I'd recommend them for sure. I have the time trial and rest/recovery tapes. They both used to kick the shit out of me. I have done the TT tape a lot more, and just yesterday I tried the RR for the first time since last winter. It was a piece of cake compared to before, and was perfect for recovery. Lots of spinning in low gears and one leg drills, while being shorter and incorporating more rest than the other videos. I'm definitely going to incorporate it more now. The TT tape really kills me everytime I do it. It has tempo ladders that keep me right around my anaerobic threshold from 5 to 1 minutes, superspins, one-leg drill work, etc.

I gave these two to a buddy of mine to use. He uses his trainer a lot more than me, and I guess he used these everyweek during the season doing them individually and sometimes doubling them up. He had some impressive times on the bike this year. I put in more miles than he does, but he still had faster splits than me in every race we did (and we're fairly equal talent wise on the bike).

If you want a cheaper way to go, just go to the spinervals website and get the workout of the week. Looking over them, they are similar in format to the videos that I have (more like the TT special than the RR), and descriptions I've heard of the other videos.

The videos are nice since you don't have to think about what to do, Troy just states the gear ratio and you go. Nice, simple, and super painful. I'm hoping to get a couple more for x-mas.

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"What the mind can conceive and believe, the mind and body can achieve; and those who stay will be champions."

Suffer-o-rama is a good one also.

I like watching them more than watching tv.

I'll highly recommend them. They are a low cost alternative to a Computrainer, very low-tech, and especially great for the winter. Plus they are also available on DVD, and very easy to 'zone' into with a lot of variety. I personally like the "Uphill Grind" (climbing-specific), "Suffer-O-Rama", "Mental Toughness", and "Recovery & Technique", but the new "Time Trial" and is on my Christmas list.

They're all difficult in their own way, which is why we like them!



Keith

Thank You I think I'll try a few of them.

Jack, maybe I'll is you at the races next season. I'm also in SE Michigan.

In that case I take back everything I said. What works for me is drinking lots of beer and eating lots of donuts. Stay away from the spinervals tapes at all costs. Stay away from running, swimming, and cycling as this will cause you a heart attack.


Actually, I don't know how much racing I'll be doing next year. I was diagnosed with a stress fracture in the middle of september. I tried running after six weeks, and the pain was still there. So, I'm off until another couple of days until I start trying to walk a mile or two to see if it hurts. I've had serious problems with my lower leg for years now, which sucks cause I was somewhat accomplished as a runner in high school (at least by triathlon standards). Now I'm left to MOP on the swim, FOP on the bike, and MOP-BOP on the run, instead of it being my strength. Just when my run times were starting to get respectable I got this stress fracture. Absolutely frustrating.

What races do you participate in around Michigan?

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"What the mind can conceive and believe, the mind and body can achieve; and those who stay will be champions."

Jack, I feel for you on the stress fracture. I went through it in 2002, it screwed the whole season. Not that I'm any good, just a MOPer. My Doc made me stay off (running) it for 12 weeks. It was April-May-June for me. I used the time to improve my swimming. I moved from BOP to MOP. Don't rush it or you'll end up in a cast. mine seems to be ok, but I start to panic with every twinge in my lower shin. I also take a calcium pill with my vitamin.

Last year I raced (participated) at Doobie Doo, Nankin Mills, Maumee Bay, Johan trifest, Muncie (my "A" race), Great Lakes, Sylvania and Niles. Thats the most I ever done in a season, but I felt good so I kept racing. Before last year I was a Clydesdale.

Take Cake

jack