Share your favorite treadmill and trainer workouts!

Mar 1, 15 12:56

Post #1 of 28 (4109 views)

The weather sucks here and does not appear to improving any time soon. I have been seeing some really nice gains on the trainer and the treadmill this winter. What are your favorite kick ass treadmill and trainer workouts? I'm pretty bored with the ones I've been using. Here's a couple simple ones.

60-Minute Trainer

Warm-up
10�15 min easy spin at 90+ RPM with 4�30-sec pick-ups mixed in
Main Set
This is a high-intensity session. Intervals are 4 minutes on with equal recovery. Don�t go into the interval too fast, instead you should be hitting the Zone 5 HR at or near the end of the interval.
Five times through:
4 min at upper Zone 5, 90+ RPM cadence. Recovery is 4 min easy spinning at 90�110 RPM.
Cool-down
10�15 min easy spin at 90+ RPM

Treadmill:
1 mile or 10 minute slow warmup
10 minutes @ Half-marathon pace
10 minutes @ 10-K race pace
10 minutes @ 5-K race pace
1 mile or 10 minute descending cooldown

Last edited by: crujones#33: Mar 1, 15 12:58

Re: Share your favorite treadmill and trainer workouts! [crujones#33] [ In reply to ]

Mar 1, 15 13:29

Post #2 of 28 (4075 views)

I'm in the same boat with terrible weather in upstate NY. I just did the treadmill session Brett Sutton posted in the last few weeks and thought it was great. It was a 60 minute run with warm up and cool down. Lots of button pushing but the time flew by.

2x[30 seconds at 2%, then 30 seconds rest]
2x[30 seconds at 4%, then 30 seconds rest]
2x[30 seconds at 0%, then 30 seconds rest]
Run six times with an extra 30 seconds rest between each set of six intervals.
Speed was at race pace for the entire workout.
Read more at http://triathlete-europe.competitor.com/...#WUHik6KuTUSC6WdC.99

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Instagram | Team Kiwami North America

Re: Share your favorite treadmill and trainer workouts! [crujones#33] [ In reply to ]

Mar 1, 15 14:34

Post #3 of 28 (4050 views)

Warm up 10 to 15'
3x
1/2 IM PACE

1' 8% 5' flat
2' 6% 5' flat
3' 4% 5' flat

10' cool down

Last edited by: Gil77: Mar 1, 15 14:37

Re: Share your favorite treadmill and trainer workouts! [crujones#33] [ In reply to ]

Mar 1, 15 14:43

Post #4 of 28 (4042 views)

I hate the treadmill. If I do it, it is going to be short and I am going to suffer. Here is my favorite:

1/2 mile steady (zone 2)
1/4 mile 5 K race pace
1/4 mile near best 1 mile pace
1/4 slightly faster than best mile pace
1/4 mile hang on for dear life

Done....

Nothing to do with triathlon but I like this one. Given to me by a colleague who is an elite warrior.

With heavy ruck on your back (heavy is relative but some are using 80lbs or more), walk at 4 - 4.5 mph.
start at 0 % grade. Increase by 1% grade every minute to 10%, then go back down decreasing 1% every minute. 20 minutes total. If it was easy, you need more weight in your ruck.

For the bike trainer I liked the standard 2 X 20 at FTP+. What I liked best was the mental toughness part of it. It is mentally easier to hang on for 5 minute intervals but 20 minutes is a long time.

Simplify, Train, Live

Re: Share your favorite treadmill and trainer workouts! [crujones#33] [ In reply to ]

Mar 1, 15 14:52

Post #5 of 28 (4030 views)

Dead serious answer. I'm sharing my indoor workouts:

Do it for 10 minutes. Get bored to death. Step off them and go outside to finish the workout. That's IF I start indoors in the first place. It's been months since I trained indoors. I don't know how you guys do it.

Re: Share your favorite treadmill and trainer workouts! [Sbradley11] [ In reply to ]

Mar 1, 15 17:17

Post #6 of 28 (3976 views)

What do you do during the rest period? Slow jog? Complete rest? Sounds like a fun and challenging workout.

Re: Share your favorite treadmill and trainer workouts! [aries33] [ In reply to ]

Mar 1, 15 17:44

Post #7 of 28 (3945 views)

I just slowed down the pace to an easy jog on the rests.

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Instagram | Team Kiwami North America

Re: Share your favorite treadmill and trainer workouts! [Sbradley11] [ In reply to ]

Mar 3, 15 15:51

Post #8 of 28 (3762 views)

Thank you for sharing this, I ran it today and it was a fun/challenging workout.

Re: Share your favorite treadmill and trainer workouts! [aries33] [ In reply to ]

Mar 3, 15 16:45

Post #9 of 28 (3745 views)

aries33 wrote:

What do you do during the rest period? Slow jog? Complete rest?

