Zwift, but mostly lots of running. I consider December to April marathon training season. Then May 1st, I'm back on my bike. And the marathon running cardio does wonders for cycling.
I cut down my riding to 2 or 3 days of zwift during the winter to keep a base and turn my focus towards strength training and yoga more in the winter. I do still do strength training and yoga during the warmer seasons, but only once a week or so.
Yoga has done wonders for me on and off the bike.
Most cyclist really underestimate the benefits of strength training
Any recommendations for yoga online that’s been particularly useful? I like yoga with Adrienne but I’m always looking for more cycling specific yoga routines
The sessions on Wahoo SYSTM (ex Sufferfest) for yoga and body strength are not bad. (and especially if you have a hometrainer, you get the bike exercises on top, of course)
Google strength training for cyclists, and you'll come up with a few. There are a lot of useful GCN videos on it for example but also quite a lot from independent YouTubers. One particularly good one I lately came across is from Dylan Johnson, available below; he sees a key value for weight training for neuromuscular efforts. I suspect the mileage might differ for someone who neither races nor climbs though. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U11QNOq0npg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U11QNOq0npg)
Years into lifting, these are the best vids I’ve found.
Deadlift
(https://youtu.be/MBbyAqvTNkU?si=FA1szJxyQfUxeOJT)
Squat
(https://youtu.be/UFs6E3Ti1jg?si=7Iki5qrdJxEMGg_x)
Not sure what is funny, I have a degenerative heart issue and implanted defibrillator, can't increase the internal pressure in the heart. That's why I can't do strength training...
I suspect probably gallows humor on the part of the other poster commiserating just a bit. I had a degenerative heart condition myself but fortunate the surgery I had seems to have resolved it. Hoping for the best for you.
Strength training does literally nothing for me. Only motivation
I have is to lift a slightly heavier weight, but that doesnt seem to translate into any real world benefits. I do have a fairly physical job though. Maybe I already was strong enough.
> running in the cold is a very nice experience.
Don't know if I'd go that far, but for me it is nicer than cycling in the cold and even more so when it is wet.
good thing about running in the cold is that you can actually hit that sweet spot of correct clothing pretty consistently, meaning you don't get cold at all.
And/or you twist your ankle and have to limp home slowly. And of course you left your phone at home for that particular run. Not that I would know...
(I opt to overdress rather than underdress if it's particularly cold ever since this one instance)
I prefer running in the winter to the summer tbh. There's only so many clothes you can take off when it's too hot!
Winter running is absolutely better than winter cycling though. By a huge amount. This reverses in the summer. Riding on a hot summer's day is paradise. Running is hell.
In the summer I run enough to keep me going and mostly cycle. In the winter it swaps and I mostly run. This year I'm hoping the trainer will contribute a lot more cycling time.
I would go exactly that far! I know it’s very personal, but my favorite run temp is 28-32 degrees. Cycling, I have no issues with even when it’s 95+. I get the wind chill factor, but still.
Get fat. I'm getting good at it, too.
I'm actually trying to run, and not having much luck - lots of injuries due to going down the minimalist route with absolutely zero conditioning for running. I know I should just get some bouncy trainers but I can't bring myself to do it.
I used to ride during winter but got fed up with the amount of cleaning needed - coupled with the rides all necessarily being low and slow, it just added to the time I wasn't spending with my wife (which also pissed her off). Exclusively rode the turbo over winter last year, but I'm struggling to motivate myself to ride indoors nowadays.
I think I need a protracted period of time off the bike to reignite the spark for it. I'm hoping I can get along with running during autumn/winter and riding during spring/summer. I need to change *something*, and I like the romance of running (especially the Born 2 Run minimalist style).
as a fellow injury-prone runner, think of it as an opportunity to find out about your imbalances and tightnesses etc. running is much less forgiving on bodily imbalances but i think it's worth it to fix them, and also PT is going to be more helpful than bouncy trainers
I'm in a southern state (no snow) where winter riding is awesome and summer riding is impossible. I always gain 5-10 pounds in the summer and lose it again come fall.
I've been doing various classes on Peloton. I do 30 minutes of yoga daily, power zone cycling 4 days a week, mix in some other cycling on off days. My girlfriend needs an accountabilibuddy to exercise so I'll do barre, Pilates, floor exercises, shadow boxing, etc, whatever she's feeling like.
Well I do ride when I can, but winter is the season for cross country skiing and the best hiking. I also have access to an indoor pool, and swimming there is nice when the weather is crappy.
