Recommended 1hr self directed Wattbike workouts

[simonenglish]

I've recently got access to a Wattbike at my work gym. There are no group sessions/classes so I'm looking into what the best 1hr self-directed Wattbike sessions are.

one session i like at Cadence is

3x sessions of:
2.5 mins zone 2
4 mins zone 3
6 mins zone 4

plus warm up/warm down sessions at the start and finish.
Idea is to simulate riding in the pack at tempo, on the front and in the wind, then drifting to the back without going below zone 2

Any wattbikers with other sessions they can recommend? Would be good to have a list of workouts to cover HIIT, endurance, cardio etc

[david emery]

Simple summary : get a training plan, coach or both!


Honestly, you're probably better off thinking about individual sessions in the overall context of a training plan, which you can split into cycles (base, build, sprint ) and sub cycles eg weeks 1-2

Then structure your workouts according to the intended goal of that cycle

I could give you about 100 different workouts with unlimited variations and there's tonne of sufferfest, traineroad, zwift, training peak, British cycling options.

Have to admit, I've not seen anyone asking for an 'Ian Stannard' workout before. Isn't the idea to hide in the pack and do no work?!

[justingillott]

Once a year work runs a cycle competition for charity. How far can you ride in one hour. Watt bike in the foyer and lots of water. Take it steady but spin fast. You should get over 40km. Anywhere near 45km you will be getting to the top of the leader board.

Watch your heart rise hit threshold, then stabilise then start to climb towards max in the last quarter and you will start to scream inside.....

You can pretend you are Philip Gilbert 50 km from home at the tour of flanders..... go for it....

[david emery]

how do you get aero on a watt bike?

[justingillott]

Head down arse up

[Deleted]

Since deciding that riding on UK roads tend to result in life changing injuries I have decided to use a watt bike in my gym

I get vicarious pleasure from the perplexed expressions of gym bunnies who don't understand why I don't need to see my biceps flex in the mirror and why my bike is protected by a moat of sweat

I am training to be equally average in TT and track/road race

Over one week I will make sure I do the following at least once a week

1 one set of speed work pyramids 80-140rpm doing a minute at 80rpm and increasing to 140. Then 10 sets of 30 secs flat out 30secs easy. Finish with 80-140rpm but 30sec increments

2 an hour of power. Ie doing an hour just under ftp.

3. 2 hours at 50-75 watts under ftp

This is in conjunction with 2/3 days at HHV track.

No matter how hot and uncomfortable I feel it is still better than shivering up toy's hill

[David Joss Buckley]

I'm not sure it's possible to shiver UP Toys Hill, Malc.  I've ridden it three times - twice by mistake, once as part of a sportive.  On all three occasions I was bathed in sweat. 

[david emery]

no hill repeats up Toy's then?

Found this the other day - but cant vouch for it .... www.onepeloton.com/

Personally I think self customized trainer road sessions offer best bang for buck if you've only got an hour. Any time I've been vaguely fit in the past 3 years has been the result of a 2-3 month trainerroad block.

There's so much flexibility and control - want to do 3x8, 5x5, ftp over under, sweetspot over unders etc etc all at a specific power? ... want to make that 2x20 a negative split? ... want to add a couple of vo2 surges ? all easily configured.

Whether any of it makes you faster or not is another discussion, but there's endless variation if fighting boredom is an issue. And it super easy to manage progression.

I've used it once since May! but otherwise, for $12 a month or $99 a year, it's a bargain. It also give you access to Sufferfest workouts and you can share rides with other riders

[hectorkidds]

I'm also a trainer road advocate for getting the best out of a Wattbike. Just started SSB2 low volume, take a look at their website to see what that is. I don't have the mental fortitude to ride stationary intervals using paper notes, but with my phone telling me to hit specific power targets via Ant+ and a nice graphic interface, I find working hard strangely compelling. The sweat moat is a thing too, it makes me glad I'm in the gym and makes me wonder what some people's 'pain cave' must smell like.

[david emery]

Jan 6, 2018 8:33:53 GMT hectorkidds said:

I'm also a trainer road advocate for getting the best out of a Wattbike. Just started SSB2 low volume, take a look at their website to see what that is. I don't have the mental fortitude to ride stationary intervals using paper notes, but with my phone telling me to hit specific power targets via Ant+ and a nice graphic interface, I find working hard strangely compelling. The sweat moat is a thing too, it makes me glad I'm in the gym and makes me wonder what some people's 'pain cave' must smell like.

Huge fan, open window and towl. No sweat moat, no smell!