For many cyclists, training on the roller trainer is a means to an end. But the time of monotony is over. Today you can not only train extremely time-efficiently at home on the braked roller trainer - you can also have fun, be entertained, see streets, forests and mountains, ride with and against others. Because in winter, the time comes for every athlete when street training can be extended or even completely replaced by roller training.

Roller training as enrichment

Through: training at home - through roller training. Because even if road training will always remain the reality and is therefore irreplaceable for most, the following applies: Efficient roller training can enrich any training plan. And makes life easier. Then, when it gets dark early, when it's cold, wet, slippery outside. When you have little time and don't want to spend ten minutes dressing and undressing on the onion principle.

Long basic endurance units are easier to complete on the road than on the roller in the basement at home, even in winter, with the right clothing in bright light and good road conditions. But winter training outdoors always involves risks.

Increased risk of injury in cold conditions

When temperatures are around freezing, you put your body under a lot of stress during exercise. When exercising, you have to breathe deeply; cold air flows through the respiratory tract for hours and can irritate it. The risk of infection can increase accordingly.

The risk of injury is also increased in cold weather. Muscles receive less blood flow at low temperatures. As a result, the tendon-ligament apparatus and the muscles themselves are significantly less elastic. This can lead to tendon irritation or, in the worst case, torn muscle fibers. When the outside temperature is less than five degrees, you should therefore no longer train intensively. Then it is better to ride only in the basic range.

Roller training: Advantage roller

This is probably the biggest advantage of roller training: At room temperature with an open window or with a fan, intensive interval training can be completed even in winter - without the risk of hypothermia.

For long endurance units, roller training is less suitable. This is because the sitting position is maintained for a long time on the roller trainer without many changes. The one-sided load can lead to joint or seat problems in the long run. Due to the increased body core temperature and the accompanying heavy sweating, there is also a risk of dehydration during long roller units.

Strong psyche and effectiveness through roller training

One particular challenge of roller training that can make you stronger is the psychological one: many riders have to get over themselves to do roller training, and they find long sessions particularly monotonous. Until a few years ago, television and music provided entertainment.

In the meantime, the offer has become more attractive - it can significantly increase the motivation for roller training and enrich the training.

Roller training: less time required than on the road

Effective roller training succeeds with less time investment than an equally demanding workout on the road - and is usually more efficient. This is because you have to pedal constantly on the roller. "Junk" or "trash miles", i.e. "empty kilometers" without training effect, can be avoided: those training periods in which you roll or pedal only with minimal power.

Depending on the training content, these trash miles can take up between five and 25 percent of the training time during road training.

Training conditions for roller training

1. place the roller trainer on a mat. This greatly reduces the otherwise sometimes high noise level and protects the floor from scratches and sweat.

2. protect the racing bike from aggressive sweat: Put sweat catcher or towel over stem and top tube.

3. without airstream, the body produces much more heat, you sweat much more. So: place a fan in front of the bike. In addition, you should ventilate well before the workout to lower the room temperature significantly.

4. the loss of fluids can be very high due to sweating. Therefore, you should drink enough, at least 0.5 liters of water (with salt) per hour.

5. be careful with the intensity ranges: You often sweat more on the roller, and your muscles are used differently. Who orients itself at Watt values, which should pedal in each case approximately with five to ten per cent less achievement.

6 Television and music provide distraction. Classics are winter sports broadcasts or repeats of major cycling races. Modern and popular: use training software to watch videos of popular routes or ride through virtual worlds, also networked in groups with others. Or against them.

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