Can anyone point me towards some good examples of interval training or similar on a mag trainer.I've spent hours trolling the internet and just can't find anything.I've got my bike set up a mag trainer and want to maintain some training and fitness while I recover from an injury.I am looking for long intervals as well because I need to maintain for marathon and beyond.

Many thanks

Hi Hermie,

I believe I got this from the army triathlon website several years ago, but if I've incorrectly acknowledged the source, my apologies:
Click to view attachment

You may wish to format it - I made it plain text to keep the file small.

Hope this helps and hope your injury heals quickly (and selfishly hoping that I can be back on the bike soon too).

Hi Hermie,

I got a couple of DVDs from this mob:
www.spinervals.com.au

They are about 60 mins. and really work you hard. There are several different training sessions for different purposes, and I find it easier to stay focussed when I have "Coach Troy" yell at me rather than watch TV or listening to music during my spinning sessions.

I don't know how much fitness transfers across to running, though, it does not seem to give equivalent benefits to my running. Does anybody know if there is rule of thumb for the effects of bike intervals and bike endurance training on running if you only do bike sessions for a time and then switch to running?

Yep - spinervals DVDs are the go. They work you sooo hard - mine are only 30min but they always leave me feeling like vomiting. We have one rated 9.5 which neither myself or NTR have ever finished

Those DVDs are available at Anaconda (at least, they are at Everton Park and Logan)

When I started running I had a great fitness and endurance base because of all the work I'd done on the bike. Has given me strong legs and a lot of people recommend it for helping with hills.

another vote for Spinervals. And if my training mates are any indication, the Coach Troy Fan Club has lots of Aussie members.

The sessions range from moderately hard to seriously hard. Some are short (30min), while others can be up to 3 hours(!). Depending on what sort of session you're after (base aerobic build .v. massively hard big gearing shockers) you can sort through the descriptions on each DVD title from the official website. Lots of on-line bike stores sell them.

(... and if you're sneaky and unscrupulous you can probably find a few on the torrents ...)

The other thing about the spinervals site is that they have a free text based weekly workout session that tells you how long/how many reps/what gear/etc. This is this weeks workout:

Warm up 5 minutes easy
3x30 sec 53x15 @ 30 sr (Seconds Rest = easy spin)
2 minute easy spin
15 killer minute repeats (110% hard effort!)
1 min hard (alternate between 53x12 and 53x15 during the minute) then
1 min very easy spin to recovery
Off bike, 2 x 2 min wall sit with 20 sr between sits
3 x 15 vertical jumps with 20 sr between sets of 15
On bike, 2 min easy spin
10 x 30 sec tempo 53x14 (time trial effort) @ 1 min easy spin
cooldown 5-10 minutes

This weeks is found here. It changes every week so gives some good variation and costs nothing!!!

Jimmy

I put my vote in for Spinervals too.

Coach Troy is great for rainy days.

Be prepared to sweat a lot

Thanks Tank and the rest of you.These spin sessions are fairly high intensive.Tried out the first on Tank Girl's sessions and they are full on.Not sure how they can relate to a long slow run towards marathon fitness.Not sure I could spend several hours on a stationery bike either.Need to get out there and also work on toughening up the sitting bones.They hurt.

Going for an eight hour fast walk tomorrow.Ouch!

Sorry to hear of the injury Hermie, no doubt you'll work through it.

the stationary bike is growing on me actually. especially as (1) more upbeat alternative to an easy run or short recovery run but same sort of benefits (2) fits with my wife wanting to go for a run or gym while i look after kids (3) strength training (4) can have music on, whereas you can't on the road (4) it's continuous effort unlike road rides with stoppages so you get better value in shorter time.

recently procured 2 Spinervals from kind CR friend and getting used to Coach Troy. Did the 11.0 "Big Gear Strength" a few weeks ago and completed it but i think it's what gave my the hammie injury i now have... getting off the bike and doing lunges in the middle of one leg reps on the big chain/12/max resistance was a bit much for me skinny legs....but loving it.

i've re-discovered the "music while you train" thing too and done a few of my own little programs on the i-pod with warmup songs, then faster stuff and cool down etc. passes the time well.

spinning away pre-dawn, no one around, ipod on loud, facing east (towards Annerley Hermie) on the back deck waiting as the sun comes up over the neighbours roof, this time of year is pretty special. no idea if i'm getting fitter but it's bloody cathartic anyway ...in fact got one booked for tomorrow a.m.

Big Spinervals vote here. Look for:

Mental Toughness 1.5hr
Aerobic Base Builder 1.5hr
Have Mercy 2hr
Tough Love 3hr

Cheers,

Danny

serious Danny? is that how long they go? wow... which ring/gears/resistance and strucutre of the session for those?

(feeling soft suddenly)

good mix there in Danny's lot actually. And Hermie could probably benefit from the Aerobic Base Builder for example. That would probably have the best cross-training benefit for runners as it's only at moderate intensity compared to the others (and designed to build up aerobic capacity at the start of your cycling season).

have mercy and tough love don't require a lot of explanation ...