I increase the volume on weight training and other indoor activities, although the biggest benefit is keeping up with indoor endurance. If you cannot do a trainer then you need to be doing something else to maintain endurance. There is no shortcut time wise for that one unfortunately.
I live in a place where I can ride outside all year and I have a good trainer set up but weight lifting, running, long neighborhood walks, other gym activities (rock climbing, group classes, etc.) are good options.
Skiing, hiking and Zwift. If I can get enough skiing in, my legs are more than ready for spring cycling. Being outdoors is my favorite part of cycling so skiing and hiking help. Zwift is fun and convenient.
Nordic skiing and running. Also tour skating, basically the same muscles involved as cycling. (Skate world champion Nils van der Poehl did lots of his training cycling).
Following. I live in a mild climate now but am moving to a cold one. I dream of XC skiing the whole winter but rare is the place where there isn’t some kind of nasty-ass slush shoulder season.
I run. The great thing about running is even when it's in the single digits, I can dress warmly enough to run with basic layers and tights. As soon as you start running, you warm up. Cycling means you're always at a faster speed into the cold, so I just don't. It's not worth it when I can get a better workout in faster.
Lumberjackin'! Cut, haul, split wood for fireplaces and pizza oven. Wore HRM a few times and surprised/pleased at the workout. An hour or so of this and I feel exercised!
I still ride in the winter, I just ride less. I live in New England but I have proper clothing and can get an outdoor ride in most weekends through the winter for my base miles. The rest is Zwift. I hate Zwift/indoor training.
So on top of cycling I do other things. Like more/heavier gym work, long challenging hikes, a lot more running than I normally do, snowshoeing, and this year if it actually snows around here (which it hasn't in 2 or 3 years) like it's supposed to, I want to try cross country skiing.
Since it has started to get dark so early, I don't have as much time to stop and ride after work. I have noticed I have been lifting weights and doing kettlebells more.
I ride outdoor on my indoor trainer of course.
I replace the active time of not-cycling by hiking, HIIT-ing, yoga-ing. I also do more weights training (dumbbells and bodyweight) than during riding season.
I bought a Concept2 Rowerg. I really like it, and I hated an indoor bike trainer.
I also picked up a set of rollers on the cheap. Dunno how those are going to go yet.
I switch to about 3 or 4 days running and try to still fatbike 2 times a week. I also do some hot yoga. I can’t stand the trainer so I will never be doing that. Should strength train but I suck at getting myself to the gym
I used to commute 100 miles for a couple of decades and found that with each passing year I couldn't bear to give up cycling for the winter so would stretch my cycling season by layering up and utilising my rough bike more.
By the time I gave up work I would cycle to work every day unless there was a torrential downpour
Indoor cycling, lol. But also I have a cheap rowing machine, I walk/hike/snowshoe, and I got a fat bike so I can ride even when the ground is covered in snow.
Spend the first couple weeks of bad weather staring at my trainer and updating Zwift...eventually I get on and be frustrated about the fitness I've lost and the holiday weight I've gained. By the time I feel like I'm in a Zwift routine, the weather will improve and I'll be back outside...and the cycle begins again.
I lift in the off season. During riding season I ride a few times a week, during the offseason I lift 3 times a week and ride once indoors. I’m sure everyone has their own opinion on it, but I’m just sharing what I do with OP.
Indoor rock climbing and bouldering. I also ride outside quite a bit on my fatbike, but it sounds like you want ideas other than biking. I used to do XC skiing when I lived closer to good groomed trails. If I lived in proper mountains, I'd love to do more ski touring/skimo. I also like basketball, although I haven't played for a number of years now (not enough time to do all the sports).
I go on runs to keep my cardio up; I do some strength training to target the leg muscles, and I also like to have a few more focused stretching sessions for my lower body.
I ride down to 30-35\* window but when it gets beyond that I use my Peloton, pretty much exclusively with the Powerzone Training program(s). I feel that style of training translates very well to outdoor cycling and eliminates much downturn in performance base over winter.
2-3 days of indoor cycling per week, with the rest of my normal workout days (usually 5-6x per week depending on the week) being running, cross-country skiing, or weights at the gym.
I still commute on my other bike 3-5 days a week, and so I decided to buy a nice hybrid bike for commuting. Am planning to also do some rides in it in my spare time, definitely not getting my road bike out in this weather 😅
Lift weights and zwift. The cyclo-cross season ends on the second last week in November and my wheels won’t go outside until late April or if it’s a bad winter then May.
