I’ve just bought myself a basic turbo trainer

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/elite-crono-fluid-elastogel-trainer/

I havent really ridden my mountain bike for over a year now (apart from 4 or 5 occasional jaunts where I lost all energy after about 10 miles), and can’t see that I will do any time soon seriously having a 7 month old son, and being out of the house 12 hrs a day!

So recommened me a routine for getting a basic level of fitness back which hopefully can be done within 30-45 mins. Come the spring time hoepfully I should be able to get back out on the bike a bit, but I want to build base fitness now.

I don’t currently have a cycle computer or heart monitor so want to avoid having to buy if poss.

The goal for next summer is to enter Mountain Mayhem, and later in the year enter the Grizedale MTB Challenge, which with my current level of fitness are things I couldnt possibly do!

Ta

What really worked for me was compiling a”Intervals” playlist on the Ipod.45 mins of your favourite tunes starting mellow and building up to some nice fast stuff, then cool down for last 10 mins. I’d go flat out during the chorus for 15 secs or so then ease off during the next verse,then flat out etc.If you choose your tracks to fit your cadence with a BPM detector you can easily do 45 mins.Sort of like your own spin class but without the dodgy tunes and sweaty “classmates”. 😀

I’d definitely recommend getting a basic heart rate monitor, e.g something from Decathlon, you don’t need anything fancy, but it helps if you can set high and low heart rate limits so you can make sure you’re training in the correct zone for your workout – it also really helps make sure that you do a mix of training and recovery sessions.
It’s surprisingly easy to overtrain on a turbo.
Also don’t overdo the interval sessions, no more than one a week – they should be very hard and should include a good 20 mins spin down.

hrm and some of the basic fitness series spinervals dvds.

I have used a turbo for years,(probably with little effect other than to get hot and sweaty) but have only started using it properly earlier this year and this has involved intervals using heart rate monitor.
I have two under fives and due to limited training time i undertook a vo2 max test, best money i ever spent, as all my training is “scientific” and defintiely getting results.
Heart rate monitor is the way to go.

Get yourself a HR monitor and a computer with a cadence display then download some of these;

http://www.thesufferfest.com/

and prepare to sweat/dribble/weep!

I would 2nd the suggestion of Spinerval DVDs.

I have a turbo trainer that gets a lot of use. My wife and me both ride a fair bit, and with two young kids a lot of the time is spent on the turbo trainer.

The spinerval series are a fairly easy introduction into it. There is also some good advice in there too. If you are starting out any of the aero base builders ones would be a good. I do prefer the Sufferfest series of videos (better footage and music), but for starting out Spinervals get my vote. To get the most out of them a HRM and cadence sensor are needed. The DVDs are fairly expensive, but do hold their value and sell on easily 2nd hand.

Loads of programs on the Tacx website that can print out.

I use the sufferfest downward spiral. To do it all takes an hour but in that time you get a great workout. Like you, kids make it hard for me to get much time on the bike atthe minute so these are ideal. I started with one session a week and have just stepped up to two. Be warned though, it’s addictive!!

Btw I dont know whether your turbo has arrived yet but that’s the one I’ve got and I think it’s superb for the money!

funkydunc… drop me a line re. spinervals. my email is in my prof.

out of curiosity how do the sufferfests work? the spinervals tell you what gear, effort, time etc basically ride on autopilot. are the suffers the same sort of thing?

don’t bother with a HRM or anything. google Tabata training. It’s the only protocol that’s been properly proven to work and you’re sorted in half an hour from putting your kit on to being showered. Anything else is a waste of time.

Don’t expect to be able to anything else that day though…

Thanks for all the advice, I will take a closer look at the weekend.

Tesco are selling a basic heart rate monitor for £9.99 so I think I will get one of them. They also sell a Computer with cadence for £14.99 so might get one of them too, unless anyone knows of one cheaper?

Interval training using a turbo is extremely effective, but intervals are very demanding, and it is not advisable to jump straight into them if your current level of fitness is as you describe in your original email. Without a reasonable aerobic base, you risk burning yourself out physically and mentally.
You have identified specific goals, which is a great start, so get yourself a long term plan and work steadily towards them. Build your base, introduce intervals once you are ready and you will be amazed at the progress you make.
I can recommend the Chris Carmichael Time Crunch Training Programme book, which is aimed at people with limited time for training, and is written in a way that doesn’t require you to wade through a lot of background material to get started. You may find it useful to get some coaching advice as well.

p.s. I googled Tabata, and found the following statement:
“Tabata training should not be a staple aspect of your overall training plan. The method is very taxing if performed properly, and therefore its usage should be limited to no more than once every fortnight.”
So I would take the comment “Anything else is a waste of time” with a big pinch of salt…