For the last three years, I've mostly been working out at home. For a while, I continued going to a commercial gym as well but, eventually, I made the commitment to stop paying for a gym membership that I didn't need and started working out exclusively at home. When I used to go to a commercial gym and I wanted a really good cardio workout, I could think of nothing better than the Concept 2 rowing machine.
Once I started training at home, however, I soon realised that a rowing machine was outside of my budget. At first, I was disappointed but I soon learned that there were a variety of other options that would give me the cardio challenge that I needed.
Turbo training
One of the easiest ways to do cardio at home is to use a turbo trainer. A turbo trainer is a simple device that converts your bicycle into an exercise bike. Essentially, it is a small frame that supports the rear wheel off the ground, so that when you pedal, the rear wheel rotates against a small, rolling platform that provides resistance.
So if you have a bicycle but can't ride it outdoors (e.g. you live in the middle of a city or the weather is cold or rainy), a turbo trainer is a modest investment that can give you the cardio fix that you need.
Choosing a turbo trainer
If you decide to use a turbo trainer for cardio at home, bear in mind that there are different types:
Wind resistance: these use a fan to create drag but have become less common in recent years as they are quite noisy.
Magnetic resistance: these are generally quite cheap and are good for adjustability. A number of resistance levels are possible.
Fluid resistance: the resistance of these increases naturally with speed, which makes them most like outdoor riding and therefore the most popular with competitive cyclists.
Whichever you decide to go for, ensure that it has the features that you want. If you're the sort of person who really gets into their average speed and monitors their improvements every week, make sure that the one you choose has these facilities. There are machines to suit every budget and temperament.
Making use of your turbo trainer
OK, so you've got yourself a shiny new turbo trainer and you've fitted it to your bike. Now's the time to check off the following points:
Make sure that your turbo trainer is securely fixed to your bicycle before you start pedalling. It sounds like a funny idea to find yourself riding at full speed down the hall when the back wheel unclips from the turbo trainer. It isn't.
Set up in a cool room, like a garage or basement. You will find that when you're cycling outside you are accustomed to a cooling breeze from the wind resistance. You will find that you get quite hot unless the room is cold to begin with or you set up a fan to blow air into your face while you ride.
Put a towel or mat underneath your bicycle before you ride. You will find that you sweat quite extensively and there is nothing pleasant leaving about sweat patches in the carpet if it's a room you use for anything else.
You can buy small block lifts for the front wheel of your bicycle to bring it up to the same level as the rear wheel, which is encapsulated in the turbo trainer. If you can't find one or don't want to shell out anymore than is absolutely necessary, a pile of books will do. If you don't elevate the front wheel, you will have the strange sensation that you are cycling downhill all the time.
Riding using a turbo trainer is a different feeling from both an exercise bike and your own bicycle out on the road. Because you won't move around quite so much, the saddle will start to feel uncomfortable. Start with short sessions and build up slowly.
Bring your own entertainment to stop yourself going mad with boredom. There are tales of professional cyclists who watched the entire Star Wars trilogy on DVD while on a turbo trainer. At the very least, you'll want some music or the radio and setting up in front of the TV is no bad idea. If you have a music or book stand, you can even catch up on some light reading.
Lots of options
I hope this short article has gone a little way towards showing you how a turbo trainer can be used to do cardio or aerobic training at home.