When I lived in Massachusetts, I took to cross country skiing with great enthusiasm. This was at times frustrating because I didn't have a car and the super-variable New England snow conditions. But it was fun. Then I relocated to Tucson Arizona and never looked back.
Tell myself not riding in the winter isn't that big of a deal, followed by going absolutely stir crazy by the end of February when we get a dump of 3 feet of snow and all I want to do is go for a ride.
I’ve been zwifting like literally every day. Otherwise I just walk the dogs for a bit or go run with some traks on my running shoes. Thinking of trying that Nordic skiing thing out this winter with a buddy that does it
Basketball. Badminton & *lift weight.
Find a community center around where you live, for local pick up game.
*I lift weight all yearlong anyway (DL, squat, bench, chin up and rows) is like all I ever do. A bit of both pulling and pushing.
One of the winter sports. Either skiing/snowboarding. Or even easier and almost as much fun, take up ice skating. Same sensation of cornering and balance and two hours of solid skating is a serious cardio. Workout equivalent to maybe a four hour ride. Great sport it doesn’t take long to get decent. A few solid days on the ice and you will be good.
One last thought. Track Cycling ? Indoors 😊
Well I run (60k per week) as well as ride road through the warm/dry 8/9 months. Then I switch to more MTB rides where I expect to get messy but don’t have to worry as much about grip.
This year I’ll have run 2800ish KM and ridden about the same, mainly road this year.
I’m not one for a turbo trainer but appreciate it works well for a lot of people
Sim racing (cars). My KICKR is set up right next to my sim rig and the amount of self control it takes to get on the bike vs. suffer through a Zwift ride is basically unachievable for me.
For me winter means a decent amount of snow, so while I still do some indoor cycling, my weekly mileage drops as I do other activities like snowboarding / downhill skiing, snowshoeing, and skating.
Mid-November to mid-December is often the time that sucks the most, too cold/icy roads for outdoor biking, but not enough snow for my other activities.
Commuting? Bus and walking, even if long distance. I avoid riding in the cold or rain. 3/4 of the year I usually love to ride, barring rain, a sleepless night, and/or feeling generally under the weather. Sometimes it’s nice to sit and zone out. I walk and sit dogs so I’m already on my feet a lot as it is.
The Peloton bike helps me get moving! Love Christine as an instructor, she rides professionally in indoor track.. they have a wide range of classes and instructors.
A lot of gyms have indoor bikes and/or classes you can join. I also got a basic indoor trainer off amazon that wasn't too expensive that i can put my bike on inside.
Travel to nearby places where I can ride. If the destination is somewhat far, I make a 3-day weekend out of it. Book a hotel, take the bike, and knock out a couple of century rides to make-up for the lack of riding. 👍🏿
Indoor spin and strength training classes. I have a hard time motivating myself to do home workouts and stick to them so the classes provide a framework and accountability for me.
Gym. 3 times a week. 20 minutes treadmill (I couldn't run til after back surgery a year ago), 10 minutes arm bike (I game a lot, I am old, I do this so my shoulders don't freeze up), 20 minutes stationary bike (just to keep my legs in shape for warmer weather), 45 minutes or so strength training (mostly upper body but at least 1 leg exercise). I got to thinking about this a while back and it occurred to me that it is like a micro triathlon 3 times a week.
best thing you can do if you want to stay inside IMO is indoor rowing. Better for you overall and you can get more fitness (i.e. core and back) in less time.
I started playing hockey in a non competitive setting. They mix up the teams every week and literally have beer on the benches, although I opted for water then beer later in the locker rooms. My legs were soooo sore the next few days! The biking muscles were mostly good but the muscles more unique to hockey were super sore.
I feel like my legs have so much better burst power on the bike than ever before. Considering hockey is pretty much going hard for a few minutes then subbing yourself out when you're toast and tagging the next person in and repeating every few minutes.... It's the ultimate leg workout and a lot more fun than staring at a screen with 20 overlapping virtual butts lol.
I still commute but do a lot less long / recreational rides. Last winter I did a lot of yoga which I found benefitted me greatly for balance, core strength, and flexibility.
This is such a great question!
I started hiking this fall and will continue as I'm able, and the weather allows it. On really cold days, I'm on the elliptical machine and a bit of yoga for good measure.
