It’s possible to do sport in winter!

Okay, it’s winter, when we feel less inclined to do any sport. It’s cold, it gets dark early and we’re more likely to leave the bike in the garage. But there are a number of ways you can continue to train in the winter. In this article we talk about different ways to ride a bike in the winter, and how to use your own bike on the Home Trainer. But the real question is: “Do you prefer doing indoor sport alone or with friends?” New technology has pushed the indoor cycling into another dimension. And depending on your available free time and inclination, you can ride with fellow-minded souls in the comfort of your home!

If you prefer to ride alone and find it difficult to set aside time after work, then the elliptical bike is the one for you. With just 30 minutes of daily exercise, it’s a great way to lose weight. This bike uses about 80% of your muscles: thighs, glutes and calves, plus arms, shoulders and pecs also get a work out. A fixed posture allows you to also build your core. There are all kinds of Home Trainers at different price points with different training modes.

New companies now offer cycling with other groups on a Home Trainer. Zwift via www.cycleops.com/">CycleOps or Tacx, projects you into a virtual world racing other competitors. Use your own bike to exercise from home, connected to a Home Trainer and the internet, and challenge thousands of cyclists from around the world. Bkool is another similar virtual concept!

If you’re more motivated to train with an actual group of people, then head to your nearest sports’ centre for a spinning class. Indoor cycling has become a “real” sport in USA. Typically, these classes are held in halls with instructors to motivate you if you don’t want to do it alone. Aqua biking is also becoming more popular and is possibly a more fun way to rediscover cycling for those who love the water. In general, aqua biking is used for rehabilitation of injuries, is very beneficial for the body and now has its place as a sport.

When taking part in indoor sport, start by warming up for about ten minutes, and remember to hydrate regularly and stretch after exercise. The long sessions on the Home Trainer can be exhausting because the body remains in a fixed position and you tend to perspire more.

Always wear appropriate clothing. Choose bib-shortwith a comfortable chamois, a breathable base layer to mop up the sweat. A headband might also be useful for keeping the sweat out of your eyes. Finally, in a spinning class, like riding outside, a comfortable pair of gloves is fundamental.

All these devices allow you to train both at the cardiac and muscular levels. This gives you the opportunity to continue your sport even during a difficult winter period. These training sessions are necessary to maintain a good physical condition and to perfect your winter preparation in combination with another sport which is easy to practice during the winter, such as running or swimming. Cross-country skiing for those living in or near the mountains is a very complementary sport for cyclists and endurance athletes.

If you have the opportunity to avoid the winter months, like the professional riders, you can train in the tropics, in the warmer regions of the globe!