Bytagand the publication "5 45-minute sessions to do at home when it's pouring rain"
The forecast predicts torrential rain all week? Don't panic. In just 45 minutes, without even needing a rain jacket, you can maintain your fitness, improve your cadence, and even gain a few watts. Here are five short indoor training sessions that transform the rain into a discreet ally for your winter training progress.
By Guillaume Judas – Photos: depositphotos.com
The sound of water drumming on the window has never been so motivating.. When the route The living room becomes an ice rink, a laboratory. A stationary bike, a power meter, or even just a cadence sensor, and you're all set. And we're not talking about Zwift, MyWhoosh, Rouvy, or Bkool, which require registration, a subscription, an internet connection, and a screen. No, even on simple, unconnected rollers, it works.
The idea is not to replace the long Sunday outing, but to slip in some muscle and heart-healthy reminders between rain showers.Each session lasts exactly 45 minutes, including warm-up and cool-down. No excuses about time, no risk of catching a cold..
Faster production rate for greater savings
First option: the cadence pyramidTen minutes spinning at 90 revolutions per minute to warm up the muscles, then five minutes at 100, three minutes at 110, one minute at 120, and then back down the other way. The heart rate gradually increases, the joints loosen up, and coordination improves. It's a favorite workout for track cyclists who don't have access to a velodrome. By the end, the pedals practically turn themselves, even if motivation was at rock bottom at the start of the session.
The one-legged man to balance the two legs
The second session takes a gentler approach: the one-leg drilling or work of the unijmabist. Fifteen minutes per leg, the other resting on a chair. Hard to imagine on rollers with a balance bike, we grant you. The pelvis sways, the glutes burn, the kinetic chain recenters. Cyclists who suffer from lateral imbalances – almost everyone – immediately feel the difference. We finish with five minutes on both legs at a free cadence, like a reward. The next day, the hamstrings remind us of their existence, but that's a good sign.
The Sweet Spot for increasing engine displacement
When the rain intensifies, go to the sweet-spot expressAfter a ten-minute warm-up, complete three eight-minute blocks at 88-92% of your FTP, separated by three minutes of active recovery at 60%. Your heart rate will remain in the upper zone 3, and your legs will learn to tolerate lactic acid without burning out. This is the workout that raises your threshold without depleting your energy for the rest of the week. By the fortieth minute, you'll be sweating more than you're drinking.
Solo Spinning
For those who like variety, The musical session is unbeatable.Create a 45-minute playlist where each song dictates the intensity: verse in zone 2, chorus in zone 4, bridge with an upbeat tempo. The brain follows the rhythm, the legs follow the brain. You often end up singing—badly—but the effort is a breeze. It's another version of the fartlek Free-spirited running, but here without any answers to the terrain. Bonus: the playlist becomes a winter memory when you listen to it again in the spring.
Strength to climb better
The strength-resistance session transforms the living room into a gym.After a ten-minute warm-up, it's time for five five-minute sets at 50-60 rpm in a high gear, interspersed with two minutes of easier riding. Quadriceps swell, back straightens, and posture on the bike improves. It's the training for climbers who don't have a mountain pass available. At the end, you get off the bike with rock-hard legs, but thighs ready for the climbs of March.
The right alternative
These five sessions require nothing more than a corner of a room and a little discipline.They can be taken one after another or picked at random depending on mood, fatigue, and the week's schedule. The important thing is regularity: three to four micro-doses are better than one canceled heroic outing. And when the rain finally stops, you emerge with toned legs, a smooth cadence, a higher threshold. The routeShe won't have moved. You will. So next time the sky opens up, close the shutters, get on the stationary bike, and let the rain do its thing. Your forty-five minutes start now.
