Tag: bike

Once the holidays are over and winter truly sets in, how will you maintain the fitness you gained over the spring, summer, and fall during January, February, and March? For some cyclists, it doesn’t matter, they’ll ride outside no matter what. But for those who aren’t so enamored with the cold (that includes me, btw), what will you do to maintain your fitness during the winter months?

A lot of us may invest in a gym membership to stay focused on training, but many (like myself) will opt to set up a bike trainer and continue to pedal inside. However, in order not to go completely bonkers with boredom, it’s a good idea to think about indoor training logically and not just jump in and jump on your bike without any direction.

Have (or Develop) a Training Plan

You might tell yourself you’ll hop on the trainer a couple times a week. But how likely are you to stick to that? And what will you do during that half hour or hour you spend on the bike trainer? Will you just aimlessly pedal or will you do something like watch a training video or participate in a virtual training session to keep you focused?

If you just hop on your bike trainer and pedal, boredom will set in pretty quickly. Plus, chances are high that you’ll lose momentum and not dial in enough intensity for your trainer time to be beneficial. A structured training approach that you can follow will help make the most of your time and reap the most rewards.

In an article about indoor training over at Bicycling.com, a six-day plan with one day of rest built in is suggested. If that is too much for you, you can cut it back to four or even two days a week with another activity added on, such as walking, strength training, etc.

Train in All the Zones as You Ride

When we are riding outside, we ride at various speeds and different paces. The terrain or roads were on may call for it. During a ride, we shift into these zones sometimes without even thinking about it: recovery, tempo, sprint, and climbing intensity.

But being on a bike trainer is a whole different story. Without structured training, it is hard to hit and maintain any time in those zones. That’s why it’s good to watch training videos like the ones at CTS (Carmichael Training Systems). You can stream or download a wide selection of videos. All you have to do is enter your email. You can also watch cycling videos at this spot on YouTube.

Strength Training or Another Activity

Winter is long and being on the bike trainer that whole time three to five days a week may cause you to burn out before spring arrives. You can break that up by doing one or more of these activities, which can be just as beneficial to your training.

Walking. Science has shown that a vigorous thirty-minute walk can be just as good for you as an hour run or bike ride. Vary your stride from slow to fast and your training will be enhanced quite nicely.

Strength Train. Pushups, pull-ups, stretching, and working with weights can all benefit your training and fitness.

Yoga. Cyclists are often accused of being not very limber. That has to do with our sport-specific riding posture. If you can’t bend over and touch your toes, then Yoga and more advanced stretching may give you more flexibility and strength on the bike.

Last Thoughts

Using a bike trainer with other activities added on can definitely make indoor training more tolerable and also make being indoors during the winter months rewarding. Remember that you don’t have to push super hard all the time. Videos will help take you through different training zones.

Your goal while riding the bike trainer should be to maintain your fitness and build strength. You’ll achieve this if you are consistent and apply your time well while indoors. Then, when the first warm days of spring arrive, you’ll be ready to tackle the season ahead without worry.