It’s getting cold out there and time to consider riding inside. But does riding inside equate to riding outside? Will it hurt you by riding inside? How do you transition from indoors to outdoors?
The new book, Ride Inside – The essential guide to get the most out of indoor cycling, smart trainers, classes and apps, by Joe Friel with Jim Rutberg, gives you the inside scoop on indoor training.
Everything you ever wanted to know about Indoor Training is included in this book!
(If you never heard of Joe Friel, check out this interview that appeared on IronmanHacks.)
I had a lot of takeaways but here are some that you may find useful:
- there are four types of training rides indoors – off the grid, riding connected, riding interactively, and riding together.
- when training indoors, make sure you have a goal.
- weekly plans and workouts.
- e-racing and how to prepare for them.
- motivation, focus, and enjoyment of the indoor ride.
- body stability, posture, and pedaling technique on a stationary bike.
- respiration, hydration, and cooling.
- and more…
The Build Up
Friel and Rutberg talked a great deal about building your workouts by starting with the base, which lasts for about 12 weeks; the build, which lasts about 9 weeks; incorporating rest and recovery one week for every three to four weeks; the peak which lasts for 2 weeks; the event (this is what you’ve been working toward) and then recovery.
Aging Athletes
There is a sidebar in the book about the aging athlete. Friel and Rutberg talk about how after the age of 50, athletes need more recovery time. So, if you are an older athlete, make sure you incorporate more recovery into your workout. You will get stronger for it.
There are plenty of workouts in the book and the authors also discuss FTP and how to set your zones both in heart rate and power.
It was an interesting read and worth having in your library! If you would like to pick up a copy, you can get one from VeloPress or Amazon for $19.96.