Do you also train on rollers or smart bikes during the fall and winter months? Or are you just getting into this discipline and looking for some useful tips to get started?
If so, you’ve come to the right place! At Elastic Interface®, we reached out to a few experts to create a short guide to indoor training.
In this article, we’ll first explore some key precautions to keep in mind with Dr. Giuseppe Marcolin, and then we’ll dive into functional training and preparation for outdoor rides together with Dr. Andrea Fusaz, and once again Dr. Marcolin.
Indoor Cycling: Key Precautions to Keep in Mind
- In indoor training, sweating increases exponentially. Why is this so?
Dr. Marcolin. Sweating is a mechanism adopted by the body to lower body temperature. Sweating too much indoors is due to the lack of ventilation, which helps to lower the body temperature (convection). While riding, the cyclist performs intense efforts while reaching high speeds (descents) which, due to the effect of the air, reduce body temperature. In the simulated descents of indoor training, one is obliged to keep pedaling while there is no air action, explaining why the cyclist sweats so profusely. - Does cycling indoors fill the environment with CO2, and leave little oxygen?
Dr. Marcolin. The time spent on indoor trainer does not significantly alter the concentration of CO2 so much so that it can cause health risks. For better comfort, however, it is preferable to keep a window open or slightly open depending on the outside temperature. This ensures good air ventilation in the room. - Can using a fan prevent heat stroke?
Dr. Marcolin. The use of the fan is subjective and can help disperse the heat during exercise on the indoor trainer. If used, it is advisable to operate the fan at low speeds. - What is the recommended duration for an indoor workout?
Dr. Marcolin. While there is no ideal duration, an average duration ranges from 45 to 90 minutes depending on the kind of training. Rather than an excessively long session, the training can be broken up into a morning session and an afternoon session. It is also important to define the number of training sessions per week. For an average cyclist, 60 minutes of training every other day is definitely a solid training program. It is advisable to partake in high quality workouts to get the maximum benefit. - In what sense can the body be subjected to “too much” stress in indoor training?
Dr. Marcolin. The static sitting position causes greater concentration of pressure on the perineal area compared to pedaling on the road. Not only does indoor training require the cyclist to remain seated most of the time, the lack of bicycle oscillations also make their position more static. Consequently, the pressure on the perineum remains practically confined to the same area for most of the training. To solve this, get up on the pedals at a certain frequency to lift the burden off the perineal area. It is also useful to change the position of the hands often, even if cycling makes the rider grip the handlebar area near the stem. Doing this helps to significantly change the area of the perineal area in which pressure is concentrated.
How can you optimize your indoor training for better outdoor performance?
- Does training on an indoor trainer help prepare you for outdoor cycling? What are the advantages and disadvantages of indoor vs outdoor training?
R&D Team Elastic Interface®. Indoor training is certainly useful especially in times of lockdowns, or when the weather does not allow you to go out. In winter preparation, many cyclists follow programs with specific exercises in the gym and / or free body, sometimes making some calls even during the season. The indoor trainer can be an integral part of training when outdoor cycling is not ideal. But it should be designed according to the physical condition of the athlete. - The riding posture follows the type of bike used. However, the rigidity of the indoor trainer also changes. What are the consequences for the body?
Dr. Marcolin. The trainer does not allow lateral movements of the bicycle. Indeed the posture in terms of joint angles does not change when pedaling on the trainer, but the lack of lateral oscillations both when seated on the saddle and especially when lifting off the saddle result in less activation of the deep muscles, back muscles and the core. In practice, the cyclist takes a more relaxed attitude on the trainer. The postural control component is missing due to the fact that the bike is fixed in place.
R&D Team Elastic Interface®. As for the stiffness of the trainer, it all depends on the model. For those with the most technologically advanced system, i.e. without a rear wheel and carriage fixed directly to the trainer, the movements are very limited. Even the frame is subjected to considerable stress. It maybe useful to insert pieces of foam at the base of the trainer to make it “softer”. - When you get up on the pedals, the pedaling becomes more static. Will the bike not following the athlete’s natural movement affect performance?
R&D Team Elastic Interface®. Surely the movements on the trainer are not as natural as on the road. During a demanding climb you have to push well even if you are bound to always maintain a composed position. Greater static means greater pressure in the perineal area, often felt after 45 minutes of exercise on average. This also depends on the intensity and type of training. A slight inclination of the saddle could bring relief without affecting the positioning on the bike. - Do I have to vary the intensity of indoor workouts?
Dr. Fusaz. In most cases the power peaks reached on the road are not reached on the trainer for both physical and especially mental reasons. The indoor trainers are always more tiring than the road, but in principle, the exercise intensities are not changed. However, a special training plan must be studied, because the volumes of aerobic exercises done on the road are not sustainable on indoor trainers. - What are your tips for a PRO workout?
Dr. Fusaz. If you do workouts in which you have to simulate a large part of climbing, you can tilt the bike by inserting shims under the front wheel. It seems a bit strange, but the biomechanics of pedaling also changes as the slope changes. If you have to prepare yourself for some slopes, you can certainly try this hack. - What other exercises can be done to compensate for physical effort and to maintain the muscles?
Dr. Marcolin. It is advisable to perform stretching exercises after a session on the trainer just as much as finishing a workout on the road. It is advisable to include in the training week a couple of 30-minute sessions of postural / proprioceptive workouts together with exercises to strengthen the core and back muscles. Finally, a good warm-up should not be underestimated if you dedicate yourself to specific jobs.
Want to dive deeper? Don’t miss our article on nutrition and health in the context of indoor training.