

Take a minute to rest, then repeat, this time trying to hit an even higher wattage number. Next up: Start sprinting! Crank up your gears and try and hit a huge number of watts in 10 to 15 seconds. Do these for time, meaning you want to finish all three rounds as quickly as possible. Then do this: Hop off your bike, switch into sneakers as fast as you can, and begin doing 10 each of the following three plyometrics: Box jumps, single leg explosive step ups and squat jumps. Powers suggests doing the first few minutes easy, then adding more intensity each minute after that. For this workout, you’ll need a trainer, a sturdy box and tennis shoes. Plyos-which are short jumping movements-help bridge that gap, building explosive power that is ready to fire at a moment’s notice. “A lot of people strength train, which is good, don’t get me wrong, but strong doesn’t necessarily equal powerful and it certainly doesn’t mean you’re strong and powerful on the bike,” she says. Powers uses this workout to help her athletes develop strength, power, and aerobic quickness. RELATED: The Ulimate 30-Minute Get Fast Workout This is a single, sustained effort-you need to stay alive well beyond the first five minutes. It shouldn’t be so hard that you feel like you’re about to toss your cookies,” warns Sullivan. If you don’t know your lactate threshold, “aim for a pace where you can talk but just barely. Next: Get on and start peddling, taking another 5-7 minutes to really get the blood going.įinally: Begin your sweet spot work. This elevates your heart rate quickly, accelerating your warmup. Sullivan adds that she likes having her athletes train at this effort level because it forces them to work, but not so hard that they have to take the rest of the week off.įirst: Start with 30 jumping jacks before you even get on your bike. If you don’t know your threshold pace, find an effort where you can talk, but just barely. After a short warmup, you’ll dig right in on 20 minutes of work in your “sweet spot.” “That’s about 90 percent of your lactate threshold pace,” says Sullivan. Sullivan likes this workout because there’s literally no downtime. Option Two: 30 Minutes Of Sweet Spot Work RELATED: Running Cross Training for Cyclists But, she adds, maybe take the elevator back down “save your knees,” she warns. If plain old running is too miserable for you to bear, Sullivan suggests you find a set of stairs and run up them. Your threshold heart rate is also slightly higher when you run, so you can work at a harder pace and reap an even greater aerobic benefit. The good thing about running is it eliminates the slightly longer kitting up and tire-pumping process, giving you a few more minutes to sweat it out. “If you really want to get in a good workout in 30 minutes, I often suggest my clients run,” says Nadia Sullivan, a cycling coach with FasCat Coaching in Boulder, Colorado. But running's a great choice for when your workout time is tight. We know, we know, you'd probably much rather be riding. RELATED: The Best Workouts for 9-5 Life Option One: Go for a run

(For more help with motivation and training plans, also check out our training book!) Here are some great options for what to do. The thing is, though, that even though you don’t have much time, you can still make every minute count. “It’s going to make your head feel better and it’s good for your body too.” “Something is better than nothing,” says Alison Powers, a former U.S. After all, what good is 30 minutes of riding going to do if you originally planned for two hours?ĭon't give up! Sitting through your workout is just a trap It may seem like a good choice in the moment, but afterwards you’ll feel icky, sad, and wish you’d been a little bit more disciplined. In that moment, it can be tempting to just call it off. We’ve all been there: A meeting runs long, a kid needs extra attention, or you got sucked into a Facebook vortex-suddenly, your workout time window has shattered.
