In this episode of the Critical Oxygen podcast, Coach Aaron Geiser and I discuss how to make indoor training fun. We acknowledge the boredom and monotony of indoor training, especially during the off-season, and share strategies to keep it engaging. We emphasize the importance of variation in cadence, elevation, power, and training modes to stimulate the mind and body. We also discuss the significance of monitoring heart rate and power during indoor training and the potential impact of heat accumulation and carbohydrate burning. Overall, we encourage athletes to find ways to stay mentally engaged and make the most of their indoor training sessions.

TAKEAWAYS
1) Varying cadence, elevation, power, and training modes can make indoor training more engaging and enjoyable.

2) Monitoring heart rate and power during indoor training helps athletes stay within their desired training zones and avoid overexertion.

3) Pushing the limits in shorter bouts of training can be beneficial for performance improvement, but caution should be exercised for longer training sessions. Communicate with your coach to understand the purpose of each workout and maximize its benefits.

4) Diversity is key in training to keep it fun and interesting.

5) Implement warm-up and cool-down routines in your indoor training sessions.

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CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction and the Boredom of Indoor Training
07:17 The Challenge of Indoor Training
13:03 Creating Variation in Indoor Training
22:02 Heat Accumulation and Carbohydrate Burning
26:24 Pushing the Limits in Training
27:51 Maximizing the Benefit of Workouts
32:34 Making Cycling Training Fun
37:03 The Value of Treadmill Training
42:01 Making Treadmill Training Enjoyable
46:37 Gait Retraining on the Treadmill
50:03 Implementing Warm-up and Cool-down in Indoor Training
51:58 Progressing and Varying Treadmill Workouts
53:19 Closing Remarks and Call to Action