12-Week Indoor Cycling Training Plans
Now more than ever indoor cycling equipment is the best way for you to maintain and improve your fitness. The recent restrictions placed on going outside or to your local gym, mean that you need to start looking at ways to workout from home. Fortunately, there are several products out there have made cycling indoors a straightforward way to keep fit and maintain your fitness level. This 12-week indoor cycling plan is designed to give your indoor workout the focus it needs to maximise your results.
SUMMARY
- For beginners and experienced alike who are looking for a plan to help tone up and build fitness
- This plan can be utilised at home or at the gym.
- If you’re planning to exercise at home, consider your space options
- Having space and room to breath is preferable however even smaller spaces can be utilised
- If you have your bike, we just suggest having a towel and some water nearby (we’re going to get sweaty).
- Weeks 1 – 4, get used to the work with 3x steady 30-minute and 1x 60-minute workouts
- Weeks 5 – 8, double the intensity by moving to 4x 60-minute workouts
- Weeks 9 – 11, add an extra day with 5x 60-minute workouts
- Week 12, finish with something familiar.
WHAT WILL I NEED?
Turbo Trainer / Stationary bike
A towel (we’re getting sweaty)
NON-ESSENTIAL ITEMS
Healthy snacks and a drink
TV or entertainment
A desk fan (or two)
INDOOR CYCLING TRAINING WORKOUTS
Get Warm and Hydrate
Top tip: you will need to drink more water than you would on a traditional bike ride. Have water refills close by!
If you are ready to ride for longer then do so, do not let this plan hold you back. However, listen to your body and do not overtrain, to avoid injury and demotivation. You have 12 weeks to get your body used to longer rides, do not get too excited in week 1!
Top tip: Warm up/cool down
There are conflicting opinions about the benefit of static stretches pre and post-workout. The best way to get your muscles ready for what is ahead is simply to do the exercise you are about to do but at a slower pace. For the first 5 minutes and final 5 minutes of each bike ride, you ride in a low gear, so that your legs are spinning easily.
Below are different training plans to help, depending on your goals and experience. We have combined all these plans into one training plan to provide variety and all-around cycling fitness.
SPEED INTERVAL TRAINING
| Speed Intervals
The clue is in the name; these sessions will improve your power and speed in addition to improving your bodies ability to recover from repeated hard efforts. For fast pedal intervals, use a comfortable gear and aim for as high a cadence as possible. |
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| Stage | Week 1 – 4 | Week 5 – 8 | Week 9 – 11 | Week 12 |
| Spin Easy | 10 minutes | 15 minutes | 15 minutes | 10 minutes |
| Fast Pedal Interval | 1 minute | 1 minute 30 secs | 2 minutes | 1 minute |
| Recover | 2 minutes | 1 minute 30 secs | 1 minute | 2 minutes |
| Repeat | Repeat x 5 | Repeat x 10 | Repeat x 10 | Repeat x 5 |
| Spin Easy | 5 minutes | 15 minutes | 15 minutes | 5 minutes |
| Total Workout Time | 30 minutes | 1 hour | 1 hour | 30 minutes |
LADDER INTERVAL TRAINING
| Ladder Intervals
These intervals imitate the rigours of cycling in a race or even on the roads on your commute. Slowly raising your effort levels, until you are at 100%, to then drop down to something a little easier. No need to drop down your gears/resistance, you will need to just focus on putting more power down on your pedals. |
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| Stage | Week 1 – 4 | Week 5 – 8 | Week 9 – 11 | Week 12 |
| Spin Easy | 10 minutes | 15 minutes | 15 minutes | 10 minutes |
| 80% Effort | 3 minutes | 5 minutes | 5 minutes | 3 minutes |
| 90% Effort | 2 minutes | 4 minutes | 4 minutes | 2 minutes |
| 100% Effort | 1 minute | 2 minute | 2 minute | 1 minute |
| Spin Easy | 3 minutes | 3 minutes | 3 minutes | 3 minutes |
