Developing Muscular Endurance For Cycling. Turbo Trainer Indoor Cycling Workouts

Muscular endurance in cycling is the ability to turn a relatively high gear at a high cadence for an extended period of time.

Muscular endurance is a key ability in road racing, cyclo cross, cross country mountain bike racing and time trial performance. Therefore for a cyclist to be successful they need to emphasize muscular endurance workouts throughout their periodized training year. From base training all the way through to race periods.

• Endurance
• Strength
• Speed
• Muscular Endurance
• Power
• Speed Endurance

This article will focus on muscular endurance training and in particular structuring your indoor cycling workouts.

As muscular endurance is a key racing ability it can be recommended to use your specific racing bike whether it's a road racing bike or time trial bike as position is key for effective specific workout training. Muscular endurance workouts on your time trial bike are a great way to ensure you a accustomed to the specific position. By utilising a turbo trainer you can use your time trial bike in the safety and security of your own spare room or garage.

Tempo sessions are high speed stead state workouts which accustom the body to high level time trial performance. Ideally they show be performed at time trial cadences of 80-100 rpm

Early in your base training perform intervals of up to 30 minutes continuous at heart rates below your lactate threshold heart rate. As your training progresses you can build this continuous period up to 60 minutes over time

Altternative is to perform three sets of 20 minutes at tempo with five minute easy spin between. This can be a better option if you struggle to maintain focus over longer turbo trainer sessions. As your mental focus increases you can lengthen the intervals.

Once you are confident you can complete tempo muscular endurance workouts it is time to step up a level to threshold workouts on your turbo trainer.

Starting at 20 minutes ride continually at time trial cadence building heart rate lactate threshold and going no higher than 5 beats above lactate threshold. Building your time frame up to 40 minutes.

In this workout you will be effectively working at your 40 km time trial pace

Thanks for reading

Please feel free to let me know some of your muscular endurance training techniques in the comments below

The previous workouts have all concentrated on long intervals to develop your muscular endurance training for bicycle racing. Shorter 'high intensity intervals' help you further push your training to further levels.

An example of this is Cruise Intervals. 5-10 minute intervals at above lactate threshold heart rate followed by 2-3 minute easy spin recovery intervals. Start with a total of 15 minues work and then build up over time to 3 or more repetitions of 10 minutes

Try to stay in control at all points during these intervals while remaining relaxed in aerodynamic.