Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.velo
12-05-02, 10:02 AM
Part 4 – Trainer Workouts for Base Mileage
By this time, most of us are about halfway through our base mileage phase, or approaching it shortly. A common question is, “How do I get my mileage in when there is snow out there?”. Well, the easiest way is to hop on the stationary trainer. It is not the most glamorous way of logging the miles, but it can be done fairly painlessly if you do it right.
Before we get into some sample workouts, there are some tricks to riding the trainer without falling into a mental blackout:
1. Ride with some friends. If you are riding with other people, they will push you to stay on the trainer and keep a structured schedule. If you get off with 20 minutes to go, you can count on them to be busting your butt.
2. Ride with a cycling videotape. You can achieve some good mileage if you ride along with a cycling video. When the peloton climbs, you climb. When they are cruising downhill, you shift to an easier gear. *sample workout below*
3. Ride to motivating music. Pearl Jam, Metallica, Whitney Houston, whatever your pleasure, you will find it more motivating than riding in silence.
4. Ride with a goal in mind. Want to win that local training ride next spring? Visualize yourself in a breakaway group complete with Phil Liggett commentating in the background. It may sound silly, but it works. Then, come spring, you will be ready for the breakaway victory.
5. Ride using intervals. Intervals mean that you ride for a time period at a higher intensity, take a time period at an easier intensity, then ride at a higher intensity again. If you have the ability to ride for 1 ½ hours straight, at the same speed, on a trainer, then you have qualified for the title of “Trainer Junky”.
By using your favorite “tricks of the trainer”, it is time to log some trainer base miles. Miles on the trainer are not meant to totally replace outdoor miles, but just replace them when the weather is not cooperating, or your schedule is not cooperating. Trainer workouts can be as long as you need them to be to achieve your mileage goal. For instance, I like to get 25-30 trainer miles two days a week. This usually takes me 1 ½ hour worth of efforts (intervals) and recovery. Here are some samples for you to try. All gear ratios, time periods, and distances are suggestions. The workouts increase in intensity as they are numbered. Customize the workouts for yourself:
1. Pop a video in the VCR. Set your trainer in front of the TV. Warm-up by riding an easy gear that allows you to spin (39x16) at a comfortable pace (18mph) for 30 minutes. Take a 10 minute rest by spinning easy (39x21) and/or stretching. For 30 minutes, follow the race on the TV at 80-85% of your maximum heart rate in a gear that you can push at a decent cadence (53x16). If the peloton is climbing, adjust your resistance on your trainer to simulate a climb. If the peloton is cruising on the flats, leave the resistance go, and keep a steady tempo. If the peloton is at a downhill section, shift to an easier gear and spin at a faster cadance. Cool-down by riding a very easy gear (39x21) for 15 minutes. Follow the workout by some stretching.
2. Warm-up by riding an easy gear that allows you to spin (39x16) at a comfortable pace (18mph) for 30 minutes. Take a 10 minute rest by spinning easy (39x21) and/or stretching. Ride 15 minutes at 80-90% of your maximum heart rate in a gear that you can push at a decent cadence (53x16). Every 2 ½ minutes, put a light hill simulation in for 30 seconds. Take a ten minute rest by spinning easy (39x21). Repeat the effort. Cool-down by riding a very easy gear (39x21) for 15 minutes. Follow the workout by some stretching.
3. Warm-up by riding an easy gear that allows you to spin (39x16) at a comfortable pace (18mph) for 30 minutes. Take a 10 minute rest by spinning easy (39x21) and/or stretching. Ride 30 minutes at 80-90% of your maximum heart rate in a gear that you can push at a decent cadence (53x16). Every 8 ½ minutes, put a fairly hard hill simulation in for 1 ½ minutes. Cool-down by riding a very easy gear (39x21) for 15 minutes. Follow the workout by some stretching.
4. Warm-up by riding an easy gear that allows you to spin (39x16) at a comfortable pace (18mph) for 30 minutes. Take a 10 minute rest by spinning easy (39x21) and/or stretching. Ride 5 minutes at 85-95% of your maximum heart rate in a gear that you can push at a decent cadence (53x15). Take a 2 ½ minute rest by spinning easy (39x21). Repeat 5 more times for a total of six 5 minute efforts. Ride 10 minutes at 85-95% of your maximum heart rate (53x15). Cool-down by riding a very easy gear (39x21) for 15 minutes. Follow the workout by some stretching.
5. Warm-up by riding an easy gear that allows you to spin (39x16) at a comfortable pace (18mph) for 30 minutes. Take a 10 minute rest by spinning easy (39x21) and/or stretching. Ride 10 minutes at 85-95% of your maximum heart rate in a gear that you can push at a decent cadence (53x16). Take a 10 minute rest by spinning easy (39x21). Ride 15 minutes using the same guidelines. Take another 10 minute rest. Ride 20 minutes using the same guidelines. Cool-down by riding a very easy gear (39x21) for 15 minutes. Follow the workout by some stretching.
