Trainer Workouts

[flirtees]

Hi Everyone,

I did a workout this week that I thought I would share with you. I found this one quite difficult.

15min warm up.
12x 30 sec ramp ups with 4 1/2 min recovery in between.
15min cool down.

This workout was suppose to work on #1 and #2 muscle fibres.


Does anyone have any fun trainer workouts? It's going to be a long winter here.

Thanks,
Tanya

[Mr. Bloom]

They're "fun" when I watch America's Funniest Videos...:o

[hellostarshine]

Hey there. I guess it depends what you're training for. Do you have a heart rate monitor? It really helps with being bored :) In hopes of racing this up comming summer sucessfully in the 1/2 catogory, my trainer workouts go like this...

TT: 5x6 minutes at HR 170-175 with two minute recovery and in same work out 5x30 seconds in biggest gear with 1.5 minute recovery. 10 minute warm up and 10 min. cool down as well : )
Crit: 1 min on 10 sec off at HR's 160, 165, 170, 175, 180, 185, 190, 195 (or up to your max) (repeat pattern three times) 5x20 sec full out sprints with 20 seconds recovery. Warmup and cool down too
Long rides- Mine are usually about three hours. 20 minutes on, 10 minutes off really seems to break up the hours. As do old tour videos :)
Then I try to do "climbing days" simulating short steep hills and long mountains the best I can. Usually, I ride three very very hard days in a row of a combination of the above workouts followed by a complete rest day with that pattern continuing for two weeks-ish (enough for four cycles) and then a four day off period to completely recovery cause I usually feel very bad by then. Eh, I just wanted to post this to give you some more ideas for the every fun trainer. Keep in mind I tend to make things overly complicated =)

[RoadRaven]

This workout was suppose to work on #1 and #2 muscle fibres.

Hi there Flirtees...
What do you mean by this?
I am aware of fast and slow twitch fibres - but you can't really work them both at the same time...

Interestedly... Raven

[LBTC]

I invented one years ago that was quick, did cardio and weights, and was not boring.....

warm up on bike (10min +)
weight work until heart rate goes down - squats, lunges, shoulder press, etc
on the bike again for 2-5 minutes
weight work until heart rate goes down - bench, good mornings, biceps, triceps
continue until the time you have available is nearly used up
cool down on the bike (5min +)

I liked it partly because I'd go in knowing only the amount of time I would spend. While I was spinning I'd plan the next weights.

I have no idea which muscle groups, what type of training, etc, this was, but it was a good way to integrate the need for weight work with bike cardio in a very short time frame. I found that even 30 minutes seemed like a pretty darned good workout!

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[bacarver]

Wake up. Think about riding trainer. Push thought out of mind. Eat breakfast. Tell self that food has to settle before getting on trainer. Find something to do to forget about riding trainer. Eat lunch at 1PM. Let it settle. Wait till last possible moment in afternoon to FORCE self to collect stuff to ride trainer (cycling shorts, shoes, fan, box of kleenex, radio, dogs, and workout program sheet). Get trainer set up. Pray that rear tire isn't flat. Fight with cheap stopwatch. Find decent radio station to listen to. Tell dogs not to get their tails caught in fan blades. Clip in and start riding. Ride for 40 minutes. Tell self that it will pay off in the spring. Sweat. Feel heart rate hit 170's. Feels legs burn. Cool down. Hmmmm . . . that wasn't so bad afterall. Hurry up, Springtime!!

[smilingcat]

I'm posting this with certain amount of trepediation. I don't want to sound like I'm some sort of elite cyclist cause I'm not. This is what I used to do years ago... Also I'm not a coach/trainer nor a person with proper education when it comes to physical education. This jsut worked for me and maybe different for you.

I do the merry-go-round when doing the intervals.

5 min very easy warm up
5 min warm up at 120 HR
5 min warm up at 130-140HR
10 or so min 160 HR (80% max hr)
then I start the interval 1 min on and about 1-3 minutes off (till my HR drops to 160.)

with each 1 minute interval, I pop up in gear and stay there for both the interval and the rest period. then onto the next interval. When I hit the top gear I go down a gear with each interval. I start at my 3rd or 4th gear and go up and back down to 3rd or 4th gear. Chain ring stays at 53 the whole time.

then 5 minutes at 160 HR
then 10 minutes of gradual slowing/cool down. Stagger off the bike.

I'm not here yet... This was my routine when I was still really involved with cycling. Mag trainer time was minimum of 1 hour a day and on some days it was 2 hours a day. I got more out of it then riding on the road because I didn't have the interruption from the traffic lights. You know you are in good shape when your HR drops to resting rate while sitting at a traffic light.

And like hellostarshine, I have "hill climb" workouts on a trainer. Big gear 30 minutes on 5 minutes off repeat 3 or 4 times. And I'm spent. :p more like tongue hanging out.

Right now I'm just working on my base miles/stamina and basic strength. My back is still causing me grief so I'm being cautious.

today's training outside. stretching first for about 5 minutes
ride slowly then increased my HR to 160. did two strenuous hill climbs where my HR went to 194. Majority of the time, my HR was near or above 160. followed by a 10minute cool down and more stretching. my max HR is still around 204. Don't mind me, I'M REALLY OUT OF SHAPE AND OVERWEIGHT!! The hills were just a mole hill before I gave up riding. These are what one would call a whoopdy-do bumps.

When on a trainer, I use both a stop watch and a timer. Plus I listen to my MP3 player. For some reason, I prefer the meditative kind of music instead of high ocatane loud music. Find a music you like where you can forget about time.

I have a hate relationship with my mag trainer. But I enjoy it none the less. It's never easy.

smilingcat

[RoadRaven]

I'm posting this with certain amount of trepediation. I don't want to sound like I'm some sort of elite cyclist cause I'm not.
smilingcat


Hey there Cat - you should know by now that ideas are always received with interest on this board...

And that you do not have to be "some sort of elite cyclist" in order to take your cycling seriously.

Well-considered training is not just for the so-called "elite"...

Heck - if anyone analysed the way I agonise over training and how to improve my TT performances, they would think I was "some sort of elite cyclist" ... but I'm just a TT Wanna-be... and that's ok...

Guess what I am trying to say is... Thanks for posting your work-out, Cat

[LadyinWhite]

I use carmichael training dvds so I don't have to think or keep track of anything.

Warm up 10 min - Start dvd, turn the volume off - put my ipod on and just mindlessly follow the on screen directions (keep half eye on heart rate to make sure I don't drop dead). Runs me about 16 to 17 miles each time.

I vary the dvds regularly to keep the work out fresh.

Spring can start anytime.

[flirtees]

Hi all,

I'm not sure about the 1&2 fibers. That's what i was told the night I did this workout. I will get back to you about this.

Thanks to everyone who added some trainer workouts. They are very helpful.

Happy training,
Tanya

[RoadRaven]

I'm not sure about the 1&2 fibers. That's what i was told the night I did this workout. I will get back to you about this.
Tanya

Thanks Flirtees, I am interested in this
:)

[missymaya]

I agree with LnW, pop in the dvd, follow directions and pedal my butt off, take dvd out. I do some other workouts on the trainer, usually long and low stuff. dvds help me not think about what Im doing on the trainer.