Indoor Training

Last week, I wrote that cycling, riding alone, to be exact, is the safest form of physical activity in these times. I have changed my mind.

The last time I rode on the road was two Sundays ago and I swear I would have ridden the following day,but my wife put an end to that. And it made sense.

I know its hard to be told to stay at homes when we can’t even feel the effects of COVID19. But that’s the point. Only selfish people keep riding at the expense of their family and their friends. Do we need a friendly fatality for convincing?

So stay at home and and train at home. Here are some indoor training tips that might be of help.

1- Get a trainer or a roller. You can’t really train at home without those two. A stationary bike is another option but the feel is not the same. I know, trainers are expensive and probably scarce these days. But that’s the only way you can train at home. Or maybe you have a neighbour who’ll let you borrow there’s when they’re done with their workout

2- Be creative. Most people I know swear that training on trainers is the most boring activity in the universe. Well, you have no choice today and in the next few weeks or months. With so much time on your hands, look up the internet for free training programs. Youtube has plenty of online training videos whose authors are trying to catch your attention. Strava would be the best, for a certain fee, of course.

3- Get an electric fan in front of you. I think this is the most common mistake that newbies make. Remember that our bodies, just like cars, need a coolant to train harder and longer. Our bodies need radiators. Fans can imitate the wind you experience on the roads and it can help you cool down.

4- Get a heart rate monitor. If you can afford it, get a power meter. If you have none of those, use your cellphone and download the Strava app. Having these gadgets will make your workouts more enjoyable and measurable.

5- Set a goal. Training without goals, even for a single ride, would lead to boredom. Goals like maintain or reaching a certain power, or maintaining a certain heart rate, or maybe a number of repetitions or even just a training for a certain time period would be a good objective a day.

6- Protect your bicycle. Remember that our sweat is so corrosive that your need to protect your bicycle from it.Wear gloves and wrist bands. Cover the brake levers completely with a plastic shopping bag. The insides of your levers can easily get rusty in a few days. Use a towel to cover the stem, headset and handlebars. Even then, sweat can flow down towards the top tubes, down tubes, brake cables, water bottle bosses bottom bracket and the chain ring. Just apply a generous amount of WD40 every week to prevent it from corrosion. Wash it regularly. When this is over, and it will be, your bicycle will be ready to go.