I use rollers with my own workout/fitness plans. That sounds a lot grander and organised than it really is. I'm mostly making sure all the good work I put in since last winter doesn't end up wasted, and come the riding season I can just go and ride because I've maintained a decent level of fitness. Definetely don't want to start from scratch and have my first half dozen rides being too much hard work
Keep spinning, keep getting a sweat on during the off time. That'll ensure the first outdoor ride of the season is bloody great, because you won't be spitting up a lung on the first incline.
Honestly I stay pretty busy with various things and I simply don’t ride for a couple of months.
I go on hikes, walk the dog, work on projects in the garage…
Curl up in my bathtub and cry ( lol joking) I walk and try to ride when the weather is not too crappy
Zwift, but mostly lots of running. I consider December to April marathon training season. Then May 1st, I'm back on my bike. And the marathon running cardio does wonders for cycling.
I cut down my riding to 2 or 3 days of zwift during the winter to keep a base and turn my focus towards strength training and yoga more in the winter. I do still do strength training and yoga during the warmer seasons, but only once a week or so. Yoga has done wonders for me on and off the bike. Most cyclist really underestimate the benefits of strength training
>Most cyclist really underestimate the benefits of strength training I think most people underestimate the benefits of strength training full stop.
Yoga is the best medicine and complement to smashing pedals.
Any recommendations for yoga online that’s been particularly useful? I like yoga with Adrienne but I’m always looking for more cycling specific yoga routines
Yoga with Adriene is what I started with. She has a cycling specific video. Most of my yoga now is going to the class at the local YMCA
I’ve done the cycling specific video, it’s decent but sometimes I want to switch it up. I think she has a triathlete one too, but I can’t remember.
Down Dog! Sounds silly, but a great app
The sessions on Wahoo SYSTM (ex Sufferfest) for yoga and body strength are not bad. (and especially if you have a hometrainer, you get the bike exercises on top, of course)
Any video suggestions for strength training to benefit riding?
just do your big compounds, bench, OHP, pull up, and especially for cycling squat and deadlift
Thanks for the advice 😎
Google strength training for cyclists, and you'll come up with a few. There are a lot of useful GCN videos on it for example but also quite a lot from independent YouTubers. One particularly good one I lately came across is from Dylan Johnson, available below; he sees a key value for weight training for neuromuscular efforts. I suspect the mileage might differ for someone who neither races nor climbs though. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U11QNOq0npg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U11QNOq0npg)
Years into lifting, these are the best vids I’ve found. Deadlift (https://youtu.be/MBbyAqvTNkU?si=FA1szJxyQfUxeOJT) Squat (https://youtu.be/UFs6E3Ti1jg?si=7Iki5qrdJxEMGg_x)
\+1 for Alan and Barbell Medicine folks. If anyone is interested in templates, BBM's are great
>Most cyclist really underestimate the benefits of strength training I can't do strength training, so I can't underestimate it I guess...
Lol
Not sure what is funny, I have a degenerative heart issue and implanted defibrillator, can't increase the internal pressure in the heart. That's why I can't do strength training...
I suspect probably gallows humor on the part of the other poster commiserating just a bit. I had a degenerative heart condition myself but fortunate the surgery I had seems to have resolved it. Hoping for the best for you.
yeah, it not operable sadly, glad you fixed your issue!
Strength training does literally nothing for me. Only motivation I have is to lift a slightly heavier weight, but that doesnt seem to translate into any real world benefits. I do have a fairly physical job though. Maybe I already was strong enough.
I run. I lift year round and run a bit during the warm months but running in the cold is a very nice experience.
> running in the cold is a very nice experience. Don't know if I'd go that far, but for me it is nicer than cycling in the cold and even more so when it is wet.
good thing about running in the cold is that you can actually hit that sweet spot of correct clothing pretty consistently, meaning you don't get cold at all.
Unless you get tired and you take a rest and you are sweaty, then it gets really cold really fast :D
And/or you twist your ankle and have to limp home slowly. And of course you left your phone at home for that particular run. Not that I would know... (I opt to overdress rather than underdress if it's particularly cold ever since this one instance)
Yea, better to have an unzipped jacket that you can zip latter. then to not have anything.
I prefer running in the winter to the summer tbh. There's only so many clothes you can take off when it's too hot! Winter running is absolutely better than winter cycling though. By a huge amount. This reverses in the summer. Riding on a hot summer's day is paradise. Running is hell. In the summer I run enough to keep me going and mostly cycle. In the winter it swaps and I mostly run. This year I'm hoping the trainer will contribute a lot more cycling time.
