Even if you don't want to force your sporting activities into a fixed corset, it's worth thinking about how you organise your cycling time. Your optimisation goal is then not sheer performance, but enjoyment, variety and health. Anything that is fun but not destructive is allowed. So why not climb virtual mountains, take part in social rides or even take part in an e-race? No matter what you do: Make sure you have variety and don't always ride the same routes with the same intensity.
4-week training plan (repeatable)
Specifically: Try to ride really intensively once a week so that you reach your performance limits. This could be an indoor event, an interval training session or a free ride where you briefly step on the gas several times. Also aim for a longer, steady bike training session once a week where you don't get out of breath - long means: two hours at a time indoors or three hours at a time outdoors. A third, medium-length and medium-intensity cycle training session of one hour (indoors) would ideally round off your weekly programme. Supplement your cycling activities with other sports: running, cross-country skiing, ball games and/or functional fitness for the whole body - anything that gets you out of the stooped posture of cycling is good. With such a broad base, you will have fun and stay fit.
What the symbols and abbreviations mean
Tips for the virtual world:
For pleasure riders, events are more suitable than Zwift's interval-packed training programmes. Have a look around, try out new routes, get to know people and try out online race formats to work off some energy.
