Indoor cycling ride profiles often mimic outdoor terrain, which can be an ideal way to train, whether you go out to ride real hills or not. Some types of group indoor rides focus on technique, including pedal stroke and climbing rhythm, while others focus on skills, such as cadence and sprinting. You can combine skill and technique drills with terrain profiles to create a multitude of distinct indoor group rides.
Cadence Drills
Instead of simply riding a mix of flats and hills to hit target heart rate ranges, incorporate cadence drills to give your group a fresh perspective on indoor riding. Cadence refers to the amount of pedal revolutions per minute, or RPMs, which vary depending on the resistance you use. Cadence on a flat is between 80 and 110 RPM, while hill cadence is 60 to 80 RPM. To figure out your cadence, count the pedal revolutions of one leg for 15 seconds and multiply the number by four. Instead of adding or reducing resistance blindly, do repeated cadence checks and instruct the riders to readjust their resistance or pace accordingly.
Hill Training
For an advanced group ride, use a combination of cadence and target heart rate to climb a series of hills. You can make the ride more interesting by imagining a series of ever-steeper switchbacks with a final, challenging summit finish. As your legs become accustomed to each hill in the ride, you should be able to add more resistance and then overpower it to maintain your pace. Allow riders to move in and out of the saddle at will, focusing on pedal stroke technique and upper body rhythm. Incorporate further challenging elements, such as 30-second pace increases, at the top of each hill.
Interval Ride
Interval training is a common theme of indoor cycling classes, in-part because it is an intense workout, and partially because the on going effort changes make it more interesting. Intervals are controlled increases in effort, or heart rate, followed by defined periods of active recovery. A typical interval ride may comprise climbing efforts followed by flat recoveries, or vice versa. Instead of sticking to shorter, 30-second intervals, ride with an intensity you can maintain for 3 to 5 minutes, followed by a 60- to 90-second recovery. Alternately, after the group completes a timed interval, have them come to the standing position once they have fully recovered. Move on to the next interval once everyone is ready.
Sprinting Drills
Sprinting on an indoor bike involves a considerable amount of resistance, which many riders neglect to add, focusing instead on moving their legs as fast as possible. Create a ride of repeated sprint drills to help them discover what an all out sprint effort feels like. After a long warm-up, add resistance until it begins to slow your pedal stroke. Use your body weight to overcome the gear and increase your pace. Drop back into the saddle, finishing the all-out effort without your body weight. Riders who use an optimal combination of cadence and resistance shouldn’t be able to sprint for longer than 30 seconds. Recover on an easy flat for at least twice as long as you sprinted.
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