How to Stay Motivated while Cycling Indoors
Many of us buy an indoor bike or turbo trainer to achieve our fitness goals. It isn’t rare for you to find yourself getting demotivated over time, and you shouldn’t feel bad about that. It happens to everyone at times and we can easily lose indoor cycling motivation. In this article, we want to give you some tips and advice on staying motivated and sticking to your training schedule.
Set Goals
You might be training for a challenging ride, or your cycling goal might be even to lose weight. Whatever your goals are, it is vital to have some to work towards. Having goals keeps you focused, and it gives you something to work towards and something to keep digging deeper into those legs for. Many of us don’t have goals though, and because of this, it can be challenging to stay motivated. What kind of goals can you set yourself to keep your indoor cycling motivation. These are some I would recommend;
Power Goals
A great goal to have is to do an FTP (Functional Threshold Power Test) and then try and beat it after a few weeks of training. It will give you something to focus on and a regular challenge to keep going back to. It won’t be easy, but you will make considerable improvements in your fitness, and it will be a lot of fun.
Listen to Music
One of the best ways to stay motivated while riding a spin bike is to listen to some happy and motivational music that keeps you moving. I have picked a list of best music playlist on Spotify for indoor cycling and it works great. On some occasions I found watching Netflix shows while cycling indoors pretty fan and in a way motivating.
Cycling Challenges
Indoor cycling is a fantastic form of exercise and what it does for your outdoor cycling is incredible. So why not set yourself a challenge to ride outdoor such as a long-distance cycling sportive or maybe a multi-day cycling challenge. Not only will you feel really motivated in your training, but you will get to experience an amazing ride outside.
Set Personal Goals
You might be training for something personal for yourself, such as weight loss. If so, make yourself a target and start working towards it. After being a spinning instructor for many years and a personal trainer, I have found people without a goal in mind often become very demotivated.
Have a Training Plan
Having training plans will help you so much. It takes the thought out of what you’re doing, and just let’s focus on the cycling session itself. It can be tough to motivate yourself for an indoor cycling workout, but when you are accountable to a plan, it is much easier to jump on the bike and just to get on with your indoor training. You will also find yourself hitting your goals sooner with the proper structure for your indoor spinning workouts too. It will leave you feeling motivated looking forward to the next indoor ride. Having a plan is excellent for training goals, and it can just be several hours a week on the bike that make a huge difference.
Cycle with Friends
One of the best ways to find indoor cycling motivation is to cycle with some friends. Even online, you can now cycle with friends. Indoor cycling applications such as Peloton or setting up your spin bike with Zwift make it possible to ride with people who will push you, and you can share the training with people whose company you enjoy. Going on a virtual group ride will be very motivating, and you are going to find yourself distracted from the hard work and push heavier into those pedals to impress your friends.
Try Cross-Training
When it comes to indoor training and staying motivated, a great thing you can do to get inspired again is to spice it up and try a few other things to get you back on track. It will help you hit your goals quicker, learn some new things, and feel stimulating. Here are a few things I recommend to spice up your training;
Strength Training
If you like indoor cycling and want to improve your training add some strength training. Strength training is exercises like squats, lunges, and even push-ups. You don’t need to join a gym. You can do simple workouts from home. They will have considerable benefits to your body, such as strengthening muscles, lubricating joints, improving posture, and many others. Many cyclists take it up as part of winter training, and some all year round in their indoor training.
Do Yoga
Another thing cyclists do to change up their motivation training is yoga. Yoga is fantastic for core strength and flexibility, and I believe that all cyclists should have a go at least once. It’s vital for mobility, and you will feel a positive change in your cycling. You don’t have to go to a class either there are many applications you can download and follow.
Ride Outdoors
Just like how indoor cycling can improve your outdoor cycling performance, getting outdoors on a bike and letting all that training you have done power you around is a great way to spice up your indoor workout. It might not be as structured as indoor training, but it will offer you a different experience from training indoors and typically watching tv while riding. It won’t be ideal in cold weather or the winter months but in summer ideal for cycling motivation and a great alternative to riding indoors. If you have been training hard indoor riding outdoor will feel second nature.
Buy Some New Equipment
It might be time for you to invest in some new equipment for yourself to get remotivated. A new magnetic resistance spin bike or turbo trainer could give you the indoor cycling motivation to get through that winter training and help you hit your cycling goals. Getting some new things can make you feel excited to get on the bike and start riding again, ready for the next season. Even a new set of indoor cycling shorts and water bottles could be the difference between jumping on that bike and having a workout or sitting on the sofa.
Take the Right Nutrition
Many cyclists overlook the affect of nutrition on daily exercise, especially spinning. If you eat too much, you feel tired and ultimately get bored. The same goes, if you don’t take enough calories or the right food. I suggest you follow my guide of what to eat before and after an indoor cycling workout to stay energetic and motivated.
Conclusion
Staying motivated is vital to cycling goals, and sometimes we all need a little motivation to get on the bike and start hitting those pedals. It can be tough to stay motivated, but the best thing to do is not ignore it and find a way around it.
Hi there, I'm Sayed Hamed Hosseiny, the founder and one of the authors at yourexercisebike.com (YEB). I am a former indoor cycling instructor and personal trainer with nearly 20 years of experience. With a passion for indoor cycling, I have spent years designing cycling parts, repairing, and importing exercise bikes. All the articles, tips, guides, reviews, and comparisons on YourExerciseBike.com (YEB) reflect my personal opinion and expertise in the field. I'm excited to share my knowledge with fellow exercise bike enthusiasts and help people find reliable indoor cycling information and the best exercise bike for their needs.
