Winter sports and turbo trainer training questions???

[dedaciai]

Hey WW Peeps,

I know winter seems far away for many of those in the northern hemisphere, but I'm already thinking about this winter's backcountry (ski-mountineering racing) and nordic ski seasons. However, I'd like to show up to our March training camp not on the back foot cycling wise. I live in a place that is very snowy and will not spend any time riding on the road from December till the beginning of March.

I get plenty of cardio from nordic skiing and backcountry skiing, but I was wondering what I should do on the bike this winter if I only have 2-4 hours/week to dedicate to riding the trainer in the winter. Should I just smash out intervals, do just on-the-bike strength work, cadence work, or some combination of the three for my trainer sessions?

Thanks in advance for tips or advice!

[mcfarton]

I find zwift to be entertaining for my trainer time. There are group rides, races, and workouts. I setup an Apple TV with a 42 inch led and it controls my kickr. It’s not as good as outside but I can definitely do longer sessions with the distractions. Add in some Spotify and Bluetooth headphones and I am set.
Do anything on the trainer that will keep you using it for the winter. Because it is kinda boring pedaling in the basement lol.


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[TobinHatesYou]

You are already getting your aerobic base from XC skiing. Use the trainer time for high-intensity intervals unless you think the load will hamper your competitive skiing performance. On the other hand it only takes a few weeks to train these specific power zones, so don't sweat it too much.

[c60rider]

My recommendation (this is based on what I've read over the years of power meter training and what I've done myself in winter) with that amount of time is to dedicate it to quality work, assuming you're getting enough recovery in between. To maintain or even build some engine fitness without overdoing it would be a mix of top end tempo rides of 30-60 mins or sets of sweetspot 2 or 3 15-20 min reps. You need to feel reasonably fresh to do these and a power meter to really maximise it. If you're feeling tired do some cadence work within an endurance intensity. Perhaps in a 1 hour ride sets of 1 min x 110rpm+ (or whatever your higher end cadence level is) with 1 min recoveries. Doing weeks of zone 4 or 5 work is no fun indoors.

[TobinHatesYou]

Doing weeks of zone 4 or 5 work is no fun indoors.

I find this highly counter-intuitive. With such little time to devote to indoor training, he should be maximizing that time with higher intensity. Also suffering in higher training zones is precisely where indoor training is most effective. You don't have to worry about staying upright, not getting hit by motor vehicles, etc. Your climate will be controlled. A higher chunk of your HR will be available/devoted just to smashing those intervals. You'll forget how boring indoor training is because you'll be focused on hitting those marks and suffering. Use ERG mode.

Just riding around in Z1/Z2 or even Z3? You aren't stressing your system enough to keep you distracted from the boredom. Besides, dude's already getting work done in those zones XC skiing.

[c60rider]

Doing weeks of zone 4 or 5 work is no fun indoors.

Just riding around in Z1/Z2 or even Z3? You aren't stressing your system enough to keep you distracted from the boredom. Besides, dude's already getting work done in those zones XC skiing.

At no point in my post did I say to do this other than when there's some fatigue preventing getting maximum effect from doing the higher zones you may use lower zones to do a high cadence session. I'm recommending tempo/sweetspot which is top end zone 3 just creeping into zone 4. That's more than enough stress on the system to maintain existing fitness and maybe even building a bit depending on the time presently devoted to training. If you find 4 months odd of 2-4 hours per week (which is what the OP says they have available) doing Z4 and 5 enjoyable then go for it. You can build FTP by pushing it from below or by working it above it depends how your body responds best to it. But you can only get so much training effect for so long doing that. In the couple of weeks prior to the March training camp I would sharpen up with a few 40/20 sessions and that would get you ready for that. But it depends what the purpose of the training camp is and if there's a race season coming up when that would start. Far too many unknowns to really give a clear idea, that's what structured training plans are but it sounds as though the OP hasn't got one.

[Multebear]

My recommendation (this is based on what I've read over the years of power meter training and what I've done myself in winter) with that amount of time is to dedicate it to quality work, assuming you're getting enough recovery in between. To maintain or even build some engine fitness without overdoing it would be a mix of top end tempo rides of 30-60 mins or sets of sweetspot 2 or 3 15-20 min reps. You need to feel reasonably fresh to do these and a power meter to really maximise it. If you're feeling tired do some cadence work within an endurance intensity. Perhaps in a 1 hour ride sets of 1 min x 110rpm+ (or whatever your higher end cadence level is) with 1 min recoveries. Doing weeks of zone 4 or 5 work is no fun indoors.

This.

Maintain your engine with long subAT intervals. And the occasional higher intensity shorter intervals - maybe once every two weeks. You´ll be surprised how good your shape will be come march.

Yes it´s boring, that´s why all the other guys aren´t doing it, and that will give you the edge come spring.