A bicycle trainer allows you to ride your bike regardless of bad weather or a lack of light. Most trainers hook into the bike's rear wheel and attach to the wheel's skewer. The rear wheel is pressed against a form of resistance that simulates the experience of riding on the road. Trainers use fluid, magnetic, electronic, centrifugal force or wind resistance and, depending on the trainer, either the trainer adds resistance as you pedal harder or you are able to control the level of resistance on the trainer. Once you have your bike set up in the trainer, it's easy to begin your workout.
Step 1
Set up your space. You've got your bike secured in the trainer and you're ready to ride. First, grab a water bottle or two, depending on the length of your ride. Once you're on the bike, you probably won't want to get off for a drink. Also, grab a towel and place it over your handlebars or front wheel. You'll want to wipe away sweat while you work out. Finally, place a fan in front of you. You might not need it at first, but you will appreciate the breeze once you really start working. Some riders also like to set up in a trainer in front of a TV or ride with an MP3 player.
Step 2
Take a short warmup. Even though you're riding inside, you still need to warm up. This will help bring blood to your muscles and prepare them for the hard work ahead. A 10-minute warmup will also help keep your muscles protected and less likely to be injured or strained. Focus on taking deep breaths and spinning at 85 to 90 rpm. Slowly bring your heart rate up as you warm up.
Step 3
Perform intervals. Most cyclists don't want to spend hours indoors on a trainer as they would outside. Intervals are the perfect way to stress your body by performing hard efforts. Intervals will help increase your caloric burn and average speed. You can work on hill-like intervals by shifting into the big ring and standing up as you pedal at a low cadence in a big gear. You can also simulate sprints on the trainer by standing up and going all out for 10 to 15 seconds.
Step 4
Work on your pedal stroke with spin-ups. Begin in a low gear and spin at 70 rpm for a minute. Then increase your rpm by five every minute after until your hips are bouncing on the saddle and you feel like you can't spin any faster. This will help you learn to pedal in smooth, round circles, as opposed to the square pedaling that many cyclists perform. This will help use your power more efficiently.
Step 5
Cool down. Don't just hop off the trainer after your workout. Take five to 10 minutes to go easy and spin the lactic acid out of your legs. This will also help speed the recovery process and flush the waste products from your legs. If you're wearing a heart rate monitor, wait until your heart rate returns to its resting rate before getting off the trainer.
Things You'll Need
- Fan
- Water bottle
- Towel
- TV
- MP3 player
- Heart rate monitor
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