Winter training
csp
Posts: 777
In previous years I stopped riding my bike in the winter season, but now I'm planning not to. However, I don't think I would want to ride outside. Would it be possible to do one's base training entirely on a turbo trainer?
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It's the middle of June for crying out loud! We are officially 3 days into summer and you've just mentioned the 'W' word.
I'm speechless...
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I hope that I speak for the whole forum and agree with the previous poster.
What an absolutely stupid question!
Please don't tempt fate and ask questions about the W word.
It's like talking about the P word, just don't do it.
(I made the mistake of answering a thread about the P word, boy what a mistake. :twisted: )0 -
Let's pretend it's November. Will you answer now?0
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Haven't we passed the longest day? I'm sure the nights are drawing in 0
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I guess my arrival has sparked a downturn in intelligent posts :P
It was GLORIOUS today! If I hadn't had work from the afternoon onwards I'd have eaten up every variation on Clieves Hill in Ormskirk.
Agreed: turbos are for woosies. But if you want something for the winter, get some rollers........off your good mate Santa 0 -
"I don't think I would want to ride outside"
Maybe cycling isn't for you? How about a more gentle pursuit, like bowling. Or an indoor game, like some nice dominoes in the pub?
Actually to be fair, I've already started to think about my training plan for next season, nothing wrong with planning ahead. That's not till October though, so I wouldn't bother posting questions about it just yet, I might still suddenly come good this season (seems unlikely on my current form, hence thinking about next season's training).
Anyway, if this post isn't actually a joke then the answer is no, you can't do all your base training on a turbo because you'd be bored ****less.0 -
I actually enjoyed winter training more than I'm enjoying summer racing. At least when I was out in the rain and hail I could convince myself I was doing good.
It's the cold hard reality of getting my head kicked in by a recumbant rider on an evening 10 that I find hard to take.0 -
No this isn't a joke, and I really don't see what difference it makes whether I ask it now or in the middle of winter. And if you're going to quote me, make sure you quote the whole post, please. What I wanted to know is whether training on a turbo could be a substitute for riding outside.0
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Well it's the middle of winter where I am.csp wrote:In previous years I stopped riding my bike in the winter season, but now I'm planning not to. However, I don't think I would want to ride outside. Would it be possible to do one's base training entirely on a turbo trainer?
The answer of course is yes, it is an excellent substitute, and there are many for whom training indoors is all they can do as the conditions are so bad as to prevent safe riding outside.
However it takes a high degree of motivation to do it and many invest in special training set ups to help make indoor work bearable, if not enjoyable.0 -
Welcome to the world of British club cycling. It's the school of hard knocks laddie.
Of course the turbo can be used as a sub for the road, although I wouldn't fancy that myself. Search this forum there is lots of good stuff about the evil torture machine from some knowledgeable people. Search for (obviously) Turbo Training, turbo, Indoor Training etc, training for TT might do it too, as might Threshold, sweetspot, 2x20 or HOP.0 -
Well of course you *can* do all your training on a turbo if you really want to, I can't understand why you don't want to ride outside. It's not that bad is it?
The problem with base training is you need long steady sessions, which a turbo isn't really suited to. I don't use one personally, but most people use them for intervals and stuff. Base training would just be very tedious, wouldn't it?0 -
Personally, I wouldn't want to do a 3-4 hour Winter ride on a turbo, but if you can cope with the boredom, there's no physical reason why you couldn't substitute an actual ride for a turbo session.0
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Don't do "Base" training in winter, do intense training on the turbo, it's a lot more practical to the realities of riding indoors. For some reason people call it "Reverse Periodisation" ...Jibbering Sports Stuff: http://jibbering.com/sports/0
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jibberjim wrote:Don't do "Base" training in winter, do intense training on the turbo, it's a lot more practical to the realities of riding indoors. For some reason people call it "Reverse Periodisation" ...
IIRC that's Lemond's preffered meffod.
I was doing that over winter and when it came to longer rides and faster group rides it really had made a very significant improvement.
YMMV.0 -
I really really hate using the turbo
I have a fan. I have an mp3 player. I have a HRM. But it is so dull!
Last year I broke my collar bone in Feburary and had to use the turbo exclusively for 3 months. No road work allowed
An hour of base training ( at 70% HRMax with the odd sprint ) was about the worse. I gave up doing this after a while and just did 40 minutes or so as a leg loosener, no training value at all I suppose.
A "tempo" ride of 30 minutes at 70% plus 100 minutes at 80% was ok once a week
60 to 90 minutes of intervals was the least worse as there is a lot to think about and there is much concerntration required
I kept my weight under control with my turbo regime and maybe marginally improved my fitness. When I was back on the road in late May I did a 10 hour 200km within a week or so, which is mediocre but not bad for me at that time of year.
