In a previous edition of the WPH Wednesday Workout (HERE), we discussed the importance of anaerobic training for handball conditioning. On this week’s WPH Wednesday Workout, we’ll examine how you can use your road bike or a stationary bike to build your anaerobic conditioning to help you recover more quickly after long rallies, while discussing overall health benefits anaerobic bike training provides.
Healthline (HERE) defines anaerobic training as fast-paced workouts like sprinting, HIT training, jumping rope, and interval training that prompts your body to demand more energy than your aerobic system can produce. The anaerobic system relies on energy sources stored in your muscles.
How can you incorporate anaerobic training with a bike?
The Exercises
According to Cyklopedia (HERE), anaerobic training is an extremely challenging zone, which can be maintained for around three minutes.
Anaerobic Bike Training exercises:
- Short uphill sprints
- Half-mile to one mile flat sprints
- 30-45 second sprints
- Interval training: 30-second sprint + 20-second cruise – repeat for 5-10 intervals
All of these exercises can be very easily performed on a road bike or a stationary/spinning bike. If you are going to do interval training on your road bike, go to a track or a “bikes only” area – you don’t want to be doing 30-second sprints in rush hour!
The Benefits
According to Healthline (HERE), anaerobic bike training increases bone strength and density, promotes weight maintenance, increases power, boosts metabolism, increases lactic threshold, fights depression, reduces risk of disease, protects joints, boosts energy.
When comparing cycling to running, Menshealth (HERE) states that cycling is low impact that provides sustained stamina training without the muscle soreness and damage of running.
Add a cycling anaerobic training routine to your workout regime and reap the benefits.
David Fink
WPH Fitness Director