Indoor Trainers

by Jay Torborg and Aaron Keith

Using an indoor trainer can be a great way to stay warm and dry indoors, as well as get some saddle time in during those dark days of winter.  For those of you that do not know what I am talking about, a trainer is usually an instrument with which you set the rear wheel up off the ground and a weighted drum (flywheel) is used to apply resistance to the wheel, just as the ground and wind does outdoors.  The front wheel is propped to the same level as the rear.  You can buy a floor mount for the front wheel, or use books, newspapers, or some sort of material, which provides proper height so as to allow the top tube to be parallel to the floor.

Now, these trainers come in many different types, brands…  The big difference between most of them is the form of resistance and the variability of the resistance.  Some forms use a fluid or hydraulic medium of resistance; the fluid is compressed, which provides more pressure to push against…      

Another type of resistance is magnetic, where two sets of magnets are moved closer to provide higher levels of resistance.  Magnetic resistance trainers tend to be less expensive and may not provide quite as smooth a progression of resistance, but it pays to shop around to find one that works best for you at the right price.

Some other thoughts about indoor training.  This is a time when you can focus on technique (see paragraph on one-legged riding), and yourself.  Comfort levels on the saddle, pedal efficiency, and upper body position are only a few of the variables, which can be weaked indoors, without the external elements having their way with you.

1. If you have a heart rate monitor, this is a great way to tell how hard you're working. Zone 1 (60-65% of Max Heart Rate) for easy/recover riding, Zone 2 (65-70% MHR) for endurance training, Zone 3 (70-80% MHR) for aerobic capacity training, Zone 4 (80-85% MHR) for lactate threshold training. If you don't know your Max HR, a very general rule of thumb is 220 minus your age.
2. Mix up your workouts. Combine days of hard workouts with days of easy workouts. Try for at least one day of a hard workout per week, for 3 out of 4 weeks/mo, but make sure you mix this with days of easier workouts to let your muscles recover. A hard workout can be 45-60 minutes in zone 3, or 2-3 intervals (10-20min) in zone 4 with 10-15 minutes recovery in zone 1 in between. An easy workout would be 45-60min in zone 1-2.

During the winter and early months of training, it is best to do longer periods of time in zone 1 and lower zone 2.  This type of riding slowly builds heart and cardiovascular endurance.  Also, you will be able to train your body to burn more energy using lipid or fat stores, and retain more glycogen in the body for those days when you concentrate on intervals and harder workouts.  For the purposes of TNT, we will be focusing our efforts on ZONE 1 and 2 rides.  You should still be able to carry a conversation without being out of breath during these rides.

1. Try to spend 5-10 min in zone 1 or below at the end of each workout to cool down.
2. Don't spend so long on the trainer that you get tired of using it. It's better to spend less time each session and use it at least 1-2/wk than to spend a long time on each session but only use it once every few weeks.
3. Try some sprints occasionally - pedal fast in as hard a gear as you can for 1-3 minutes then slow down and relax until you're breathing normally.
4. Try some one-legged workouts. Put a chair next to your bike so that you can move one foot out of the way and pedal with just the other one. This helps develop a nice even stroke so that you are using your muscles more efficiently for the full pedal stroke - not just when you're pushing down.
5. Try setting up your trainer in front of the TV so that you can watch your favorite show or a movie while riding your trainer. I have a few tapes/dvds of the Tour de France that I like to watch while I'm using my trainer and I pretend I'm climbing those hills with the racers :-)