Turbo power through winter

Stay bike fit with these trainer sessions

We are blessed in Australia that conditions aren’t half as bad as they are back in my home of England, during winter. But Sydney can still throw in some horrible winter mornings that see people switching off their alarm and going back to sleep if they hear a few drops of rain or feel cold.

You’ll often here that consistency is one key to becoming a better athlete and while there are times we need to toughen up, there are times when you have to train smarter and getting on a Turbo trainer can be just what you need to have your best season ever.

See the review on the different types of indoor trainers by DC rainmaker <add link under review of different types of indoor trainers>

DC Rainmakers Winter Bike Trainer Recommendations

Why Train indoors?

Training indoors is smart as you generally don’t stop pedalling, there are no traffic lights, no crossing roads, you just ride, ride and ride and most importantly you can stay consistent while others are tucked up in bed.

You can go to an indoor training studio and get the benefits from training in a room with other people, but for a relatively small investment, you can set up your own home studio which in the long run will save your money and you can ride whenever you want.

There are also many software packages, that make indoor training more enjoyable such as Trainer Road, Zwift and Perf Pro. These can provide hours of endless fun and structured sessions that can really push you as hard as you like.

The beauty of indoor trainers is that you get a great bang for your buck, a solid hour on a Turbo is like being out on the road for 90 mins, it works so well for time crunched athletes and for those that want to do precise interval training.

I love using my Turbo trainer before a time trial, as you can get a perfect warm up, without worrying about riding out too far, finishing too early or even missing your start time.
Whilst it’s imperative during the season to spend a lot of time on the road, the off-season is a great time to dig out your turbo and get some quality work in.

Below is one of my favourite strength sessions that will get your beast strong for the season ahead.

Turbo strength session

Warm-Up

75-90 RPM, 39×19 8:00

Main Set

Climbing – seated 55 RPM, 53×12, 4:00 mins
Climbing – out of saddle 55 RPM, 53×12, 4:00 mins
Climbing – seated 55 RPM, 53×12, 4:00 mins

Recovery

80 RPM, 39×19, 4:00 mins

Climbing – seated 55 RPM, 53×12, 4:00 mins
Climbing – out of saddle 55 RPM, 53×12, 4:00 mins
Climbing – seated 55 RPM, 53×12, 4:00 mins

Recovery

80 RPM, 39×19, 4:00 mins
Anaerobic Threshold Zone4 – 85 RPM 53×19, 4:00 mins
Anaerobic Threshold Zone4 – 85 RPM 53×19, 4:00 mins

Cool Down

50 RPM, 39×19, 5:00 mins

With my coaching group we often use indoor training sessions to complement outdoor cycling, this really boosts bike fitness and helps to understand pacing.

Key

Warm-Up	75-90 RPM	39×19	8:00
Session type	Revolutions / min or cadence. The rate you spin the pedals at.	Gear type	duration

Gear ranges
Medium gear	Hard gear
39×19	53×12

*Please note the RPMs and gear changes vary