the benefits of training indoors

If you are living in pocket of the world with less than favourable weather conditions, like myself and many of our Tzero athletes, dealing with these elements can be a real challenge. In the tropics, we have extreme heat for six months of the year with insane humidity, coupled with cyclones, wet season and other dramas which impact on our ability to ride and run outside.

It was during the recent monsoonal low where it rained for nearly four weeks straight that I found myself loving my indoor sessions and really starting to see the benefits and gains that come from indoor training. I know most people hate to train inside and will give you a brilliant argument of why you should be training in all weather conditions. I can see the benefit of training across all conditions BUT when it is not possible due to your own safety you need a solid option B and sometimes here, it's option C!!

I will add a caveat to this article and put it out there that I am a massive fan of indoor training regardless of the weather. This love of the trainer and treadmill was borne from the fact that I have had two very serious bike accidents within 4 weeks of each other in the past 2 years that has left me lacking confidence (it is growing, albeit slowly) and recognising the gains that indoor cycling especially provides me with very structured workouts. Couple this with the fact that I love to sit in front of the TV and watch cartoons and listen to podcasts and I will happily spin away for hours on end!
 
Here are some of the benefits I have experienced from my summer of indoor training!

1. Safety – we all know how dangerous riding on the road can be, couple that with broken bottles and people driving at you and it is a recipe for disaster. Training inside removes this concern and allows you to focus on the session.
2. I am doing the Peaks Challenge in a few weeks and indoor bike training has allowed me to use the Zwift platform to ride up hills and then find more hills and keep going. I have found this to be an excellent tool to make sure you get the hills in each week and you don’t have to worry about coming down hill on slippery roads!
3. Being in a strict Zone 2 running phase, the treadmill is an excellent tool to hold your pace and heart rate to the prescribed zone and number. Treadmill running ensures you are consistent with your cadence as well and removes some of the impact of road running
4. Indoors training allows you to train when and where you can. It removes a lot of preparation time and allows you to get a solid session completed in a timely manner. Indoor sessions are gold for time poor athletes!
5. The big one for me is the building of mental strength whilst training inside. There is no hiding, no stopping at lights and no coasting down a hill. You have no wheel to sit on and get a free ride, it is all you and if you keep focused on the power numbers you are prescribed you will build your resilience to suffering and build a lot of solid mental toughness!

 
Some of the biggest names in cycling and triathlon spend a significant amount of their bike time inside. Matt Hayman won the famed Paris Roubaix simply by doing Zwift sessions whilst recovering from a broken collar bone. He did not do a single outdoor session before the race and not only did he hold and improve his fitness levels whilst recovering from injury, but he won a race that is so demanding and requires super human mental toughness and strength. In triathlon, Lionel Sanders openly supports indoor bike training and is a massive fan of Zwift as is Jesse Thomas. Both these pros have their own group rides on Zwift and are very interactive with other riders.

I know indoor training can be a mental challenge, but the next time you are programmed an indoor bike or run session, instead of seeing the negatives (it is boring, I hate it, this is stupid etc) see the positives, jump on and embrace the challenge and see the changes occur in your mindset and attitude! Pretty soon you will be a fan of the indoor sessions and you WILL see improvement in your techniques, performance, numbers and mental toughness!

Enjoy your training and be safe!

Coach Mon

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