I was looking for posts on indoor workouts.  We have been putting them in the "training: Faster, Stronger, Awesomer" thread.    

But as that now often focuses on big-picture issues, I figure we should have a thread for indoor workout routines.  Stuff we do, stuff we find, etc, so that there's a repository that people can peruse when looking for ideas.

To that end, I just found that the folks at Global Cycling Network have indoor training workouts on youtube.

Here's their 30-minute HIIT Workout:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WRylMkvahjM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I'm talking to Erik from TriBy3, which shares space with Acme and has 8 CompuTrainers. It's pretty nice -- a far cry from the dank, yet appropriately dungeon-like basement at Ride. It is located in Park Slope/Gowanus at 597 Degraw Street. 

So this is like, spin-class?

Spin class??? Lol!!

So this is like, spin-class?

If you can imagine a spin class where vlad attacks you every few miles...well then yes.

it is exactly like spin class.

Will also do 6 pm

I'm definitely interested for January and February. May need to miss December as I'm out if town a bunch.

Yes, it's exactly like spin class.

Is there no one else interested in the 6 p.m. session?

Can't make it from work by 6

Gwynna Smith said:

I'm very interested in Jan/Feb at 6:00 pm or morning sessions, but can't commit to the Dec dates.

Is there anyone who would be willing to store a bike for me while these sessions are going on? Hauling a bike from Manhattan makes this all but impractical. I can pay in beer, grass fed steak, cash, or the secure knowledge that you will never come in last as long as we ride together.

Maybe ask Acme?

So we have two signed up for 6 p.m. and two signed up for 7:30 p.m. Apparently the poll was not an accurate gauge of interest.

Is this happening in Jan?

For the folks who attend, please arrive promptly and ready to ride.  I didn't realize last time that every second we spend preparing is one not spent riding.  We are the only ones using the space so the 7:30 - 9 PM session really does end at 9 PM, even if we're not done with the course.

Sorry about that. try this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRylMkvahjM

It's part of their "train with GCN" playlist: https://www.youtube.com/embed/-iWTRHuTuU0?list=PLUdAMlZtaV13e3-rJq1W0O1kf2DVlslmC

Last year used this quick but fun workout from GCN:
https://youtu.be/aI_nSzypjO4

Plenty of others to do:
https://youtu.be/RyLvzqxI_dM

Else do the workouts on zwift, or simply create your own workout on zwift -- based on Tim's plans for example.

I'd like some tips on trainer setup. I find setup/breakdown a PITA, do people have everything in one place ready to go? I don't have the luxury of a dedicated space right now.

Also Zwift — laptop on the handle bars!? Right now I plant it on the dresser and try and get front wheel close to it, but it's not exactly immersive. I guess I could buy a Chromecast and send it to TV. 

Lastly, sweat strategy. I wear an absorbent shirt to stop sweat drippage, but don't love the towels draped everywhere.

the chromecast wont be able to send zwift to the tv.

I simply got a little foldable tray/table. I place my computer on it --- that's all you need, I go a step further and plug it via an HDMI cable to the tv. And watch zwift, or whatever else while I ride the trainer.

The full swing: setup trainer w/ bike, place table next to handleblars, grab remote, iphone, move TV (mine is on wheels), turn on fan, put on shoes, bibs, grab towel... takes me 5 to 10 min, much faster to break down. 
 

Chromecast is a superb $40 investment.  Do it, you won't regret.  I have 2, brilliant for Netflix and hookie cycling streams, too.

Sweating- the technique here is to stop the sweat, not contain the sweat.  Get a really good fan.  Like the sort of thing that decorators might use after painting to dry walls in short order.  The trick here is that if you plop yourself on your bike, just in bibs, no shirt/jersey, at the very start of the workout you will be cold.  The fan will eliminate all sweating, no joke.

http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/hvac/fans/blower/42in-belt-drive-heavy-duty-portable-air-circulator-bf42bd-red-13300-cfm

Warning- these do sound like a prop engine plane so a) your neighbours will hate you and b) your missus and kid will need to be out at the time or have ear plugs!  I used to do this, but lived in a detached house on my own at the time.

to be clear, I love my chromecast. If you understand how it works, you'll understand that you wont be able to use it with zwift.

JohnMalcolmson said:

Lastly, sweat strategy. I wear an absorbent shirt to stop sweat drippage, but don't love the towels draped everywhere.

This is where the yoga mat comes in  handy.  Under the bike and trainer.  I'd rather get that wet than the floor.  Damps vibration going through the floor (makes neighors less annoyed), muffles sound (family less annoyed) and keeps your bike in one place more easily.

