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7 min read<\/p>\n7 min read<\/p>\n
If the sweltering summer heat forces you to take your rides indoors, don\u2019t sweat it. Bike trainer workouts, while not as exciting as riding outside<\/a> and enjoying the views, can have pretty positive payoffs for your fitness<\/a>. They may even offer some benefits outdoor rides don\u2019t, thanks to the controlled environment. (It\u2019s true!)<\/p>\n Indoor rides also don\u2019t have to be boring\u2014despite pedaling toward nowhere. With the right setup<\/a>, a good playlist<\/a>, and a workout that keeps your mind engaged, time will fly by as you crank out watts.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udeb4\ud83c\udffb\u200d\u2640\ufe0f Take your cycling performance to the next level with Bicycling\u2019s Guide to Interval Training<\/a>, featuring four follow-along workouts you can do almost anywhere.<\/p>\n And it\u2019s not just everyday riders that can utilize indoor workouts in their training\u2014the elites hop on their bike trainers, too. Bring a little excitement to your indoor spin sessions with some favorite rides recommended by national champions, elite mountain bikers, and even a UCI Esports world champion. The following recommended workouts help some prominent pros boost their power, improve their VO2 max<\/a>, and increase cadence, and you can add them into your own training weeks to improve your cycling fitness from the air-conditioned comfort of your living room or gym.<\/p>\n Ashton Lambie\u2019s VO2 Max Busting Workout<\/p>\n You don\u2019t become the first person to go sub-four minutes on a 4,000-meter pursuit<\/a> without having a lot of power<\/a>. And where does Ashton Lambie build his powerful, speedy legs<\/a>? On the trainer.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is one of my favorites to work in for a quick trainer workout that focuses on building recovery from anaerobic<\/a> efforts, as well as comfort in the tempo zone<\/a>,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n By working in repetitions that push the intensity, you\u2019ll train your body to become more efficient at quicker paces, making it a helpful session for performance gains.<\/p>\n \u201cThe 30-second efforts in the main set shouldn\u2019t be absolutely maximal, but they should be well into your VO2 zone<\/a> [that\u2019s zone 5]. They can also be done out of the saddle,\u201d Lambie says. \u201cWith the decreasing \u2018rest\u2019 intervals, you\u2019ll really have to focus on efficiency<\/a> and recovering between the sprints<\/a>! This is a great workout for some race-style efforts.\u201d<\/p>\n The VO2 Max Bike Trainer Workout<\/p>\n \u23f1\ufe0f Total time: 86 minutes<\/p>\n WarmupMini-set building up intensity:3 min \u2013 zone 1 (recovery)2 min \u2013 zone 2 (endurance)2 min \u2013 zone 3 (tempo)2 min \u2013 zone 4 (threshold)Recovery – 2 min easy spin2 min \u2013 zone 5 (VO2)Recovery – 3 min easy spinMain set (3 rounds):5 min \u2013 zone 3 (tempo)30 second \u2013 sprint (all-out)4 min \u2013 zone 3 (tempo)30 second \u2013 sprint (all-out)3 min \u2013 zone 3 (tempo)30 second \u2013 sprint (all-out)2 min \u2013 zone 3 (tempo)30 second \u2013 sprint (all-out)4 min \u2013 easy spinning between roundsCooldown<\/p>\n MAKE IT FUN: \u201cAs far as songs go, I\u2019ve actually been updating my Bicycling playlist on Spotify regularly<\/a>,\u201d Lambie says. \u201cFor specific tunes, I\u2019ve been pretty into Japanese funk lately, specifically the artist Masayoshi Takanaka. It\u2019s definitely a jam but makes these go by pretty quick!\u201d<\/p>\n Savilia Blunk\u2019s Cadence Pyramid Workout<\/p>\n Multi-time cross-country MTB national champion Savilia Blunk hits the trainer when the weather<\/a> gets too dicey to ride outside, and she uses it as a chance to work on cadence<\/a>.<\/p>\n For off-road riders, being able to shift cadence<\/a> while keeping effort consistent is key to navigating awkward sections of trail at a low cadence but hard effort. You also want to have the power to increase your cadence heading up tricky climbs<\/a>, where you may need to spin faster while maintaining your sustainable effort level.<\/p>\n Blunk\u2019s pyramid-style indoor workout helps you get comfortable changing cadence\u2014a skill you can carry over to the outdoor trails.