Finally, a training DVD that doesn't suck!

[bluebug32]

Just as my husband and I were about to shun training DVDs altogether (spending an hour with Coach Troy or Chris Carmichael and his crisp polo shirt and clipboard is just slightly better than watching paint dry), we discovered Robbie Ventura's Real Rides VisionQuest DVDs.

Ventura shares so many useful insights about training and shoots the training videos out on the road, so you actually feel like you're on a group ride. One video features an entire criterium that he rides and talks you through. His videos each focus on a different aspect of cycling (speed, force, power, etc), and each dvd comes with a few different training sessions, so you can start with one and slowly ramp up to the hardest.

Does anyone else use these? I would definitely recommend them to anyone trying to beat the boredom on the trainer this winter. After doing this program last year, we felt very prepared for those early spring rides.

http://www.realrides.tv/store.html

[SLash]

See a lot of Robbie each year on Versus with the Tour, but didn't know he did training videos. We just got a spinner and I've been looking for dvd's to use, what I saw of Real Rides I like. The price seems okay too. Which did you get/recommend?

[bmccasland]

Gee, that almost makes me want to uncrate my road bike, buy a trainer and the DVD. I am definitely not used to these northern latitude short days, and I don't like taking a walk in the dark (used to go for a walk after work).

[bluebug32]

See a lot of Robbie each year on Versus with the Tour, but didn't know he did training videos. We just got a spinner and I've been looking for dvd's to use, what I saw of Real Rides I like. The price seems okay too. Which did you get/recommend?

We have all of the dvds except for strength and cycling 101. Each one is tailored to build a specific skill on the bike. So far, it seems like power, race day, and climbing are the most difficult. Force and speed are a bit easier. Speed really focuses on developing an efficient pedal stroke (something I'm finding very helpful). The great thing about all of the dvds is that you can build your own workout. He has workouts for week 1 and 2 and another more progressively difficult session for weeks 3 and 4. If you don't want to do these, however, you can use the sessions from each workout toc build your own.

[marni]

I got a trainer, by my own request, for Christmas, and it came with one of Robbie Venturas training dvds. Glad to hear the good recommendations although I think this one, "Race Day" is probably way beyond me for a while. At some point I will take a look at setting up a small dvd player where I can see it in the garage where the trainer is. Today I learned that no matter how cool the garage feels, a long sleeve jersey is not a good idea. I forgot to factor in that there is no air circulation. Maybe I will start training with the door open and hope for a breeze.

[Kerry1976]

I've got a Robbie Ventura DVD on order based on recommendations here. The one I ordered is speed. Looking forward to receiving.

[SLash]

We have all of the dvds except for strength and cycling 101. Each one is tailored to build a specific skill on the bike. So far, it seems like power, race day, and climbing are the most difficult. Force and speed are a bit easier. Speed really focuses on developing an efficient pedal stroke (something I'm finding very helpful). The great thing about all of the dvds is that you can build your own workout. He has workouts for week 1 and 2 and another more progressively difficult session for weeks 3 and 4. If you don't want to do these, however, you can use the sessions from each workout toc build your own.

Thanks, I bought Force and Strength, can't wait to get them!

[bluebug32]

I got a trainer, by my own request, for Christmas, and it came with one of Robbie Venturas training dvds. Glad to hear the good recommendations although I think this one, "Race Day" is probably way beyond me for a while. At some point I will take a look at setting up a small dvd player where I can see it in the garage where the trainer is. Today I learned that no matter how cool the garage feels, a long sleeve jersey is not a good idea. I forgot to factor in that there is no air circulation. Maybe I will start training with the door open and hope for a breeze.

Yes, Race day is REALLY hard. Sometimes I'll start off easier and do a few of the intervals instead of doing the entire workout. The great thing about these dvds is that, after doing them three days a week last winter, I definitely saw improvement in my riding. This was opposed to previous winters when I sat on the trainer doing my own "wandering" sets of intervals.

[zoom-zoom]

We've been sitting on the Race Day DVD for a long time...I think DH got it free with his CyclOps trainer.

We did it tonite...whoohee, that was FUN! I mean, as fun as an a$$-kicking indoor workout can be. I am definitely going to get more of his DVDs. Buh bye, Coach Troy!

[arielmoon]

I have been doing CC train right (intervals and criterium) and I find them much better than the spinerval one my roomie has. That said, we usually mute Coach Troy when we can. I always laugh though when he says "Good job Jennifer" since it sounds like he is talking to me.

I am going to look into this suggestion!! THANKS!

[Kerry1976]

Just did my first Robbie Ventura - Speed, today. What fun! Thanks for the great recommendation!

[Aggie_Ama]

We got one with our CycleOps trainer, I think Race Day. Since we are racers it is probably a good one for us. Robbie is kind of annoying to me so I haven't popped it in yet.

[marni]

We've been sitting on the Race Day DVD for a long time...I think DH got it free with his CyclOps trainer.

We did it tonite...whoohee, that was FUN! I mean, as fun as an a$$-kicking indoor workout can be. I am definitely going to get more of his DVDs. Buh bye, Coach Troy!

strangely enough that's how I got my training day as well. Now to figure out how, where to put a portable player or computer out in the garage. In the meantime, listening to podrunner interval training music is doing a good job on me.

[SLash]

My two dvds (Force and Strength) came in the mail yesterday, but I haven't done them yet. Too busy yesterday crosstraining - two+ hours of raking piles of leaves and feeding them into the shredder, mulching flower beds and working dirt from flower pots into beds...

How do I enter that in to Garmin Connect.

[zoom-zoom]

I did a Coach Troy DVD tonite and wanted to shove that damned stopwatch up his arse about midway through. I HATE the way he cracks lame jokes that only he grins at...and his continuous hackneyed and cliched language. He may know his stuff, but his delivery makes me want to throttle him.