Motivational Workouts as the Weather Turns
One of the great pleasures of swimming and cycling is being outdoors. However, it's harder to take that first step out of the door when it's dark & cold. Here are a few indoor workouts to get you going (with adaptations for outdoors if you wish!):
CYCLE - The Slow burn
Aim: build muscular endurance, ideal for longer events
Time: 5min warm-up,
Summary: moderate hills of 2-5mins repeat, low cadence (60+ RPM) throughout
Method:
1. set bike to light resistance for a 5min warm-up at 75+ RPM
2. increase resistance to reflect a 6% gradient and cycle for 2-5minutes at 70+ RPM. Stay seated
3. recover for 1minute at low gradient
4. repeat 3-8 times
Tips: pedal from the hips with little to no rocking in the upper body.
Kit: indoor trainer, preferably with handlebar computer (or route outdoors including moderately steep hills)
CYCLE - Spin-ups
Aim: Develop speed & optimum performance, ideal for all riders, especially shorter distance events.
Summary: Resistance doesn't change, cadence increases gradually to max and is held for as long as possible. Repeat as desired.
Method:
1. set bike to light resistance for a 5min warm-up at 75+ RPM
2. over the course of a minute gradually increase cadence to maximum (i.e. max RPM you can achieve without bouncing, you may need to raise your resistance for the entire cycle if you are bouncing)
3. hold your max cadence for as long as possible and record/remember time held
4. recover at low cadence (60+RPM) for 1minute or more
5. repeat 4-10 times
Tips: as cadence increases allow your lower legs and feet to feel relaxed, especially your toes. Try to achieve the same time at max cadence for at least the first 3-4 repeats.
Kit: indoor trainer, preferably with handlebar computer (or flat route outdoors)
SWIM weekly session
Warm-up: 200m freestyle, 200m backstroke, 200m kicking
Session:
- Rest for 30sec-2min between each warm-up drill and after the warm-up
- 8x50m drills at a steady moderate pace that enables you to work good technique (focus on your weaknesses, try googling: "pressing the buoy", "swimming rolling" and "swimming over reaching"). Rest for 1/2 the time it takes you to do 25m, between sets.
- Rest for 1-3mins
- 4x50m building pace, rest for half the time it takes you to do 25m, between sets
Cool-down: 200m steady, try to enjoy
SWIM build session
Warm-up: 200m freestyle, 200m backstroke, 200m kicking
Session:
- 5 x 100m swim, with 10-30sec between. Swim the 1st steady, the 2nd slightly harder, the third harder than that, the 4th at race pace & the 5th faster than race pace / go for it!
- repeat for the desired distance, or distance of your next event
Cool down: 200m steady, try to enjoy
Ref: Swim, Bike, Run by Alastair and Jonathan Brownlee & The Triathlete's Training Bible by Joe Friel
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