Trainer Rides

sheclimber

What do you do while on the trainer? I just usually ladder up progressively in a harder gear every set number of minutes, usually 10, while keeping my cadence over 80 and try and stay on for as long as possible before I go mad. Oh and I take it as a good time to finally watch a movie since I never really have time to watch movies...but it has to be an action movie (Burlesque or others with good music also have worked well) to keep me moving and motivated.

babytis

I pretty much do the same as you on my trainer. Except I progress to the next gear about every 5 min. Last night I watched The Help while on my trainer for about 45 min. I think your right an action movie or something with great music would help. Normally I have a hard time getting on my trainer. Duties of home, the kids and what not are till present. Thats what I love about the road, I'm outdoors and I leave reality behind for a few hours:) Also when I'm on the road I have no problem being in the saddle for hours and hours.

cloggsy71

I've got a Tacx Genius VR Trainer, so the brake is applied depending on which route you decide to take...

http://youtu.be/qcxq-fGN30w

sheclimber

I pretty much do the same as you on my trainer. Except I progress to the next gear about every 5 min. Last night I watched The Help while on my trainer for about 45 min. I think your right an action movie or something with great music would help. Normally I have a hard time getting on my trainer. Duties of home, the kids and what not are till present. Thats what I love about the road, I'm outdoors and I leave reality behind for a few hours:) Also when I'm on the road I have no problem being in the saddle for hours and hours.

I loved The Help, but yeah that would not have kept me motivated on the trainer. I love being outdoors too and can't wait for this snow to melt. I'm horrible about working out at home, like you said there are too many distractions, but for some reason I can usually get on the trainer if I have too. Maybe it's the promise of some tv time and I'm attached to the bike, and it's harder to stop and go put laundry in the dryer, check and see if that client emailed me back, whatever.

sillygoose1977

I either use my training dvds or crank up the music and ride intervals. I let the music kind of dictate what I do but my goal is to keep the heart rate up no matter if it is speed or resistance.

When I use my music I usually watch the Food Network at the same time. :blushing:

TheBigYin

Another vote here for the Tacx Virtual Reality trainers - I've got the slightly less fancy than Clogsy71's - the Bushido - linked into my laptop and a projector system in the garage. So, over the last few days while the weather's been terrible, i've rode most of the 2010 Etape Du Tour without leaving my garage. Brilliant idea, slightly marred by not completely robust software, but when you get it working, theres nothing else that can actually keep me on the trainer for 2 hours or more at a time...

Got a hard afternoon booked in, I'll be the fat lad with long hair climbing the Col du Tourmalet... if you see me,give me a wave, then kindly explain what the hell are you doing in my Garage :laugh:

Tracey_Smith

We have the Tacx Fortius, and I got hammered by Alpe d'Huez last night. Would have done loads better but my backside was sore :embarassed:
It's a great bit of kit, all yolu have to do is pedal, it's as easy or as hard as the route you want to do x

Tracey_Smith

Got a hard afternoon booked in, I'll be the fat lad with long hair climbing the Col du Tourmalet... if you see me,give me a wave, then kindly explain what the hell are you doing in my Garage :laugh:
[/quote]

I love this lol x

sheclimber

Sounds cool but I'm not really looking to spend more $$ on another trainer when I have one, and use it only in the the most desperate of weather situations. More looking for training programs to do when I'm forced to stay inside.

zoom2

TheSufferfest.com workouts are AWESOME for making the time go fast AND getting in a really good, HARD workout. I believe they're about $11/download. Then we burn them to a DVD and play them on our TV. We've got about a half-dozen of them, now. Really fun and motivating, UNLIKE Coach Troy. I want to shove his stopwatch up his rear. I really am not a fan of the Spinervals workouts.

chelso0o

It depends on what part of the racing season I am in. But my workouts include fast pedals, steady state intervals, and stomps. Each one taxes a different system. Some workouts are VO2 max, some are lactate threshold, some are all out, some are endurance.

sheclimber

Thanks Zoom I'll have to check that out.

bethlikesbikes

I generally like to follow the structure of a training DVD while on the trainer so I know I'm making the most of my time. If I'm on my own, however, I'll do single leg pedaling drills and spin-ups to increase my pedaling efficiency. The trainer is a terrific way to work on smoothing your stroke, activating all of the muscles involved in the stroke and to work on increasing cadence. After working intently on this stuff, I can now hold a cadence of 120 for a bit and I've ironed the dead spots out of my pedaling. No more wasted energy equals a faster ride!

sheclimber

I generally like to follow the structure of a training DVD while on the trainer so I know I'm making the most of my time. If I'm on my own, however, I'll do single leg pedaling drills and spin-ups to increase my pedaling efficiency. The trainer is a terrific way to work on smoothing your stroke, activating all of the muscles involved in the stroke and to work on increasing cadence. After working intently on this stuff, I can now hold a cadence of 120 for a bit and I've ironed the dead spots out of my pedaling. No more wasted energy equals a faster ride!

120!?!? That is impressive! I do like working on form and pedal stroke on the trainer, makes a big difference when I go outside. Then by the end of summer I think I lose it again.