3 Boredom-Busting Bike Trainer Workouts

Written by

Boredom-Busting Workout 2: "The Pyramid"

This workout is based on my overall life strategy of starting with the hard stuff and moving to the easy stuff. For example, it's very hard for me to do management projects in which I need to produce tasks or delegate to a team, and it's also hard for me to respond to detailed emails. So I do those things earlier in the day.

The same concept applies to this workout: you start with the longest, toughest parts of the workout that require the greatest amount of mental and physical focus. It goes like this:

  • 5 to 10 minute warm-up
  • 10 minutes hard, tempo effort
  • 2 minutes easy
  • 9 minutes hard, tempo effort
  • 2 minutes easy
  • 8 minutes hard, tempo effort

You get the idea!

The nice part about this workout is that since the hard efforts get shorter as you go, you get more and more motivated to go harder as the workout progresses!

More: 8 Indoor Training Options for Cyclists

Boredom-Busting Workout 3: "4-On-1-Off Movie Workout"

This next workout is one that I'll use when a new movie has come out that I want to see, but I want to avoid the trap of simply spinning at one steady (often too easy) pace during the entire film.

So I put in the movie and warm-up for 4 minutes. Then I do 60 seconds hard—at the maximum sustainable pace I can hold for one full minute. Then I keep watching the movie for another 4 minutes at an easy recovery pace (but attempt to keep pedaling RPM high— preferably above 90). Then I do the 60 seconds hard again. Often, I'll alternate the 60 second hard periods between aero position, seated and standing.

For some reason, the workout goes by incredibly fast when I do this workout, I'm still able to pay attention to what's happening in the movie I'm watching, and I'm also able to squeeze in a new movie I want to see while also getting in a good workout. Ahh...the best of both worlds!

Oh yeah, one more thing: during the closing credits I go nuts and pedal as hard as I can until the credits end.

More: 2 Indoor Cycling Workouts to Improve Climbing

Summary

If you enjoyed these boredom busting indoor bike trainer workouts, you can get six more at this link.

And that bonus I mentioned? It's a bit crazy, but it's my official Glee Indoor Cycling Work-out, complete with video. Enjoy, and leave any comments or questions below!

More: 2 Indoor Trainer Workouts

Active logoSearch for your next triathlon.