Beating Insanity on a Turbo Trainer

MIsterGoof

Since I missed my Sunday ride this week, last night I set out to have a 45 minute spin on the Turbo trainer.

After about 30 minutes the wife comes into the kitchen (where the TT is set up) thinking someone else was in there with me. I was having a full on conversation with myself.

It appears that I had moved on from the occasional motivational noises to a full on motivational kick up the b***side motivational chat with myself.

I’ve tried TV, MP3 player, Radio and mental arithmetic (calculating watts, calories average speed all without the readout in the TT) to keep me going, but after about 25 minutes my brain seems to want some other stimulus. I suspect it’s due to the lack of changing scenery.

Is it just me? What else could I try to maintain some sanity? It would be nice to be able to do an hour, but the men in white coats would have got me by then.

DaveyL

I do an hour as minimum on the bike, but it is in a gym, so I guess there are TV screens up there, and other people milling about so it's not such a dull environment. I would struggle without music though, but I find that works most of the time - making playlists is essential though.

Look upon it as mental training as well as physical training - if you can stick it out mentally, that's got to be doing some good as well!!!

musto_skiff

An hour is my limit; I have the Taxc i-magic so I get to look at the graphs & numbers but I don't like the Virtual trainer thing.

That combined with music seems to do the trick.

SteveR_100Milers

You are not alone in hating the turbo, and finding it too easy to not go hard enough. Long hills therefore are your answer, as there is no hiding place...

BeaconRuth

MIsterGoof wrote:

Since I missed my Sunday ride this week, last night I set out to have a 45 minute spin on the Turbo trainer.

For me 'spin' equates to 'easy' so I would want to ask why you're doing 45mins 'easy' on the turbo. Maybe you need to think about what you're trying to achieve while you're on the turbo and what you should be doing to get maximum benefit. I do even-paced hour sessions on the turbo and I agree they aren't exciting, but I certainly don't get bored when I'm doing intervals. They're hideous and painful but not boring. Either I'm focusing totally on getting through the hard effort, or I'm grateful for my recovery interval and there's the constant inner debate "can I put myself through another one of those?" It's a pig. It's torture. But it isn't boring.

Maybe you need to try a bit harder?

Ruth

Bronzie

Agree with Ruth - I use the turbo for hard sessions only - the only thing I'm able to focus on is watching the time countdown so I can stop and get off the damn thing.

The Prodigy played very loud helps.

dennisn

Oh yeah, an hour is my limit. I also only use it for interval type stuff. 5 minutes hard, 5
minutes easy, repeat until cooked or well done. Stuff like that. Can't do a steady 1 hour
ride though. Too boring.

Dennis Noward

shmo

Yeah I agree intervals are the way to go. It's amazing how much faster the time goes when recovering in between reps when legs are burning and dreading the next one.

Even so I've barely touched the turbo since clocks went forward.

Jeff Jones

I can't use my turbo because I live in a flat with thin floors, so if the weather is particularly bad I just take a day off.

But if you must, then maybe just limit it to what you can stand, mentally. It depends on what you're doing it for.

Swannie

I was prepared to be dissuaded from getting a turbo...

but happily not.

Only reason for getting one for me is: easily repeatable conditions, and ability to make the most of my time, without dealing with lots of traffic lights and busy roads. Certainly will be planning to do 2x20's, 1x30's, and some harder faster intervals. But I must admit, tracking progress with repeatable conditions is the biggest attraction.

MIsterGoof

ahh !

so Intervals and pain beats brain fatigue

thanks guys, It'll give the wife some different sounds to listn to.

robmanic1

I watch cycling DVD's on the PC, keeps me motivated and interested on those long winter indoor rides that are lasting well into the goddamn summer by the way! :x

DaveyL

Jeff Jones wrote:

I can't use my turbo because I live in a flat with thin floors, so if the weather is particularly bad I just take a day off.

But if you must, then maybe just limit it to what you can stand, mentally. It depends on what you're doing it for.

Jeff, apparently you can get some of that thick insulating/soundproofing foam and stick it under the turbo. Or have you tried that?

Jeff Jones

DaveyL wrote:

Jeff Jones wrote:

I can't use my turbo because I live in a flat with thin floors, so if the weather is particularly bad I just take a day off.

But if you must, then maybe just limit it to what you can stand, mentally. It depends on what you're doing it for.

Jeff, apparently you can get some of that thick insulating/soundproofing foam and stick it under the turbo. Or have you tried that?

I've not yet tried that and I might if we get a really bad winter.

But I really hate turbos and much prefer to ride outside even if it's bad. Getting outdoors is an important part of riding for me. If I think it's too dangerous on the roads, I just go along the bike path.

Johnpwr

MIsterGoof wrote:

ahh !

so Intervals and pain beats brain fatigue

thanks guys, It'll give the wife some different sounds to listn to.

Spot on Although it is possible to make gains without excessive discomfort as well.

Start with a programme of what you are going to try to achieve in the session, warm up, go for it, warm down and then get off ! You're using an exercise machine and not riding as such, so it needs a different approach to riding on the road.

