By Robin Robertson. Cycle Moles: Indoor Cycling for Outdoor Adventure. USA Cycling Coach & ACE Certified Personal Trainer

Transcription

1 Complete Guide to Indoor Cycling By Robin Robertson Cycle Moles: Indoor Cycling for Outdoor Adventure USA Cycling Coach & ACE Certified Personal Trainer

2 1. Introduction The purpose of this guide is to help you get ready for indoor cycling whether it is with a class or on your own. In this Guide to Indoor Cycling, you ll get information about the equipment you ll need, how to set up your bike, ways to make your ride more enjoyable, and of course, the 12 Fundamentals workouts. Six of these have corresponding videos and six are do it on your own workouts. We haven t made videos for them yet, but if you d like to see that, be sure to send me your feedback. I am looking forward to helping you have a positive experience on your bike, get the most out of your workout, grow stronger and more confident, and live life to the fullest! In life, we are only sure about the moment we are in; and I want to help you make the most of it. 2. What is Indoor Cycling? All it takes is a stationary bicycle indoors and YOU! And you don t have to wear a helmet! This could be in a class or on your own bike mounted to a trainer, or a stationary indoor cycle. Stationary indoor cycles come in two general types; the Spinning tm bike or a club bike. a. At a Club with Group Indoor Cycling Classes (Spinning tm ) Group indoor cycling is led by an instructor with riders on spinning-style bikes. These groups can be small or massive. Don t be intimidated! Remember, you are always in control of how hard you work. You just follow the instructions and do the best you can. No one else really cares what you are doing because they are so focused on their own workouts. There is a wild variety of what is taught through indoor cycling. Personally, I believe you should never do anything on a bike indoor that you wouldn t do outdoor. Things like pushups or stretching are best done on the floor where you have good body alignment and reduced risk of injury. I prefer indoor cycling programs that have a plan and purpose for each session. You may want to ask your club if the cycling program is up to the individual instructors or if there is an overall plan. CYCLE MOLES ROCK! Page 1

3 The stationary indoor cycling bike or spinning bike is a simple bike without predetermined programs. You are in charge of how hard or how easy it is to pedal based on how much tension you add. These are the types of bikes you see in the indoor cycling classes. Spinning is actually a trademarked name with a specific model of the Spinner bike. The term Spinning has become synonymous with any stationary indoor cycle. Lemond RevMaster Star Trac Spinning Keiser M3X Belt Drive Chain Drive Magnetic Resistance There are generally three types of indoor cycling bikes and many many brands: belt drive, chain drive, and magnetic resistance. Like on all bikes, the geometry varies from brand to brand this means one frame and geometry may fit you better than others especially if you are very tall or very small. Two things I watch for: 1) Distance Between Pedals: This distance cannot usually be changed on a bike. This will play into the comfort of your knees. I find that pedals set closer together, mimicking an outdoor bike, feels better on my knees. This has to do with the Q Angle the angle at which your thigh bone meets your knee. Women tend to have a larger Q Angle then do men. Side note: I found the Keiser bikes, which have magnetic resistance and nice controls, also have a wide distance between the pedals (about 1 wider than the Lemond). This wide distance hurts my knees and I do not ride on Keiser bikes. 2) Adjustable Handlebars Fore/Aft: Pretty much all bikes let you adjust the handlebars up and down. But some bikes do not let you move the handlebars closer to or further away from the saddle. This means for a small person, you CYCLE MOLES ROCK! Page 2

4 will likely be over extended to reach the handlebars, or you ve moved the saddle closer to the handlebars than you should for good alignment with your knees. This can cause discomfort in your arms, shoulders, lower back, and/or front of knee pain.. Or for a very tall person, you ll be crunched or have set your seat so far back that your legs will be out of alignment. Be sure to read the Bike Fit section at the end of this Guide for tips on how to set up your bike for the most comfort. b. At a Club on Your Own Let s say you want to do your own workout on one of the Club bikes. You can either follow one of the programs on the bikes, one of the Cycle Moles workouts at the end of this manual, or follow a class you ve downloaded from the internet. Cycle Moles is perfect for this! A club bike is a stationary bike with pre-set programs and usually a monitor that displays your progress. If you choose a program, it will automatically adjust how hard or how easy it is to pedal. To create your own workout, there is almost always a manual option so that you can increase or decrease tension as you wish. These bikes are usually in the cardio area of a gym mixed in with the ellipticals and treadmills. But don t worry! If this is your only choice and you want to do your own program (such as a Cycle Moles workout), you can use the manual setting and get in your own great workout. c. At Home on your Own Bike Most people don t own their own spinning-style bike, so what do you do? Turn your own bicycle into a stationary bike! To use a trainer, you mount your bike by the rear wheel axel and then apply pressure with a roller (the resistance) to the rear tire. Trainers come in a variety of models and are priced from under $100 to more than $900 depending on the features you desire. CYCLE MOLES ROCK! Page 3

5 There are generally three types of trainers with the resistance from the roller power created by fan, magnet, or fluid. A fan trainer is the loudest and uses wind to create the resistance. Magnetic trainers are quieter than the fan and use magnetic resistance which is more powerful. Fluid trainers are the quietest of all and use a magnetic flywheel with fluid chambers for the smoothest resistance. 3. Indoor Vs. Outdoor: Which is the Better Workout? When I talk about indoor cycling to some of my bike friends, I sometimes hear, I only ride outside, followed by a snarky comment or haughty look that generally insinuates that I am nuts for riding inside. While I, too, love riding outside, I find that my indoor training gives me consistency, focus, strength, and a solid base for my outdoor adventures. Here is my comparison of indoor vs. outdoor cycling. a. Indoor Benefits i. Indoor Cycling is Convenient! The weather is always perfect for an indoor ride. It is easy to hop on a spinning bike (or your own bike and a trainer) and go! No worries about rain, traffic, temperature, wind, potholes, cars, or dogs. Bam! You get a great workout done in minutes. ii. You Can Control It You are in control of how hard you ride inside. You control your intensity by choosing how much tension to put on the knob or by selecting an easier or harder gear. If you want to back off your intensity, you can. If you want to increase it you can. You can get the most out of your workout, every day! iii. Heart Rate Training Your heart is the most important muscle in your body, yet most people overlook the importance of doing specific training for your heart. It is more important than those 6-pack abs! CYCLE MOLES ROCK! Page 4