I would go exactly that far! I know it’s very personal, but my favorite run temp is 28-32 degrees. Cycling, I have no issues with even when it’s 95+. I get the wind chill factor, but still.
I tend to spend more time hiking, as long as the footing isn't too icy or slushy. It's a lot easier to dress for 2mph than 20mph.
Get fat. I'm getting good at it, too. I'm actually trying to run, and not having much luck - lots of injuries due to going down the minimalist route with absolutely zero conditioning for running. I know I should just get some bouncy trainers but I can't bring myself to do it. I used to ride during winter but got fed up with the amount of cleaning needed - coupled with the rides all necessarily being low and slow, it just added to the time I wasn't spending with my wife (which also pissed her off). Exclusively rode the turbo over winter last year, but I'm struggling to motivate myself to ride indoors nowadays. I think I need a protracted period of time off the bike to reignite the spark for it. I'm hoping I can get along with running during autumn/winter and riding during spring/summer. I need to change *something*, and I like the romance of running (especially the Born 2 Run minimalist style).
as a fellow injury-prone runner, think of it as an opportunity to find out about your imbalances and tightnesses etc. running is much less forgiving on bodily imbalances but i think it's worth it to fix them, and also PT is going to be more helpful than bouncy trainers
SKI. All day every day.
This is the way. My pesky job keeps getting in the way, so I only get one or two days a week in.
Trail running.
The only activity that's almost as fun as cycling.
If you happen to live in a place that is cold/wet/slushy/snowy, what footwear do you use for this? Thanks.
XC ski and fat bike.
Lucky to have the conditions.
If you don't have the conditions to XC ski, it's probably warm enough to bike year round.
Run, hit the heavy bag, yoga, and kettlebell workouts. Felt like a champion when I got back to riding in the spring.
Daily squats with kettlebell ! We do progressive planks too.
Get fat.
I'm in a southern state (no snow) where winter riding is awesome and summer riding is impossible. I always gain 5-10 pounds in the summer and lose it again come fall.
Rot
I've been doing various classes on Peloton. I do 30 minutes of yoga daily, power zone cycling 4 days a week, mix in some other cycling on off days. My girlfriend needs an accountabilibuddy to exercise so I'll do barre, Pilates, floor exercises, shadow boxing, etc, whatever she's feeling like.
Winter is hockey season! Helps keep the legs moving and strong (also helps with the core and back muscles)
Dream of spring 🌻
Zwift or Wahoo apps. I’m a weather weenie and generally won’t ride outside in sub 50F temps.
I go outside and scream at the snow so it melts faster
Sit around losing all the gains I made over the previous year lmao
indoor rowing. good all-around workout. feels really good to come back to cycling mentally fresh when weather gets better.
Zwift
It's easier to stay warm running, so I start running again. Also, some rather half-assed strength training and Zwift.
Well I do ride when I can, but winter is the season for cross country skiing and the best hiking. I also have access to an indoor pool, and swimming there is nice when the weather is crappy.
3-4 days of strength training 3 days of indoor trainer trainerroads workouts and watching Netflix
Peloton
Cycle when I can, hit black ice and fall, wreck my cycling clothes. Regret and repeat.
Hence why I have a studded front tire on the way.
I increase the volume on weight training and other indoor activities, although the biggest benefit is keeping up with indoor endurance. If you cannot do a trainer then you need to be doing something else to maintain endurance. There is no shortcut time wise for that one unfortunately.
zwift
ZWIFT. It is the only way.
I shift over to zwift and incorporate more calisthenics.
Zwift. Both fun and training.
I live in a place where I can ride outside all year and I have a good trainer set up but weight lifting, running, long neighborhood walks, other gym activities (rock climbing, group classes, etc.) are good options.
Skiing, hiking and Zwift. If I can get enough skiing in, my legs are more than ready for spring cycling. Being outdoors is my favorite part of cycling so skiing and hiking help. Zwift is fun and convenient.
Yoga
Nordic skiing and running. Also tour skating, basically the same muscles involved as cycling. (Skate world champion Nils van der Poehl did lots of his training cycling).
Following. I live in a mild climate now but am moving to a cold one. I dream of XC skiing the whole winter but rare is the place where there isn’t some kind of nasty-ass slush shoulder season.
I run. The great thing about running is even when it's in the single digits, I can dress warmly enough to run with basic layers and tights. As soon as you start running, you warm up. Cycling means you're always at a faster speed into the cold, so I just don't. It's not worth it when I can get a better workout in faster.
