6 Steps to Improve Your Summer Cycling Training

Summer trainingsessions can be enjoyable for most, as it's a chance to be outside in the glorious weather. But, finding the motivation to train indoors when it’s warm outside is difficult. To really make those race-winning gains, staying sharp during the summer needs some regular, structured Wattbike work. Read on for our top tips for making your summer Wattbike training sessions more bearable.

Top Tips for Summer Training: What You’ll Need

Summer training, when unprepared, can lead to a slightly uncomfortable, sweaty experience. Here are some ways to keep your workouts as comfortable as possible, whilst still helping you achieve your targets on yoursmart bike.

1. ADD A FAN

If you take anything away from our summer training tips on yourindoor bike trainer, it should be to get anindoor cycling fan. Since you don’t have the cooling effect of the wind as you would duringoutdoor cycling, things can get very wet, very quickly. Not only does adding a fan make your indoor sessions more enjoyable, but it prevents the horrible feeling of burning up and keeps your floor dry.

Take it from us, a fan can really revolutionise yourindoor cycling! You will find most of the body’s sweat glands are located on the forehead, back and chest, so you can help to combat this by using two fans instead of one. Direct the first towards your head and chest, and position the second behind you, pointing up towards your back.

2. STAY HYDRATED

Dehydration occurs when water lost through sweating is not replaced. In a hot environment, such as your summer training session, small to moderate dehydration levels will lead to a potential endurance drop of 22-48%. Meaning that you’ll see a considerate difference in your training quality and performance. Make sure you have one or twowater bottles with you, and stay hydrated during the day too.

3. DRESS FOR YOUR SUMMER TRAINING SESSION

Mostcycling sportswear is breathable, but during a sweaty, summer training session it can still be too much. The good news is, if you’re riding in the comfort of your own home it’s a little more acceptable to remove a layer of clothing (whilst keeping yourbib shorts on, of course).

4. SHORTEN YOUR SUMMER SESSIONS

Training outside in the summer doesn’t need to have any structure for it to be enjoyable. One of the main bonuses of training indoors is that you’re able to fit a much more productive summer session into a shorter amount of time. If you want to have your strongest summer ever, get ready bycreating a training plan. Take into account whatsportives you have lined up and the time you have to train.

The last thing you want to do when it’s warm outside is aimlessly mash the pedals indoors or have a series of workouts you can rely on to stay sharp. Use a short indoor session to really focus on training for your goals and avoid any junk miles (and heatstroke) that you might pick up if opting for a couple of long outdoor sessions. Why not try one of theHigh Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) sessions or the Two Bites endurance session on theWattbike Hub? That way, you can take your next Wattbike summer training session in your stride.

5. TAKE THE SUMMER SESSION OUTSIDE

If you’ve been keeping an eye on ourinstagram, you might have seen that some members of the Wattbiker tribe have opted to take their Wattbikes outside this summer. Just imagine, the feeling of fresh air and wind in your face (and those all-important tan lines) could still be yours with the addedbenefits of indoor cycling, plus no traffic!

6. CREATE THE PERFECT PLAYLIST

Music can often be the difference between finishing a killer summer training session and giving up halfway through. Although listening to your favourite album won’t make that nextFTP test any less painful, it might just help you get through it with a little more gusto.

Studies have shown that listening to music during high intensity interval training can make the most challenging efforts that little bit more bearable. So when you’ve got a tough summer training session planned, tune out the outside world with your headphones and embrace the pain.

If you’re new to summer training, you’ll need to knowhow to prep your pain cave properly. If you need a little motivation, find theanswers to your indoor bike questions.

IMPROVE PERFORMANCE WITH WATTBIKE

At Wattbike, we use unparalleled, accuratecycling data to support your indoor cycling performance. Encourage effective summer training andwinter training during the off-season, and findworkouts to train for sportives in time for the events you don’t want to miss.