For the past 5 winters I've been using the turbo to keep me ticking over and each year has been similar. I seem to go through phases of interest and to be honest, the winter turbo period does seem to go by quite quickly and I'm back on the road.
For a few years I have been using the Carmichael DVDs for my turbo sessions and I really do think they are great. So far this year, well this xmas holiday period, I have completely left the road behind and worked my way through the sessions up to session 7. This seems a really good place to stop and spend time. The sessions 5, 6 and 7 concentrate on the aerobic engine, with session 6 supposedly being the easier of the three. If you're looking to get a better base, then work through to these three and then keep doing them over and over for a few weeks. Last year I did similar but not as much. This year I have done them every day, sometimes two a day for a couple of days taking care not to over train. Concentrate on pedal form and the power range an in a week of one session per day you'll see the difference.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/cts-progressive-power-workout-training-5-dvd-disc-set/
The great thing this Christmas has been the awful wet and windy weather. I have been off of the road completely and as I ride every day of the week to work come rain or shine I have really enjoyed the break. On the turbo I have driven my aerobic engine so that I can now actually feel the difference and I have still had plenty of time with the family because each hour on the bike has been valuable and well utilised.
A few years back when I got the DVDs, I was doing one session every few days. I drifted off the script occasionally and restarted the course a few times never actually finishing the course by the time the spring came and I then went totally back to the road.
Last year I was doing a training session every day for three days then taking a rest. At weekends I was on the road unless weather was rubbish and I noticed that the power really did improve. With protein powers in the equation I seemed to get something resembling cycling legs. Last year was ok for me, the tour of Wessex, a few 100's with decent times for an old-un.
This Christmas period I have changed things slightly. For the winter so far I have been riding to work and I'm sure my fitness has been dropping off. With the arrival of the Christmas period and extended holiday I took to the trainer with the DVDs again. I've been doing a training session everyday, with a couple of double sessions - one in the morning and one in the evening. I haven't got onto the power sessions yet, instead I'm concentrating on developing the engine that will give a decent amount of power for hours on end. It should sustain me over the rolling hills and the 100's. Thus I'm working on sessions 5, 6 and 7. The Tempo range and Steady State ranges. I think this is really good for the muscles, the tendons and all that connective stuff that could break down under power training. I'm pretty pleased.
I can feel the difference very quickly. I get on the bike at the beginning of the turbo session and know I can do it, and indeed the session passes with less distress than before the training began. I think I'll write my thoughts on the mental side of these turbo session in another post because I find the topic quite interesting. So all-in-all. The DVD's are a great asset for me. Without them I simply couldn't do these sessions. I don't think I could even follow a script without the trainers shouting and that strangely monotonous yet appropriate music.
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