I had a particularly hard strength training session on the turbo today (Z4/5) and I cracked half way through, my legs were OKish but my head cracked at the end of a Z5 rep.

I have tried the usual, looking out the window, radio etc but is there any little tips that others use that I could try...other than growing a pair obviously!

Hommé,

I'm a bit neurotic and weird. I find myself counting when I do things like this.

Not seconds.
Not cadence.
Not HR.

just counting.

I've heard people talk about promising themselves rewards, etc but that never seems to work for me since I'm happy to talk myself out of wanting/need whatever it is.

Music helps some. I've actually made play-lists that are based on song length (filter by song duration in itunes). It certainly helps that I like 3-chord aggro punk.

My GF watches tv and movies while riding the trainer sprints through commercials, etc. I can't concentrate enough on speed/watts to do that. A friend in college would watch those 5-min pr0n samples while on his bike.

In the end its mind games.

My latest one is to see if I can wring sweat out of a towel at the end of a session.

Good luck

HTFU

_________________
TIME RXR

+5

I say out loud to myself as if im a coach, "HTFU". Anytime i start to feel soft and sorry for myself, i snap to and say those words. Try it.

Remind yourself that your competitor is going to finish his Z4/Z5 session. Then play:

"Killing In The Name of" by Rage Against the Machine. Turn the volume up to 10... or 11.

I take my free hand (L or R) and slap myself across the face a few times and yell out "pussy". That seems to really work for me for motivation.

1.) Get off trainer.
2.) Take midol
3.) Knit sweater

Ride for six hours straight on your trainer facing a blank wall. After that you will be mentally tough ( or brain dead)

_________________
WW Velocipedist Gargantuan

I agree with counting, but counting down. Anytime I'm doing "repetitive" training, counting down to zero seems easier in my head.

i take my mind back to the last 10k of a RR or Crit and imagine i am there. or i just HTFU!!!!! this years weather has been horrible here in the northwest so i have most of my hours on my computrainer this year so far. so getting the motivation to back downstairs and get on the trainer has been tough. so i feel your pain.

scott

This:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/06/health/nutrition/06Best.html?_r=1&ex=1197694800&en=2eda1a91b3534006&ei=5070

At times during the ultra long rides, when I'm starting to fade, I've picked myself back up by just counting.
Counting things.
Or chanting. Chanting things.
I've recited the first few portions of the Tibetan Book of the Dead a few times, often starting over with each person that I pass (afterall, the book is meant to be read to someone and addressed to someone, might as well start with the person I just passed or am about to pass)
I've recited poetry - Omar Khayyam, Rilke, Rumi, Hafez and so on.
I've started to sing some favourite songs. ... and, sadly, in some cases I've started to sing songs that I actually would not have wanted to sing... but they stuck in my head and I kept with them until someone, or something, would switch me out of it. I would forget that I'm pedaling.
Often, especially on climbs, I would pick a distant object and promise myself to do something when I get to that object, like take a sip of fluid or a swig of gel from the flask, but keep pedaling through it, pick another target, and keep going. This only works during the day however. At night, sometimes the only objects I've seen are the pairs of eyes from coyotes, foxes, deer and sometimes bears that reflect my bike's lights... and they're probably thinking "WTF is this dude doing out here at this time?!"... and I think about what they're thinking, and I keep going, I keep going, I keep going.
But, really: chanting, counting out (anything) and reciting verses has really helped.

Whoever says "HTFU" has never done a really serious endurance ride. It's more than just "HTFU" - the mental battle is far greater than the physical can ever get to.

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Exp001

It's all about HTFU. OR WWFD. What would Fabian Do.

The OP was talking about 1 or 2 hour trainer sessions, not riding from here to Tibet. On the trainer, HTFU will suffice.

"gape the dang"

a meaningless expression that a friend of a friend recites. hard as nails and it gets him out of seriously deep ruts. (simpson desert race, anyone?)