I've always wondered about this during run intervals. Am I doing a disservice to myself if I walk as opposed to jog? Is it better to slow the intervals down a touch so that I can jog the recoveries? Or is there not much difference btw jogging and walking the rest intervals?

Re: Share your favorite treadmill and trainer workouts! [Kentucky Mac] [ In reply to ]

Mar 3, 15 17:11

Post #10 of 28 (3733 views)

Today when I tried it, I reduced the speed what I run my recovery runs at during the rests. My general rule of thumb based on what I've read is that the shorter the rest period, the easier you should go.. Since the intervals were only 30s long but pretty intense (flat intervals my heart rate never went above threshold rate, incline I managed to go over by 5-6 beats per minute) I didn't feel the need to walk to gain back enough energy to hit the next interval.

Re: Share your favorite treadmill and trainer workouts! [crujones#33] [ In reply to ]

Mar 3, 15 17:19

Post #11 of 28 (3726 views)

10 degree incline
10 mph
1 min on
1 min off

Let me know if you can complete 10 on/offs. Makes me nauseous just thinking about it.

---------------
It's not about what you've done, it's about what you're doing!
@trecca17

Re: Share your favorite treadmill and trainer workouts! [aries33] [ In reply to ]

Mar 3, 15 17:31

Post #12 of 28 (3718 views)

You bet. I actually did it again today too. I saw that he mentioned you can do it twice every 7-10 days so I think it will be a pretty consistent go to for me.

_____________________________________________________
Instagram | Team Kiwami North America

Re: Share your favorite treadmill and trainer workouts! [crujones#33] [ In reply to ]

Mar 4, 15 6:51

Post #13 of 28 (3636 views)

Here is the one I use as my maintenance set. All pacing is done using percentages of 10k race pace.

[WARM UP � 9 MINS]
4 MINS EASY JOG(70%)
4 X 30 SEC HARD EFFORT(100%) / 60 SEC EASY(70%)

[MAIN SET - 21 MINS]
5 X 3 MINS PYRAMID ASCEND 3-6% GRADE (70%)
1.5 MIN EASY 2% GRADE IN BETWEEN SET (60%)

[COOL DOWN � 5 MINS]
EASY JOG 0% GRADE (60%)

------
"Train so you have no regrets @ the finish line"

Last edited by: cshowe80: Mar 4, 15 6:52

Re: Share your favorite treadmill and trainer workouts! [crujones#33] [ In reply to ]

Mar 4, 15 7:22

Post #14 of 28 (3620 views)

Bike: any sufferfest workouts on Trainer Road...they're really difficult, and if you buy the videos it can be really fun

Run: 20-40' tempo run or fartlek runs where you run really fast (faster than race pace) for just a few minutes, and then really slow (slower than race pace) for another few minutes

Combine these each week, and winter training will be very productive with little time invested

Re: Share your favorite treadmill and trainer workouts! [crujones#33] [ In reply to ]

Mar 4, 15 7:28

Post #15 of 28 (3613 views)

We've typically used sufferfest vids for the bike trainer, but sometimes on the treadmill we try this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZM6vEl4z6s

Works great ! ;^)

Advanced Aero TopTube Storage for Road, Gravel, & Tri...ZeroSlip & Direct-mount, made in the USA.
DarkSpeedWorks.com.....Reviews.....Insta.....Facebook
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Re: Share your favorite treadmill and trainer workouts! [crujones#33] [ In reply to ]

Mar 4, 15 7:33

Post #16 of 28 (3611 views)

I haven't done this tready workout in roughly 6 years but it's permanently etched in my brain. I'd hardly say it was my favorite...just hard.

10mins w/u @ 2%
2mins @ 3%
2mins @ 4%
2mins @ 5%
2mins @ 6%
2mins @ 7%
2mins @ 8%
2mins @ 9%
2mins @ 10%
2mins @ 11%
2mins @ 12 %
10mins c/d

40mins total...all done at the same speed. Plug it in and go. I think my fastest was something like 7:50 pace when I was in 2:40 marathon shape. Last four minutes of pitch was brutal.

_________________________________
Steve Johnson
DARK HORSE TRIATHLON |

Re: Share your favorite treadmill and trainer workouts! [darkhorsetri] [ In reply to ]

Mar 4, 15 9:50

Post #17 of 28 (3576 views)

I don't really have a favorite, I just do what I have to do. Today was an EZ1:30, yesterday was EZ20, HARD20, EZ20 minutes. I like those, but I also really like the shorter rep workouts too!

---
KyleKranz.com
Win a pair of SKORA Running Shoes!

Re: Share your favorite treadmill and trainer workouts! [crujones#33] [ In reply to ]

Mar 4, 15 10:04

Post #18 of 28 (3563 views)

When I'm in good shape, I really like the:

2 x 20' at FTP or running equivalent.
8 x 5' at 5k pace.

