Like it or loath it - autumn has well and truly landed. This means two things - the days are getting shorter and the temperature is dropping. For many it marks the end of race season and a move into the off-season... For others it's time to bring the bike indoors and kickstart the turbo.
To help you make the most of indoor training, we've reached out to the experts in the community - each providing a couple nuggets of wisdom to help maximise your sessions. Dig out your fan and grab a towel, things are about to get sweaty.
1. Make getting going easy. If you can leave you set up all set up; this will encourage you to jump on a ride. So find a place for your indoor training and leave it set up. Marc Preece
2. Fuel! Whether it’s food pre or fuel during your session, this for me is key. Every session counts (don’t count the sessions) so you want to hit all session feeling good and ready to get what you want from the session. A term I like to use “You can only train as hard as you recover” Fuel/food post session is just as important. Daniel Lanigan
3. Break it down - When cycling outdoors you’ve got a lot to focus on - including things like traffic and directions, as well as trying to take in all of the views. Indoors, you don’t have this and so boredom can creep in very quickly and what would be deemed as a ‘shorter’ ride outside seems like f o r e v e r inside. To keep things interesting, I like to do interval sessions. This way an hours session of just spinning the legs becomes a warm up, block of efforts and rests and cool down. You’ll stay focussed, work harder and the time passes so much quicker! Kathy
4. Save up your box sets! If you need to get long sessions boxed off indoors, breaking the time up with box sets, phone calls and an epic playlist can really help hit your time target. Lizzy Dreary
5. Do not feel that because you are inside and bored that you have to go ‘all in’ during every session. Periodized training which includes rest days, deload weeks and easy sessions are key; even in the winter months. Just because it’s a lot easier to jump on the turbo or treadmill don’t overdo it. Stick to a regular training plan. Claire Warburton
6. Anyone who's sat on a turbo training for any serious amount of time knows it can quickly become monotonous and soul destroying, there is no traffic or weather or landscapes, just you, the bike and the four walls of your pain cave. Cycling indoors means you’ll be sat in a static position for far longer than you would do normally, this puts more pressure on the key contact points with the bike as well as your neck and shoulders. You have to remember to keep moving, get out of the saddle, look over your shoulder and move in the saddle to make sure you don’t get sore too quickly. Guy Stapleford
7. Know your numbers. I tend to always look at my sessions the days before, to ensure I know exactly what numbers I’m aiming for. (Not always about ERG mode) Daniel Lanigan
8. Temperature - Absolutely crucial to ensure the temperature is cool enough, otherwise you’ll overheat and this will hugely impact your ability to work hard. Use a fan…! Repetitive training is what makes us better athletes, so becoming resilient, both physically and mentally will boost your toolbox. Set goals and get after them. 👊🏻 Marc Preece
9. Keeping cool is always a challenge. Sweat can cause saddle sores, so use chamois cream and if you're doing long stints then change your bib shorts, to ensure you stay dry. Guy Stapleford
10. Fuel your session to match your effort: Short and sharp? Get in some electrolytes. Replicating a long ride, then make sure you’re including carbs in the mix. Lizzy Dreary
And because we also take it to 11.... Keep in mind:
11. So my best tip for this time of year would be to take an off season at some point. We all love to train but some time away to catch up with sleep, relaxed eating and friends and family is good for the soul. It also allows us to come back to training revitalised and motivated. Claire Warburton.
Team HUCKSON will be getting together for regular virtual Zwift rides throughout autumn and winter. If you'd like to find out more, please get in touch with the team.
Thanks to Mark Preece at Smart 1-2-1, Lizzy Tris, Ironman Daniel, Claire Warburton and Kathy Stringer
Banner image credit: Zwift.
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