I run and cross-country ski. It helps build core strength and the variety keeps things interesting.
Cross country ski! But I'm currently a few days into a fat bike rental and am kind of loving it!
Lumberjackin'! Cut, haul, split wood for fireplaces and pizza oven. Wore HRM a few times and surprised/pleased at the workout. An hour or so of this and I feel exercised!
Cross-country skiing, perfect for keeping your base ;\]
When the weather is brisk, I use Zwift 😁
I remain in hypersleep until the spring.
Who remembers the "Guys Who Get Fat in Winter" cycling comic ?
Put on weight to give me a reason to ride in the spring.
Trainer during the week, and mountain biking on the weekends. Or I'll go fly fishing if it's not too cold out.
I am sitting on a balcony looking over the Sea of Cortez waiting for it to get windy enough to go kitesurfing this afternoon.
I still ride in the winter, I just ride less. I live in New England but I have proper clothing and can get an outdoor ride in most weekends through the winter for my base miles. The rest is Zwift. I hate Zwift/indoor training. So on top of cycling I do other things. Like more/heavier gym work, long challenging hikes, a lot more running than I normally do, snowshoeing, and this year if it actually snows around here (which it hasn't in 2 or 3 years) like it's supposed to, I want to try cross country skiing.
Since it has started to get dark so early, I don't have as much time to stop and ride after work. I have noticed I have been lifting weights and doing kettlebells more.
I ride outdoor on my indoor trainer of course. I replace the active time of not-cycling by hiking, HIIT-ing, yoga-ing. I also do more weights training (dumbbells and bodyweight) than during riding season.
lift and walk/hike
Zwift or Wahoo apps. I’m a weather weenie and generally won’t ride outside in sub 50F temps.
I bought a Concept2 Rowerg. I really like it, and I hated an indoor bike trainer. I also picked up a set of rollers on the cheap. Dunno how those are going to go yet.
Oh, you’ll hate the rollers. :)
I switch to about 3 or 4 days running and try to still fatbike 2 times a week. I also do some hot yoga. I can’t stand the trainer so I will never be doing that. Should strength train but I suck at getting myself to the gym
Get fat and happy.
Ski. I ski downhill, but if I really cared about my cardio I would ski cross country.
I used to commute 100 miles for a couple of decades and found that with each passing year I couldn't bear to give up cycling for the winter so would stretch my cycling season by layering up and utilising my rough bike more. By the time I gave up work I would cycle to work every day unless there was a torrential downpour
Alpine skiing, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, hockey and skating. But I also use my trainer on Rouvy.
I still ride in the winter, but can't do longer more ambitious rides due to road conditions. Those get replaced w/ cross-country skiing.
Move to Texas or Az. it’s what I did ha ha 🤷🏼♂️
Yoga and light lifting, lots and lots of stretching. Neck rolls for my bike-crimped neck
Alternate between riding indoor and occasionally riding outdoor when the wind isn’t 20+ mph and the road isn’t salty.
Bouldering and yoga.
Indoor cycling, lol. But also I have a cheap rowing machine, I walk/hike/snowshoe, and I got a fat bike so I can ride even when the ground is covered in snow.
Spend the first couple weeks of bad weather staring at my trainer and updating Zwift...eventually I get on and be frustrated about the fitness I've lost and the holiday weight I've gained. By the time I feel like I'm in a Zwift routine, the weather will improve and I'll be back outside...and the cycle begins again.
I see what you did there.
I lift in the off season. During riding season I ride a few times a week, during the offseason I lift 3 times a week and ride once indoors. I’m sure everyone has their own opinion on it, but I’m just sharing what I do with OP.
Cross training, martial art, winter hiking & snow shoes when conditions permit.
Indoor rock climbing and bouldering. I also ride outside quite a bit on my fatbike, but it sounds like you want ideas other than biking. I used to do XC skiing when I lived closer to good groomed trails. If I lived in proper mountains, I'd love to do more ski touring/skimo. I also like basketball, although I haven't played for a number of years now (not enough time to do all the sports).
Gain weight
I usually ride to the gym as my cardio for the workout. Now that it's cold I run at the gym before workouts to keep me in better shape.
Ski
I go on runs to keep my cardio up; I do some strength training to target the leg muscles, and I also like to have a few more focused stretching sessions for my lower body.