I'll admit I don't do these more than 1x/wk since they're so hard!

Re: Share your favorite treadmill and trainer workouts! [crujones#33] [ In reply to ]

Mar 4, 15 10:14

Post #19 of 28 (3554 views)

I like round numbers for treadmill workouts, either time or mileage. So:

WU I mi; 4x.75mi @ goal open 5K race pace with .25 rest intervals jogging; CD 1 mi.

Also fun and one where you don't have to keep track of a lot is to start very slow at 6.0 mph and add .1 mph every minute until you can't do it anymore (have to be realistic about safety at the top end).

Re: Share your favorite treadmill and trainer workouts! [Dilbert] [ In reply to ]

Mar 4, 15 12:03

Post #20 of 28 (3533 views)

Dilbert wrote:

Dead serious answer. I'm sharing my indoor workouts:

Do it for 10 minutes. Get bored to death. Step off them and go outside to finish the workout. That's IF I start indoors in the first place. It's been months since I trained indoors. I don't know how you guys do it.

I hate "this", but this ^, except skip the inside bit. If I didn't have to ride the trainer due to winter I wouldn't. All running done outside. An easy trainer workout that doesn't require a watch: Warmup at beginning of your favorite (cable) TV show, stand and "climb" at every commercial set. Add following shows as needed. For more punishment up the gear after every commercial set.

Re: Share your favorite treadmill and trainer workouts! [crujones#33] [ In reply to ]

Mar 4, 15 13:18

Post #21 of 28 (3510 views)

Long run.

20min EASY
90min building 1mph every 30
10min easy

Forgot to mention, if it wasn't for Soundcloud trance sets (Ferry Corsten!) I'm not sure I'd get through my sessions....

Last edited by: NordicSkier: Mar 4, 15 15:00

Re: Share your favorite treadmill and trainer workouts! [crujones#33] [ In reply to ]

Mar 4, 15 13:43

Post #22 of 28 (3501 views)

still too much snow / ice for me to run outside. this year, I've been creative (compared to previous season, at least) with my treadmill workouts. I think fiddling with the incline / speed every few minutes helps alleviate the monotony. I've been doing variations of these lately:

10 minute warmup
5 x (5 min tempo, 3 x 1 min at tempo + 1mph with 1 min rest between)

and

15 minute warmup
3 x (10 minutes at 5%, 5 minutes at 0%) at sub-tempo pace

and

2-3 mile warmup
0.25 mile incline / 0.25 mile flat, 2-3-4-5 %
1 mile tempo
0.5 mile incline / 0.5 mile flat, 2-3-4-5 %
1 mile tempo +

king of the road says you move too slow
KING OF THE ROAD SAYS YOU MOVE TOO SLOW

Re: Share your favorite treadmill and trainer workouts! [crujones#33] [ In reply to ]

Mar 4, 15 15:06

Post #23 of 28 (3480 views)

My coach Eric Kenney just had me do this one for the first time today and I really liked it. The focus is on getting your body to recover from harder (~100%FTP) efforts while still working relatively hard, rather than soft-pedaling. Then going hard again.

good warmup.
3' Z4
5' Z2
3' Z4
4' Z2
3' Z4
3' Z2
3' Z4
2' Z2
3' Z4
1' Z2
Then same thing, but replace all the Z2's with Z3
3' Z4
5' Z3
3' Z4
4' Z3
3' Z4
3' Z3
3' Z4
2' Z3
3' Z4
1' Z3
cool-down

http://tpks.ws/YDpr

-------------
Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
Instagram • Facebook

Re: Share your favorite treadmill and trainer workouts! [crujones#33] [ In reply to ]

Mar 4, 15 15:30

Post #24 of 28 (3474 views)

I usually do one of these per week depending on what I'm training for.

Treadmill #1
warm up
3x 2 miles at half marathon pace - 15 seconds; 3 minutes walking
cool down

Treadmill #2
warm up
4x 1 mile at 10k pace - 15 seconds; 3 minutes walking
cool down

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Re: Share your favorite treadmill and trainer workouts! [santino314] [ In reply to ]

Mar 5, 15 9:15

Post #25 of 28 (3400 views)

for the TM I'm loving the podrunner app for sound enjoyment, set a high cadence and go. I like the TM to develop leg speed so I usually just set at 1% and leave the incline alone.

10' w/u
20' at HalfMary pace, not exciting but hard and the music keeps the cadence going
5' easy
20' Halfmary pace again
10 c/d

Last long set was at the gym, 60' at goal pace watching a basketball game. Every commercial I'd alternate going uphill or downhill, so increase the incline from 1% to 4% until the game comes back on for an uphill, or down to 0% for a downhill. Hard part was not falling on my face

Brian
“Eat and Drink, spin the legs and you’re going to effin push (today).” A Howe

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