6 Indoors you control the interval and intensity so you can be very specific about your level of effort. You don t have to worry about the terrain, cars, or stopping that can interrupt your interval or change your intensity. Focusing on heart rate training will help your heart to become stronger and more resilient. You can see improvements in resting heart rate, heart rate recovery, and heart rate threshold (aerobic/anaerobic capacity). All three are important for heart health.more on that later in this Guide. And no, just going hard all of the time is not usually the best thing for your heart. Good indoor cycling programs (like Cycle Moles!) will focus on a variety of efforts through interval training with a plan. iv. Calorie Burn: Easier or Harder than Outdoors? We love that cycling burns a lot of calories! A typical 150 lb. person will burn about 500 calories in a 60 minute class (info from Spark People. Is it easier or harder than outdoors? That all depends on how you ride your bike outside. Most recreational cyclists find it harder to reach the level of intensity or heart rate outside that you can consistently achieve while inside. Indoors, there is no coasting and so you are constantly working throughout your ride. Some have said that 60 minutes indoor is equivalent to 90 minutes outdoor. This may be true for most recreational cyclists because your intensity level is usually higher when you are working indoors than when you go for an outdoor ride. Competitive athletes who have a training plan for their outdoor rides can achieve high calorie burn efforts indoors or out. You can certainly measure this with your heart rate monitor and compare the calories burned for 60 minutes indoor vs. 60 minutes outdoor. CYCLE MOLES ROCK! Page 5

7 v. Focused Workout and Specific Training In many indoor cycling classes, you ll find a random assortment of workouts that will give you some health benefit and keep your heart rate at around percent of your max rate (Study by American Council on Exercise) and a high calorie burn. I love that workouts in the Cycle Moles have a plan and every workout gives you a specific benefit. You may be focused on building your foundation skills, aerobic base, speed work, hill climbing, improving your metabolism, and so on. This kind of focus is harder to attain outside. vi. Hamstrings get Extra Attention Most spinning bikes have a fly wheel which is a 30 to 40 pound fixed gear wheel that provides the resistance as you pedal. There is no coasting on a spin bike since the weighted wheel keeps the pedals moving. This is both good and bad. Good because your hamstrings (back of your legs) must work harder to slow down the pedals if you are slowing your speed. This is different from riding outdoors where you are pedaling against the friction of the road, plus wind resistance, which requires more work from your quadriceps and hip flexors. Bad because you can let the wheel do some of the work for you. When you get the wheel spinning, it is easy to keep it moving. vii. Social Fun in a Group It s a little hard to be social outdoors because you normally have to ride single file to be safe, plus the wind and road noise make it hard to hear each other. CYCLE MOLES ROCK! Page 6

8 With indoor cycling, you have the camaraderie of your group (you are all in this together!), instructions by your coach (so you don t even have to think about what comes next), great music, and the support and enthusiasm of everyone around you. b. Outdoor Benefits i. It s Outdoor (Good and Bad) It is hard to beat riding in great weather on country roads or on forest trails. I love riding my bike outside more than just about anything else. I live in a place where, within 10 minutes, I can be on quiet country roads or some of the world s best cross country trails. I love putting my bags on my bike and heading out for travel in 1990 I spent 10 months traveling around the world on my bike! I think there is no better way to see your hometown and the world than on a bike. That said, there are always things to deal with like traffic, rude drivers, streetlights, dogs, weather, darkness, temperature, food and water, getting lost (which can be a good thing), flats and other mechanical issues. ii. You Can t Control It Unlike your ride inside, you can t control everything about your outdoor ride. Of course you can pick your route, but there are plenty of variables along the way. When you get to a hill, you climb the hill. When you are on the flats with a headwind, you power through it. If it starts raining, you deal with it. You just have to be ready for everything and this makes life exciting. iii. Hills are Different Riding a hill outdoor is different than indoor no matter how much you prepare for it inside. For one thing, the bike moves under CYCLE MOLES ROCK! Page 7

9 you instead of you moving over the bike. This is nice because, if you are standing, you can use the handlebars to help you generate more power and keep your body relatively still while your bike rocks side to side. Also, the angle that you are on your bike changes based on the grade of the hill. The steeper the hill the more forward your position will be. Finally, the hill ends when the hill ends, not when you want to ease up (that you can sneakily do in spin class). iv. Thrill of the Unknown: Risks & Beauty Every ride can bring something new around the corner. This is what I love about bicycling outside! You have to stay aware and keep your senses active. This is also why I never recommend listening to music while you ride instead, use your ears to help you stay aware of risks like cars, dogs, people, or trains, and enjoy beauty of the great outdoors like bird song, kids laughing, and secret waterfalls. Note: And always, always, ALWAYS wear your helmet. I know many people who would not be with us today if it weren t for the protection provided by their helmets. Me included. 4. What to Know About your Indoor Cycling Class OK, this can apply to outdoor riding as well. But our focus in indoor training. What to Wear? Generally you want to wear clothes that will be comfortable to sweat in and that won t bind or constrict movement. a. Bike Shorts Bicycle shorts have a padded crotch for a very good reason. The padding, or chamois ( shammy ) helps protect your sensitive areas and give you greater comfort. And some chamois help keep bacteria from flourishing when you are wearing your bike shorts for a long time like a full day s ride. Be sure to wash your bike shorts after every ride; I let mine air dry to make the fabric last longer. CYCLE MOLES ROCK! Page 8

