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Tue, 05 Feb 2008 by Susanna Loewy
Biking on the trainer...
Beneficial, or time better spent elsewhere?
I seem to have conflicting advice coming at me from differing sides of the coaching spectrum.
On the 'Beneficial' side of the rainbow, we have the fact that you are getting time in the saddle, and that you are on your bike, something that Spinning can't provide. You're upping your comfort level on the bike and improving your biking muscles. Plus, trainers are good in that you have to keep turning those legs constantly... there is no 'glide' on a trainer.
But, near the 'Time Wasted' pot of gold, we've got the claim that aerobically, it would be better to simply up your running mileage, and wait until Spring to hit the bike. If you're in good aerobic shape, and do some weight lifting (ahem, squats), you'll be in good enough shape to get in some real biking when the weather breaks. In other words, riding on the trainer is just kind of biding your time, and you can do better things with that time...
So, coaches and coachees, what do you think? Any more advice for the unwise? I would love to be convinced either way, because right now I'm floating somewhere in no-man's middle-land, and I'm not one to tolerate that for long.