By this time, most of us are about halfway through our base mileage phase, or approaching it shortly. A common question is, “How do I get my mileage in when there is snow out there?”. Well, the easiest way is to hop on the stationary trainer. It is not the most glamorous way of logging the miles, but it can be done fairly painlessly if you do it right.
Before we get into some sample workouts, there are some tricks to riding the trainer without falling into a mental blackout:
1. Ride with some friends. If you are riding with other people, they will push you to stay on the trainer and keep a structured schedule. If you get off with 20 minutes to go, you can count on them to be busting your butt.
2. Ride with a cycling videotape. You can achieve some good mileage if you ride along with a cycling video. When the peloton climbs, you climb. When they are cruising downhill, you shift to an easier gear. *sample workout below*
3. Ride to motivating music. Pearl Jam, Metallica, Whitney Houston, whatever your pleasure, you will find it more motivating than riding in silence.
4. Ride with a goal in mind. Want to win that local training ride next spring? Visualize yourself in a breakaway group complete with Phil Liggett commentating in the background. It may sound silly, but it works. Then, come spring, you will be ready for the breakaway victory.
5. Ride using intervals. Intervals mean that you ride for a time period at a higher intensity, take a time period at an easier intensity, then ride at a higher intensity again. If you have the ability to ride for 1 ½ hours straight, at the same speed, on a trainer, then you have qualified for the title of “Trainer Junky”.
By using your favorite “tricks of the trainer”, it is time to log some trainer base miles. Miles on the trainer are not meant to totally replace outdoor miles, but just replace them when the weather is not cooperating, or your schedule is not cooperating. Trainer workouts can be as long as you need them to be to achieve your mileage goal. For instance, I like to get 25-30 trainer miles two days a week. This usually takes me 1 ½ hour worth of efforts (intervals) and recovery. Here are some samples for you to try. All gear ratios, time periods, and distances are suggestions. The workouts increase in intensity as they are numbered. Customize the workouts for yourself:
1. Pop a video in the VCR. Set your trainer in front of the TV. Warm-up by riding an easy gear that allows you to spin (39x16) at a comfortable pace (18mph) for 30 minutes. Take a 10 minute rest by spinning easy (39x21) and/or stretching. For 30 minutes, follow the race on the TV at 80-85% of your maximum heart rate in a gear that you can push at a decent cadence (53x16). If the peloton is climbing, adjust your resistance on your trainer to simulate a climb. If the peloton is cruising on the flats, leave the resistance go, and keep a steady tempo. If the peloton is at a downhill section, shift to an easier gear and spin at a faster cadance. Cool-down by riding a very easy gear (39x21) for 15 minutes. Follow the workout by some stretching.
2. Warm-up by riding an easy gear that allows you to spin (39x16) at a comfortable pace (18mph) for 30 minutes. Take a 10 minute rest by spinning easy (39x21) and/or stretching. Ride 15 minutes at 80-90% of your maximum heart rate in a gear that you can push at a decent cadence (53x16). Every 2 ½ minutes, put a light hill simulation in for 30 seconds. Take a ten minute rest by spinning easy (39x21). Repeat the effort. Cool-down by riding a very easy gear (39x21) for 15 minutes. Follow the workout by some stretching.
3. Warm-up by riding an easy gear that allows you to spin (39x16) at a comfortable pace (18mph) for 30 minutes. Take a 10 minute rest by spinning easy (39x21) and/or stretching. Ride 30 minutes at 80-90% of your maximum heart rate in a gear that you can push at a decent cadence (53x16). Every 8 ½ minutes, put a fairly hard hill simulation in for 1 ½ minutes. Cool-down by riding a very easy gear (39x21) for 15 minutes. Follow the workout by some stretching.
4. Warm-up by riding an easy gear that allows you to spin (39x16) at a comfortable pace (18mph) for 30 minutes. Take a 10 minute rest by spinning easy (39x21) and/or stretching. Ride 5 minutes at 85-95% of your maximum heart rate in a gear that you can push at a decent cadence (53x15). Take a 2 ½ minute rest by spinning easy (39x21). Repeat 5 more times for a total of six 5 minute efforts. Ride 10 minutes at 85-95% of your maximum heart rate (53x15). Cool-down by riding a very easy gear (39x21) for 15 minutes. Follow the workout by some stretching.
5. Warm-up by riding an easy gear that allows you to spin (39x16) at a comfortable pace (18mph) for 30 minutes. Take a 10 minute rest by spinning easy (39x21) and/or stretching. Ride 10 minutes at 85-95% of your maximum heart rate in a gear that you can push at a decent cadence (53x16). Take a 10 minute rest by spinning easy (39x21). Ride 15 minutes using the same guidelines. Take another 10 minute rest. Ride 20 minutes using the same guidelines. Cool-down by riding a very easy gear (39x21) for 15 minutes. Follow the workout by some stretching.