As a triathlete, balancing swimming, running, and cycling requires well thought out training. When the weather doesn’t cooperate, or time constraints prevent long outdoor rides, the turbo trainer is your best friend to keep your cycling on track.

Riding on a turbo trainer offers a great environment for controlled, structured workouts that can help you improve your endurance, increase power output, and hone your high-intensity efforts, all within the safe confines of your home.

In this article, we’ve put together three essential turbo trainer workouts designed to target different aspects of your cycling performance, complete with guidance on heart rate and power zones to ensure you’re getting the most out of each session.

why structured workouts matter

Structured workouts not only help you maximise your indoor training sessions but also ensure you’re training the specific energy systems required for triathlon success. Whether you’re preparing for a sprint triathlon or a full-distance ‘long’ event, these targeted sessions will help you build stamina, power, and speed essential components for strong cycling performance on race day.

understanding heart rate and power zones

Before diving into the workouts, let’s quickly review the power and heart rate zones. If you’re unfamiliar with your zones, you’ll need to perform a functional threshold power (FTP) test and establish your maximum heart rate (MHR). Here’s a quick reference for zones:

Zone 1: Recovery (50-60% FTP, 55-65% MHR)

Zone 2: Endurance (60-70% FTP, 65-75% MHR)

Zone 3: Tempo (70-80% FTP, 75-85% MHR)

Zone 4: Threshold (85-95% FTP, 80-90% MHR)

Zone 5: VO2 Max (105-120% FTP, 90-95% MHR)

With that in mind, let’s get to the workouts!

Workout 1: Endurance base builder (90 minutes)

Objective: Build aerobic endurance for long-distance efforts.

This steady-state session focuses on enhancing your aerobic capacity—critical for triathletes competing in longer events. By working in lower heart rate and power zones, this workout will help you build a solid endurance base without overexerting yourself.

Warm-Up (10 minutes):

5 minutes easy spin at Zone 1 (55-65% MHR, 50-60% FTP)

5 minutes steady spin at Zone 2 (65-75% MHR, 60-70% FTP)

Main Set (70 minutes):

2 x 30-minute efforts in Zone 2 (65-75% MHR, 60-70% FTP), with 5 minutes of easy spinning in Zone 1 (50-60% FTP, 55-65% MHR) between efforts.

Maintain a smooth cadence between 85-95 RPM, focusing on controlled breathing and steady power output.

Cool-Down (10 minutes):

5 minutes easy spin in Zone 1 (50-60% FTP, 55-65% MHR)

5 minutes very light spin

Why it works: Long, steady-state rides like this enhance your body’s ability to burn fat as fuel and increase your aerobic efficiency—vital for staying strong over long distances on race day.

Workout 2: Threshold builder (60 minutes)

Objective: Improve sustained power and increase lactate tolerance.

Threshold workouts are all about improving your ability to sustain high power outputs for prolonged periods. This session targets your threshold power and heart rate, helping you push the limits of what you can handle on race day.

Warm-Up (10 minutes):

5 minutes easy spin at Zone 1 (55-65% MHR, 50-60% FTP)

5 minutes building gradually from Zone 1 to Zone 3 (75-80% MHR, 70-80% FTP)

Main Set (40 minutes):

4 x 8-minute intervals in Zone 4 (85-95% FTP, 80-90% MHR), with 2 minutes of easy spinning in Zone 1 between intervals.

Aim to hold a cadence of 80-90 RPM during the work intervals, maintaining smooth, controlled power output throughout.

Cool-Down (10 minutes):

5 minutes easy spin in Zone 1

5 minutes very light spin

Why It Works: This workout strengthens your ability to hold race pace intensity, pushing your lactate threshold higher, which means you’ll be able to sustain higher power for longer periods during competition.

Workout 3: VO2 Max intervals (45 minutes)

Objective: Increase aerobic capacity and power for high-intensity efforts.

VO2 max intervals focus on building your aerobic capacity and improving your ability to tolerate high-intensity efforts. This session is short and sharp, designed to increase the maximum amount of oxygen your body can utilise during intense exercise.

Warm-Up (10 minutes):

5 minutes easy spin in Zone 1 (55-65% MHR, 50-60% FTP)

5 minutes progressive build from Zone 1 to Zone 3 (75-80% MHR, 70-80% FTP)

Main Set (25 minutes):

6 x 2-minute intervals in Zone 5 (105-120% FTP, 90-95% MHR), with 2 minutes of active recovery in Zone 1 (55-65% MHR, 50-60% FTP) between intervals.

Aim for a high cadence of 100+ RPM during each work interval to build leg speed and power.

Cool-Down (10 minutes):

5 minutes easy spin in Zone 1

5 minutes very light spin

Why It Works: These short, intense bursts help increase your VO2 max, which translates to a greater ability to handle high-intensity efforts during racing—whether it’s powering up a hill or making a decisive move.

When should I use these workouts?

Each of these workouts targets a specific area of your cycling fitness. By slotting them into your weekly training plan, you can develop a well-rounded cycling skill set. For example:

Endurance Base Builder: Do this once or twice a week to build aerobic capacity.

Threshold Builder: Incorporate once a week to raise your lactate threshold.

VO2 Max Intervals: Add this high-intensity session once every 7-10 days to boost your power and anaerobic capacity.