WiNtEr BiKe TrAiNiNg InDoOr’S oR oUt?
First time blogging, please bear with. On mother nature's side every season has its beauty, it’s the beauty and the beast, the yin and the yang we’ve all grown to love. Outdoors lover with riding and competing horses along with cycling everywhere, during these exciting cycling years I have passed out from heat exhaustion in the summer months, and I have commuted to work in the snowy winter months, slid on ice and fallen, the question I ask myself “is the battle with your body or your mind?”
Predominantly, I think mind over matter is the case, and as the the top trained athletes you all are, you may know how to blank out the pain of fatigued limbs and depleted respiratory systems. But being fit and keeping up the fitness over winter is bloody hard as there’s not much fat on a lean toned physique. So I think it comes down to nutrition and clothing to be comfortable outside, especially on a long ride when different energy zones are used. Looking out the window and thinking about whether to venture out won’t work LOL! Get the mudguards on, extra layers on, waterproof up (especially the feet) and go on an adventure! Even if its internally!
I’ve been attending spin classes since around the year 2000 also 6 years a spin instructor and a cycling enthusiast since I could ride a bike. Cycling means freedom to me, when I was 12 yrs old I ran away from home, well I didn’t run I cycled and cycled and cycled! I love Spinning and it is a god send for clocking up training miles in winter, although I can cycle for many hours outside I think inside I can just about manage 2 or 3 hours. Smart Trainers & Watt bikes are a brilliant piece of kit too, with pedal pressure monitoring so you can see which leg is using more power, although you can’t stand and pedal on these, I still regularly use one. What’s important to me is to keep it interesting, use time and statistics to make those hours feel like minutes, for example … switching from heavy resistance to light (everyone love rolling hills) or 20 secs hovering the saddle and repeat (great for glutes workout). Another plus for spinning you can control the hills and cadence & Heart rate monitor is a new for me this year which I love to use it for motivational statistics.
As a sun worshipper, S.A.D. wants me to hibernate through winter, so I mix it up to keep me switched on. Variety is the spice of life they say, take advantage of the gym weights (squats, lunges, leg curls for quads) for strength training, this helps tendons and ligaments repair from all the hard summer repetitive training. I cross train, like swim/run. Fuel and repair, because when spring comes and solar energy is returned, your body will thank you for winter charge!
Yvonne Harris
Always challenging
