Five Reasons Why You Should Train Indoors 

1. You Get Fitter

Why? Simply because during a structured indoor training session on Zwift you do not stop pedalling. Not even when descending. How do we manipulate this? After all, Zwift’s roads accommodate their fair share of ups and downs and your smart trainer’s resistance will ebb and flow according to the terrain. 

It’s simple really. Every time you choose to do a structured indoor workout out on Zwift we quite literally level the playing field. Despite the fact that you might be ascending Alpe du Zwift with the gradient pushing double figures, you’ll notice no change in resistance on your indoor trainer. Likewise if you’re plummeting down the precipitous slopes of Mont Ventoux you’ll still find the requisite amount of resistance in the pedals to continue through your interval. 

Statistically, you’ll spend 15-25% more time turning the pedals indoors compared to those outings on the open road. So if you’re after fitness gains and want to increase your FTP (functional threshold power) indoor workouts will reap the most productive dividend. 

Think of structured workouts on Zwift as having your own personal trainers standing next to you in the the gym – you’ll be encouraged to pick up the pace if the power starts to wane, and praised when you hit your marks. 

2. Non-stop Bike Riding

Maximum productivity, maximum gains: To set the scene you’re outside on a bike ride. The sun is shining, the air is fresh – it’s a great day to be alive. At present your pace is limited to a bimble but you know in five minutes time the intervals will start and so, of course, will the pain. Today’s training session consists of 5×3 minutes at a hard intensity and you’ve got the perfect road to do it on – or so you thought. During the first interval –  just as you’re settling into the zone – a temporary set of traffic lights put pay to your consistent power output. The carefully calculated adaptations elicited by your 5×3 session are now in jeopardy. You are at the behest, you now realise, of others –others  who clearly don’t understand the benefit of weekly top-end efforts. 

Zwift’s pixelated pavement is home to no such distraction. This is the absolute beauty of indoor training. All of your attention can be focussed on the effort – there are no external factors at play, you are the captain of your destiny. 

Being able to complete sessions to the letter is paramount to a productive workout. And perhaps more importantly, indoor training allows you to undertake even the hardest, mind warping efforts without any interference. 

Indoor cycing helps deliver maximum results in minimum time. Each of Zwift’s workouts have been designed with certain aims in mind. An hour’s easy pedalling, for example, may seem arbitrary  – surely it could be taken out onto the open road. But this session will have been specced for good reason. Zone 2 sessions are largely aerobic and encourage mitochondrial growth. Staying in this zone – and this zone alone with no alteration in intensity – is all part of the plan.

Completing such a session indoors on Zwift guarantees – legs willing – that’ll you’ll stay in the zone for the duration thus eliciting optimum adaptations. 

3. Weatherproof Cycling Training

As cyclists we often have our riding and training dictated by the weather. In fact, during the autumn and winter months many will forego riding altogether – the short days and perpetual drizzle not really conducive to a happy pedal. There’s also the issue of what to wear. Getting suited and booted for cold and raining weather cycling can often take as long as the ride itself. Factor in cleaning 20 miles’ worth of grime from your steed into the equation and you’ve wasted time that could be spent doing something a little more rewarding. Cycling for many, then, is a perennial pastime – fair weather riding is a very real thing.

At least it used to be. Zwift is by far the most efficient way to stay awheel all year round. Even in the depths of the bitterest winter it’s an absolute cinch to saddle up, work out and add an extra layer to your fitness levels whenever the mood suits. 

There is no need to consider extra layers of clothing, making sure your lights are charged or checking you’ve got enough puncture repair patches in your tool kit. All you need for indoor training on Zwift is a pair of bibshorts and a good fan (yes, even if it’s snowing outside you’ll be sweating like it’s mid-summer). 

The rain may be beating down ferociously on your shed windows, the wind may be relocating pieces of your garden furniture but you’ll be toiling away in your own micro climate, away from external distraction. 

Another winter training boon on Zwift is that you’ll reach any early season cycling targets in peak condition. There;s nothing like embarking on a winter-long training campaign indoors and reaping the benefits of your hard work when the weather begins to get warmer. 

4. Just Pedal and Star in the Zone

Zwift has a huge range of workouts that have been designed to get the most out of your time and your fitness levels. Each session is incredibly easy to follow, often with an on-screen coach talking you through each part of the session and, importantly, why particular intervals have been specced. The colour-coded ‘zones’ make it easy to identify which intensity you need to be riding at and you’ll be encouraged by the coach to keep up the great work while you make your way through each allocated section of work. 

When embarking on some of the higher wattage interval sessions you might find that your power fluctuates from time to time – this is normal, our legs aren’t pre-programmed with the marks that need to be hit. Engaging ERG mode for your indoor workouts, however, will see you complete each prescribed workout with pinpoint accuracy, Each pedal stroke will be applied with the precise amount of pressure to make your session 100 per cent productive. So how does this work?

When opting to ride in ERG mode your smart trainer will automatically set the resistance according to the wattage you’ve been allotted for a certain interval. If you’ve been given a Threshold ( a high-intensity zone)  workout at 250 watts, for example, your trainer will only let you pedal at this intensity until the section of work is complete. It will also take care of any recovery time  between the tougher stuff meaning you have the right amount of fatigue in your muscles for the next interval. You’ll notice at the end of each ride the graph at the bottom of your screen in the Zwift app will be completely flat  – this indicates that you’re spent 100% of your workout at exactly the right intensity and stayed totally true to the plan. ERG mode needn’t be restricted to top-end work either. If you have an hour to do at an endurance intensity, ERG mode will set the gauge and let you pedal, negating the need for constant glimpses at the power meter. Endurance sessions using ERG mode allow for a certain amount of multi-tasking too. Need to catch up on some reading, or send an email or two? No sweat! Let ERG mode control the pace while you catch up on some admin. 

5. Zwift Cycling Community

Zwift is essentially the world’s biggest cycling club. Zwift has a number of clubs you can join – including GCN which currently has over 70 thousand members.  Everyone is using the app for the same reason as you – to get fit and healthy. But this isn’t to say that there isn’t a social side to indoor training – quite the opposite in fact. Depending on the type of training day specified on your programme, there are a myriad of regular group rides and workouts to choose from to suit your needs. These are often well attended with likeminded riders from all over the globe joining in the fun. 

If you want something relaxed or just a social spin there are a raft of rides capped at 2w/kg or less, meaning you can easily take advantage of the in-game chat function and natter with your peers. Before you know it you’ll have an hour’s more fitness in your legs and lungs  while having made new riding buddies in the process. It’s not unusual while indoor training on Zwift to see the same faces pop up and friendships are often forged. 

Looking for something with a little more energy?  Group interval sessions are a great way to stay motivated while indoor training. Ride leaders will often note those flagging and you’ll be met with a torrent of encouragement to keep going! Going fast is fun. But going fast in a group is exhilarating. 

Ride on!