Effective Training Programs for Indoor Cycling

For most riders the winter season is a boring time with indoor training like spinning, home trainer or stationary bicycling. I think it is boring too, and therefore I have invented a couple of training programs and an e-book, which have proved to be very effective and short in time.

Indoor Cycling Saves You Time

All of these programs can be done without a heart rate monitor. The programs have in common that they are time-saving and specific for either aerobic or anaerobic metabolism.

For most riders the winter season is a boring time with indoor training like spinning, home trainer or stationary bicycling. I think it is boring too, and therefore I have invented a strong 12-week winter training program, which have proved to be very effective and short in time.

Also, you can get tips to reduce your training time AND ride much faster in my popular e-book: Time Effective Cycling Training

In fact these intervals are based on a large amount of scientific research.

The short version is: To increase or maintain your VO2 max it is optimal to train at a level close to your VO2 max. The recommendations are that you spend as much time as possible at your VO2 max in intervals and with active recovery.

So now you can keep your training short in time and still reach your goals. All you need is a bottle of plain water. Have fun!

Indoor cycling training programs

Aerobic power 1 (50 minutes)
15 minutes – Warm up (increasing intensity)
5 x (4min high intensity + 2min low intensity)
5 minutes cool down

This program is designed to increase your maximum oxygen consumption. It gives you 20 minutes at a very high oxygen consumption, but it is not designed to be ridden to complete exhaustion.

Your VO2 max will gain improvements even at a more comfortable pace. It is, however, still important to push yourself very hard during the intervals. In the resting periods you should maintain an intensity at about 60% of VO2 max.

Aerobic power 2 (49 minutes)
15 minutes – warm up (increasing intensity)
5 x (40 sec. very high intensity – 20 sec. low intensity)
3 minutes recovery
5 x (40 sec. very high intensity – 20 sec. low intensity)
3 minutes recovery
5 x (40 sec. very high intensity – 20 sec. low intensity)
3 minutes recovery
5 x (40 sec. very high intensity – 20 sec. low intensity)
5 minutes cool down

This program is also designed to increase your maximum oxygen consumption. You work with a slightly higher intensity during the intervals than in the previous ‘Aerobic Power 1′ program. You will also gain increments in your anaerobic capacity.

You can expect results after only a couple of training sessions. This program really rocks.

Anaerobic power 1 (50 minutes)
15 minutes – warm up (increasing intensity)
5 x (60sec. maximum intensity + 6 min. recovery)

This program is designed to increase your anaerobic capacity. During the intervals the body is exposed to enormous amounts of anaerobic metabolits. After only a few of these sessions your body will be better to work at an anaerobic enviroment. This skill is primarily used in competitions, where jumps and sprints demand anaerobic efforts. This art of training is very exhausting and therefore it should primarily be used for competition preparation.

Jesper Bondo Medhus explains more about his strong views on VO2 max and threshold power in his new ebook, Time Effective Cycling Training. For more information please visit www.training4cyclists.com/time-effective-cycling-training/ or get a complete winter training program here. 


Tagged as: aerobic power, anaerobic power, home trainer, indoor, spinning, training program, vo2 max

About the Author: Jesper Bondo Medhus is the medical doctor and cycling coach helping cyclists to ride faster with less training. He has compiled a very successful e-book with his best training techniques for time limited athletes and has just released the final version of his 12-Week Winter Training Program.