I finally cleaned up my bike this weekend, brought it inside, and put it on the trainer.
And then I fell off. Yes, it takes special skill to fall off when you're riding a trainer. I think I hadn't put the axle thing on tight enough, because the whole bike went over with me, but the trainer didn't.
I rode 15 minutes yesterday, and 30 today. I'm dripping. So I'm guessing that counts as an okay workout?
The problem is that riding indoors isn't that exciting, so it's not like I get to go ride for a couple hours out on some lovely road. I just want basic exercise as relatively pleasantly as possible.
Is there some trick to riding a trainer? Should I try to do some sort of interval thing, or is it okay to just steadily ride along at a reasonable clip (say, 80 pedals/min, not too hard resistance)? (I can tell it's about the same resistance as a flat, smooth road because I'm in about the same gear I ride flats in and end up just a little bit slower at about the same pedal rate, but then there's no inertia as there is on the road.)
oh, b. i fall off the erg/rowing machine all the time. thankfully, it's not far to fall.
ReplyDeleteforgot to ask: what kind of trainer do you have?
ReplyDeletePerhaps you could make a playlist and invent your own spinning routine, where you pretend you are going up hills, etc? Although I suspect all that is just to stave off boredom.
ReplyDeleteDance is right -- you can make up your own spin workout pretty easily. I'm pretty sure you can find sample workouts online too.
ReplyDeleteAnd don't worry. I fall off my trainer all the time too.
Amanda, You comfort me! I'm glad I'm not the only one. I have a very basic trainer (not rollers) that, I think, works magnetically? It's sort of a little jerky when I first start, but once I get going it's fine, if boring.
ReplyDeleteDance, Ahh, if only you knew how technologically unadvanced I am. I can put a CD in my computer and play that, or I can watch TV on my big screen (13" diagonal! but hey, it's color). I tend to watch TV, something stupid, and just pedal.
I have a hard time with the trainer -- it's so dreadfully boring! So I try to work hard on it, so I can justify getting off sooner, on the principle that a hard half hour is surely equal to or better than a moderate hour. But I have no basis for following that principle ...
ReplyDeleteI HATEHATEHATE riding the trainer. I do find it to be more work because you never change position, slow down, turn, or any of the other things that provide at least a little mental and physical break. I can ride for hours outside but my butt gives out after about 30 minutes on the trainer. If by some chance it doesn't, my brain gives out at 40.
ReplyDeleteI've never fallen off, though....
One thing I do is ride during a sitcom. I do sprints every commercial and recover during the show. At the end of half an hour I feel like I've done a decent amount of work, intervals are always more efficient, and I can stop without guilt.
Dorothy W. That's a good idea!
ReplyDeleteRebecca, I like the sitcom idea. I tried that, with doing a faster spin rate, yesterday, and it worked pretty well!