By Robbie Ventura | VisionQuest Coaching
The weather is starting to turn, the days are getting shorter, and that means one thing for a lot of VQ athletes: it’s time to start riding indoors again!
I love indoor training. When done correctly, it’s one of the most efficient ways to improve your fitness. But every fall, I see the same mistake.
Athletes come indoors and immediately try to blow their brains out!
They jump into their first few classes, use the same FTP they were riding outdoors, chase every interval, and try to set records in November.
My advice?
Start easier than you want.
Indoor Riding Is Different
Even if you’ve been riding consistently outdoors all summer, indoor training places different demands on your body.
There are fewer opportunities to coast, less natural variation in your position, different cooling conditions, and often a more constant demand on your muscles.
That means the FTP you were using outdoors may not be the right starting point indoors.
For many athletes, indoor FTP can be around 5% lower than outdoor FTP, although that varies depending on cooling, equipment, experience, and the individual.
My personal recommendation is to lower your indoor FTP by approximately 10% for the first four weeks.
Yes, 10%!
If your outdoor FTP is 250 watts, start your indoor season with an FTP setting of around 225 watts.
That doesn’t mean you’ve lost 25 watts of fitness. It means you’re giving yourself an opportunity to adapt to the indoor environment without digging a hole.
The First 5–10 Rides Are About Adaptation
I want athletes to use their first several indoor rides to get comfortable with the experience.
Learn how to ride smoothly on the trainer. Get used to the intervals. Practice your cadence, breathing, pacing, and positioning. Figure out your cooling, hydration, and fueling.
Most importantly, finish your workouts feeling like you could have done a little more.
After five to ten indoor rides, if you’re feeling strong and recovering well, you can gradually start bringing your FTP setting back up.
Remember, your FTP setting is a tool to help prescribe training. It’s not a badge of honor!
You Don’t Need to Crush Every Class
Another big mistake is thinking that every indoor workout needs to be hard.
At VQ, you always have the option to ride Zone 2 on a course instead of following the prescribed intervals.
If you’re tired, stressed, recovering from a hard session, or simply don’t need another intense day, you can still come to class, enjoy the community, learn from the instructor, and get exactly the workout your body needs.
That’s smart training.
My Advice for the First Month
Start with one hard weekday workout and, if you’re recovering well, one harder weekend workout. Keep the rest of your training primarily aerobic.
Lower your FTP setting, focus on developing your indoor riding skills, and gradually increase the intensity as your body adapts.
You’ll have plenty of opportunities to work hard this winter. There’s no prize for being the fittest athlete in the room during the first week of November.
The goal isn’t to win your first indoor workout. The goal is to be a better cyclist when you head back outdoors in the spring.
Ease into the indoor season. Your body and your brain will thank you!
Ciao,
Robbie
