Originally Posted by
wolfchild
Yes I believe that intensity is essential in order to make progress but in OPs situation he needs to start of slow and easy and gradually build up to it. Don't just jump into it and expect to make progress overnight. It takes time, slower incremental increases are safer and more sustainable than trying to achieve everything fast. People who have no aerobic base shouldn't be doing intervals.
He's doing intervals any time he starts going harder than his baseline to the point that he has to slow and recover. IE, every hill or acceleration
Originally Posted by
wolfchild
He doesn't have to stop and walk up hills, but he also doesn't have to sprint up hills and climb at max intensity. If the hill gets too much for him and he has to stop and walk, so be it, there is no shame to that, it's better to get off and walk than to have a stroke or heart attack on the side of the road..In OPs situation it's better to play safe than to give in to peer pressure and force himself to keep up with the group of riders who are much fitter then him.
If the hill gets too much for him, then he's already doing "an interval". You're contradicting yourself already.
Originally Posted by
wolfchild
The most effective way for OP to get faster would be to loose about 70-80 pounds...A 280 pound rider will never be able to keep up with a 160-180 pound rider no matter how hard they train.
That's fallacious and has nothing to do with anything.