road or closed loop where you can settle into position without constant braking or cornering.

What You’ll Need

• Triathlon or road bike, ideally with aerobars fitted
• A flat, low-traffic route with minimal junctions
• Bike computer or watch for power/speed tracking (optional but useful)

Warm-Up (15 minutes)

15 minutes easy spinning on the hoods, gradually building cadence. Finish with 3 x 30 seconds moderate effort in the aero position to remind your body what the posture feels like before the main set.

Main Set (75 minutes)

The goal is time spent in position, not maximum wattage. Ride at a sustainable tempo effort (roughly zone 3, or a pace you could hold for an hour if pushed) while staying in the aero position for each work block.

• 4 x 15 minutes in full aero position at tempo effort, with 3 minutes upright recovery on the hoods between each
• Within each 15-minute block, focus on relaxed shoulders and a flat back rather than chasing speed
• Final block: hold position through any small rises on the route without sitting up

Cool-Down (10 minutes)

Easy spinning on the hoods, gradually dropping cadence and effort. Finish with some gentle shoulder rolls off the bike to release tension built up from time in the aero position.

Coaching Notes

• If your neck or lower back fatigues before the effort does, that’s a bike fit issue, not a fitness issue — don’t push through sharp discomfort.
• Common mistake: white-knuckling the aerobars. Keep a light grip and relaxed forearms to avoid arm pump.
• Scaling: beginners can start with 4 x 8 minutes in position and build the block length over several weeks.
• Target RPE 6-7/10 for the aero blocks — this is about position endurance, not a threshold session.