Minimum work to prevent bike fitness loss?

dnesom

There may be a better forum to post this question in but this seemed the best fit. 

Background: I travel 8 or ten weeks out of the year for work, usually 10 days to 2 weeks at a pop. I generally have at least a month at home between trips. I also travel to the same cities mostly so I know the hotels with good pools, gyms, places to run etc... Basically I'm able to maintain my training on running, swimming and strength no matter where I am and I'm pretty disciplined about getting it done.

Even though we're only a few weeks into the Outseason I'm already seeing some gains in my FTP (to the point that I'm certain I could retest already and see a 10 watt improvement from my week 1 test). Alas, I leave in a few days for ten days which will be without a bike. In the past I've tried several times to complete my regular bike workouts on the hotel exercise bikes but can never get the fit right and almost every time end up with IT band issues or some other problem that derails my training for a few weeks. My only goals (besides my day job) on these trips is to not lose any ground on my fitness. Thus, the two immediate questions that come to mind are:

1.) How long do you have to be off the bike to lose fitness (FTP)?

2.) If there is a fitness loss, what is the minimum work one can do on an exercise bike to keep FTP stable? 

 

 

Coach Patrick

Dave, I say don't fight it. Test day 1 and Day END on the bike so you have numbers...ones that hopefully go up. When you are on the road, I would make those run focused blocks. Run daily, nothing flashy. Way better than slaying an exercise bike or battering a recumbent. Several repeats of this OS --> Run Focus will really make you super tough.

MattAaronson

Dave, I travel 4-5 days a week and often take trips overseas too. I do a lot of my biking on the weekend. I suggest that you not stress about it but do try to load a bit of extra biking before and after your trips. If you have solid bike fitness and you keep up your running to maintain overall fitness then you will be fine.

Btw I do not bike while on business trips...I am terrified that a poorly-fitting exercise bike will give me some sort of injury.

dnesom

Thanks Coach P and Matt, I'll take it off my mind and just maintain as best I can. I got in my last ride today and I should be able get in a ride the day I return as well and then get back on regular plan for a while.

I'm resolving now to listen to people that have been doing this longer and better than me, so I really appreciate the advice.

Dave

morpheus

Dave,

I spent last fall with more running and less biking. During that time, I cut my bike sessions to 2x 45' per week. Quick warmup, then very short Hi Intensity (super hard, 30sec on & 15sec recovery), then a few minutes cool down. By the time Jan OS came around, I tested at the same FTP that I had when I ended the race season 3 months earlier.

If I were in your shoes, I would try something like this ^^^. I'd get some loud music, make sure the gym bike is set up as close to correct as possible, wear decent bike shorts and appropriate shoes. I like the idea of these frequent, short max effort intervals when all I have to go on is RPE.

So, basically, I'd go with the OS when in town. Then, when traveling, don't stress out about detouring from the OS bike workout. It's a long year. Consistently getting a sweat in is the groundwork. Keep in mind that the big picture always requires unique audibles. Everybody's life/work circumstances are so different.

Good luck. Holler at you soon!