I couldn't face using the turbo at all last winter
Now I am back to normal I will be using the turbo in the winter but only for intervals. Or maybe a tempo ride at the weekend if I have time free to ride but the weather is absolutely appalling0 -
I used my laptop -
Watched a film on longer tempo efforts, music on shorter more intense intervals or did a Spinervals / Sufferfest / Real Video session instead of a group type ride.0 -
I wouldn't want to do all my base training on a turbo either, but.....I reckon a 90 minute turbo session at endurance pace could be as effective as fannying around on one of your 3hr LSD rides. If you had the luxury of a powermeter, you'll probably find that you're only spending 50% of your time in the endruance zone on these rides anyway. With a turbo, at least you can keep the effort constant and continuous. Boring as hell though. I'm thinking of getting a Fortius for winter.0
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I have to say, the powermeter makes it far more effective and measurable on the turbo and more bearable as you have something relevant to focus on.0
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don't bother with the fortius. I got one and found it just as bad as as a normal turbo, what a waste of money0
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Why not? Admittedly there are some days when it's icey or freezing cold and wet, but there are also lots of good days for riding in the winter. I don't know anyone who calls themselves a cyclist who doesn't go out just because it's winter. (Having decent winter kit to wear makes a big difference.)csp wrote:In previous years I stopped riding my bike in the winter season, but now I'm planning not to. However, I don't think I would want to ride outside...........
Ruth0 -
Alex_Simmons/RST wrote:Well it's the middle of winter where I am.
he means 'proper' winter, Alex - not your sub-tropical winter where wrapping up means putting on a pair of arm warmers... 0 -
softlad wrote:Alex_Simmons/RST wrote:Well it's the middle of winter where I am.
he means 'proper' winter, Alex - not your sub-tropical winter where wrapping up means putting on a pair of arm warmers...
Their winter is about the same as a scottish summer...Sydney is currently about 9 degrees at night and 17 - 20 during the day!!
you don't even need arm warmers for that!17 Stone down to 12.5 now raring to get back on the bike!0 -
Thanks for the helpful replies, and to those of you who suggest that I'm too soft for cycling, it's not the weather that worries me in winter cycling, but the early darkness and the condition of the roads, which makes cycling in winter more like a fight for survival, than a recreation.0
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dmb101 wrote:don't bother with the fortius. I got one and found it just as bad as as a normal turbo, what a waste of money
I find the Fortius a valuable addition to winter training. It is possible to do base training using the Real Life Videos of famous routes as well as more intense short sessions. I can easily do upwards of 3 hours on it without boredom.
Obviously it's not for everyone.0 -
Oh dear! Northern Hemisphere bias again.....We have just passed midwinter so the nights will be getting lighter but at present sunset is around 5.20pm, sunrise 7.30 am which hampers weekday riding. I really don't see the attraction of risking life & limb on dark streets but at least the weekends are free. Car drivers and road conditions are the greatest enemy, despite the much vaunted 'cyclepath' recently announced. The weather is not a problem (rain aside) but I have resorted to arm warmers to add to my single top layer for those colder days in Winter. We even had a light frost last week.
I am trying to use a turbo 2-3 times during the week but my boredom threshold is around 40 mins.0 -
csp wrote:Thanks for the helpful replies, and to those of you who suggest that I'm too soft for cycling, it's not the weather that worries me in winter cycling, but the early darkness and the condition of the roads, which makes cycling in winter more like a fight for survival, than a recreation.
Just do the turbo during the week and get out on the roads at the weekend when it is light. Agreed re the road conditions, but I find it pretty grim doing more than an hour on the turbo so it's got to be done.
Neil--
"Because the cycling is pain. The cycling is soul crushing pain."0 -
I personally think that Turbo Trainers are a very important element to keeping fitness levels high.
Sure they can get boring, I've got a laptop setup in front of mine so watch Youtube clips and DVD's. I like the relentless nature of them, easy to get the same effort as a two hour road ride in one hour on a TT.
When things get tough on flat road sections I go into TT mode and push on through, seems to work for me.
No substitute for the road of course, but really can help to push on your fitness levels gradually. Especially beneficial when returning from injury as you can taylor the effort levels very carefully without hills, potholes, road vibrations etc that introduce so many variables.
I tend to use the TT during the week (evening) and road ride on the weekend, fits in better with my other half too.0 -
I find that the harder a session is, the less bored I feel. Still can't wait to get off the damn thing of course, but that's for a different reason!Jaeger wrote:
What's the best way to increase power at boredom threshold?muchalls wrote:I am trying to use a turbo 2-3 times during the week but my boredom threshold is around 40 mins.0
