Indoor training 20-min recovery ride with Hank
This easier session is a great way to ease into training, or recover from a hard session. Follow Hank's lead for a progressive recovery ride
GCN
The GCN team
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Join Hank for this easy 20-minute indoor training workout. This session features a mix of lower-intensity efforts, perfect either for a recovery ride or a gentle start to indoor training. If you still want to get moving, but you don't want to push yourself too hard, this session is for you.
Like all our training sessions, this session is based on perceived exertion, between 1 and 10, where 1/10 is very easy riding and 10/10 is flat-out sprinting. In this session, we won't go above 6/10.
Even so, it's a good idea to keep some water and a towel close at hand so you can stay hydrated and collect any sweat.
What are the benefits of low intensity training
If you want to work out on your exercise bike, but don't feel like completing a full-power sprint training session, this lower-intensity session is for you.
Low-intensity cycle training offers a host of benefits for both physical and mental health. It provides a gentle cardiovascular workout, bringing up your heart rate whilst improving circulation and stamina. As we’ve learnt from our interview with Iñigo San Millán, coach of two-time Tour de France champion Tadej Pogačar, lower-intensity riding should form the vast majority of most cyclists’ training routines. It increases the efficiency of our metabolic systems, or more simply, it gives us a bigger engine, allowing us to ride harder without slipping into anaerobic conditions.
Since spin cycling puts minimal strain on joints, it's ideal for those with mobility issues or recovering from injuries. Additionally, this type of exercise can aid in weight management, as it promotes fat burning without excessive stress on the body.
Finally, low-intensity cycling has been shown to reduce stress and improve mood, making it a great overall well-being and fitness booster.
Indoor cycling workout details
- GCN instructor: James 'Hank' Lowsley Williams
- Indoor workout duration: 25 minutes
- Indoor training type: Low intensity intervals
- Fitness difficulty: This is a relatively easy workout that won't push you too hard
- Benefits of this indoor cycling workout: Cardiovascular fitness, fat burn, destress.
From cadence drills to anaerobic sessions, check out GCN’s full library of indoor cycling workouts
Warm up on your indoor trainer for 4 minutes
Follow Hank's lead for this 4-minute warm-up. To prepare for some of the efforts to come, we'll ramp up gradually from 2/10 to 5/10, then go back down to 3/10 to recover ahead of the main session.
Begin the 14-minute aerobic cycling session
Now, we're onto the main session, which lasts 14 minutes. This session consists of blocks in which you'll gradually ramp up either to 5/10 or 6/10. The specific intensity and the amount of time you spend at each intensity varies, so keep an eye on the screen so you can follow what Hank and the team do.
Finish off with a quick two-minute cool down
Stay on your indoor trainer for the cool down. All you need to do is keep spinning at a super easy 2/10 for two minutes. Once you've finished, feel free to keep spinning, or jump off your bike and do some stretching and conditioning.
If you'd like to try something more challenging next time, give one of our HIIT sprint training workouts a go.
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