Cycling
High aerobic volume with almost no joint cost.
Cycling lets you accumulate far more aerobic minutes than running without the impact. Outdoors or on a trainer, the same rules apply: build a large easy base, add one interval session, and keep cadence in the 80–95 rpm range.
Why it works
- • Low-impact — great for heavy, older, or injury-prone athletes
- • Easy to hold precise effort on a trainer or spin bike
- • Builds quads, glutes and hamstrings while training the heart
- • Doubles as transportation
What you need
- • Road, gravel, hybrid or indoor trainer
- • Helmet
- • Padded shorts for rides over 45 min
- • Water bottle
Guided sessions
easy · 45 min
Zone 2 Endurance Ride
45 minutes of steady spinning at 85–95 rpm. The bread and butter of cycling fitness.
long · 90 min
Long Ride
90 minutes of easy riding. Eat something at the one-hour mark.
tempo · 68 min
4×8 Threshold Intervals
Four 8-minute efforts at threshold — the classic FTP builder.
intervals · 30 min
30/30 Sprint Repeats
Short, sharp bursts that build top-end power without long recovery.
Plans built on cycling
Beginner tips
- • Keep cadence high (80–95 rpm) and gears light — spin, don't grind.
- • Raise the saddle so your knee is almost straight at the bottom of the stroke.
- • Eat something on any ride over 90 minutes.
- • Indoor rides are ~15% harder than outdoor at the same heart rate — no coasting.
Questions
Is cycling as good as running for fitness?
For the heart and lungs, yes — it just takes more minutes because it is lower impact and non-weight-bearing. Cyclists should add strength work for bone density.
How long should a beginner ride?
Start with 30–45 minutes of easy Zone 2 riding three times a week, then extend one ride by 10–15 minutes each week.