10 If you don t have bike shorts or are not yet ready to invest in them, wear a pair of snug fitting shorts or athletic pants that won t bind up around your legs or crotch. Binding causes rubbing and that leads to discomfort and pain. b. Sweat Wicking Shirt + Layers Wearing a bike jersey or sweat wicking top will help regulate your body temperature so that you won t get chilled from a sweaty shirt sticking to you. How much or little coverage you want is up to you. An outer layer, such as a light athletic jacket or sweatshirt, may make it more comfortable for you during your warm up or cool down. I tend to sweat a lot, so I like to put on a sweatshirt during my cool down so that I don t get chilled. c. How to Pick a Shoe #1 The Shoe Depends on the Pedal First check to see if the bike you ll use has flat pedals, toe cages, and/or cleats (clip-in). i. Flat Pedals Any shoe can be used on a flat pedal, even a stiletto, but I don t recommend that for your workouts! On flat pedals you can really only push down (and that is only one of four parts to your pedal stroke more on that in the workouts). ii. Toe Cages Toe cage pedals provide a cage for the toe of your foot to slip into so that you can lightly bind your foot to the pedal with the pull of a strap. Toe cages help you get more power out of your pedal stroke because it gives you some ability to pull back, lift up, and kick over the top as well as push down on your pedals. iii. Cleats or Clipless or Clip In Find out what brand the clip-ins are. The most common on the spinning bikes are SPD compatible. If you want to wear bike shoes with cleats, they have to match the type that are on the bike. CYCLE MOLES ROCK! Page 9

11 By the way, these are called clipless because there is no toe-clip (or toe cage) even though there is a clip (or cleat) on the bottom of your shoe that attaches your foot to the pedal. #2 And now the Shoe For starters, any athletic shoe will do. You can certainly ride with your sneakers, but you may find that your feet get tired. This is because regular athletic shoes have a flexible sole. For increased comfort, I prefer a bike shoe when riding indoors and out. Bike shoes, with or without cleats, have a very stiff sole which does two important things: 1) A stiff sole transfers more energy to your pedal because most of the force goes into the pedal and not wasted in movement of your foot; 2) A stiff sole is more comfortable because your foot is stable. Your foot won t get tired from flexing. If you ve ever had issues with Plantar Fasciitis (muscle strain/sprain in the arch of your foot), you ll definitely want a stiff cycling shoe. Many indoor cycles offer dual pedals with toe cages on one side and clipless SPD pedals on the other. Most Club Bikes come with a simple strap that will secure your foot to the pedal better than a flat pedal. You just want to make sure that the widest part of your foot/shoe is placed on the pedal right where the pedal connects to the pedal arm. This will help you transfer the most energy into your pedal. Same with your bike cleats, they should be positioned so that the widest part of your foot is next to where the pedal connects to the pedal arm. CYCLE MOLES ROCK! Page 10

12 5. Fueling Your Ride a. When and What to Eat Before Exercise: As with any exercise, it is a good idea to take in some food within a couple of hours before you exercise. Here are some general guidelines (there are VOLUMES of books written about sports nutrition, this is only a very general guideline): If you are eating a big meal, give yourself 2 hours before you exercise. If you are eating something small, make sure it is easily digestible, and give yourself no less than 30 minutes. But, above all else, make sure you do one or the other to fuel your ride! During Exercise: if you are exercising for more than 60 minutes, you may need to take in some calories during your activity to replace those carbohydrates you are using. What you eat has a lot to do with YOU you need to find foods that sit well while you are exercising. The quantity of calories you need and can process varies based on your body, type of activity you are doing, your intensity, and the weather (think 90 minutes high intensity training ride VS a casual pace 100 mile century ride). Whether you choose gels, energy bars, or energy drinks (or maybe even a peanut butter sandwich) The general recommendation is to consume grams of carbohydrate per hour or calories per hour during endurance exercise. After Exercise: First of all, it matters to know WHAT you are recovering from. For the purpose of this manual, I am talking about recovery from an extended aerobic effort, like a 2 hour bike ride or long run, where you want to replenish your glycogen stores in your muscle and take care of some muscle repair. We are not talking about recovery from a hard weight training session where the primary goal is to rebuild muscle. CYCLE MOLES ROCK! Page 11

13 The general rule of thumb for aerobic recovery is a 3 or 4 to 1 ratio of carbohydrate to protein in your recovery fueling. Whether this is food or drink is up to you. After you finish exercising, you have a 30 to 60 minute muscle recovery window. During this time, your body is more ready to stock up on stored carbohydrates because the enzyme that is responsible for glycogen storage (glycogen synthase) is elevated instantly after exercise. 6. Hydration, a Towel, and Good Ventilation Start every ride with a full water bottle, a sweat towel, and good ventilation a. Hydration Hydration is so important that I could write an entire book on that alone. Let us just say that for every hour of cycling, you should be taking in at least 20 oz of water. If you are exercising for more than an hour, you should probably be taking in some electrolytes and carbohydrates for fuel to replenish your energy stores as well. DRINK A FULL 20 oz BOTTLE OF WATER EVERY HOUR WHILE YOU RIDE Then drink another one when you are done. Your muscles depend on good hydration to work efficiently. Think beef jerky (dehydrated) vs fat juicy steak (hydrated). Which do you think is going to be more pliable and give you better function? Staying hydrated makes everything in your body work better. Side Note: I was chronically dehydrated for years. I had headaches every morning when I woke up. I was lack luster. I quit drinking diet sodas and started drinking more water and magically, my headaches went away. How about that! I keep a bottle of water in the car, and on my desk at work, and I always travel with my bike water bottle. CYCLE MOLES ROCK! Page 12