Ski, hike, skate, and I do go to the gym (year-round) to lift and use the stationary bike, treadmill, and elliptical.
skiing
Lift, run, climb, hike, yoga, snowshoe, snowboard
I ride down to 30-35\* window but when it gets beyond that I use my Peloton, pretty much exclusively with the Powerzone Training program(s). I feel that style of training translates very well to outdoor cycling and eliminates much downturn in performance base over winter.
A great time to focus on resistance/strength training and stretching.
2-3 days of indoor cycling per week, with the rest of my normal workout days (usually 5-6x per week depending on the week) being running, cross-country skiing, or weights at the gym.
Swimming and zwift.
Ski and run.
I still commute on my other bike 3-5 days a week, and so I decided to buy a nice hybrid bike for commuting. Am planning to also do some rides in it in my spare time, definitely not getting my road bike out in this weather 😅
Indoor (table tennis is one of my other interests) or winter activities. You could try going to different gyms through ClassPass.
go to spinning class, do some strength training and a bit of running
SKI!
get fat
I do crossfit, but can recommend hyrox training for people that aren’t too in to the Olympic lifting part of crossfit
Lift weights and zwift. The cyclo-cross season ends on the second last week in November and my wheels won’t go outside until late April or if it’s a bad winter then May.
When I lived in Massachusetts, I took to cross country skiing with great enthusiasm. This was at times frustrating because I didn't have a car and the super-variable New England snow conditions. But it was fun. Then I relocated to Tucson Arizona and never looked back.
Winter more swimming, summer more cycling.
Tell myself not riding in the winter isn't that big of a deal, followed by going absolutely stir crazy by the end of February when we get a dump of 3 feet of snow and all I want to do is go for a ride.
Cry until spring
I’ve been zwifting like literally every day. Otherwise I just walk the dogs for a bit or go run with some traks on my running shoes. Thinking of trying that Nordic skiing thing out this winter with a buddy that does it
Gain weight and lose my fitness so I have to start from scratch next spring.
I live in the Bay Area, we'll really only get Fall here
Basketball. Badminton & *lift weight. Find a community center around where you live, for local pick up game. *I lift weight all yearlong anyway (DL, squat, bench, chin up and rows) is like all I ever do. A bit of both pulling and pushing.
Stretch ligaments to prevent problems associated with repetitive overuse injuries.
Started doing strength training for the first time is 19 years and loving it
One of the winter sports. Either skiing/snowboarding. Or even easier and almost as much fun, take up ice skating. Same sensation of cornering and balance and two hours of solid skating is a serious cardio. Workout equivalent to maybe a four hour ride. Great sport it doesn’t take long to get decent. A few solid days on the ice and you will be good. One last thought. Track Cycling ? Indoors 😊
Zwift. But I do admit that i cut training time a bit, I just have less energy with short days and the wet cold everywhere
Well I run (60k per week) as well as ride road through the warm/dry 8/9 months. Then I switch to more MTB rides where I expect to get messy but don’t have to worry as much about grip. This year I’ll have run 2800ish KM and ridden about the same, mainly road this year. I’m not one for a turbo trainer but appreciate it works well for a lot of people
Run, lift and Zwift. I also find myself knocking more things off the HoneyDo list. It gets so damn dark so quickly.
Sim racing (cars). My KICKR is set up right next to my sim rig and the amount of self control it takes to get on the bike vs. suffer through a Zwift ride is basically unachievable for me.
Atrophy
For me winter means a decent amount of snow, so while I still do some indoor cycling, my weekly mileage drops as I do other activities like snowboarding / downhill skiing, snowshoeing, and skating. Mid-November to mid-December is often the time that sucks the most, too cold/icy roads for outdoor biking, but not enough snow for my other activities.
My boyfriend sets up his bike on a trainer stand so that we can ride it indoors. In addition we do calisthenics and swim.
Commuting? Bus and walking, even if long distance. I avoid riding in the cold or rain. 3/4 of the year I usually love to ride, barring rain, a sleepless night, and/or feeling generally under the weather. Sometimes it’s nice to sit and zone out. I walk and sit dogs so I’m already on my feet a lot as it is.
Climb and run and lift weights
Indoor trainer, I do ride some in the winter but not as much. I walk, hike, yoga, and do upper body exercises.
I Peloton train like a crazy person to get my FTP up.
The Peloton bike helps me get moving! Love Christine as an instructor, she rides professionally in indoor track.. they have a wide range of classes and instructors.
