indoor bike training boredom?
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So I've been having some knee problems (probably patellofemoral syndrome) that has stopped my running cold, and I've gained some weight as a result. PT may be slowly helping the knees, but in the meantime, I'm looking around for another good source of cardio, both to get me through this recovery period, and also as an alternative/backup plan in the future. |
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I rehabbed my ACL injury on one of those old air bikes. It had a book stand on it, and I got a ton of reading done. I wasn't doing any sort of structured work out -- just spinning away. I could do an hour on the bike no problem if I liked what I was reading. TV and radio not as effective for me for some reason. |
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I used to use them a fair amount. They suck no matter how you cut it. I'd rather ride outside in almost any weather rather than use a trainer! All the things you mentioned are good ideas. I'd watch movies, listen to music, or use a workout video. Reading was usually too difficult unless I was riding super easy. Make sure to have a good fan to keep you cool. |
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Optimistic wrote:So I've been having some knee problems (probably patellofemoral syndrome) that has stopped my running cold, and I've gained some weight as a result. PT may be slowly helping the knees, but in the meantime, I'm looking around for another good source of cardio, both to get me through this recovery period, and also as an alternative/backup plan in the future. A guy I work with is a triathlete and uses an indoor bike trainer and seems to like it, but this is a guy who is willing to do as much as 6 hours of cardio in a day when he is in peak training mode for an Ironman. My question, then, is: are there MP'ers out there, who are not cyborgs like my co-worker, who are able to sustain a regular indoor bike routine without suffering a fatal overdose of boredom? If so, what do you do? Video spin workouts? Sprint intervals? Just watch TV? These turbo trainers are kind of pricy, so I don't want to buy one and have it just sit in the basement because I can't stand to use it.In addition to climbing, I also race bikes. Road, MTB, and CX. I also find trainer workouts to be fun. I guess I'm a robot? To make it fun I highly recommend trainerroad.com and Netflix. Trainerroad gives you metrics to base your workout on and helps you maintain your intervals and such. Anyway, buy a Turbo off of Craigslist for half of the new cost. Turbo trainers are the hang board of cycling. Thousands of people buy them thinking it is going to make them sick strong but then they never use them. All of that said, be careful. When I'm cycling hard my climbing falls off in a bad kind of way. I lose all of my power because 200+ miles of cardio in a week eats up all of your energy. It'll also add some weight to your legs, which, as a climber, you don't want. |
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Optimistic, |
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Shameless plug... I have a used cycle ops jet fluid pro I'm selling, it's in great shape! |
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I try to watch some sort of training tutorial online. At least I learn something. Plus they are relatively short 10-30 min. I use one to warm up. One to get the workout. One to cool down. Or something like that. |
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James Sweeney wrote: Optimistic, Strap on some XC skis and head up to Minnewaska. All the cardio you can handle with fantastic views thrown in. No impact on your achy knees either.The XC does seem good in principle, and I'd been mulling doing exactly that. But knowing my somewhat lame self, the "activation energy" involved in loading up the XC gear and driving up there and back, which seems like it would easily add an hour to the workout, makes me skeptical that I'd actually do it regularly in practice. The 5-minute setup to bang out a 20 or 30 minute sprint bike workout at home seems really appealing and much more realistically doable, especially on a day that I had to work. Thanks to everybody for the replies and thoughts... |
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I like rollers instead... way less boring cause you fall down if you stop paying attention, dirt cheap on craigslist and more focused on cardio cause you cannot cheat by ramping up the power and slacking on the cadence. |
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Optimistic wrote: The XC does seem good in principle, and I'd been mulling doing exactly that. But knowing my somewhat lame self, the "activation energy" involved in loading up the XC gear and driving up there and back, which seems like it would easily add an hour to the workout, makes me skeptical that I'd actually do it regularly in practice. The 5-minute setup to bang out a 20 or 30 minute sprint bike workout at home seems really appealing and much more realistically doable, especially on a day that I had to work. Thanks to everybody for the replies and thoughts...My friend was just talking about miming or visualizing the cruxes of your routes while you get an aerobic workout, flexes your head at the same time. |
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Xam wrote:I like rollers instead... way less boring cause you fall down if you stop paying attention, dirt cheap on craigslist and more focused on cardio cause you cannot cheat by ramping up the power and slacking on the cadence. That being said, outside in almost any conditions is way more fun.No argument on the outside fun! Inexperienced rider here, could you explain what you mean about the cheating? What makes that cheating? |
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Jon Rhoderick wrote: My friend was just talking about miming or visualizing the cruxes of your routes while you get an aerobic workout, flexes your head at the same time.Definitely thinking about climbing is a huge help in keeping me entertained when I'm doing cardio. Hard for me to imagine getting psyched to exercise without something tangible like climbing as a reason for doing it. Hats off to people who can go to a fitness club and just work out for the sake of being fitter as an end in itself...doubt I could or would. |
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Life is never boring but some people choose to be bored. The concept of boredom entails an inability to use up present moments in a personally fulfilling way. Boredom is a choice; something you visit upon yourself, and it is another of those self-defeating items that you can eliminate from your life. - Wayne Dyer |
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Optimistic wrote: No argument on the outside fun! Inexperienced rider here, could you explain what you mean about the cheating? What makes that cheating?On a trainer you can just turn up the resistance and push harder on the pedals to make it more about the muscular system and less about the cardiovascular system. This happens naturally during a session as you get tired. On rollers, if you do that you will fall over...they force you to have an even pressure, high cadence and tend not to build excess muscle. That being said, rollers have a bit of a learning curve that if you are new to cycling training you probably don't want to deal with. |
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At my indoor climbing gym, they have a stationary bike. I do a mile in between each boulder route. That way I am balancing my workout, and not just climbing like a fiend. I find that if you can focus yourself on the bike (and let go of all thoughts) you can get a good mental workout as well. |
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rollers + a movie |
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Russ Keane wrote:At my indoor climbing gym, they have a stationary bike. I do a mile in between each boulder route. That way I am balancing my workout, and not just climbing like a fiend. I find that if you can focus yourself on the bike (and let go of all thoughts) you can get a good mental workout as well.That's a cool idea...I guess I'd picture it more as the bouldering being a reward to yourself for doing the cardio. |
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I had patellofemerlloorwhatever too. Lots of low speed high cadence spinning helped me through it, now I have no knee pains even on 6 hours flights or 4 hour car rides. Clipless pedals work wonders for keeping your knees in the right place, also don't be scared to jack that seat up until your hips are almost rocking, anything shorter and you'll bugger your knees even worse. |
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If your goal is to just lose weight with a trainer and minimize time and boredom, interval training is the way to go. My workouts on the trainer are usually no more than 45 mins. 10min warmup, then either 1min@100% followed by 4-5mins recover, or 2 mins@80%-3mins recovery, or 3 mins@70%-3mins recovery or something along those lines, then 5-10 mins warmdown followed by stretching times a week |
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redlude97 wrote:If your goal is to just lose weight with a trainer and minimize time and boredom, interval training is the way to go. My workouts on the trainer are usually no more than 45 mins. 10min warmup, then either 1min@100% followed by 4-5mins recover, or 2 mins@80%-3mins recovery, or 3 mins@70%-3mins recovery or something along those lines, then 5-10 mins warmdown followed by stretching times a weekYeah, I was thinking intervals for sure, hard to be bored when you're trying really hard. |
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I noticed up above some people recommend trainer road and I haven't tried that but I have heard good things. |