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a great short and sweet opener for getting the muscles<\/a> firing and opening the respiratory system,\u201d Blunk says. \u201cI like it because there\u2019s always something going on throughout the workout so the time goes by quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n The Cadence Bike Trainer Workout<\/p>\n \u23f1\ufe0f Total time: ~55 minutes<\/p>\n WarmupZone 3 intervals at different cadences (keep effort in zone 3): 1 min 110 rpm1 min 120 rpm 1 min 130 rpm 1 min 120 rpm 1 min 110 rpm <\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n 5 min easy spinning12 sec seated sprint in a hard gear5 min easy spinning<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n Zone 3 intervals at different cadences (keep effort in zone 3):1 min 130 rpm 1 min 120 rpm 1 min 110 rpm 1 min 120 rpm1 min 130 rpm<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n 5 min easy spinning 12 sec seated sprint in a hard gear5 min easy spinning<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n Zone 3 intervals at different cadences (keep effort in zone 3):1 min 100 rpm1 min 110 rpm 1 min 120 rpm 1 min 110 rpm 1 min 100 rpm Cooldown<\/p>\n MAKE IT FUN: \u201cGet some music bumping, set up a fan or put your trainer in a breezeway, or replay a World Cup on RedBull TV to get you through this one,\u201d Blunk says. Her top hype song? On The Floor<\/a> by J Lo and Pitbull. Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio\u2019s Power Ride<\/p>\n When Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio<\/a> isn\u2019t racing in the pro peloton as one of the world\u2019s fastest women<\/a>, she\u2019s crushing it on Zwift<\/a> and motivating women around the world to join in with her Rocacorba Collective program<\/a>, a membership-based indoor cycling community, on the app.<\/p>\n Moolman-Pasio builds power via her favorite Zwift workout: four-minute efforts up Alp du Zwift.<\/p>\n \u201cThis session involves sets of four-minute efforts in zone 5 at a low rpm with a five-minute recovery<\/a> between the efforts,\u201d she says. \u201cThis isn\u2019t necessarily that much fun, but the reason it\u2019s my favorite session is because I know it makes me so much stronger as it helps build my absolute power<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n Climbing workouts<\/a> train your body to produce more power, attack ascents smoothly, and work efficiently when you head up a hill.<\/p>\n A key tip for conquering the climbs? Queue up some tunes to stay mentally prepared. Moolman-Pasio gets through the workout with background music<\/a> and strong focus. \u201cI try to block out everything around me and focus on getting the absolute most out of my body and mind<\/a>,\u201d she says. \u201cIt hurts during the session, but the endorphin rush afterwards and reaping the rewards IRL and on Zwift in the following weeks helps to motivate me through the session.\u201d<\/p>\n Don\u2019t have Zwift? You can still emulate this effort on any trainer.<\/p>\n The Power Bike Trainer Workout<\/p>\n \u23f1\ufe0f Total time: 74-84 minutes<\/p>\n WarmupMain set (6 rounds):4 min in VO2 max (zone 5) at low cadence (50-60 rpm)5 min recovery (zone 2) at comfortable cadence (70-90 rpm)Cooldown<\/p>\n MAKE IT FUN: \u201cWhat makes this session particularly fun is to do it with others, there\u2019s nothing quite like suffering together and pushing each other through the process,\u201d Moolman-Pasio says. \u201cI\u2019d recommend joining a group<\/a> workout for this session and I\u2019d especially recommend signing up to the Rocacorba Collective training tier as we have our in-house coach, Helen Bridgman, coaching you through this session by voice on Discord. Having someone motivate<\/a> you through the session on Discord makes things way more enjoyable and really helps to get the most out of your performance<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n Moolman-Pasio\u2019s Interval Ride<\/p>\n Moolman-Pasio doesn\u2019t only hit zone 5 intervals. She also has some fun on the trainer with quicker interval<\/a> sets.<\/p>\n Interval training<\/a> pushes your body outside of your comfort zone, which helps you not just improve your VO2 max and fitness on the bike, but also increase your mental stamina and overall health<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen it comes to a fun session, I\u2019d say my favorite workout is a 20\/40, 30\/30, and 40\/20 session,\u201d she says. \u201cThe great thing about this session is that it really helps improve your VO2 max<\/a>, but the best part is that it tricks the body. Because the micro recovery period in the interval set is so short, your body thinks you\u2019re holding the all-out power<\/a> for the full six-minute period. This tricks your body into making a much bigger adaption than trying to hold your max power for the full six minutes, as you can usually reach a higher power for the short bursts.