Effective programs for indoor cycling.

Effective programs for indoor cycling

For riders winter season is a boring time with indoor training like spinning, home trainer or stationary bicycling. I think it is boring too, so I have invented a couple of training programs which have proved to be very effective and short in time. All of these programs can be done without a heart rate monitor. The programs have in common that they are time-saving and specific for either aerobic or anaerobic metabolism. E.g. if you just do your home trainer-sessions to keep your VO2 max at an acceptable level, then choose one of the aerobic programs. These programs look very simple, but that does not mean they are not good. In fact these intervals are based on a large amount of scientific research. The short version is: To increase or maintain your VO2 max it is optimal to train at a level close to your VO2 max. The recommendations are that you spend as much time as possible at your VO2 max in intervals and with active recovery. 
So now you can keep your training short in time and still reach your goals. All you need is a bottle of plain water. Have fun!
Indoor cycling programs
Aerobic power 1 (50 minutes)15 minutes - Warm up (increasing intensity)5 x (4min high intensity + 2min low intensity)5 minutes cool down
This program is designed to increase your maximum oxygen consumption. It gives you 20 minutes at a very high oxygen consumption, but it is not designed to be ridden to completely exhaustion. Your VO2 max will gain improvements even at a more comfortable pace. It is, however, still important to push yourself very hard during the intervals. In the resting periods you should maintain an intensity at about 60% of VO2 max.
Aerobic power 2 (49 minutes)15 minutes - warm up (increasing intensity)5 x (40 sec. very high intensity – 20 sec. low intensity)3 minutes recovery5 x (40 sec. very high intensity – 20 sec. low intensity)3 minutes recovery5 x (40 sec. very high intensity – 20 sec. low intensity)3 minutes recovery5 x (40 sec. very high intensity – 20 sec. low intensity)5 minutes cool down
This program is also designed to increase your maximum oxygen consumption. You work with a slightly higher intensity during the intervals than in the previous ‘Aerobic Power 1′ program. You will also gain increments in your anaerobic capacity. You can expect results after only a couple of training sessions. This program really rocks.
Anaerobic power 1 (50 minutes) 15 minutes - warm up (increasing intensity)5 x (60sec. maximum intensity + 6 min. recovery)
This program is designed to increase your anaerobic capacity. During the intervals the body is exposed to enormous amounts of anaerobic metabolits. After only a few of these sessions your body will be better to work at an anaerobic enviroment. This skill is primarily used in competitions, where jumps and sprints demand anaerobic efforts. This art of training is very exhausting and therefore it should primary be used for competition preparation