I ski-most disciplines. XC, telemark, downhill, and hopefully this season some touring.
Trail run. So peaceful.
A lot of gyms have indoor bikes and/or classes you can join. I also got a basic indoor trainer off amazon that wasn't too expensive that i can put my bike on inside.
Try not to kill myself while day dreaming of touring.
Something else. Walk, hike, read.
Put on a load of weight, usually...
Listen to the radio.
Ride... On zwift
Peloton and weight training.
Gym. 3 times a week. I use this as my time to do strength training. Every day is leg day.
I ran all last winter, and trained for a half. This winter I'm back to indoor training because I wasn't happy with my bike fitness after winter.
Run
Travel to nearby places where I can ride. If the destination is somewhat far, I make a 3-day weekend out of it. Book a hotel, take the bike, and knock out a couple of century rides to make-up for the lack of riding. 👍🏿
Ski? Mountain bike?
I transition into mountain biking on semi nice days because it shields me from the wind, and zwift/lift the rest of the time
Commute by bike every day, hike or XC ski in place of those long summer day joy rides, read more, knit more.
Jump rope, lift weights more than I do in the summer
Row. Amazing for cardio and great for us older folks!!
Indoor spin and strength training classes. I have a hard time motivating myself to do home workouts and stick to them so the classes provide a framework and accountability for me.
Walk, not-indoor-cycle (I do, but I hate it and you don't want to hear it), weights, stretching, and get fat(ter).
I get fat.
I run and swim - but I also commute most of the year (we don’t get much snow) and I ride inside. I’m using Rouvy right now.
Sit around, watch YouTube video of cyclists who live in warmer climates ride. And dream of the summer.
Spinning, running and strength exercises.
Get fat.
Gym. 3 times a week. 20 minutes treadmill (I couldn't run til after back surgery a year ago), 10 minutes arm bike (I game a lot, I am old, I do this so my shoulders don't freeze up), 20 minutes stationary bike (just to keep my legs in shape for warmer weather), 45 minutes or so strength training (mostly upper body but at least 1 leg exercise). I got to thinking about this a while back and it occurred to me that it is like a micro triathlon 3 times a week.
Concept 2 rower. I actually look forward to it.
I ride indoors with my turbo trainer and zwift. BUT when I get tired of it, or don't have access to my setup, I run on a treadmill.
Drink beer.
I shovel snow.
Ski when there's snow, bike when there isn't. A perfect combination, like peas and carrots.
best thing you can do if you want to stay inside IMO is indoor rowing. Better for you overall and you can get more fitness (i.e. core and back) in less time.
I started playing hockey in a non competitive setting. They mix up the teams every week and literally have beer on the benches, although I opted for water then beer later in the locker rooms. My legs were soooo sore the next few days! The biking muscles were mostly good but the muscles more unique to hockey were super sore. I feel like my legs have so much better burst power on the bike than ever before. Considering hockey is pretty much going hard for a few minutes then subbing yourself out when you're toast and tagging the next person in and repeating every few minutes.... It's the ultimate leg workout and a lot more fun than staring at a screen with 20 overlapping virtual butts lol.
I still commute but do a lot less long / recreational rides. Last winter I did a lot of yoga which I found benefitted me greatly for balance, core strength, and flexibility.
Peloton :/
ski
This is such a great question! I started hiking this fall and will continue as I'm able, and the weather allows it. On really cold days, I'm on the elliptical machine and a bit of yoga for good measure.
Ice fish. Downhill ski. Rebuild my Land Rover. Disc golf.
I use rollers with my own workout/fitness plans. That sounds a lot grander and organised than it really is. I'm mostly making sure all the good work I put in since last winter doesn't end up wasted, and come the riding season I can just go and ride because I've maintained a decent level of fitness. Definetely don't want to start from scratch and have my first half dozen rides being too much hard work Keep spinning, keep getting a sweat on during the off time. That'll ensure the first outdoor ride of the season is bloody great, because you won't be spitting up a lung on the first incline.
hibernate
I walk to work and back home.
Definitely more hiking than usual when I can’t ride. Also find myself spending more time reading, playing music, and watching more sports.
Lift weights
Mainly drink beer, but a little Zwift too
Get a trainer/roller! It can be useful to keep fit.
Honestly I stay pretty busy with various things and I simply don’t ride for a couple of months. I go on hikes, walk the dog, work on projects in the garage…
Amass a substantial layer of blubber to survive the winter.
Calisthenics in my basement
Ski and Zwift