\u201d<\/p>\n The Interval Bike Trainer Workout<\/p>\n \u23f1\ufe0f Total time: 58 minutes<\/p>\n Warmup20\/40 interval set (6 rounds):20 sec all-out 40 sec recovery Recovery30\/30 interval set (6 rounds):30 sec all-out30 sec recovery Recovery40\/20 interval set (6 rounds):40 sec all-out20 sec recovery Recovery<\/p>\n MAKE IT FUN: \u201cWhen it\u2019s not possible to join others or have a coach motivating you on Discord, then I\u2019d recommend the Rocacorba Collective Spotify playlist<\/a>,\u201d Moolman-Pasio says. \u201cI really enjoy this playlist during my interval sessions on Zwift!\u201d<\/p>\n Cole Paton\u2019s Cadence-Based Tempo Workout<\/p>\n Even mountain bikers<\/a> have to spend some time on the trainer, especially when the weather doesn\u2019t cooperate for outdoor sessions on the trails. Cole Paton is a fan of workouts<\/a> that are efficient and effective, with plenty of changeups to prevent monotony.<\/p>\n \u201cHere\u2019s a short and sweet strength effort pyramid for riding on the trainer,\u201d Paton says. \u201cI like it because there isn\u2019t a whole lot of time to get bored!\u201d<\/p>\n Note that the strength<\/a> comes from changing the cadence<\/a> (rpm) in each tempo block, rather than changing the effort level itself.<\/p>\n The Tempo Bike Trainer Workout<\/p>\n \u23f1\ufe0f Total time: 59 minutes<\/p>\n WarmupTempo set 1:3 min tempo (zone 3), 70 rpm2 min tempo (zone 3), 60 rpm1 min tempo (zone 3), 50 rpm30 sec tempo (zone 3), 40 rpmRecoveryTempo set 2: 30 sec tempo (zone 3), 40 rpm1 min tempo (zone 3), 50 rpm2 min tempo (zone 3), 60 rpm3 min tempo (zone 3), 70 rpmEndurance10 min endurance (zone 2)Tempo set 3: 3 min tempo (zone 3), 70 rpm2 min tempo (zone 3), 60 rpm1 min tempo (zone 3), 50 rpm30 sec tempo (zone 3), 40 rpmRecoveryTempo set 4:30 sec tempo (zone 3), 40 rpm1 min tempo (zone 3), 50 rpm2min tempo (zone 3), 60 rpm3 min tempo (zone 3), 70 rpmCooldown<\/p>\n MAKE IT FUN: Be as prepared as possible. \u201cI like to have three water bottles<\/a> ready, all my ride food, a big fan and towel for sweat, and a mirror to do the workout in front of,\u201d says Paton. \u201cRiding inside in front of a mirror is a great opportunity to make sure your body position is aero<\/a> and you\u2019re maintaining good form<\/a> while pushing hard.\u201d<\/p>\n Molly writes about cycling, nutrition and training with an emphasis on bringing more women into sport. She’s the author of nine books including the Shred Girls series and is the founder of Strong Girl Publishing<\/a>. She co-hosts The Consummate Athlete Podcast<\/a> and spends most of her free time biking and running on trails, occasionally joined by her mini-dachshund.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"7 min read If the sweltering summer heat forces you to take your rides indoors, don\u2019t sweat it.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":855378,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[445],"tags":[49,48,12322,635,237864,82],"class_list":["post-855377","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cycling","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-core","tag-cycling","tag-marquee-adjacent","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/855377","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=855377"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/855377\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/855378"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=855377"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=855377"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=855377"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Another tip for nailing this one: \u201cAlways have food<\/a> and hydration<\/a>, and I make sure to set up my snacks<\/a> so they\u2019re in reach and I never have to get off the bike,\u201d Blunk says.<\/p>\n![\"Lettermark\"](\"https:\/\/www.bicycling.com\/_assets\/design-tokens\/bicycling\/static\/images\/logos\/lettermark.9b40ef4.svg?primary=%2523000\")
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