photo courtesy of RIDE Cycling Review
Most people turn to indoor training once the weather turns sour. I’m no different. Why would I want to ride indoors when the sun is shining? Riding indoors defeats some of my favorite reasons for riding a bike.
However, indoor training isn’t something that should only be looked at as an alternative to riding in the rain. Many of the best PRO cyclists in the world use indoor training as part of their build-up to form. It’s all about ‘bang for your buck‘ and training specificity. There’s an old adage that says “an 60 mins on the trainer is worth 90 mins on the road”. In an hour you can get a solid workout that hits your precise training zones without needing to stop for red lights, dealing with gradient or wind changes, or leeches sitting on your wheel.
There are a couple popular options to kick off your indoor training routine:
- Get a set of rollers or a trainer to set up in front of the TV. The upfront cost can be as little as $150. If you’re serious about your performance, want to buy some motivation, and have the cash, you might consider investing in a dedicated ergo such a Wattbike. Sponsor plug: Enter to win a Wattbike by subscribing to RIDE.
- Sign up for cycling specific ergo sessions at dedicated a venue. The cost can be anywhere from $10-$30 per session. The motivational environment provided by these places can be phenomenal. These types of sessions pass by quickly, they make you leave the comfort of your own livingroom, put you in the right head-space, and they have someone cracking the whip at you. A couple places I’d recommend in Melbourne is Ridewiser in St Kilda and Velocino in Black Rock. There are many more I haven’t tried so feel free to recommend any good ones I’ve missed.
Indoor Interval Sessions
If you’re just hopping on the trainer and throwing in a DVD in without having a good plan of what you’re going to do, you won’t get the most out of your session. Below I’ve outlined a few good interval workouts that target different training zones. You’ll come out of these sessions absolutely shattered after about an hour. I recommend that you use a HR monitor (or powermeter if you have it) so you can gauge your efforts properly. Most people find that the perceived effort is much higher when riding indoors.
Note: For these sessions be effective it’s helpful to know your training zones. If you don’t know what these are, don’t be intimidated. It’s sufficient to simply “go hard” for the types of intervals outlined below. Just remember, start out at a pace that you know you can maintain for the entire interval. This will seem easy at the beginning, your heartrate will rise, and then will be difficult to maintain at the end. It always takes some experimentation to learn your body and fitness level when you’re just starting out. The structure of these sessions is the point.
Lactate tolerance training intervals
- 15 minute warm up with one 2 minute effort fairly HARD (25% over your lactate threshold) and then back down again.
- 4 minutes effort fairly HARD (just above LT wattage) to make sure you are warmed up
- rest 2 minutes, then 3 minutes HARD (just over your MAP) (see here on how to test MAP – maximum aerobic power)
- rest 2 minutes and 2 minutes HARD (just over your MAP)
- 2 minute rest 1 minute VERY HARD (over your MAP as hard as you can go)
- 2 minutes rest 2 minutes HARD (just over your MAP)
- 2 minute rest 3 minutes HARD (just over your MAP)
- then recover for 2 minutes
- 4 minutes at just below lactic threshold
- cool-down for 10 minutes
These are great to build up your lactate tolerance. This session will look something like this pyramid if you use a powermeter:
VO2Max Intervals
These intervals will hit your VO2Max zone and get you more comfortable riding in this neighborhood of pain. After a while you’ll start to notice that you’re recovering better and staying in these zones for longer.
Warm Up:
- 10 minutes warm-up just spinning the legs getting the blood flowing
- One 5 minute interval at 110% of LT
- 5 minutes of easy spinning to recover before we get to the good stuff…
VO2 Max:
- 6 x 3minutes trying to average the highest power you can in the 3 minutes. REST for 3 minutes between each.
- Rest and spin easily for 10 minutes after the 6x3min intervals are complete.
- Now, 4 x 2 minutes with 4 minutes rest between each. These are HARD 2 minute efforts.
- Cool-down for 10 minutes. You won’t be able to walk after this session. I’ve rarely finished on of these in it’s entirety.
Race Tune-Up
These are intervals I like to do the day before a race. They’re not hard enough to break you down and cause muscle damage. They simply recruit the muscles that will be used tomorrow and get them firing. Personally, if I don’t do a workout like this the day before a race my legs will feel heavy and I’ll completely blow my chances of getting a good result.
