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Indoor cycling training gives you strength and endurance

by Allan K. Internet Specialist
There are many benefits of indoor cycling training.

Many people have gradually started to move their cycling training indoors, and there are absolutely good reasons for this. When it's just super cold outside, you get the urge to train inside.

Training on a bike trainer or rollers is very effective training. But whether you are training watts on a bike trainer, or at a spinning class at the gym, you can always improve your workout.

With a bike trainer, the training can fit into a busy everyday life and become super effective.

Many benefits of indoor cycling training

Getting in good shape for spring and summer is a good argument, but indoor cycling training also helps you structure your training.

It’s also safer than driving outside in the winter with mirror-smooth roads, darkness and traffic, and then you can always hop on the bike trainer when you just do not bother to move outside.

Spinning in the gym or a bike trainer at home?

Spinning has the social element and you are close to others in the same room. On a home trainer, however, you have the opportunity to bicycle against others from all over the world.

Regular spinning can be good for getting in shape, but if you have a bike in advance, you can acquire a home trainer who can communicate with all types of training programs as well as provide active resistance in the pedals depending on the environment.You can use this guide Cykeltræner & hometrainer Guide.

Training clothes for indoor cycling training

It’s important to have a pair of good cycling shorts with padding so that you do not get sore. In addition to them, you can bike in a t-shirt or without clothes on the upper body to achieve the most possible ventilation for the body.

If you are a woman, a sports bra can be a good idea, possibly with a thin layer shirt on the outside. In the gym, a cycling jersey with a few pockets on the back for keys and a phone is preferable.

Finally, of course, there are the cycling shoes which must be with cleats that click into the pedals.

How should I train?

You can have different training programs ready, depending on how much time you have. It can be 3 different programs of 1, 11/2 and 2 hours.

If you need to be in really good shape, you should train 3-4 times a week for 11/2 hours. A training session for 1 hour can look like this.

  • Warm up for 20 minutes. If you are in good shape, you can start by driving approx. 150 watts, then gradually increase to approx. 200 watts.
  • Then 40 minutes with an average of approx. 200 watts (higher or lower depending on how the legs feel).
  • Then cool down for approx. 5 minutes with light pedaling.

Harder training.

  • Again warm up for 20 minutes. If you are in good shape, you can start by driving approx. 150 watts, then gradually increase to approx. 200 watts.
  • Then 3 x 12 minute intervals with high pulse. The intervals are followed by 2 minutes of light spinning where the heart rate comes down again.
  • Then cool down again for approx. 5 minutes with light spinning.

Nutrition during and after exercise

You need a lot of fluids when you train indoors and often more than you think. If you do not drink enough, your body may feel tired and sore. The lactic acid must be able to leave the body again.

You can also combine water with electrolyte drinks, which keep the body in balance. It’s also important that you get something to eat after the bike workout. It can be carbohydrates in the form of potatoes, rice or pasta with accompanying vegetables.

Cycling training should be combined with strength training.

Strength training in combination with cycling training

It’s always good to combine cycling training with a little strength training as well. Strength training is good for the following reasons.

  • You gain more strength and explosiveness, which in turn provides stronger accelerations and better sprints on the bike.
  • Your overall speed improves.
  • Strength training prevents injuries.

You can easily do the following exercises indoors in conjunction with cycling training.

  • Squats - Front and backsquats.
  • Deadlift.
  • Legpress.
  • Stepups.
  • Core exercises for the abdomen and back.

How to keep your motivation up

The indoor training alone can sometimes get boring, and then it’s necessary to have a few things ready so that the motivation can be found again.

Try a regular bike race every now and then on e.g. Zwift where there are always many different races at all levels.

If you ride at the same times, you will also meet some of the same riders. That way, you can measure your level up against them on an ongoing basis (they will also recognize you).

Listen to a podcast or create a good playlist to listen to while driving.

Remember to have as much fun as possible.


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About Allan K. Freshman   Internet Specialist

3 connections, 0 recommendations, 20 honor points.
Joined APSense since, December 25th, 2020, From Aarhus, Denmark.

Created on Mar 21st 2021 22:19. Viewed 331 times.

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