Although training indoors requires fewer muscles than going outside, there is potential for some physiological benefits. Here's what to watch out for this winter.

Being a competitive cyclist requires training throughout the year, with most of the time on the bike. However, it is not always possible to train outdoors all year round. From weather like rain, snow, and ice, to events like wildfires, we will inevitably force us to stay indoors for periods of time. For those who live in snowy climates, that period often lengthens to three or four months when winter arrives.

Let's take a look at the physiological adaptations that occur with prolonged use of the trainer, and how we can make the most of the upcoming training season.

Index

Indoor cycling can restrict your range of motion

When we roller bike, we are in a fixed position, which means we pedal with less side-to-side motion, no forward momentum, and no random hills and bumps that change the pitch of the bike and our pedaling position. Roller rollers do allow for side-to-side movement, but compared to an outdoor shoot, these movements are not as sweeping and random. Standing up on the saddle and rocking the bike with a considerable range is only possible outdoors. Long descents, especially on gravel or trails, require isometric contractions of the lower body while the upper body works to maneuver around obstacles, movements that are difficult to reproduce indoors.

Different muscles are used on a roller

The effects of gravity, especially on steeper climbs, coupled with rolling resistance will require a greater amount of force production outdoors compared to what can be produced indoors. The more force an action requires, the more muscle fibers are recruited. On the inside, greater amounts of force can be produced, especially with the smart rollers, but with less overall body movement compared to outside. This will put a greater load on your main muscles when doing the work, mainly the quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings and calves.

Using less muscle doesn't always mean less power when training indoors - it just means you'll use fewer muscle fibers to hit peak critical power numbers. The benefit of this is that you focus on making your core muscles stronger, while the downside is the recruitment of fewer muscle fibers in the legs and less movement in the core of the upper body and arms. In contrast, when riding outside and especially on climbs, you pull on the handlebars, which involves core and arms engagement. Greater upper body engagement in the open air, coupled with greater muscle fiber recruitment from major muscles, means greater demand on the lungs, heart, and cardiovascular system in general, leading to greater aerobic adaptations cycling specific.

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Indoor Cycling Tips

Stretches the cycling muscles

These include the quads, glutes, hamstrings, and calves. Yoga stretches are a good way to stretch your lower body. Use hero pose to stretch your quads, pigeon pose for your hip flexors and glutes, and downward dog for your calves and hamstrings. Focus on stretching your lower body at least twice a week, holding each stretch for 30-60 seconds.

Reset your power zones

After four to six weeks of indoor training, check your FTP and other critical power numbers to establish new training zones. Muscular adaptation takes four to six weeks, so give your power numbers time to build up indoors, then test.

Exercise before or after your roller sessions

Stressing the muscle more before or after your training sessions will increase your overall training stress, leading to greater aerobic adaptations. You can also make them specific for cycling. Running up stairs is a forefoot aerobic exercise, much like pedal racing, and handlebar pushups and weighted rowing exercises engage the upper body and the arms. Work 15 or more repetitions per set spaced with 20-30 seconds rest between sets to keep these exercises aerobic.

Transition to outdoor cycling

Indoor training volume is typically less than outdoor training volume. Strength gains from indoor training will carry over to outdoor training, but only to the muscles that were trained (mainly the more mobile ones). Allow four to six weeks of bulking up outdoors to make the full-body adaptations specific to cycling that you couldn't achieve indoors. This period will serve for the rest of the body to adapt to the gains in strength obtained inside.

Indoor training offers its own set of challenges. It's not as much fun as going outside, the perceived exertion is higher and boredom is a factor. Power readings from our outdoor output can also differ greatly from what can be produced indoors. In any case, training indoors provides consistency throughout the year, which will allow us to improve cycling performance in the long term.

This article was originally written and published on TrainingPeaks by Mike Schultz.

About Mike Schultz

Mike Schultz is the head trainer and founder of Highland Training and has over 20 years of experience racing, coaching, and training in endurance and ultra-endurance events.

He currently works with a wide range of athletes ranging from dedicated age groups to national and international elites.

In addition, he is certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), as well as a USA Certified Cycling Trainer.