Warm up:
Easy spinning for 10 minutes
Efforts:
- 3 x 1 minute hard, with 5 minutes of easy riding between each.
- 3 x 30 seconds hard sprints, with 5 minutes between.
- Cool down and spin easily for 15mins.
NOTE: If you’ve gotten this far you’re probably somewhat interested in indoor training. I have 10 free gift vouchers to give away courtesy of The Sufferfest motivational training videos. Sorry, all have been given out. These video sessions are fantastic. Race footage, helmet cam footage, and structured intervals. It’s all very motivating, gives you structure to your workout, and makes the time fly by.
To download one of the Sufferfest’s DVD’s for free, just leave a comment with your indoor training tip and email me at [cyclingtips at gmail dot com] and I’ll send you a free code. I only have 10, so first come first serve.
On a side note, I did an indoor training session yesterday while watching none other than Chasing Legends. I received a copy to review from the producers of the film (like I’m some sort of film critic now?). All I can tell you that it was AWESOME. DVD’s go to print commercially at the end of July and I’m working to get a bunch as giveaways. You’re gonna love it!
{ 34 comments }
My tip: Stay cool! Overheating is one of the major performance limiters when training inside. To combat this, find a cool place and use fans.
My tip: Psyche yourself up for the session and make sure everything you need (remote control, water, etc) is at hand. Otherwise the interruptions will kill your session and motivation. Oh, and make sure the dog is restrained….
Regardless of how cool it seems, fan(s) are a must.
Make sure everything is within easy reach, maybe on a table. Especially important if you even think you might want to change music, DVDs, etc. Unless I seriously plan ahead I find myself having to stop to re-organise. Also, if you're like me and watch older highlights through youtube and other places, make sure all the videos are open but paused _before_ you start.
Get a computer with rear mounted cadence/speed sensor. Garmin Edge 500 is perfect. This will allow you to track speed, distance & cadence whilst not moving an inch.
If you have a Kurt Kinetic but no power meter, get the power equation for your trainer from here http://www.kurtkinetic.com/powercurve.php and print out a spreadsheet converting speed to power. Stick it up on the wall somewhere and you'll be able to get a reasonable idea of power output.
Tip… don't get distracted by the kids while doing the workout. I came off at 55km/h on the rollers last week. Friction from the tyres melted the (cheap) carpet, and I crashed into the piano! Ouch.
Another indoor training tip – spread a towel over the bars and top of the frame to catch all the sweat, and avoid corosion. And have plenty of fluid nearby.
Training tip… close the blinds so if it does get sunny, less windy, warmer etc… so you don't feel like a jackass.
I don't have any real tips, but
I have only just bought my first set of rollers and while I am not 100% confident on them and you can't do power runs I can tell you they kick arse compared to a Mag trainer for increasing your skills and efficiency… making the most of the power you already create.
The Financial controller said I had to choose, so I went the rollers. Any tips for training with those Wade?
Training tip: Turn the lights down – for some reason it allows me to push myself harder.
Actually the tip I do have is Win the Rapha kit and harden up!
Went to Gisborne yesterday afternoon for a run and I can tell you 40kph winds cutting through to the bone mean know about it, I was a pussy and packed it after about an hour, and yes, it took me about that long to drive there
video or music – essential
towel on bars for sweat – essential
session plan – essential
4 year old daughter yelling “faster daddy faster!” – optional
Have a large screen TV set at eye height to watch those training DVDs. Once the sweat starts to happen you can't see much on a small TV.
If I had an indoor trained, I would have to go out in this howling wind this arvo. Someone sponsor me one….PLEASE!!!! :)
Indoor Training Tip: While on the trainer don't let the dog jump up to you near the rear wheel area.
if you have two bikes (or more) in the winter dedicate one to the trainer so it is not a matter of setting it up to go ride
Currently going through a programme with Rebecca at Velocino.
Must say that having one dedicated ride with friends per week indoors is great – you are able to share how you are going, getting some great coaching for what you are looking to improve (hence in our group we now have myself as Hamster Man for needing to train up leg speed, Grinderboy who needs to use the big chain ring to build up leg strength and The Peanut Kid for the shape he makes on the Wattbike graph!)
