This is just a quick update on some of the things that I have recently found to be helpful for staying motivated to do longer rides indoors ~ on an Exercise Bike, Spin Bike or Bike Trainer.

I have written quite a bit below, in previous blog posts, on the benefit of various entertainment and monitoring options to help you stay motivated through out your indoor cycling workouts and these things are still very helpful. Specifically, listening to music, watching TV, reading (in some cases) or just monitoring your workout stats and maybe even competing with yourself (or with others if you have the more advanced console options to interact with the internet. See the Proform or NordicTrack bike reviews for more on this with the iFit technology).

Anything that can keep you entertained or distracted to some degree will probably help pass the time quicker (and allow you to do longer, less boring rides). I have also discovered a couple of very simple things to do for distraction and to allow me to pace myself more for longer rides.

One of the things that I have been using more lately is to simply coast a little. I used to consider this to totally be cheating since the goal is to get a workout and keep your heart-rate up. I found that when I never took a break I was getting worn out much quicker and just ended up not riding for as long.

So lately I’ve been taking a few short breaks during my workout (for some water, to change the tv channel or to check things on my iPhone, etc.). I am talking about very short breaks (like less than a minute) which is very natural and more like riding outdoors. My heart-rate does not usually even drop that much with a short break.

When you ride your outdoor bike there are always times when you get a break from pedalling and you get some free miles from coasting. On an indoor bike you don’t get this extra coasting time so it is really natural to take some short breaks occasionally and like I said, this actually helps me to ride much longer and farther in the long run.

And finally, this is just more of a mental thing, I like to think about my outdoor rides, when I am riding indoors and imagine myself at the mile markers that I remember from these rides.

For example, one of my usual rides outdoors is a 17 mile ride through Inverness and on the Paul Douglas Bike Trail. Since I have an odometer hooked to my bike (on the trainer) when I see that I have hit mile one, I imagine where I would be on my outdoor ride on mile one (and so on for the rest of the ride). If I know how long I intend to ride then I have to imagine my turn-around point and I can’t stop until I make it all the way back (right?). OK, I said it was a mental thing.

I know that these are just small things but I think that anything that helps to pass the time quicker, to entertain you and allow you to do longer or harder workouts is a good thing.

Now I’m imagining that “most interesting man in the world” beer commercial guy and instead of him saying “Stay Thirsty My Friend” he is working out indoors and saying “Stay Motivated My Friend“! 🙂