I've tried cycling caps for headwear, but in terms of absorbancy, a classic terry-cloth headband absorbs far more sweat.  Only problem is it takes longer to dry.  On my super-hard effort days, I also don terry-cloth wristbands to minimize the drip down my arm.

The final thing is pre-cooling the room, if possible.  If I can get the room down to 60 before I start, it's better.  

So I just picked up rollers.  Been on them two nights in a row and love it (and haven't fallen yet either, woot).

Any best practice thoughts on how best to incorporate them into a training routine?  I'm certainly not hitting LT or max heart rate on the rollers (the best I'm at is hanging out in endurance) but I'll say 40 minutes on them last night had me sweating pretty good.

Thanks for suggestions.

@JP I use a yoga mat, but am thinking I'll invest in some thick horse mats as we have a NYT writer live/working below us. I'd prefer to keep out of her blog. Sweat bands are a good tip, or the Ragot turban towel.

@Eloy turns out you can chromecast your desktop (experimental feature) but there's about a second lag. 

@Adam the big fan is non-starter.
But more importantly, I will write something for your KCC West. Nice yellow you've got going there, sting like a bee!

Scott Kuhlke said:

So I just picked up rollers.  Been on them two nights in a row and love it (and haven't fallen yet either, woot).

Any best practice thoughts on how best to incorporate them into a training routine?  I'm certainly not hitting LT or max heart rate on the rollers (the best I'm at is hanging out in endurance) but I'll say 40 minutes on them last night had me sweating pretty good.

Scott, 
    If you go to the first page of the "Training: Faster, Stronger, Awesomer" thread, there are a few roller workouts and suggestions to be found.

one of mine:

"Here's an "easy ride" I like to do on rollers. Start in my lowest gear. Ride it at 80 rpm for three minutes. Then 90 for three. then 100, then 110. Shift into the next cog. Repeat. Shift into the next cog. Repeat. When this gets boring, practice riding no-handed. When you've mastered that, practice riding one-legged. Switch legs. Take off a jersey. Put on a jersey. eat from a plate."

If you've just got a half hour, the above routine means you'll shift twice the whole workout.  Sometimes I keep it to 30 minutes, sometimes 45.  Sometimes, I add three minutes at 120rpm per set.  This becomes a great way to have a recovery ride indoors.

And I often finish by taking one foot out, pedaling one-footed for 25 seconds, clipping in, clipping out the other foot, and going for 25 seconds with the other foot.  If you see each foot as a 30-second span, you do two one-footed efforts per minute.  I do this for 3-4 minutes.  And I usually do my last two minutes pedaling at 50rpm or lower in my lowest gear.

I'll go farther and write try riding in the drops, the hoods, the tops, moving your hands around, getting out of the saddle and pedaling.

While I have a resistance unit for my rollers, there are some other things to do on the rollers without resistance.  form Sprints.  Start with low-gear sprints, like 39x18 or so.  After a warmup, I pedal at 90rpm, sprint for 10 seconds, rest for 1:50, then sprint again.  THere's evidence that this kind of overload (with practice hitting 160rpm is possible) helps with neuromuscular efficiency.  After mastering it in a low-gear, try big-gear sprints with the same routine.  The speed increases and the bike seems to handle differently   

I find that when I haven't been on rollers for a long time, and then get on, the bottom of my hamstrings are sore the next day.  This also occurs the day after roller races.  I think this points to the possibility that I'm not fully engaging my muscles at the bottom of my stroke on the road.  And it goes to Bruce's thing about the perfect pedal stroke, which can sort-of be seen if you have a power meter that can tell you left-right balance.

You can use a rolled up towel shoved under one of the rollers for some resistance. But yeah, rollers are good for endurance or recovery days. You can incorporate lots of high-cadence work in these to improve your supplesse.

Here's a topic for all those who've done many more hours on a trainer than I have (god bless you). This winter has been my first using an indoor trainer. How much do I risk damaging my carbon frame with hard efforts? I'm worried. Here are the facts:

• My bicycle is a Giant TCR Advanced.
• My trainer is a Elite Qubo Power Fluid Trainer.
• I followed the set-up instructions closely, and paid special attention to getting the bike level (using a few homemade cereal-box shims). 
• The bike rocks a little from side to side, as I suppose everyone's does, but it's hard not to think it looks kinda extreme from my birds-eye perspective of the top tube and headset.
• My bike began squeaking last night on the downstroke during hard efforts. It hadn't before. Sounds like it's coming from the dropouts, where the bike is clamped into the trainer. 
• The rear wheel skewer cam is quite loose. I'm using the bulbous skewer that came with the trainer. 
• The rear axle, however, feels just fine.
• I cannot see any visible damage to the frame. 

Should I be worried? 

Looking forward to your diagnoses...