Besides getting on the bike and riding or riding on a indoor trainer, what do you guys do specifically at the gym that caters or helps in the cycling department?

Now that winter is upon us in Northwestern Michigan I'll be spending more time in the gym and more time on the trainer (picking up cycleops fluid from lbs), good days for riding having been few and far in between the last two weeks.

I searched but couldn't find a good source of information on the topic.

Most of my teammates skate ski through the winter, the few times I've done it, my quads have been really really sore when I'm done. I tend to just stick to lots of riding indoors.

GYM: Not as good for me, but "spin" classes are legit - you can skip all the weirdo motions (hand behind back, etc.) and just do intervals until you pass out.

Trainer: CycleOps2 is excellent, with a road-like power curve. However, if you think you'll have a chance of riding it more than 1x per week (or even month), you MUST have training DVDs like Sufferfest ($10 each) or Spinervals ($25ish each) and I'd say you also MUST have a rear wheel speed sensor to get objective numbers on how you are riding (preferably with HRM). If you think you can routinely crank out intervals on your own on the trainer with no feedback and no "coach", good luck to you - I predict no more trainer use after 3 weeks of intermittent use.

I'm pretty mentally die-hard (I've run 20+ miles on a treadmill several times) but the bike trainer is a whole new level of mental anguish without the DVDs.

With the DVDs though, it's awesome - it's so good that when I get back to my road rides, I'm always stunned at how much wasted time there is coasting and easy-spinning, even on roadie hammerfest rides. (If you go up, you've gotta come down.)

plyometrics in the gym

On the trainer, you should plan on some sort of interval coaching. I get tired of Spinnervals so mix it up with mp3's from Cardio Coach. I like Volume 4 but give a few a try, they are cheap.
https://www.cardiocoach.com/cc_workouts.php

I have owned a few trainers including the Cycleops Fluid 2. Spend a little more and get a Kurt Road Machine. It is better built and runs smoother.

I don't do the gym scene (can't afford it due to other financial obligations). I have an old Turbo Trainer wind trainer that I ride after work three to four times a week (I don't like riding on the road after dark on south Louisiana's narrow roads). I use a Cateye Astrale 8 computer with a rear wheel-sensor and a Sigma PC14 heart monitor to track my performance. I listen to music while training and alternate interval workouts with tempo/recovery rides. Sometimes I'll ride my rollers for a change of pace or do upper-body workouts on my wife's Schwinn Aerodyne. I also do "vee-sits" to tone my core. Lucky for me it stays warm enough down here that I can get in some road work on the weekends (schedule permitting).

@brian416 - Yeah a little downhill skiing and cross country wouldn't be bad, haven't been on the slopes in a few years, maybe its time to get out there. I used to play league hockey so I usually play a little pond hockey in the winter but its all just recreational nothing too intense.

@hhnngg1 - The plan is to get a cheapo lcd tv for the sunroom and set it up for this exact purpose, im sure i could ride mindlessly on the trainer but thats no fun. DVDs are on the xmas list. Theres a place here where I live (https://rockbottomgymtc.com/brockmill...endurance.html) that is strictly indoor cycling for cyclists, I might check it out, cost is somewhat high for the actual training program.

@jdon - plyometrics, i'll do some research but that similar to p90x, correct? I looked at the KK road machine, might still go that route, i like giving my LBS the business but they only carry cycleops. I'll check out those mp3s.

@ciocc_cat - Thanks for the input


Keep the info coming you guys, its all appreciated. Thanks.

Plyometrics for cycling would primarily be jumping exercises and bounding. Side jumps, one and two legged. Box jumps, two legged forward, single leg side. Broad jumps. Stair bounding. They are a high impact exercise so they won't help if you have bad ankles, knees or hips. They can however, increase bone density and will increase cycling power. My trainer has me do them for 8 weeks in the winter only.

Don't get me wrong on Cycleops. They are very good. I just find the KK to be better designed and machined and smoother to ride.