Turbo Training for Beginners - a NapD guide

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  • alwaystoohot
    alwaystoohot Posts: 252
    I am buying a trainer for 2 reasons:

    1. To build up my legs,
    2. Because one cyclist a week is killed in Singapore and my wife is giving me major jip.

    I only took up cycling 12 months ago at 48 so my quads are correspondingly weak. I do OD triathlon but Singapore is flat so show me a slight incline (no need to discuss slopes or hills....) and I fall off the back of the group.

    My question is whether a turbo trainer is specifically good for building up quad strength and endurance or whether its just a fitness tool? Would like to focus on 2 x sessions a week for 6 months to build up strength and endurance. (plus swim/run and an extra bike session on a saturday with my pals).

    What do you think?
    'I started with nothing and still have most of it left.'
  • napoleond
    napoleond Posts: 5,992
    If you want to build quad strength, do squats and leg presses. It won't improve your cycling/fitness though.
    Building up endurance is fitness!

    Best way to use a turbo is to do interval training. Look at the sufferfest videos for example at www.thesufferfest.com Angels is a particularly good one.
    Insta: ATEnduranceCoaching
    ABCC Cycling Coach
  • alwaystoohot
    alwaystoohot Posts: 252
    NapoleonD wrote:
    Best way to use a turbo is to do interval training. Look at the sufferfest videos for example at http://www.thesufferfest.com Angels is a particularly good one.

    Feck me... did I say I wanted to die ??!! :shock:

    Yep, I'll get it, message received loud and clear, thanks.
    'I started with nothing and still have most of it left.'
  • alwaystoohot
    alwaystoohot Posts: 252
    Bump.

    Suggest this thread is made a sticky.
    'I started with nothing and still have most of it left.'
  • calmx5
    calmx5 Posts: 230
    Alwaystoohot wrote:
    Bump.

    Suggest this thread is made a sticky.

    +1 Yep, been very useful in the time its been going.
  • Rykard
    Rykard Posts: 582
    +2 - I had forgotten this thread
    Cheers
    Rich

    A Vision of a Champion is someone who is bent over, drenched with sweat, at the point of exhaustion, when no one else is watching.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,665
    Just done Revolver a couple of times. Its pretty horrible. Might have to up the resistance on the turbo as it hasn't made me want to chuck up.....yet
  • napoleond
    napoleond Posts: 5,992
    The new sufferfest video There Is No Try is probably the best yet, good intervals and grand hi def footage of this year's TdF. The final Sprint on the Champs Elysees is quality :)

    http://www.thesufferfest.com/video-suff ... is-no-try/
    Insta: ATEnduranceCoaching
    ABCC Cycling Coach
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,665
    Is there a massive difference between the actual training benefits of each one? Some say top speed, others say climbing, but they are essentially all torturous intervals!
  • napoleond
    napoleond Posts: 5,992
    coriordan wrote:
    Is there a massive difference between the actual training benefits of each one? Some say top speed, others say climbing, but they are essentially all torturous intervals!

    Yes they are, but some feature longer intervals, some shorter, some, like There is no try have a mix.
    Insta: ATEnduranceCoaching
    ABCC Cycling Coach
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,665
    Oh sorry - what I mean is what is the significant training benefit/difference between them?
    Cheers
  • Wrath Rob
    Wrath Rob Posts: 2,918
    Can anyone recommend a decent fan to use? I was going to go for one of these. Good idea or overkill?
    FCN3: Titanium Qoroz.
  • napoleond
    napoleond Posts: 5,992
    coriordan wrote:
    Oh sorry - what I mean is what is the significant training benefit/difference between them?
    Cheers

    Some target your Neuromuscular power, (Short, under 1 min intervals), some your VO2 Max (1-5 min intervals) and others your threshold (5-20mins) although there is an overlap.
    Insta: ATEnduranceCoaching
    ABCC Cycling Coach
  • napoleond
    napoleond Posts: 5,992
    Wrath Rob wrote:
    Can anyone recommend a decent fan to use? I was going to go for one of these. Good idea or overkill?

    I've got one of these, no matter how big your fan, it isn't overkill when you are working hard enough! It was only 30 quid from tesco when I got it though...

