Climbing Without ERG—Real-World Effort Control

Blog - Inside the Ride • CIS Training Systems • Climbing Execution

Controlled Aerobic Power Operator: Climbing Execution Under Load

Cadence + Gearing + Effort Control (EC) → DPS, momentum, and energy efficiency on climbs.

We don’t just ride Zwift Courses, We Train on Them!
Riding is entertainment. Training is engineering. When the climb shows up, cadence and gearing must create DPS (distance per pedal stroke), while Effort Control keeps the output clean.

First, here’s what Super Saturday is—then why we reject ERG—then the proof in the data.

What Super Saturday is

The Purpose

Super Saturday is a weekly CIS execution session designed to train real-world control: steady pressure, clean cadence, smart gearing, and recovery that actually resets the system.

Anyone can ride hard. Far fewer can produce repeatable power while keeping the line clean. That’s what Super Saturday builds—week after week.

Session Structure

Hour 1 Individual effort (selected course)

Hour 2 Group training + hill repeats

Hour 3 Energy Systems work (TTE • FRC • Pmax)

Finish 15–30 min pace partner recovery

Progression by design: control first, then execution under fatigue, then energy systems finishing work.

The goal: execute the prescription under fatigue and keep the file clean—no ego watts, no panic spikes.

Our View On ERG

ERG Is Not Execution. It’s Automation.

We don’t believe in ERG. Period.
ERG can make the file look “pretty,” but it does nothing to develop the Central Nervous System or the mental clarity required to execute climbs in the real world. Period.

Why “pretty files” don’t create real climbers

• ERG removes responsibility: the trainer holds watts, not the athlete.
• No gear mastery: athletes don’t learn cadence + gearing to preserve momentum.
• No effort-control skill: no practice of restraint and correction under fatigue.
• No CNS development: real execution is motor control + precision when it hurts.
• No mental clarity training: racing requires decisions—ERG removes the loop.

Proof: Not ERG Mode

Evidence: executed with ERG off. Output control came from the athlete—not the trainer.

We train execution. That means the athlete controls the output—every time.

The story in plain sight

Most riders think climbing is “spin more” or “push harder.” But climbing speed is not just effort. It’s how well you convert effort into forward progress—while keeping the line clean.

The link is simple: Cadence + Gearing drives DPS (distance per pedal stroke), and Effort Control (EC) protects momentum through the entire climb.

The Climbing Triangle

• Cadence sets the rhythm.
• Gearing sets DPS (distance per pedal stroke).
• Effort Control (EC) keeps momentum from leaking through surges or fade-outs.

DPS (Distance per Pedal Stroke)

Simple field math athletes can use: DPS (ft / rev) ≈ (Speed mph × 88) ÷ Cadence rpm

DPS (ft/rev) ≈ (Speed mph × 88) ÷ Cadence rpm

What it means: DPS is how many feet you travel for each full crank revolution. The “88” converts mph to feet per minute (1 mph = 88 ft/min). Divide by cadence (rev/min) to get feet per rev.

Quick read: if cadence rises but DPS stays low, you’re “spinning to nowhere.” We want cadence + gearing that keeps DPS meaningful and momentum alive.

Execution proof

Case Study: John Showers

5+ year CIS Athlete • Controlled aerobic power across the board.

Zwift ride report: work blocks + control signature.

TrainingPeaks file: “clean shelf” output = Effort Control.

Strava file: summary matches the internal execution story.

Strava supporting view: repeatable control across the effort.

What the data is saying

Why this is Aerobic Power Control

Aerobic power control means you can produce meaningful climbing output without turning the ride into a spike-fest. It’s not about suffering—it’s about precision.

What we look for in the file

• Purposeful time on target: Tempo/Threshold work shows up as controlled blocks.
• Real recovery: Z1 is actually Z1 — no “half recovery” drifting.
• Minimal match-burning: very little time wasted in random spikes.
• Governed physiology: heart rate rises predictably instead of panic jumps.

In plain sight: cadence discipline + correct gearing + Effort Control = clean lines on the climb. That’s execution. That’s transferable performance.

How athletes replicate it

Climbing Execution Standards

1. Cadence target: 73–79 rpm on sustained climbs.
2. Shift early: don’t wait for cadence to collapse before reacting.
3. Choose the gear that creates DPS: cadence is rhythm—gear is forward progress.
4. No spikes: they cost momentum and efficiency.
5. Recovery must be real: when it’s Z1, it’s Z1—reset the system.

Bottom line: Workouts + Coaching + Execution = Results.
Super Saturday trains the athlete to control the output—without ERG—so climbing performance is real, repeatable, and transferable.

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© CIS Training Systems • “We don’t just ride Zwift Courses, We Train on Them!”