14 A Towel You ll get sweaty, bring a small towel for your ride. Nuff said. b. Good Ventilation On a stationary bike, you are not moving through the air like you do when you are outside. The air over your skin helps to wick away your perspiration and keep your body temperature regulated. Since you are stationary, a fan will help move the air past you, keep your body temperature regulated, and bring you fresh air. 7. Bike Set Up: 5 Steps If you are attending a class, arrive early and introduce yourself to the instructor. He or she may (or may not) help you set up your bike. I want you to be prepared! So here is how to do it on your own (then everyone else will look at you in awe). You want to be comfortable on your bike, right? The Bike Fit & Comfort Tips video explains all of this, but here it is written down for your reference. If you are using a bike that has to be reset each time you hop on, then write down your settings so that you don t have to measure every time. #1 Adjust Seat Height Start by finding your hip bone and poke it with your thumb. Then hold your hand out flat and that is the first guess for seat height. CYCLE MOLES ROCK! Page 13

15 When you get on the bike, position your feet on the pedals and with your hands on the handlebars, now drop one leg down to the bottom at 6 o clock. It is good if you have a mirror or a friend to help you get in the correct position. When your foot is on the pedal with the widest part next to where the pedal connects to the pedal arm, your knee should have a degree bend. This is a slight bend. If you don t happen to have a goniometer or a smart phone app to measure your angle of bend, then try this: While still at 6 o clock, move your heel to the front of the pedal. Your leg should be straight. (See Picture) When your heel is at the front if the pedal, if you still have a bend in your knee, then your saddle height is probably too low. If you are too low, you are missing out on power that you can put into your pedals. If you can t reach the front of the pedal with your heel, then your saddle height is probably too high. If you are too high you may experience pain in the back of your knee (hyper-extension) or in your low back because you have to rock your hips to get power into your pedals. Heel at Front of Pedal #2 Adjust Seat Fore/Aft (How Close Is Your Saddle to the Handlebars) While on your bike, bring your feet so that they are both at the same level and parallel with the floor. On a clock, this would be the 3 o clock and 9 o clock position. In the cycling position (hands on bars), you should be able to see your toe on your forward foot. If you dropped a plumb-bob (or a weighted string) from the front of your knee, it should line up with the ball of your foot and where the pedal connects to the pedal arm. CYCLE MOLES ROCK! Page 14

16 Check Your Position: When you are in the cycling position and looking down at your foot in the 3 o clock position, you should be able to see the front part of your foot from the widest part of your foot (just behind your toes) to your toes: If you see more of your foot, you need to move your saddle toward your handlebars. If you see less of your foot, you need to move your saddle away from your handlebars. When pedaling, if you feel pain in the front of your knee, you may be out of alignment. This often means that your saddle is too close to your handlebar and your knee at the 3 o clock position is past the mid-point of the pedal. This puts too much force in the knee joint and can cause discomfort. To fix this, adjust your saddle away from the handlebars and check your foot position at the 3 o clock position. #3 Find Your Foot Position on the Pedal The widest part of your foot/shoe should be lined up with where the pedal connects to the pedal arm. If you are in toe cages, those with smaller feet probably will not shove your toe all the way in because this would not be good foot position. #4 Adjust Handlebar Height There really is no need to get aero (make yourself small against your bike frame so that you are pushing less wind) for indoor cycling since you are stationary (and not pushing through the air). So, comfort is the rule. In general, you want to choose a handlebar height that is comfortable to you. Probably no more than a 45 degree bend forward from your hips. CYCLE MOLES ROCK! Page 15

17 #5 Adjust Handlebar Fore/Aft In general, you want a 90 degree angle from your torso to your arms. You should not be reaching farther than that because it will cause upper body discomfort. So you may have to monkey with your handlebar height and fore/aft adjustments to get this setting correct. Again, it is helpful to have a mirror or a friend to check your position. It is a good rule of thumb that if you put your elbow at the nose of your saddle, your fingers should be able to touch the handlebars. Some bikes have more adjustibility here than others. Make sure that you only adust your handlebars now, because you already have your saddle in the correct position. 7. Comfort Tips & Body Check After your bike set up, this is the second most important thing to increase your comfort on a bike. a. Flat Foot Position Most people start out with tippy toes on the bike meaning that your toes are pointed down and your heels are raised like you are walking on your toes. Instead, think about a flat foot so that you are feeling a push from the ball of your foot through to the pedal. Drop your heel. Ideally it should be 0 20 degree angle from parallel with the floor throughout your pedal stroke. b. The Small Small Saddle and Your Hiney OK, it will take some time in the saddle to get your hiney used to things. But here is a tip to make things more comfortable from the get-go: do not tip forward with your hips (which puts painful pressure on your pubic bone); instead, push your sit bones into the back of the saddle (where there is the most padding on your seat), keep your hips square, and bend forward at the waist. If you ve ever taken Pilates, this is like doing a C Curl into the saddle. CYCLE MOLES ROCK! Page 16

18 c. Relaxed Shoulders I constantly have to remind myself to pull my shoulders out of my ears. Take in a big breath, squeeze your shoulders up, and now as you exhale, release all of the tension in your shoulders. This is your ideal position. d. Al Dente Elbows Think pasta (which is what you ve earned after our rides oh, don t get distracted!) pasta. Your elbows should not be uncooked (stiff) or over cooked (too bent) but instead should be al dente with a slight bend. A slight bend in your elbow indoors will help with circulation so that your hands and shoulders stay fresh. A slight bend in your elbows outdoors acts as a shock absorber. If your arms are stick straight, you are transmitting all of that vibration from the road right through to your shoulders. Plus the circulation issue mentioned above. e. Straight Wrists Take a look at your wrists when you hold the handlebars in the various positions. You want a nice long straight line from your forearm to the top of your hand instead of a cocked wrist. This is key for circulation in your hands. If your hands go numb it may very well be because of a cocked wrist or too tight of a grip on the handlebars. 9. How Hard Should you Work? a. You are in Control You are always in control of how hard you work. If you are on a spinning bike, there is a tension knob or lever that you move to adjust how hard it is to pedal. If you are on a club bike either you can use a program that will automatically adjust your tension, or you can switch it to manual and adjust it yourself. If you are on your own bike mounted to a trainer, then you just change gears to make it harder or easier to pedal. CYCLE MOLES ROCK! Page 17

19 b. RPE: Rate of Perceived Exertion How hard do you feel like you are working? There are a number of different scales on which to give yourself a rating. I ve developed a simple one that correlates to heart rate training zones as well. CYCLE MOLES ROCK! Page 18

20 ZONE 1 EASY This is your warm up, recovery pace, and cool down. In this zone you are preparing your body for activity or a return to rest. You can talk and it feels like an easy effort. ZONE 2 MODERATE You feel like you are doing work in this zone, but you could sustain it for a long time. While still a relative low level of effort, this zone has significant health benefits and starts to train your body to increase the rate of fat release from the cells to the muscles for fuel. You can carry on a conversation and it feels comfortable. ZONE 3 HARD In this zone you know you are working hard and your breathing shifts in frequency as your intensity increases. You improve your functional cardiovascular capacity. The number and size of your blood vessels actually increases, you step up your lung capacity and respiratory rate. Your heart increases in size and strength so you can exercise longer before becoming fatigued. Talking is limited to shorter sentences. ZONE 4 VERY HARD This zone is reached by going harder and may push you out of your comfort zone. Here you get faster and fitter, increasing your heart rate as you transition from aerobic to anaerobic training at the top of Zone 4. This is where you notice changes in breathing patterns to faster, heavy and hard. Trained athletes can stay in this zone for long periods, but for some people training every day in Z4 may lead to over-training. Talking is limited to a few words. ZONE 5 MAXIMUM EFFORT This is the equivalent of working all out and is used mostly as an interval training regimen. Exertion at this level can only be done in short time amounts. You definitely feel like you are making a maximum effort and your breathing accelerates to panting. Even world-class athletes can stay in this zone for only a few minutes at a time. It is not a zone most people will select for exercise since working in this Zone is uncomfortable and there is an increased potential for injury. You are working too hard to talk at all. TOTAL SUSTAINED THRESHOLD (TST) Let s talk about the threshold. There are many ways in which to measure your body s metabolic response to exercise. The anaerobic threshold is commonly measured by blood lactate (lactate threshold) or ventilator gases (ventilatory threshold). Many scientific papers and research has been done on both methods. For the purpose of our discussion, we will consider the threshold to be the point at which an athlete can sustain the highest workload without a significant change in breathing pattern (from strong and steady changing to panting or gasping.) The Threshold represents the point at which the body transitions from using fat (adipose tissue) for fuel to primarily using carbohydrates (glycogen). CYCLE MOLES ROCK! Page 19

21 Once you cross your Threshold, you cannot sustain that work for more than a few seconds to maybe 30 seconds. You are also using up your precious (and limited) stores of glycogen. The idea of Total Sustained Threshold, or TST, came to me as I was evaluating the factors that go into the highest level of intensity an individual can sustain. Sustain is the key word; once you surpass your TST heart rate, you cannot maintain that workload for long. The key is to develop your ability to sustain work just below your threshold at your maximum sustainable heart rate and power. Now here is the important part: it is not just your physical ability, but also your mental toughness that will determine your TST. One of my favorite sayings (from Ken Chlouber, founder of the 100 mile Leadville race series) You are better than you think you are; you can do more than you think you can. Now I ve modified it to say You are stronger than you think you are, you can do more than you think you can. Make this your mantra. For example, if you are new to interval training, you may not be used to pushing yourself to those upper limits. Heck, you might not even know what those limits are in terms of heart rate. But a seasoned athlete who knows their heart rate training zones can work at each level and build the mental tenacity to stick with it, even when it gets uncomfortable, even when there is a certain amount of physical discomfort. TST = physical ability + mental toughness. You can see this in trained athletes who have the ability to keep their mental focus even when their bodies are tired. As you train at this level, you develop the ability to stay mentally tougher for longer. c. Heart Rate Training There are many ways in which to measure your heart s response to activity. Everyone s heart rate is unique and is determined by a variety of factors including: Genetics Age Exercise Health (fever, illness) Medicines Heart Conditions CYCLE MOLES ROCK! Page 20

22 Why would you want to know your heart rate response to exercise? There are three important things to know about your heart that will tell you about your own heart s health and exercise intensity: 1) How Hard You are Working Your heart lags behind physical effort by seconds depending on how hard you are working. Understanding the correlation between how hard you feel like you are working and your heart s actual response is key to gauging your intensity. If you know your heart rate zones, you can adjust your level of intensity according to your heart rate readings sometimes you ll need to work harder and sometimes you need to back off. 2) Recovery After an Intense Interval Your heart s recovery rate tells important information about your heart health. ***Only do exercise that is approved by your doctor*** To determine your one-minute recovery rate, count your heart rate in beats per minute at a peak intensity (after a vigorous activity) and then count it again one minute later. If you aren t wearing a heart rate monitor, to count your heart rate, take a 15 second count of your pulse with your index finger to your wrist or carotid artery in your neck, then multiply this 15 second count by 4 to get your Beats per Minute (bpm). Now, subtract your 1 minute rate from your peak exercise rate: Peak Exercise bpm - 1 min. heart rate bpm = Recovery Heart Rate According to the Heart Zones manual, your Recovery Heart Rate is rated for fitness: CYCLE MOLES ROCK! Page 21

23 Less than 10 beats = extreme caution beats = low beats = good beats = excellent More than 50 beats = fit athlete It is a good idea to consult a doctor if your Recovery Heart rate is 10 or fewer beats per minute. 3) Resting Heart Rate The lower your heart rate at rest, the better your heart is working as a pump. According to the Mayo Clinic, a normal resting heart rate for adults ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute. In general, a lower resting heart rate suggests more efficient heart function and better cardiovascular fitness. A fit athlete may have a resting heart rate in the 40 bpm range. Resting heart rate is influenced by many factors: Physical fitness Medications Body size and weight Emotions Body Position Environmental Conditions (air temperature, wind) Hydration How to Measure Your Resting Heart Rate: First thing in the morning, while you are lying in bed (after the shock of the alarm has worn off), use your index finger to take a 15 second count of your pulse on your wrist or carotid artery in your neck, then multiply this 15 second count by 4 to get your Beats per Minute (bpm). Record your resting heart rate daily for one week so that you have a baseline from which you have to measure yourself. A change in resting heart rate can indicate different things. CYCLE MOLES ROCK! Page 22

24 An increase in resting heart rate may show that you are coming down with a cold or illness, that you are overtraining, or that you are decreasing in physical fitness. A decrease in your resting heart may indicate an improvement in your heart s health. d. Too Much: The Warning Signs If ever you feel dizzy or nauseous while exercising, back down on your intensity and/or stop your activity. You have pushed too hard. Again, as an athlete, you ll learn what is normal for you. If you ever feel you are outside of that zone, please seek medical assistance immediately. Here are 6 signs that you should not ignore 1) Chest Pain 2) Shortness of Breath (a change in your normal pattern) 3) Nausea 4) Dizziness, Fainting, Loss of Consciousness 5) Fatigue (a change from your normal pattern) 6) Heart Palpitations abnormally high or irregular heartbeat. 10. About The 12 Workouts Let me start by explaining the interval charts below. Mole Rating: This is a workload intensity rating based on how much time you spend in each RPE zone. In general, a lower number is easier and a higher number more difficult. The ratings are generally from 1-3 Interval Time = The total time you are doing that particular interval Focus = What you are doing Cue = Hints on how to do it. This may include smaller time segments for the interval. RPM/Cadence = How fast you are pedaling in Revolutions per Minute or RPM RPE/HR Zone = Your Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) or Heart Rate (HR) zones. In Cycle Moles we use a Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) chart of 1 5 This also generally corresponds to many methods of heart rate zone training (such as CYCLE MOLES ROCK! Page 23

25 Joe Friel, Heart Zones). Your RPE is determined by the force (tension you add) and your pedal speed (RPM) to determine how hard you are working. To do these workouts, your goal should be to maintain the RPM suggested and adjust how much tension you add so that you feel like you are working in the appropriate RPE zone. The tension you add will determine how hard you work. It is key to add only enough tension so that you stay in the RPE/HR Zone. This is a little tricky because there is no number on your bike that tells you what this should be. It is different for everyone the amount of tension YOU need to add to be in Zone 3 will be different for than what it is for me. 1 = Easy (you could do this all day, breathing is relaxed) 2 = Moderate (you are working a little, you can still hold an easy conversation) 3 = Hard (you know you are working, shorter breathy sentences in your conversation) 4 = Very Hard (you are out of your comfort zone, conversation is limited to a few words) 5 = Max (You can only do this for about seconds, grunting only) If you haven t been riding your bike much, I suggest starting with the 30 minute and 45 minute workouts. Then do the Power to Pedal series followed by the two bonus 60 minute workouts. If you are in good cycling shape, then launch right in to the 60 minute sessions and use the 30 and 45 minute workouts when you are short on time. 30 Minute Sessions Bonus #1: Pedal Stroke & Pace Builder (Mole Rate: 2.53) Bonus #2: Endurance & Surge Builders (Mole Rate 2.0) 45 Minute Sessions Bonus #3: Surge Challenge (Mole Rate: 2.56) Bonus #4: Fundamentals Bonus: Hills of Fun (Mole Rate: 2.54) 60 Minute Sessions Power to Pedal #1: The Bones (Mole Rate: 1.94) Power to Pedal #2: Smooth Moves & Climbs (Mole Rate: 2.28) Power to Pedal #3: Double Helix (Mole Rate: 2.20) Power to Pedal #4: Get Rolling (Mole Rate: 2.28) Power to Pedal #5: Breathing 101 (Mole Rate: 2.20) Power to Pedal #6: MetaMax (Mole Rate: 2.59) Bonus #5: Tempo Trials (Mole Rate: 2.4) Bonus #6: Aerobic Climber (Mole Rate: 2.36) ENJOY! CYCLE MOLES ROCK! Page 24

26 ABOUT THE AUTHOR Robin Robertson owns and manages the Bellingham Tennis Club and Fairhaven Fitness in Bellingham, Washington. She has had a total of 8 knee surgeries to date (still has her own knees) and had to quit all impact sports, primarily competitive running, at age 24. She is an avid cyclist loving all forms of cycling. Her cycling experience includes recreational and competitive cycling, cycle touring (around the world Robin will ride in anything! for 10 months in 1990), and commuting by bike. Her accomplishments include: Washington State Best All Around Road Racer Masters B 2008, 2 nd place 2009 Mt. Baker Hillclimb (Ride 542): Ranked in top 10 women 8 times Leadville 100 Mt. Bike Race 2011 Certified USA Cycling Coach, Level 2; Certified in a variety of cycling techniques through LeMond and CycleOps. ACE Certified Personal Trainer Created the Cycle Moles Training Program in 2008, continues to teach Cycle Moles Camps Own & Operate Bellingham Tennis Club & Fairhaven Fitness since 2000 ABOUT CYCLE MOLES Where did the name come from? Robin s home was built in the 1920 s. She started her indoor training workouts in her creepy dark outside access basement. It is one of those places where the cement floor gets wet when it rains, the narrow windows are up at the top near the low ceiling, and the spiders may just wrap you up and take you away. Her husband would ask Are you going for a mole ride? Cycle Moles was born! CYCLE MOLES ROCK! Page 25

27 Bonus #1: Pedal Stroke & Pace Builder Focus: Power to your pedals & Stamina Builder Purpose: Learn good pedal stroke habits and increase stamina Total Time: 30 minutes Mole Rate: 2.53 Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) Zones: Z1 = Easy, Z2 = Moderate, Z3 = Hard, Z4 = Very Hard, Z5= Max Effort Interval Time (min) Focus Cue RPM/ Cadence 10:00 Warm-up 5:00 Easy Spin Power 1:00 Hold RPM, add Tension Warm-up 1:00 Easy Spin Speed 1:00 Increase RPM, no bouncing in the saddle Warm-up 2:00 Easy Spin Note: If you start bouncing in the saddle, either add more tension or slow your pedal speed. Engage your bottom stroke (like scraping mud off your shoe). Bouncing is an indication to work on your pedal stroke! 4:00 Pedal Stroke Drills 2:00 = 0:30 at each pedal stroke: 0:30 Downstroke (pushing down), 0:30 Bottomstroke (scraping mud off bottom of your shoe), 0:30 Upstroke (lift up with top of foot with heel level), 0:30 Topstroke (kick forward) 1:00 =0:15 at each pedal stroke 1:00 = Do all parts at the same time! Make a bigger circle than pedals allow with pressure all the way around :00 Recovery Easy spin Pace Builder Drills Start at Zone 2, then add tension to hold steady at Zone 3 2:00 Pace Builder 1:00 Zone 2 1:00 Zone 3 (Add Tension, hold RPM) :00 Recovery Easy Spin :00 Pace Builder 1:00 Zone 2 2:00 Zone 3 (add Tension, hold RPM) :00 Recovery Easy Spin :00 Pace Builder 1:00 Zone 2 3:00 Zone NOTE: If you want to make this workout longer, you can repeat or reverse the Pace Builder intervals above. 4:00 Cool Down 1:00 Easy Pedal :30 Standing Tension Release :00 Easy Spin :30 Seated Pedal Speed with control :00 Easy Spin RPE/ HR Zone 2 3 Nice Work! Congratulations, you are done. Way to stay focused and do the work! Now, Hydrate! Copyright CycleMoles 2013 R

28 Bonus #2: Endurance & Surge Builders Focus: Building your stamina & power Purpose: Learn to sustain work and then work harder! Total Time: 30 minutes Mole Rate: 2.0 Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) Zones: Z1 = Easy, Z2 = Moderate, Z3 = Hard, Z4 = Very Hard, Z5= Max Effort Interval Time (min) Focus Cue RPM/ Cadence RPE/ HR Zone 8:00 Warm-up 5:00 Easy Spin Power 0:30 Hold RPM, add Tension Warm-up 1:00 Easy Spin Speed 0:30 Increase RPM, no bouncing in the saddle Warm-up 1:00 Easy Spin Endurance & Surge Start at Zone 2, then add tension to hold steady at Zone 3 Builders 2:00 Endurance Surge 1:30 Zone 2 Add Tension every 30 Sec to get to Zone 3: Hold 85 RPM 0:30 Increase RPM to as high as you can hold :00 Recovery Easy Spin (alternate seated & standing) :00 Pace Builder 2:30 Zone 2 Add Tension every 30 Sec to get to Zone 3: Hold 80 RPM 0:30 Increase RPM to as high as you can hold :00 Recovery Easy Spin (alternate seated & standing) :00 Pace Builder 3:30 Zone 2 Add Tension every 30 Sec to get to Zone 3: Hold 75 RPM 0:30 Increase RPM to as high as you can hold :00 Recovery Easy Spin (alternated seated & standing) :00 Standing Climb Weight on the pedals, not your hands NOTE: If you want to make this workout longer, you can repeat or reverse the Endurance & Surge Builder Intervals above. 4:00 Cool Down 1:00 Easy Pedal :30 Standing Tension Release :00 Easy Spin :30 Seated Pedal Speed with control :00 Easy Spin Nice Work! Congratulations, you are done. Way to push hard and dig deep! Now, Stretch & Hydrate! Copyright CycleMoles 2013 R

