I’m currently nursing a sprained wrist so looking for a couple of sessions that I can do on the exercise bike to try and keep the fitness up.

I did a HIIT session last night, 45s work 60s rest x10, simply because that’s what I thought of on the way to the gym.

Anyone got a more scientific idea for what sort of intervals I should be doing in terms of duration, work:rest and number of sets?

I’m in my 5th week off bike since spraining my thumb and rupturing the extensor tendon in my thumb. My last injury was two years ago and was the same thumb sprained but also the wrist very badly for good measure but no actual broken bits. This time it bent the other way though so wrist wasn’t in the firing line and this tendon just went pop. I didn’t go to the doctors at all with the wrist and I was back on the bike (going very carefully) after 4 weeks but I was resting my thumb on the brake leaver clamp… I wore all the paint off it so I must have held on like that for quite some time! If I’d gone to the Doctors I doubt I would have been allowed to ride so soon. Like now… I’m stuck in the “process” but I did bust a tendon this time. It seems to have healed up because it moves both ways now which is cool.

I have a thumb / full wrist splint on. Fed up of wearing it.

I’ve taken up running at a steady pace (hadn’t run since March). Doing 5km mostly but have gradually stepped it up to do a 10km 1000ft+ elevation trail run which was great fun. I try to run every other day or so. My fitness is pretty good so I don’t want to go backwards while I can’t ride.

As for gym I’ve joined the Spin class which I usually only do during winter. I can ride a spin bike clipped in with one hand no problem so that’s been good to keep the legs spinning.

I’m struggling with upper body work because I can’t put weight on my right hand but my left arm is getting the mower / hoover / whatever other chores I’m allowed to do. Funny how I’m allowed to do those but I’m not allowed to touch my bike at all 🙁

Hospital just called and apparently (unexpected to me anyway) I’ve got a physio session tomorrow. If it means I can take this thing off for a bit I’m all for it.

My specialist consultation isn’t until another 3 weeks though. I wasn’t expecting anything to happen until I’d seen the specialist.

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Mixing up the intervals / intensity is the most important thing. Don’t stick to any routine for too long.

For a couple of runs I’ve done 3 minute run / 1 minute rest x 5 which gets me almost to 5km. Mixed in with running for 1 mile then resting for as little as I can to run the 2nd mile then rest. Then the final mile is mixed because running is just horrible!

Spin class is different every week and the instructor mixes in steady intervals with sprints for 45 minutes.

For example there’ll be 2 minutes sitting spin at 100RPM at Level 10-12 and then at the end a 15s sprint. Then rest for a minute and add a Level. Do that 3 times. Then a full 2 minute recovery.

Then it might be a standing L14-L16 3 minute climb at 70-80RPM with a 10s sprint 130RPM at the end x 3 times adding a level each time.

Get some race tape, and mark off a route off to one side of where you actually are- makes any activity more enduro.

I got my injury racing #enduro

I certainly would not suggest trying 9 hammers with goggles on….

Get some race tape, and mark off a route off to one side of where you actually are- makes any activity more enduro.

Or

Just dress in more #enduro colours while doing your exercises.
😛

I got you Northwind – already painted the exercise bike wheel yellow and have a bum bag for the gym.

Was thinking of introducing some boxing dodging drills to be more efficient ducking under the tape.

trainerroad have a whole 8 week ‘gravity’ specialism section . You can get one month free trails

2 minutes sitting spin at 100RPM at Level 10-12 and then at the end a 15s sprint. Then rest for a minute and add a Level. Do that 3 times. Then a full 2 minute recovery.

Then it might be a standing L14-L16 3 minute climb at 70-80RPM with a 10s sprint 130RPM at the end x 3 times adding a level each time.
My gym doesn’t offer spin classes (or have spin bikes) unfortunately, but this sounds like the sort of thing I’m looking for.

The recovery parts are deemed “active recovery” too which is L8-10 @ 60RPM. But after a proper 15-30s full power sprint I can be completely slammed. We briefly had Al Bond the DH Racer as our Spin instructor during winter. That was really interesting. He set us his DH workouts as his class which was really cool. He would set us 10s sprints @ L16-20 / 30s recovery / 10s sprint x 5 which had everyone absolutely hanging off the bikes. Unreal. It’s like getting to the 1st corner from a race start and being totally blown out.

I need a pretty intense warm up to be able to keep up with the classes (as I do on the real bike – a 20 minute 3 mile 700ft hill climb from my door is how I usually get warmed up). I hardly ever stand to pedal on my MTB but in Spin I seem to prefer standing and equate it to an Enduro stage where I wouldn’t sit down.

On your indoor training bike get some music going with a decent beat and it’ll usually be going about 120 BMP which you can use to time your pedalling for roughly find 60 RPM recovery and double it to 120 RPM for a “sprint”.

I find the class motivational and the music is essential. I don’t even care what it is but some tracks really make me try harder than others.

If you have a “speed” reading on your indoor trainer then I’m trying to set 16 to 20 MPH average for an hour. My average out on the MTB is 7-11 MPH. It’s just different. Mix up the resistance. Change the interval time.

I HATE being unable to ride. I find the mental side harder than the physical. Especially when the weather is ok.

Hope you heal up soon @mark88.

I like The iPhone apps Spin Mentor and Cycling plus when on the spin bike at home, of course in the full face for total-Gnarrness

Downloaded one of the apps so will have a go tonight.

Then it might be a standing L14-L16 3 minute climb at 70-80RPM with a 10s sprint 130RPM at the end x 3 times adding a level each time.

How long rest between each set?

How long rest between each set?

It’s 3 minute on 1 minute off for the intervals x 3, 4, or 5 whatever you can manage. Then after the set a full 3 minute active recovery. Don’t stop completely, try to keep moving in easier gear / level.

I’m just setting myself up with a turbo trainer at home due to being told not to do running or spin class. So with the trainer in the garage I can do low heart rate 30 min sessions or just 10 minute faster sessions to avoid getting my splint all sweaty. The MTB tyre makes a right racket so postman just delivered a training tyre and cheap training rear wheel which I’ll hopefully get set up tonight.

3 weeks to go in this splint thing… it’s really dragging. Will be 9 weeks off the bike for a tiny tendon in my thumb! 🙁 Who knew, eh! Will be riding like a granny for months. So depressing.

How’s your recovery going?

That’s what I have been doing.

As well as the sessions suggested in this thread I’ve been doing another killer:
Round the clock – 3 rounds of:
10s sprint / 50s rest
20s sprint / 40s rest
30s sprint / 30s rest
40s sprint / 20s rest
20s sprint / 40s rest
50s sprint / 10s rest
Rest for 2 minutes

Wrist is still sore but hopefully my fitness has survived as I’m riding Ard Rock this weekend. I’m just going to have to strap it up and hope for the best.

Good luck at ‘Ard Rock. Glad the wrist is healed enough to ride.

Now I’ve got my Turbo I’ll give that Round the Clock a go. Thanks. I did a 30 min session last night and it was great to be back on a bike even if it was stuck to the garage floor.

I can see my way to the Consultant and Physio appointments now – just two more full weeks after the weekend. Hopefully they’ll let me free but what they’ll prescribe as rehab afterwards or how much my Thumb can move after being stuck so long I don’t know. I just hope I can muddle my own way back to strength. As long as I can get a MTB glove on… and change gear… oh ek!