For more information about Zwift training, check out these links first:<\/p>\n
- \n
- The ultimate guide to getting started with Zwift<\/a><\/li>\n
- The ultimate guide to indoor cycling training with Zwift<\/a><\/li>\n
- Training with the Zwift Volcano expansion<\/a><\/li>\n
- Muscular endurance training with Zwift<\/a><\/li>\n
- Rolling climbs with Zwift<\/a><\/li>\n
- Fartlek training with Zwift<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Once you're up to speed on the different training options Zwift offers you, click through the jump and get the low down on the new Mayan expansion!<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
What?\u00a0 Level 10 only?<\/h2>\n
Yes, Zwift capped the Mayan expansion at level 10.\u00a0 What does that mean?\u00a0 It means if you're under level 10, you can't actually access the Zwift Mayan expansion.\u00a0 You'll be redirected up the reverse epic KOM route.<\/p>\n
If you're already level 10, how do you get to the Mayan loop?\u00a0 From the dockyard area, turn as if you were going to tackle the reverse epic KOM route.\u00a0 After the first small island with the series of 8%-10% switchbacks, you'll cross a bridge.\u00a0 Immediately after the bridge, turn right and you'll enter a “high alpine” style terrain.\u00a0 Think something that looks like the Sound of Music and you'll understand.<\/p>\n
What does the Mayan loop look like?<\/h2>\n
Before you get to the Mayan ruins, you need to tackle the alpine plateau.\u00a0 The alpine terrain is a gradual climb of around a hundred feet.\u00a0 Then it drops you into the Mayan loop.\u00a0 One thing to note is that there is a roadblock right before you hit the Mayan expansion.\u00a0 Perhaps we'll see another route option in the future?\u00a0 It would be nice because right now the Mayan expansion is just a “lollipop” route: ride out, ride the loop, ride back.\u00a0 It would be nice to have a contiguous loop to ride.<\/p>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/tailwind-coaching.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/File-Nov-11-3-17-49-PM-1024x524.jpeg\")
<\/a>The entrance to the Zwift Mayan Expansion.<\/p><\/div>\n
The Mayan roads are akin to doing hill repeats.\u00a0 No matter which way you go, you'll have to drop into a descent to get to the caverns, where the start\/finish banner sits.\u00a0 From there, you'll climb up a gradual (3-4% average) climb out of the caverns.\u00a0 Depending on which way you go, you'll have a gorge crossing right before the crest or right after the crest.<\/p>\n
Whichever way you go, you'll get a short and punchy climb off the bridge over the gorge.\u00a0 The average grade on that short punch is around 7%, and it's only around 150 meters in length.\u00a0 It's not long, but for tired legs, it will surprise you if you're not careful.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/tailwind-coaching.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/File-Nov-11-3-15-12-PM-1024x524.jpeg\")
<\/a>The bridge on the Zwift Mayan Expansion is a sharp kick up at 7%.<\/p><\/div>\n
Visually, the designers have done a beautiful job at creating an exciting route to ride on.\u00a0 Zwift did an incredible job of detailing the (mostly) dirt roads, with ruins, jungle and the occasional sloth hanging from the canopy.\u00a0 Honestly, the Zwift Mayan expansion is probably the most graphically impressive release to date.<\/p>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/tailwind-coaching.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/File-Nov-11-3-16-14-PM-1024x524.jpeg\")
<\/a>The Zwift Mayan Expansion is beautifully designed.\u00a0 Check out that sloth in the branches!<\/p><\/div>\n
Now that you know what you're getting into, what's the best training to perform on these Mayan roads?<\/p>\n
What training suits the Zwift Mayan expansion the best?<\/h2>\n
Assuming you're using a [easyazon_link identifier=”B01GA6Z8FO” locale=”US” tag=”taicoaandthed-20″]smart trainer[\/easyazon_link], you'll experience changes in resistance according to the virtual terrain you ride on.\u00a0 With that in mind, what's the best training to do on the Mayan expansion?<\/p>\n
VO2 max intervals on the climbs<\/h3>\n
Because the Mayan expansion consists of a climb and a descent, it offers a few different training options.\u00a0 The climbs (except for the punchy climb over the bridge) are great for muscular endurance work.\u00a0 The length and consistent grade make it great for VO2 max work<\/a> as well.\u00a0 Depending on how long the climb takes you, it's the perfect length for 4-7 minute Zone 5 efforts<\/a>.<\/p>\n
The short, punchy bridge climb is a good way to practice finishing a hard effort too.\u00a0 Ride the loop counterclockwise and finish with a hard kick up the bridge.\u00a0 Not only will you get a solid VO2 effort, you'll practice sprinting in a depleted state<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Superspin the descents<\/h3>\n
If you're riding the Mayan loop multiple times, you can practice neuromuscular intervals on the descent.\u00a0 Descents are great for superspins<\/a>, allowing you to keep the pressure on and the cadence high for extended periods of time.\u00a0 Forcing your body to spin faster and keep the tension on the pedals will build neuromuscular coordination and increase your efficiency<\/a>.<\/p>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/tailwind-coaching.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/File-Nov-11-3-16-53-PM-1024x524.jpeg\")
<\/a>The Mayan Loop is perfect for single speeding.<\/p><\/div>\n
Singlespeed the loop<\/h3>\n
The terrain also makes the Mayan expansion perfect for singlespeed work.\u00a0 By setting your gear and cadence in the caverns you can do a really awesome singlespeed workout<\/a> around the loop.\u00a0 In this case, find a gear that you can push at 90 RPM.\u00a0 The intensity you choose depends on what your workout goal is.\u00a0 You can do sweetspot work<\/a>, FTP work<\/a> or anything else your training plan calls for.\u00a0 Stay in that gear and simply change your cadence, pedal tension, and power.\u00a0 At the end of the loop, your average power should be right around the target intensity you set in the caverns.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The new Mayan expansion provides yet another dimension to Zwift training. I’ll explain what the new terrain is like and how to train effectively with it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12765,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[64,120,52,203],"tags":[175,137,110,68,204],"yst_prominent_words":[5261,5251,4256,5244,5243,5234,5233,5256,5241,5258,5252,5250,5260,268,5240,1130,5263,5235,5247,5246],"wppr_data":{"cwp_meta_box_check":"No"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/tailwind-coaching.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/zwiftmayanexpansiontraining.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tailwind-coaching.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12727"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tailwind-coaching.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tailwind-coaching.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tailwind-coaching.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tailwind-coaching.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12727"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/tailwind-coaching.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12727\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12845,"href":"https:\/\/tailwind-coaching.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12727\/revisions\/12845"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tailwind-coaching.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12765"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tailwind-coaching.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12727"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tailwind-coaching.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12727"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tailwind-coaching.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12727"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tailwind-coaching.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=12727"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
- The ultimate guide to indoor cycling training with Zwift<\/a><\/li>\n