TRAINING NEWS 

With lockdown 3.0 upon us accompanying these cold dark evenings, there is no better time to get yourself set up with your own ‘pain cave’; a place in which you can go, rain or shine, to work on your fitness and form ahead of the coming season. And indeed, as the name suggests – no doubt inflict a healthy amount of pain on yourself in the process.

Sam from Compete PR shares his top tips on the things you need to consider when kitting out your own pain cave, and the things it is worth considering as part of the set-up process:

1. BIKE SET UP

The centrepiece of any good triathlon training setup, the indoor bike trainer is where the average triathlete invests the most time and money. The first decision to make is whether to mount your bike to a turbo trainer, or whether to invest in a stationary smart bike like the Wattbike Atom. There are different types of turbo trainers, ranging from rear-wheel resistance trainers to direct-drive trainers which give a more realistic riding pattern and feel.

2. DIRECTIONAL FAN

The next priority should be a good fan, with the ability to direct the airflow. Studies show that overheating can reduce your cycling power at functional threshold (FTP) by 20 to 30 Watts. By keeping air flowing over your body, you will be able to keep focused on the endurance effort rather than wasting valuable bodily resources cooling yourself. A good fan can transform your experience of riding or running indoors.

3. GRIPPY FLOOR MAT

Whether you’re looking to protect your floor from marking, avoiding a pool of sweat, or to dampen those noisy vibrations that can worry the neighbours – a good floor mat is essential for a good pain cave setup. They can hold your turbo trainer or treadmill in place, as well as provide comfort for core workouts, stretching and yoga/pilates. A good floor mat should be easy to wipe down, grippy, and made from lightweight foam for comfort.

4. RESISTANCE BANDS

Often overlooked by the keen triathlete, resistance bands form a staple of any home gym setup. An incredibly versatile and cheap piece of kit, resistance bands can be used for strengthening, improving mobility, functional warmups, or even rehab from injury. With many pools world-wide currently closed to the COVID-19 pandemic, they can even simulate the resistance of a freestyle stroke to help you maintain your swim-specific fitness.

5. ENTERTAINMENT

Whether it’s Zwift, a movie, or simply your favourite tunes blaring over the speakers – keeping yourself entertained and motivated during the winter training is important. Keeping your electronics wireless and hassle-free is a huge benefit, if you can get a remote to control your device from across the room – even better.