Indoor Cycling Workouts That Will Keep You
Fit,
Fast and Sane
by Selene Yeager -
from Bicycling
Magazine
Most sun-loving cyclists treat
indoor training like a necessary trip through purgatory to reach the promised
land come spring. But indoor training can become more productive and
entertaining if you infuse it with speed drills and the elements that make real
rides enjoyable - friends, variety and plenty of stimulation, says elite-level
coach Andy Applegate. "Done right, indoor training can not only deliver
benefits that reach beyond outdoor riding, but it can also be fun," he says.
Here's how to transform your ride from bland to grand.
High-cadence spin-ups
The Drill
Spin at 70 rpm in a low gear, increasing by 5 rpm
each minute until you bounce in the saddle. Then back off to being stable again
and hold for a minute. Drop your cadence 5 rpm each minute until you're back to
70 rpm.
The Benefit
Teaches you how to spin a small gear at
a fast cadence, which spares your leg muscles so they stay fresher longer.
Off-season is the perfect time to practice this, because you can convert the
strength you build in the weight room to speed on the bike.
Pimp It
Up
Slide a copy of Fox Racing's ChainSmoke II ($20,
justpushplay.com) into
the DVD player and spin like mad while off-road hotrods perform jaw-dropping
stunts. The lightning-fast footage and raging soundtrack will amp up any speed
session.
Speed play
The
Drill
Controlled-chaos training. Perform random intervals, ranging from
10 seconds to several minutes in length.
The Benefit
Prepares your body for real-life cycling situations, like chasing breakaways
and bridging gaps in races or hard rides.
Pimp It Up
Do
them when your favorite college or NFL team plays. Choose sprint cues, like
first downs and time outs, and sprint like crazy when they move the chains or
take a break in the action.
Single-leg pedaling
The Drill
Rest 1 foot on a chair next to the trainer, and pedal with
the other. Pedal smooth strokes, aiming for 90 rpm for 30 seconds, then switch
legs. Increase the time up to 4 minutes as you improve.
The
Benefit
Trains your neuromuscular system to eliminate dead spots in
your pedal stroke, which improves pedal efficiency and makes you a smoother,
faster bike rider with less effort.
Pimp It Up
Try these
challenging drills while watching
A Sunday in Hell ($29;
worldcycling.com), the
classic DVD of 1976 Paris-Roubaix. Pretend you're riding buttery smooth over
the cobbles as you work on perfecting your pedal stroke.
Low-intensity endurance
sessions
The Drill
Spin for 1 to 2 hours at an
easy to moderate effort.
The Benefit
Builds your aerobic
engine--the foundation upon which all cycling performance is built. Do these on
days you don't do intervals.
Pimp It Up
Start a "garage
band." Meet with friends once a week for long trainer sessions. Each week a
different "band member" brings the soundtrack. Keep the intensity
conversational. |
