How long do you spend on the TT
Discussion
Just after looking at the thread of your Turbo Trainers got me thinking on how long you guys spend on the turbo trainer and how do you train on them ? I.e 30 mins and fast spinning for 10 mins warm up then 20 mins up and down the gears fast or steady spinning then 5 mins cool down in low gear.
Just thinking something could be learned here from different views on how long is neccaseary etc.
Just thinking something could be learned here from different views on how long is neccaseary etc.
There is only one way to train on a turbo.....Sufferfest. If you want to improve beyond recognition then crank up the volume and hang on for the ride of you life. There is a video for every training occasion; from hills, time trial, shoot, there is even a vid where the pro girls will kick you into next week!
I generally do the 2x20 format:
- Warm up by spinning a low gear for 10-15 mins
- 20 minutes fast (not quite full effort but close).
- 5 mins easy spin
- Repeat 20min fast effort
- 10 minute cool down
They key is to maintain a constant but hard effort during the 20 minute blocks. Pick a suitable gear/resistance and hold that.
- Warm up by spinning a low gear for 10-15 mins
- 20 minutes fast (not quite full effort but close).
- 5 mins easy spin
- Repeat 20min fast effort
- 10 minute cool down
They key is to maintain a constant but hard effort during the 20 minute blocks. Pick a suitable gear/resistance and hold that.
About 30 minutes for a ten. I'm very slow, but I'll have a go. All done on a standard road bike without any of the aero kit beloved by 'proper' trialists. Not so many trials running in the winter, though. Probably down to the dark evenings.
I don't own a Turbo Trainer, if that's what you meant 
I don't own a Turbo Trainer, if that's what you meant i normally do 40 mins before work watching the news on TV - any more and I get bored.. Don't have a set routine but usually start out spinning quickly with not much effort for about 5 mins then gradually ramp things up to a maximum effort for about 7 mins then keep going as hard as I can until the time's up.. Make sure i do a reasonable warm down (5 isn mins in an easy gear) and have a good stretch afterwards.. Need to sort my fan out, too.. Sweat fest is minging! J
Seems like my 20mins is worthless Think I need to up the antics a little then. Ive not got a fan and within 10 mins its like ive been thrown in a beck 
Might need to open the door to get some cold air through the garage. My turbo trainer gets more resistance the faster it goes and I normaly do the middle 10 - 15 mins in 10th gear pushing hard resistance and quick speed. All these different ways has opened my eyes a lot. I think ill look into the training DVD ! Anyone got a preference ?? v8 jago said:
Seems like my 20mins is worthless Think I need to up the antics a little then. Ive not got a fan and within 10 mins its like ive been thrown in a beck Might need to open the door to get some cold air through the garage. My turbo trainer gets more resistance the faster it goes and I normaly do the middle 10 - 15 mins in 10th gear pushing hard resistance and quick speed. All these different ways has opened my eyes a lot. I think ill look into the training DVD ! Anyone got a preference ?? Failing that, try TrainerRoad. You can use a more structured training plan on there and combine it with Sufferfest if you want to.
For shorter sessions, I tend to use the rollers the the turbo for longer ones.
indigorallye said:
Thanks ill give this a go !! Then see how it goes might get a sufferfest Herman Toothrot said:
Going to have to get the suffer rest vids as heard much praise for them how do they work?
I tend to do either intervals until I feel like collapsing, 30mins + warm up and warm down in HR zone 3, 1hr + warm up and warm down in HR zone 2.
In winter I spend 20-25 hrs a month on the turbo. From 30 mins of recovery to 2hrs of TT efforts. Sufferfest are great, really break up the time, well recommended. Intervals are where you will see gains. Even mid summer I will sit on the turbo a few hours a week.I tend to do either intervals until I feel like collapsing, 30mins + warm up and warm down in HR zone 3, 1hr + warm up and warm down in HR zone 2.
I aim for at least an hour, either using a sufferfest vid or just working at a constant effort watching something interesting on the iPlayer.
Latest vid I got from sufferfest "Blender" is a big step up in terms of quality (HD), the captions and footage (there is road, mtb, track and cyclocross). Some of the music is a bit suspect but it's just a small business so unreasonable to expect well-known tracks. "Blender" is 1:40 long, the longest vid they do is 2 hours.
I'm sure I get significantly more benefit from a structured sufferfest vid than plodding along to "The Golden Age of Steam" or simlar but I don't always want to finish a session in a pool of sweat and fit to pass out.
Latest vid I got from sufferfest "Blender" is a big step up in terms of quality (HD), the captions and footage (there is road, mtb, track and cyclocross). Some of the music is a bit suspect but it's just a small business so unreasonable to expect well-known tracks. "Blender" is 1:40 long, the longest vid they do is 2 hours.
I'm sure I get significantly more benefit from a structured sufferfest vid than plodding along to "The Golden Age of Steam" or simlar but I don't always want to finish a session in a pool of sweat and fit to pass out.
Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff