Ok guys I need some advice.

2008 is going to be my first full season biking. I live in the Boston area so the winters are difficuly for training. I am lucky if I can get out for a short ride once a week. So I decided to take my training to the gym. I have also determined that I cannot spend any more than 45 min on the gyms lifecycle 3 times per week. I have may other responsibilities.

How would you recommend I use this time? Ok what are my goals? I am new to biking so I want to ride faster and longer. I know speed vs endurance. I am new ,so yes , I need and want both.

In the past, this is how my lifecycle workout has been going. 5 min warm up. Then I alternate between very fast peddling and slow (hill riding) Generally I spin for 1 min as fast as I can (120-125 rpm) level 2. Then I hit level 20 (highest setting) for 1 min. Level 20- requires me to stand. Then the last 5 min I just cool down. It appears to be a good workout, but is it effective? Is a Life cycle a good training aid? I don't see may posts regarding the topic... And no, I really dont want to spend money on a trainer for my road bike. The gym is paid for and they have life cycles. I have to use what I access to.

What are your recommendations? Remember, I can only allocate 45 min, 3 x per week. Also, I weight train 2x per week and teach Martial Arts, so I am pretty active.

Thanks-

For your severely limited time, just ride as hard as you can. Don't worry about goals, you are not that serious at 2.25 hours per week. Just go hard.

Specific training begets specific fitness. By riding at various intensities on a Lifecycle for 45 minutes, you are training your body to ride at various intensities in that position for 45 minutes at a time. Sure this will help you stay in generally good cardiovascular shape, but as far as a cycling specific training program, I think what you put in is what you get out.

From Joe Friel, author of The Cyclist's Training Bible: "Those new to cycling will improve rapidly merely by riding frequently and with relatively high durations." I would not call 3x per week at 45 minutes high duration.

At this point I would say just ride hard 2 weeks per month (6-8 on a 10-point intensity scale), then ride very hard 1 week (9-10), then take an easy week (4-5). Repeat. Do this until spring comes and you can get out on the road for longer weekend rides.

I'm not a coach, but this comes from experience. I've got a wife, kid, job, charity work, etc. I'm lucky to train 6 hours during the work week. But I try to get in at least 90 minutes at a time. Use the weekends for long rides when the weather if good enough. The endurance will come slowly, but it will come.

The June my daughter was born, my summer weekend rides disappeared. So I hired a coach to train me, mostly indoors, for a 50-mile road race that September. I followed his plan religiously, training for about an hour at a time, for three months. Come race day, I was dropped like a bad habit after 45 minutes. Lesson learned.

So the question is how to make best use of that 45 minutes?

Some form of intervals is the right answer, so you're on the right track.

Since you're already in good shape but your aerobic system is the relatively weak link, focus more on aerobic intervals instead of leg strength. Sure, it's easier for you to stand a mash a giant resistance, compared to sitting and spinning and raising your pulse and breathing. But you have plenty of leg strength already from weights and MA, so what you need is aerobic capacity and endurance.

Also: as you know, your body will adapt very quickly to the same workout. You have to mix it up.

So try these ideas:
- 4-5minutes spinning 90 or so rpm at a steady resistance that accumulates to leave you really in oxygen debt and max pulse by the end. Then spin easy / light resistance till you catch your breath, pulse comes down and legs recover a bit and repeat. 6-8 of these a session plus warmup/cooldown will fit in 45 minutes and that's a damn good workout right there bubba.
- After a few weeks of that, or if you're fatigued and just can't do those effectively, instead do 15 min at a slightly easier, "steady state fast cruise" pace. Rest for 5, repeat. You can get 2 done plus warmup/cooldown in 45 min.
- consider dropping one of your weight sessions for a long steady indoor ride. this would be in addition to your 3x/week bike time, as an extra endurance-building ride. Ideally if schedule allows you'd do it right after one of he other bike sessions, so you end up with close to 2 hours solid on the bike. This'll build some endurance, since most rides are closer to 2-3 hours you'll need it.

One other tip: if they have a true "spin bike" use that instead of the lifecycle. The closer you get to a real, on-the-bike position the better your training will be, and those lifecycles have really bad positions compared to a road bike.

Good luck
Creak.

Hi,

I coached the Boston College team last year and I am great at setting up programs for people with the amount of time you have for training.

Without knowing intimate details about you, your physical makeup, strengths, weakness, etc...
I would say skip the lifting use that for more riding.
Any spin bikes at the gym? spin classes? These will put you in a position that is closer to mimicking your road bike.
I used to do allot of racing in Boston. What races are you aiming for? I would also try and keep a lid on it in March and beginning of April when some races start up. So you can build up some mileage without totally burning out by May or June!