Indoor Cycling 2.0 is about POWER
Let”™s start with the basics: What is Power, and Why Should I Care?
What is Power?
In cycling, (indoors or out) it is simply the product or combination of the torque applied to the crank arm, and the RPM or cadence of rotation; think resistance and cadence combined. It is measured in Watts, as the product is indeed energy, and it is manifested as speed — the more power you apply, the faster you will make the bike go.
Therefore, you can increase your power if you can either apply more force or if you can increase your cadence. Both of these factors will have their limits, and these limits will vary when you are on different terrain, and they will vary from one individual to another (just like your heart rates).
Now, knowing what power is, think about the indoor stationary bike. Unless it is one of the newer ones (like the Keiser M3 that we use at Global Ride), you will not know what resistance or “force” you are applying. Even if you have a computer that tells you your RPM and heart rate, you still won”™t know your power unless you could know the force being applied. In most cases, you only have the little red knob available to vary your resistance, which has no indicators for feedback.
Consequently, you will rely on “feel” to know how much resistance you are applying. When we switched from the spinners to the Keiser bikes, it became quite obvious to each rider how their sense of “feel” was. Those that knew what real resistance felt like, were able to handle higher gears right from the first day on the new bikes. Others however, couldn”™t believe the differences between their comfort gears and those of others.
Why Should I Care About Power?
If I don”™t ride outside, and I”™m only here for a good workout, then why should I care if my bike has power? Isn”™t just one more stupid toy for the techno geeks? While data geeks will love it straight away, anyone who is interested in not wasting their time can find a reason to train with power also:
1. Power Training will increase muscular strength.
With no gear indicators on most indoor bikes, you do not have assurance that you are stressing your leg muscles. I often call my strength classes “leg day in the gym”, this time though, we are using an indoor bike instead of leg machines. Would you go to your leg press machine and close your eyes and pick a weight stack? Would you ask someone to hand you a long bar with “surprise” weights for squats? Sounds silly, but with no gear or consistent resistance indicator, and the variability from one bike to the next, that is basically what you are doing.
2. Power Training will improve the toning of your leg muscles.
If you want better looking legs - and what guy doesn”™t 🙂 - you want to tone those muscles, not bulk them up. Strengthening them while in motion will deliver those results, not leg presses and squats. That type of weight training will produce bulk; not the smooth, longer toning effect most of the ladies like (and men who watch the ladies, like).
3. Power Training will improve your cardiovascular fitness as a natural by-product of focused training at higher intensities.
We often speak of Power Training and Heart Rate Training as if they are completely separate. In many ways they are, but the body remains an integrated unit; an organic “machine” where the systems commingle and complement, not compete. Generally if you train one, you improve the other, just not as specifically or as dramatically.
4. Power Training will help prevent “plateaus” in fitness development or weight loss.
This probably should have been listed #1. But if I did that, you might not have read the rest of these reasons. Just because you sweat and get tired after a workout, does not mean you are getting fitter or losing weight. Is it a waste? No, I”™m not saying that. However, your body is incredibly smart. It will not work harder than it needs to. It is possible to workout the same way, every day, and feel good while you are doing it, but the results end up in the realm of maintaining, not gaining. Without an indication of resistance, even though you think you are “turning it up”, in many instances you are not, especially since most bikes that are chain driven will vary in the resistance they apply with the same degree of turn. Without a progressive increase of resistance or “gearing”, your body will soon get accustomed to the resistance you apply, and once again, no adaptation will occur. No stress, no adaptation. No adaptation, no change.
5. Power Training will add variety and motivation to your existing workout routine.
When newbies decide to start “working out” or wanting to get serious about training, I”™m often asked how much should they train. My answer is simple, if not direct. It”™s about consistency, not volume. Finding a way to eventually do this (running, riding, working out) 5 or 6 days per week will make fitness a part of your life, instead of one more “to do” that you check off the list. Nothing will kill consistency quicker however, than boredom. Your workouts need to be challenging, motivating and yes, even entertaining where possible. You need to look forward to training, and variety is one of the key components to keep this whole process fresh, challenging and engaging.
6. Power Training will make me a better runner
While I”™m not a runner, I”™m going to throw this out there and see if anyone can find fault with the logic. We often find runners as regulars in our cycling classes because of how good it is for their cardio fitness. They report how they can go longer, with more ease after a winter of indoor cycling. However, until the power bikes, we didn”™t have a distinct and measurable way to improve their leg strength. With power, they can begin their winter training at an established power level, and begin a plan of increasing that to a higher level by the time they start running outside again in the spring.
Power is a product of force and pedal speed in cycling. To become a faster cyclist you must increase your ability to handle higher gears (more force) or use higher cadences at the same gears. For running, Power might be measured as they measure power in weight lifting, by the speed of muscle contractions for the same weight (in the runner”™s case, it would be one”™s own body weight). A more powerful runner should have leg muscles that can contract faster under the same weight, thus producing a faster pace, or more speed. When you run outside, you can”™t really vary the resistance against your legs. Gravity and your weight is constant (when on the flats). On a power bike, you can steadily increase your ability to handle higher gears or resistance levels, thus improving power.
So, if you”™re trying to sell the concept of power bikes to your facility owners or managers, don”™t forget about the reasons why the non-cyclists will have something to gain. In fact, if you can think of other non-cycling rationale, please leave the comments here, and we can all add more ammunition to our war against small thinking.