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pifco-PE073-50c ... 29&sr=1-14
    Insta: ATEnduranceCoaching
    ABCC Cycling Coach
  • whojanicanackerov
    whojanicanackerov Posts: 383
    Sufferfest Vids run with Trainer road are the ultimate!!
  • napoleond
    napoleond Posts: 5,992
    Bump, lots of new turbo users asking Qs...
    Insta: ATEnduranceCoaching
    ABCC Cycling Coach
  • MattC59
    MattC59 Posts: 5,408
    Can you recommend a good online retailer o buy a turbo trainer from ?
    :wink:
    Science adjusts it’s beliefs based on what’s observed.
    Faith is the denial of observation so that Belief can be preserved
  • napoleond
    napoleond Posts: 5,992
    Of course! And they price match...

    http://www.cyclestore.co.uk/rangeViewer ... goryID=121
    Insta: ATEnduranceCoaching
    ABCC Cycling Coach
  • MattC59
    MattC59 Posts: 5,408
    NapoleonD wrote:
    Of course! And they price match...

    http://www.cyclestore.co.uk/rangeViewer ... goryID=121

    Spoil sport :wink:
    Science adjusts it’s beliefs based on what’s observed.
    Faith is the denial of observation so that Belief can be preserved
  • dashik
    dashik Posts: 156
    That's a very useful thread :D I'll treat myself to one or two of the Sufferfest vids this weekend I think :D
    http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/tNSG6qnWmYk
    http://app.strava.com/athletes/1014761
  • napoleond
    napoleond Posts: 5,992
    You won't be disappointed...

    I'd suggest getting the new one There is no try first as its the highest quality video and a good mix of intervals.
    Insta: ATEnduranceCoaching
    ABCC Cycling Coach
  • Wrath Rob
    Wrath Rob Posts: 2,918
    NapoleonD wrote:
    Of course! And they price match...

    http://www.cyclestore.co.uk/rangeViewer ... goryID=121
    I got my Tacx Sirrius (sp?) from Bike-Store.de. They were doing them around £50 cheaper than any of the UK retailers.
    FCN3: Titanium Qoroz.
  • dashik
    dashik Posts: 156
    As per my thread my Tacx Satori Pro was £129.99 from Edinburgh Decathlon. Turbo, Riser and Mat all in one box, could not buy a Turbo alone in my area or online for that price.
    http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/tNSG6qnWmYk
    http://app.strava.com/athletes/1014761
  • skybie
    skybie Posts: 59
    Wrath Rob wrote:
    NapoleonD wrote:
    Of course! And they price match...

    http://www.cyclestore.co.uk/rangeViewer ... goryID=121
    I got my Tacx Sirrius (sp?) from Bike-Store.de. They were doing them around £50 cheaper than any of the UK retailers.

    I have just brought one off ebay but the i can't get the remote control lever to move it's stuck between 9-10. Any ideas why, i might not have set it up right or it's broken :(
  • nweststeyn
    nweststeyn Posts: 1,574
    So today I thought i would do a 'quick' workout and fired up Sufferfests 'Revolver'.

    HOLY MOLY my legs are aching. 15x 1 minute full gas, 1 minute recover.
  • elderone
    elderone Posts: 1,410
    I just got a turbo and hopefully will start on it the week end .My question is can i just do say 20 mile rides in zone 3 (hrm) to build up my fitness i,ve lost.These other sessions look ok for the future but i need to gain back some basic fitness and work my muscles slowly into pre accident condition.
    thanks
    Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori
  • dashik
    dashik Posts: 156
    elderone wrote:
    My question is can i just do say 20 mile rides in zone 3 (hrm) to build up my fitness i,ve lost.These other sessions look ok for the future but i need to gain back some basic fitness and work my muscles slowly into pre accident condition.
    thanks

    'There is no try....'

    ;)

    http://www.thesufferfest.com/video-suff ... is-no-try/
    http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/tNSG6qnWmYk
    http://app.strava.com/athletes/1014761
  • elderone
    elderone Posts: 1,410
    thanks dashik will look into that for rest of winter but i just need to build back to a level to make it worth even trying there is no try...
    Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori
  • dashik
    dashik Posts: 156
    elderone wrote:
    thanks dashik will look into that for rest of winter but i just need to build back to a level to make it worth even trying there is no try...

    'The force is weak with this one...' ;)

    Your right, after being hurt there's no point in doing something daft and overdoing things too early, you'll only end up back to where you started or worse.

    The turbo should be fine I would think for some resistance endurance training. Just pick a resistance and gear level that your comfortable with and can maintain and off you go.

    BTW which turbo did you get?
    http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/tNSG6qnWmYk
    http://app.strava.com/athletes/1014761
  • napoleond
    napoleond Posts: 5,992
    For a couple of weeks at least, just get on the turbo and spin the legs, riding on feel. Eventually you will start to feel that you can push on a bit. When ghat happens, try a couple of 5 minute intervals at a harder pace (sweet spot if you can measure it, very difficult with heart rate in such a short interval). After another week including a couple of these sessions start training a bit harder.
    I've had to 'come back' several times, this worked for me...
    Insta: ATEnduranceCoaching
    ABCC Cycling Coach

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