Turbo Training - Cadence or Resistance

FODCADEMON

Just a quick, simple question: When training on a turbo trainer am I better off spinning a relatively small, easy gear or maintaining a smaller cadence, but with a higher, tougher gear?
Thank you

njee20

Depends what you're trying to achieve.

markhewitt1978

In general you want to be turning as hard a gear as you can at your normal riding cadence. But that's just for baseline stuff obviously you want to vary your efforts.

njee20

Why do you want to be doing that? What if you're doing a recovery session? Or trying to increase your cadence?

WindyG

As above it depends on what you want to achieve, I downloaded various training plans and work to whatever is best at that point in time, sometimes I mix it up just to make it a little bit more interesting.

ddraver

Download some Sufferfest Vids, they re roadie but will give you a good basis to get started with and make the terrible boredom of turbo training a tad less terrible

njee20

Strava Premium membership now includes Sufferfest vids, and may be a better use of your money if you have wider training aspirations.

diy

To be honest there are plenty of free turbo sessions on youtube that are as good as sufferfest. As a general guide (if you don't have a specific training goal) I would say:

- Do intervals rather than a constant pace - this will give you more benefit per hour so to speak.
- If you want to improve sprinting speed then train at above target cadence
- always work to a moderate resistance or above even when doing 120+ rpm as this reduces injury
- Look at your HR to work out the benefit of the exercise (e.g. don't let it drop off in "work" phases)
- warm up (at least 3-5 mins), load up at least another 3 mins (higher resistance), finish: cool down at least 1-2 mins Stretch at least 3-5 mins : quads, calf, hams, lower back and shoulders minimum.