29 Bonus #3: Surge Challenge Focus: Aerobic endurance and pushing your limits Purpose: Building stamina and pushing your aerobic threshold. Total Time: 45 minutes Mole Rate: 2.56 Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) Zones: Z1 = Easy, Z2 = Moderate, Z3 = Hard, Z4 = Very Hard, Z5= Max Effort Interval Time (min) Focus Cue RPM/ Cadence 10:00 Warm-up 5:00 Easy Spin Power 1:00 Hold RPM, add Tension Warm-up 1:00 Easy Spin Speed 1:00 Increase RPM, no bouncing in the saddle Warm-up 2:00 Easy Spin :00 Surge Prep Repeat 5X 1 min: add 5 RPM every 15 seconds. Moderate work effort Zone 2. This is about muscle control! If you bounce in your saddle, add more tension or slow your RPM 2 RPM RPM RPM RPM Stamina Sets Working on building your aerobic endurance 5:00 Stamina Find your RPM (80-90) and hold it. Start at moderate intensity and add more tension every minute. Make sure to sustain your RPM. If RPM starts to drop, don t add any more tension. Working in Zone 4 = Very Hard. Breathing is heavy, but not panting. If you are panting, reduce your tension. 3:00 Recovery Easy Spin, Light Tension :00 Tempo This should feel like a hard effort, nice and steady, at the top of your comfort zone. Working Hard Surge Sets When you surge to 110, keep good form! If you are bouncing in your saddle, add more tension or slow your pedal speed. If 110 is easy (you could pedal faster) add more tension so that 110 is a fast as you could pedal with the tension. 4:00 Surge Set Repeat 4X 1Min: 0:50 Tempo 90 RPM moderate intensity :10 Surge to 110 RPM high intensity (sub max effort) :00 Recovery Easy Spin, Light Tension :00 Surge Set Repeat Surge set, same as above :00 Cool Down 2:00 Easy Pedal :30 Standing Tension Release :00 Easy Spin :30 Seated Pedal Speed with control :00 Easy Spin Nice Work! Way to push your limits! You are getting stronger & faster. Now, Stretch & Hydrate! RPE/ HR Zone Copyright CycleMoles 2013 R

30 Bonus #4: Hills of Fun Focus: Building hill endurance seated & standing Purpose: Progressive series of hills to make you stronger Total Time: 45 minutes Mole Rate: 2.54 Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) Zones: Z1 = Easy, Z2 = Moderate, Z3 = Hard, Z4 = Very Hard, Z5= Max Effort Interval Time (min) Focus Cue RPM/ Cadence 10:00 Warm-up 5:00 Easy Spin Power 1:00 Hold RPM, add Tension Warm-up 1:00 Easy Spin Speed 1:00 Increase RPM, no bouncing in the saddle Warm-up 2:00 Easy Spin Seated Hill Sets Each hill is a little longer and a little steeper. Use your upstroke! 2:00 Seated Hill Start at 90 RPM and every 0:30 add tension and slow RPM. Feeling like you are on a hill and working hard :00 Descent Not Recovery! Fast Pedal, light tension, down the hill. Use your bottom stroke! :00 Seated Hill Start at 90 RPM and every 0:30 the hill gets steeper. Add tension and slow RPM. Use your upstroke! Working Very Hard :00 Descent Not Recovery! Same as before :00 Seated Hill Same as last hill, add Tension and slow RPM, but in minute 4, hold 65 RPM & add tension every 0:30 so that you are working VERY hard. On a steep hill. Seated. Building Power! :00 Recovery Easy Spin, light tension :00 Transitions Every 0:30, Alternate Seated and Standing. Concentrate on smooth transition to standing, and gliding back to saddle :00 Recovery Easy Spin, light tension :00 Hill Crunch Repeat 4X 0:45 Standing (seated if you need RPM 0:15 Standing Pedal Faster! RPM :00 Recovery Easy Spin, light tension :00 Seated, Standing, & Crunch! We are putting it all together for a powerful final hill 1:30 Seated, add Tension every 0:30, slow RPM 1:15 Standing, add Tension, hill just got steeper :15 Standing, pedal faster kick it over the top! 70=>85+ 6:00 Cool Down 2:00 Easy Spin :30 Standing Tension Release :00 Easy Spin :30 Seated Pedal Speed with control :00 Easy Spin Holy Moley, You did it! Great Hill Climbing! Before you know it, hills will be your friend. Now, Stretch & Hydrate! RPE/ HR Zone Copyright CycleMoles 2013 R 3 4 5

31 Bonus #5: Tempo Trials Focus: Pedal stroke, single leg, and tempo drills Purpose: Improving technique & stamina at varying RPM Total Time: 59 minutes Mole Rate: 2.4 Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) Zones: Z1 = Easy, Z2 = Moderate, Z3 = Hard, Z4 = Very Hard, Z5= Max Effort Interval Time (min) Focus Cue RPM/ Cadence RPE/ HR Zone 10:00 Warm-up 5:00 Easy Spin Power 1:00 Hold RPM, add Tension Warm-up 1:00 Easy Spin Speed 1:00 Increase RPM, no bouncing in the saddle Warm-up 2:00 Easy Spin :00 Pedal Stroke Drills 4:00 Single Leg Drills 2:00 = 0:30 at each pedal stroke: 0:30 Downstroke (pushing down), 0:30 Bottomstroke (scraping mud off bottom of your shoe), 0:30 Upstroke (lift up with top of foot with heel level), 0:30 Topstroke (kick forward) 2:00 =0:15 at each pedal stroke 1:00 = Do all parts at the same time! Make a bigger circle than pedals allow with pressure all the way around. Alternate 0:30 each leg: Option keep both feet in and make one leg go dead or take one foot out of pedal and hold aside. Hold core steady, use full pedal stroke (not just pumping down - make sure to pull up) :00 Tempo Muscle Tension Interval feel the weight of the resistance all around the pedal stroke. Hard work effort. 2:00 Recovery Easy Spin, light tension :00 Tempo Climbing Interval feel like you are climbing a Hard Intensity hill. Steady pace. 3:00 Recovery Easy Spin, light tension :00 Tempo Time Trial Interval steady very hard work effort. Use good pedal stroke! Step up your intensity on this interval. 4:00 Recovery Easy Spin, light tension :00 Combo Tempo Repeat Interval Set 3X. Increase intensity with RPM RPM moderate intensity, muscle tension RPM hard intensity, hill climb RPM very hard intensity, time trial 8:00 Cool Down 2:00 Easy Spin :00 Standing Tension Release :00 Easy Spin :00 Seated Pedal Speed with control :00 Easy Spin Fantastic Work! You worked to build power and stamina at a variety of RPM. Now, Stretch & Hydrate! Copyright CycleMoles 2013 R 2 3 4