The coaching is a big part of it, but having the power information and an indoor session once a week is highly recommended.
Thanks Wade for having the link from here to them – was good to go along and try it out and bring some mates along – most wanted to sign up after the (free) introductory session.
The DVDs I've been working with are basically eight week programs that step it up a notch every couple of weeks.
How do you incorporate these intervals you've described into your training week? Do you pick one type and stick with it for a number of weeks or cycle through them or what?
Tip for rollers – Focus on a point just in front of you, don't turn left just because the peleton on your video do!
BTW, 6 year olds make great indoor domestiques.
yep, i permanently set my old commuter up as the indoor bike, so easy to do a session, just drag it in front of the iMac. I also got a heavy duty music stand (about $45) to use as a 'desk' i can set up right next to me, great for the mouse, etc.
From experience a really good trainer is essential. I use the Kurt Kinetic and it is just like on the road. By the way I just wrote a post
http://thewhitejersey.com/2010/06/setting-up-fo... about indoor training and setting up. If you have an Edge the workouts feature is really userful as it gives a countdown till the next interval.
Make sure you know exactly what you are going to do before starting your workout. A structured workout makes the session go by a whole lot quicker!
cycling-inform are running ergo sessions at Bike Park in the CBD on Tuesday mornings.
You guys are soft. Get a good RAPHA jacket and get outside and ride !
As the winner of the kit there was no way I could squib on riding in this weather. Riding to work out at Tullamarine from the beach way yesterday makes me feel worthy of the Rapha kit now…
Another suggestion for a VO2 session is to alternate periods of Efforts and Working recovery for a longer 'interval' length than your typical VO2 set as described above.
Example:
Warm Up as per CTs Vo2 session
VO2 Set 10-20mins (your choice)
15s Mod Gear 39*19 100-110rpm
15s Mod Gear 39*19 70-80rpm
* these can be 10/20, 20/20 etc or a mixture but not too long as it wont be sustainable.
5-8min REST/RECOVERY then Repeat 2-3x
or COOL DOWN
The benefit is that you can sustain LT HR & higher ave.power for longer total session time than a typical VO2 interval/session.
It is an advance session so perhaps starting with shorter interval blocks (3x7min) and progressing to 20min blocks over time, but aiming for 20min+ per session at 'threshold' is recommended to get significant benefits.
Enjoy!
Suck it up norbs, wind is what makes the “hard men” of our sport and is a great alternative to indoor or climbing sessions…more so when it's “on the nose”. Enjoy the ride home mate!!! :P
Shhh norbs, if Jens heard you talk like that he'd come round and rip your heart out and feed it back to you from his bidon.
Do you think Jens would ever train indoors?
I don't won't to destroy your world, but according to this http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/jens-voigt-... :
Cyclingnews: We hear the weather isn't the best in France right now?
Jens Voigt: The weather is not good at all – it forced us to go on the trainer. First it was raining then it started hailing, really strongly. The wind picked up, too. We were really happy to be on the trainer then and not out on the street.
Did you read that? He was happy to be on a trainer! Actually, make that “really happy”. Yes, Jens Voigt was happy to be riding on a trainer.
I feel bad for laughing at this.
Hey, congrats to those of you that won The Sufferfest videos! I hope you love/hate them and they bring you much, much suffering and misery. And that they make you very, very fast. : – Cheers, David
After reading all these comments I need to add one more benefit of indoor training that wasn't mentioned. Since you've been riding “all week” (outside) on your bike the wife wants to go out on the weekend and it's your turn to look after the kids. You can ride in the garage and still be “looking after them” as they have an afternoon sleep – this is win-win multi-tasking!
My daughter actually woke early one afternoon, came into the garage as I was at 300% MHR, looked at me strangely, paused and said………….”Dad, you're sweating!”
If you have a carbon bike ….. Don't do max efforts. We have had heaps of cracked chain stays and they are not covered under warranty (intended use of a road bike does not include turbo trainers)
yes, regardless if the weather is good or bad, its good to have a few key sessions on the rollers or trainers. Its alot more focused! I was using the rollers without a fan for a while here and my heart rate went through the roof, but since I have started using the fan, it takes longer to reach a high heart rate and not as much sweat ends up on the floor!!
Comments on this entry are closed.
{ 2 trackbacks }