following on from:

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/turbo-trainer-what-else-do-i-need

I’ve taken the plunge, bought one and did my first session tonight.

The intent is that I want to supplement my riding particularly when the weather is shite and then it’ll be winter and I work too long so being able to do 45 mins ‘training’ in 45 minutes is attractive. But it’s not really with any particular end goal in mind other than i want to be able to ride further faster than I can currently.

Any pointers to specific sessions that will help to achieve this. i did a ‘threshold’ session tonight for shits and giggles – 10 mins ramped warmup, 5 mins at 85-90% followed by 3 mins recovery, repeated 3 times (session said 3-6 reps so i thought I’d go easy on myself as a turbo virgin), followed by a warmdown. Just as well, if I’d done a 4th I’d probably have needed to swim for the garage door, as it was I just paddled.

I’d rather go out in any weather than sit on a turbo.

I have a power meter, and it’s not possible for me to produce the same number of watts on the turbo. No idea why. This is why I hate it.

I know that’s not helpful but.. y’know.. this is STW and all.

As for sessions – any interval sessions will do. Pick the sessions that will do what you need, then do them on the turbo.

i did a ‘threshold’ session tonight for shits and giggles – 10 mins ramped warmup, 5 mins at 85-90% followed by 3 mins recovery, repeated 3 times (session said 3-6 reps so i thought I’d go easy on myself as a turbo virgin), followed by a warmdown

85-90% of what?

I have a power meter, and it’s not possible for me to produce the same number of watts on the turbo. No idea why. This is why I hate it.

Body working hard to cool itself, motivation, unnatural non movement of the bike?

85-90% of my 220-age guesstimate on max heart rate*.

* Which isn’t far off the max I’ve ever achieved in 6 months of Garmining my rides, including every now and then doing sprints up hills to see how big a number I can get before the world goes black.

when I use mine I do a 45 min session,

use 3 power lvls

1 easy 1 medium 1 hard, and rotate between the 3 at 1 min intervals

I NEVER sweat on the bike like I do on the trainer, its bloody hard work done right

I’m doing 30 mins on the turbo every morning before breakfast as part of a fat reduction regime. I wasn’t particularly overweight but have managed to shift pounds by just sticking to 30 mins a day and then doing some big rides at weekends on the MTB. I am amazed at how much more energy I have on the bike since doing this (been going 6 months)and getting up hills has become much easier. But I have to say that investing in one of those sweat catchers was the best investment made!

if you know where to look and how to look there are videos available….

if you know where to look and how to look there are videos available….

You need something to watch – I am watching breakfast TV and re-runs of The Professionals on Freeview – it’s like watching paint dry! 🙂

Turbo works m8. Great when the weather is bad and you can do a really good session. No traffic or anything else to get the way. Mines in front room in front TV 😉 I use HRM and zone training.

Thanks all – so any pointers on a decent resource with some good general 30-60 minute sessions.

http://www.bikeradar.com/fitness/article/fitness-basics-turbo-training-24170/

any good?

Google ‘Sufferfest’ pretty much the lsst word in turbo workout videos.

And they work.

I do at least three sessions on my rollers a week come rain or shine.

A couple of examples:

Session 1: 12 minutes warm up including some sprints, then 4 * 4 minutes with 2 minutes recovery. Working at 115-120% of FTP, or roughly 92% of max HR per interval.(for me 350 watts)

Session 2: 5 minutes warm up then 2 * 20 minutes * 90 of FTP, of roughly 80% or max HR per interval.(for me 280 watts)

what KingTut said… sufferfest videos like downward spiral and angels really do make an hour pass in a very hard but tolerable way. much better than trying to keep discipline in your ‘homemade’ session i have found. turbo sessions are a very poor mans alternative to actual riding, yes, but using these videos is the lesser of available evils imo, and effective training too… 🙂

I’m selling one,

Turbo for sale

Only as I’ve bought a newer one 😉 I like it,.

oops, selling too hard – double post.

http://turbotraining.co.uk/

Lookup the type of interval you want and then follow the on screen timer.

Also, sufferfests!! Very good.

1 more for the Sufferfest vid’s.

I have downloaded the ‘Downward Spiral’ vid to give me an interval type workout and ‘Local Hero’ for a longer and more sustained workout, both are very good and hard work BUT they will only be as hard as the effort you put in to it! If you aren’t fully committed to the workout then you wont get the benefit in my view.

I’d also add that cooling on a turbo is important as you will boil if going flat out and there is no airflow over you…

Good luck and stick at it!

I should also add that the Sufferfest vids are so good I sometimes choose doing them over actual riding when the weather is OK!

How long do these sufferfest videos typically take to download on a non-spectacular broadband line?

As for only being as good as the effort you put in – much of life’s like that. hence why i have hooked up to my garmin, and worked out the appropriate HR zones (which as above i know on a 220 – age isn’t exact but for me is reasonably good I think) – so i can’t cheat on rate of perceived exertion and instead have to hit the numbers and stay there.

+1 what Shred says plus Tabata.

I’m soooo glad my Flow runs TTS videos and custom routes off Google Earth. Plenty of variation if I ‘have’ to spend more than 60 mins on mine.

85-90% of my 220-age guesstimate on max heart rate*.

Forget Maximum Heart rate. It’s a nonsense.

Do the friel method to work out your Threshold Heart rate and then set up your zones based on that.
Some info on it:
http://www.trainingbible.com/joesblog/2009/11/quick-guide-to-setting-zones.html

I have thought about the TACX multi player but there dosent seem much info on it? Any experience? The training software looks good but few actual use it to race on line?

How long do these sufferfest videos typically take to download on a non-spectacular broadband line?

About 25 – 30 mins

+1 what Shred says plus Tabata.

Whilst Tabata is good IMO it’s not great on long term basis you soon tire of it, I would imagine it would be good to include in your workouts a few weeks before a big race.

Just thought I’d add a recommendation for a good Sufferfest video to start with if you haven’t tried them before, try ‘Fightclub’ a good mix of threshold riding and climbing plus chasing down attacks, the video flows a lot better than all the other ones I’ve tried (The Hunted, Local Hero, Angels and a very Dark Place) and requires less gear changing so it gives you time to focus on what you are doing.

Right, last night’s entertainment was a Threshold Heart rate test as per the link above

10 mins warm up
30 mins trying to keep at that balance point between ‘I think I’m going to vom’ and ‘Oh, i just vommed’
taking average HR for the last 20 mins of that
10 mins crying while I warmed down.
5 mins mopping the puddles up off the garage floor.

I’ve looked up a few online resources to find some sessions to do and will download the recommended sufferfest to see what it’s like.

Next Q; if i follow a vaguely structured routine with a couple or 3 sessions a week as well as normal rides, what will happen? Expectation is of course to get fitter and hopefully thinner, but given that I’m trying to do this semi scientifically, what is going to happen on the science side.

eg: I’ve now got a number for my Threshold Heart Rate (THR). If I get fitter, I assume that I’ll be able to do more work at that heart rate (more watts) and hence will be faster for the same effort. But would I expect my THR to change – higher – as my body gets better at dealing with working at that rate. What about max heart rate? And are the changes substantial or a few beats?