Sadly, it has become clear that the outdoor bicycling season is coming to an end. In the mornings, the temperatures are often below freezing, and a little birdy told me she even saw some snowflakes today.
While I could buy the gloves, face mask and shoe covers I’d need to stay warm, my bike just isn’t made for winter riding. I would be fine on a dry day like today, but my tires will not handle the snow and slush well. And so, I’ve given in and set my bike up on the trainer, which essentially turns my road bike into a stationary bike.
This is all well and good, but I have one problem: riding on the trainer is so, so boring. So, I need your help!
I am looking for suggestions of workouts that will keep the riding varied and interesting. Intervals, rotation workouts, whatever. Give me an idea, and I’ll try it and post about it on Savvy Eats! And I’ll be your friend forever if you give me a way to get through the winter months of riding without going crazy with boredom. 
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I’m not sure I can give you intervals for the bike.. but you could do some fun DVD workout programs for cross training days right in your living rooM!
Is it set up in front a TV? That helps when I have to do long runs on the treadmill..pop in a movie and you’re all set! Nothing is as good as running or biking outside though, but it helps.
Are we assuming here that you are working out at home? I am a member of two gyms (a work gym and a home gym), so I find the classes great for variety. But when I work out at home, my favorites are:
- 30 Day Shred (I know, it’s been such a fad for a long time, but you feel thoroughly worked out at the end of the 25 minutes.
- Bodyweight circuits are awesome and fast. The Fitness Black Book posted a great routine a couple of years ago.
- Yoga!
YES! I also suggest 30 Day Shred! Do you have it, J? If not, you can take mine this weekend – as I will not be doing much of ANYTHING for several weeks (except for some hand weights. my arms are about to be BUFFFFFFF. and some corpse pose, of course
)
also – i have a spark people cardio blast DVD that I want you to try out for me. as i have never done it with my DVD player in my bedroom and all.
Yes, working out at home!
Does 30 Day Shred require a lot of jumping, etc? I have had problems with some videos in the past because all the jumping doesn’t agree with my knees…
I am a big fan of New Rules of Lifting for Women, Women’s Health Big Book of Exercises and for DVD’s Turbo Fire is pretty good and anything by Cathe.
I borrow Kelly Ripa’s medicine ball workouts!
I’m a big fan of working out to the DVD or show you want to. Try only allowing yourself to watch Brothers and Sisters or West Wing or Gilmore Girls if you are on the bike. That pushes me forward.
OR – you could play a game WITH the shows. set up your computer in front of the trainer. Everytime a walker takes a drink of alcohol, push yourself harder for 1 minute. set intervals for each time CJ is talking to the press. Or pace yourself according to the spead of the banter on Gilmore Girls (you will get the hardest work out of your life.)
I love this. I’ve done “speed up during commercials,” but this sounds like a lot more fun!
yes – anything that would make a good tv show drinking game (pop culture references on The OC, “Regina Falange” “How you doing” or “on a break” on Friends, Toby throwing a ball at a wall on the west wing, someone smoking on weeds, etc.
would make a good interval marker
I too despise the trainer. But it has its merits, and you’ll be surprised by how much fitness you can maintain if you keep it up through spring. Have you tried a DVD? I like the Cycleops training DVDs because you’re out on a “real” course and the music doesn’t suck. Spinervals are OK too (better than Trainright), though they are still somewhat boring as you do intervals in one setting with a group.
A few thoughts:
Do any of your local bike shops hold a trainer night? We have a few in our area where local cyclists get together at a shop and spin to a training video. Or do you any local clubs hold group training sessions? Maybe something through the local colleges? Can you train with their teams?
Also, this is a great time to work on any strength weaknesses your body has. Do a light full body workout (there are books targeted to cyclists), maybe throw in some plyometrics for variety or yoga, and explore any other cross training activities that sound fun. The key is to mix it up this time of year.
Hope this helps!
I will have to look into some of these DVDs! I don’t know about the trainer night, but I’m going to look for one.
And good point on the strengthening lesser-worked muscles!
You can try an in-class spinning group, it’s a lot of fun with a good advanced group and there are lots of intervals, rotation workouts, etc
The only way I can stand to do stationary bikes/treadmills [so boring!] are with interval training or 4-minute splits. I hate watching tv while working out; I find I don’t PUSH it as much.
Spinning classes are awesome! A great instructor is key though, so don’t give up after one or settle for someone who doesn’t push you or that you don’t love.
I love body weight high intensity interval training [HIIT]. You can check out bodyrock.tv; I also post my workouts on my blog under the page “the way she moves”.
Also consider cross-training & maintenance training for balance — meaning focus on muscle groups [&/or flexibility] that get neglected or could be weaker from doing repetitive training only.
Have fun & use this time of year to do something different!
Love these tips. How do you do 4-minute splits?
I do a short warm up ~ 3minutes; then starting at minute 4, I pedal at about 60% effort for 1 minute, then increase to 70% for 1 minute, then 80% 1 minute, then 90% 1 minute. Then return to 60% & repeat these 4-minute intervals to minute 20 [or however long I want to bike], *my final minute is as close to 100% effort as I can push it*, followed by a 5-minute gradual cool down. If you stick close to the 20-minute ride, you should have 4 sets of these intervals plus the final 99% push. Hope this makes sense.
What about riding while something you want to watch on TV is on. That kept me motivated at the gym (when I was in college) to stay on whatever machine I was using because I didn’t watch much TV so it was nice.
I like to make a playlist of super fast paced music to keep me pumped up. To avoid boredom I keep the T.V. on but I but it on silent and just read the closed captions! Love reading your posts everyday =]
-Ris
walking to Scotia sounds like a good amount of cardio. If you’re concerned about the snow, I suggest snow shoes or cross country skis.
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