DavidBelcher

Bronzie wrote:

Agree with Ruth - I use the turbo for hard sessions only - the only thing I'm able to focus on is watching the time countdown so I can stop and get off the damn thing.

It's not just me that keeps clock-watching when on an indoor trainer, then! I'd agree with the comments that it's not boring; it's more that the extreme physical demands bring about a feeling of "when's this going to end??", and so the time spent on the trainer generally seems far longer than it really is.

David

pedylan

DavidBelcher wrote:

Bronzie wrote:

Agree with Ruth - I use the turbo for hard sessions only - the only thing I'm able to focus on is watching the time countdown so I can stop and get off the damn thing.

It's not just me that keeps clock-watching when on an indoor trainer, then! I'd agree with the comments that it's not boring; it's more that the extreme physical demands bring about a feeling of "when's this going to end??", and so the time spent on the trainer generally seems far longer than it really is.

David

"Time and tide wait for no man" Obviously written by someone who's never waited for 60:00 to come up on a turbo timer.

Use it for hard interval sessions, the recovery periods between will make time speed up for sure. If buying one I'd definitely recommend some sort of real time readout that you can occupy yourself with to monitor time, speed, power - anything really to distract from clock.

I've got mine set up in study with computer which belts out playlists or where i can watch DVD, TV or BBC iPlayer - Torchwood was great, fast moving, loud music, (curiously alluring female lead) and bugger all complexity :-)

No pain, no gain!

notanotherhill

Im with the general consensus here. Im still relativley new to the sport but ive already learned not to get on a turbo without a clear plan of action i.e have the session very well planned out.
Even with interval sessions ive found that my max time that i can endure is about 50 mins. After that, even Greenday blaring in my ears wont stop me getting distracted.

johnbirkby46213

Bronzie wrote:

The Prodigy played very loud helps.

I taught their only (or was it first) full-time guitarist (Giz Butt) - not a lot of people know that.

I downloaded a load of exercise regimes from the tacx website. jeez they are so hard work and things change so fast (sometimes every minute) that you have no chance to get bored. In fact, I have yet to do the "hill training" session without cheating! :oops:

wingnut1

It's funny but I don't mind the turbo trainer, interval is the way to go as the time is broken up with focusing on recovery for your next hard slog!

Because of work the turbo is used 3-4 times a week either 5 in the morn or 7 at night and out on the road at weekends. Time wise 1-1.5 hours per set depending on type of training.

I have tried films, cycling footage and music dvd's but found I couldn't consentrate watching a screen and give it my all so mp3 for me is the way to go.

SteveR_100Milers

Don't you dribble sweat all over your ipod / headphones if using it on the turbo???

Cumulonimbus

I find that reading can be a good way to pass the time in teh gym or doing puzzles, sudoku, etc. I also watch the telly sometimes. I find the best way is to try and vary it between different things.

kieranb

well, what I do, is see how long I can avoid looking at the clock whilst doing 2x20's, rule is that you have to try and get it near 20min as once you've looked, however long is left to go takes forever. Also as I have it set up in the garage I usually open the garage doors and watch the sun rise and shadows move, sometimes a slug/snail or spider will provide extra distraction but normally I am watching the cadence and heart rate.

dennisn

Last winter, once a week, I did a 20 minute or so warmup on the trainer then went into a series of 5 minutes very hard - 5 minutes soft pedal. Worked my way up to 30 minutes of each. Seemed to have worked for this old guy as I am riding much better this year.
And it really helped the trainer time go by. All except the 5 minute hard part, talk about
time standing still. The 5 minute rest period seemed to only last about 30 seconds. I may
have invented a time machine???

Dennis Noward

Bronzie

kieranb wrote:

well, what I do, is see how long I can avoid looking at the clock whilst doing 2x20's, rule is that you have to try and get it near 20min as once you've looked, however long is left to go takes forever.

Yep - tried it - I normally have about 19m30s left each time

Alex_Simmons/RST

dennisn wrote:

And it really helped the trainer time go by. All except the 5 minute hard part, talk about time standing still. The 5 minute rest period seemed to only last about 30 seconds. I may have invented a time machine???

I have a theory about riding pursuits. The closer to the end of a putsuit, the nearer you approach a block hole. Time slows down and each second seems to take an eon. The timer's stopwatch however appears to be going faster and faster.

I think you have noticed the indoor equivalent

dennisn

Alex_Simmons/RST wrote:

dennisn wrote:

And it really helped the trainer time go by. All except the 5 minute hard part, talk about time standing still. The 5 minute rest period seemed to only last about 30 seconds. I may have invented a time machine???

I have a theory about riding pursuits. The closer to the end of a putsuit, the nearer you approach a block hole. Time slows down and each second seems to take an eon. The timer's stopwatch however appears to be going faster and faster.

I think you have noticed the indoor equivalent

It's hard to believe how time seems to slow down and speed up. Or maybe it doesn't
and I have come up with a time machine. Or maybe it's because I'm half delirious after the
hard 5 minute session.

Dennis Noward