4 Moves to Spice Up Your Indoor Cycling Routines

There certainly isn’t anything wrong with moving your workout indoors, especially during cold, winter months. Indoor cycling is an intense cardiovascular exercise but after some time, you may find yourself getting bored, especially if you are used to the challenges of cycling outdoors. This is only normal and is something that many cyclers experience. Instead of throwing the towel and turning into a couch potato, you can spice up your regular workouts to keep you challenged.

Break out of Exercise Boredom with these Moves

Over and Under Interval Workout

Traditionally, threshold interval indoor cycling workouts are performed at a steady pace for about 15-45 minutes. If you are getting bored with this, then add a little twist by doing over and under intervals. How does this work? Start with anaerobic threshold intensity for 5-10 minutes, then increase your effort over your threshold for about 3 minutes, then go back to the threshold level and alternate this routine for 30 minutes.

Spin Ups Workout

This workout is normally performed on a bike with a minimal resistance setting. It helps increase leg speed and pedalling efficiency. “This is an old routine!” you say. Well, you can spice up this workout by modifying it into spin ups. In the first 30 seconds, using little resistance, try to build up the highest cadence that you can reach. Do this while keeping your form smooth. Keep that cadence for about 1-3 minutes and rest for another 3 minutes before repeating. Keep going at it until you reach your highest pedalling speed.

Breakaway Simulation Workout

Usually, these VO2 max interval indoor cycling workouts last for 3-5 minutes. It is meant to enhance your ability to maintain high intensities over anaerobic threshold. To add a twist to this exercise, you can do a breakaway simulation, where you begin with a fast acceleration and maintain it for 30 seconds. Afterwards, shift to an easier pace and maintain for 2 minutes, then accelerate again for another 30 seconds.

Make-It / Break-it Interval Workout

A one-minute maximum effort workout is often done for improving anaerobic capacity. If this type of routine bores you, level it up by transforming it into a make-it / break-it interval. These types of intervals are meant to push you physically and mentally, so it’s meant to push you to your limits. Begin the workout with a high resistance level and give it your all. For 30 seconds, pedal hard at 60rpm giving 100% effort. Then quickly drop but still give 100% effort during the next 30 seconds.

If you are getting bored with your traditional routines, try these alternative routines to give you that boost. You will find cycling a lot more challenging with these! And you won’t be bored for one second.

Photo Credits: Flickr Creative Commons