| 100% Effort | 1 minute | 2 minute | 2 minute | 1 minute |
| 90% Effort | 2 minutes | 4 minutes | 7 minutes | 2 minutes |
| 80% Effort | 3 minutes | 5 minutes | 12 minutes | 3 minutes |
| Spin Easy | 5 minutes | 20 minutes | 20 minutes | 5 minutes |
| Total Workout Time | 30 minutes | 1 hour | 1 hour | 30 minutes |
CLIMBING BURSTS
| Climbing Bursts
This workout is designed to get your heart rate up, as you have to move your whole body, to conquer the ‘climb’. Increase your gear/resistance, stand and attack the hill as if your life depends on it |
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| Stage | Week 1 – 4 | Week 5 – 8 | Week 9 – 11 | Week 12 |
| Spin Easy | 10 minutes | 15 minutes | 15 minutes | 10 minutes |
| 80% Effort | 2 minutes | 3 minute | 3 minute | 2 minutes |
| Stand and Pedal at 100% | 30 seconds | 1 minute | 1 minute | 30 seconds |
| Repeat | Repeat x 4 | Repeat x 10 | Repeat x 10 | Repeat x 4 |
| Spin Easy | 10 minutes | 5 minutes | 5 minutes | 10 minutes |
| Total Workout Time | 30 minutes | 1 hour | 1 hour | 30 minutes |
SUNDAY MORNING RIDE
Sunday Morning Ride
(you don’t have to save it until Sunday)
Sometimes your legs need to go for a spin, put on the latest series you are struggling to find the time to watch and go for a longer more gentle ride. This will aid recovery in addition to improving your base fitness. Not all training rides have to be a race to the finish line!
THE ULTIMATE 12-WEEK INDOOR CYCLING TRAINING PLAN
For a training plan that improves all-around cycling fitness, look no further than the plan below.
Remember to enjoy the ride and do not stress yourself out if you do not get instant results. The first step is often the hardest, but once you start on this training plan, you will not look back.
WEEKS 1 – 4
Each week:
- 1 x 30-minute Speed Intervals
- 1 x 30-minute Ladder Intervals
- 1 x 30-minute Climbing Bursts
- 1 x 1 hour Sunday Morning Ride
WEEKS 5 – 8
Each week:
- 1 x 1 hour Speed Intervals
- 1 x 1 hour Ladder Intervals
- 1 x 1 hour Climbing Bursts
- 1 x 1 hour Sunday Morning Ride
WEEKS 9 – 11
Each week:
- 1 x 1 hour Speed Intervals
- 1 x 1 hour Ladder Intervals
- 1 x 1 hour Climbing Bursts
- 1 x 1 hour Sunday Morning Ride
- 1 x 1 hour workout of your choice (aim for the hardest)
WEEK 12
Congratulations, you have reached the final week. Week 12 takes you back to the same sessions you nailed in the first 4 weeks. It is a big confidence boost when you complete week 12 and appreciate how much faster and stronger you have become after following this training plan. Savour this feeling and keep pushing your limits.
- 1 x 30-minute Speed Intervals
- 1 x 30-minute Ladder Intervals
- 1 x 30-minute Climbing Bursts
- 1 x 1 hour Sunday Morning Ride
At CSS Fitness, we live and breathe fitness. We recently launched the 12-week cycling personal training masterclass. We hope this guide equips you with the tools and the know-how you need to put the above 12-week cycling plan into action. Keep on striving towards your goal and never give up.
To enquire about cycling personal training – please fill in your details below for a free consultation.
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“After 10 weeks of dynamic upper and lower body workouts 4-5 times per week, and diet focused on lean meats and healthy carbohydrates, I’ve added 8.4KG of lean muscle to my frame. I feel stronger, more aware of the foods I consume, and overall more confident. The best part about the programme is that I’ve learned to enjoy and look forward to my time spent in the gym. CSS makes each workout unique and challenging so that I am never doing the same old routine.”
“During the process, Chris has demonstrated an undeniable energy to lift me on the tough days, in-depth knowledge on movements, to not only tell me what to do but to educate me, and a good sense of individualisation with him tailing his approach/diet and exercise plan to meet my needs.”
