Building MTB fitness quick. Hill reps?

Bit unfortunate that ‘indoor’ now seems to mean ‘Zwift’.

FWIW I’m currently using Tacx as I got a 6 month subscription as part of buying a new trainer. I’ve been riding round Mallorca recently and yesterday I was in Alicante. I’m liking the real-life videos over Zwifts cartoon environment but it’s obviously not for those looking to race, or for any social media features.

Bit unfortunate that ‘indoor’ now seems to mean ‘Zwift’.

FWIW we switched to Rouvy in January. No idea what the racing is like as I only do the workouts, but I like the real world scenery rather the CGI.

Just about to cancel it as we won’t use much at all until autumn (and the free Wattbike app with no pretty pictures, is good enough for the very rare indoor session through summer)

Am I right in thinking…..

Losing weight is generally ride hard enough that you can still talk.

Building muscle is ride hard till you feel sick and stop for a bit?

A few mates want to ride across the alps this year and I agreed to ride with them as a guide. I spent three years guiding alpencross/Transalp groups and have ridden probably 20 times or more over the alps, but that was back at least 11 years ago.

Need to lose a few kg from my midriff after a month of doing nothing but cooking and eating.

This: https://mtb.fitness/

and

This: https://www.cycling-inform.com/

Works for me, although i’d probably allow 12 weeks or more to see real benefit

Why wouldn’t it?

Becuase you don’t get the same core, balance and strength workout on a static Zwift bike that’ll help with any outdoor cycling, nor the technical element of the riding for MTB.

250 watts on the turbo is the same as 250 outside

No it isn’t, there’s lots of factors that change the output the main one being the thermal effect / difference between outdoor & indoor regardless of fan.  For example, I have a 12% difference indoor vs outdoor.   It changes again if you are riding in competition due to further external factors and factors such as increase adrenaline response.

I do keep meaning to try Zwift racing though as a few friends do it and seem to enjoy it.

Ive found the paced group rides a bit of a revelation. Two hours with Coco at 2.6W/kg a few times a week is a fine base to work from. Feels like a good workout. I don’t care for the HIIT thing.  I’ll save my racing for the real thing too. I don’t need weight-doping when vets can have the real drugs 😀

i try and ride one on the rollers and one on the kickr. The rollers is a real workout just to stay on!

Am I right in thinking…..

Losing weight is generally ride hard enough that you can still talk.

Building muscle is ride hard till you feel sick and stop for a bit?

Most people hit a  plateau because they dont ride easy enough when they are supposed to be riding easy, or hard enough when they are supposed to be working hard.

As per some above, I put real value in zwift and what it can do – the absolute best thing it does is allow you to properly train at Z2 and get miles in to buid aerobic base. its very difficult to do this in real life.

Do lots of Z2 Aerobic stuff at actual Z2 pace which is generallt easier than people think.

Intersperse with efforts/HIIT/Strengh Training/Sprints/Whatever which needs to be harder than you think. thats the only way your fitness will grow out of the comfort zone that you get from just ‘ride your bike a lot’.

(I used to be a firm believe in ‘just ride your bike a lot’ but only in past years realised the above, I’m a legacy member of Matts mtb fitness program and have done the 12 week plans a bunch of times since it first launched years and years ago. I put great value in Zwift too and how it allows me to fit Z2 stuff around my daily life. I am noticeably faster now I at nearly 40, than I was ten years ago, and I certainly was not fat or unfit then, but I had peaked as to what you can do without any actual structured training.)

Walk 10k steps a day to lose weight. You basically need to be do be doing 30min minimum, without stopping in zone 2 to get your body to burn fat rather than carbs / sugar.

For cardio, I’ve never been fitter then when training with some roadies doing over / under or hill climb sessions twice a week, in addition to a weekly MTB ride. You can learn more about over under here:

Over-Under Intervals & Workouts: The Science Behind Them and Tips for Success

This year I am in your exact position, little belly, and want to attack an enduro over summer.