How to Use a Schwinn Bike Trainer

Snowy roads can be very difficult to cycle over.

Finding the motivation to get out on your bicycle during the harsh winter months is difficult. It's cold, dark, rainy, even sometimes icy, which all adds up to an unsafe and unpleasant experience out on your bike. Using a Schwinn bike trainer removes all of these issues and means you can carry on your training right into the heart of winter, by allowing you to set up your road bike on a stand indoors. Furthermore, the Schwinn trainer allows you to adjust the resistance of your bike's pedals, so you can replicate a punishing steep climb, or practice sprint cycling.

Instructions

1. Find a good spot for your Schwinn trainer. There are a few factors to consider here, but it is mostly personal preference. If you have a specialized gym in your house, then this is the obvious location. If you do not have this luxury, then decide the context you wish to train in. For instance, do you want to be able to watch television while you train? If you set up your Schwinn in a living area, is it going to be disruptive to the people you live with? Consider all of the factors before placing your Schwinn, but remember that you can always try out different places and move the trainer to suit your needs.

2. 

   Follow the instructions to the letter.

   Assemble your Schwinn trainer. As with most items used for exercise training, there will be a comprehensive set of instructions included with your trainer. Ensure that you follow the instructions to the letter, as incorrectly setting up your Schwinn can lead to low performance, and there is a risk to your health and safety if the Schwinn is not correctly assembled.

3. Test your Schwinn for stability and safety before launching into intensive training. It is wise to mount your bike and ride it very gently at first to ensure the Schwinn is performing properly and that there are no loose fittings or fixtures, which will be problematic when you reach more intense levels of training. Once you're happy that your trainer is stable and secure, you can move on to a heavier workout.

4. 

   An athlete cycles a sprint-style bike up an incline.

   Make a workout plan and stick to it. Different Schwinn users will have different reasons for working out. For example, if you are trying to bulk up the muscles in your legs, you will want a high-resistance workout plan (resistance can be adjusted on the Schwinn.) If you are looking for an aerobic, cardiac workout, however, then you will want a lower resistance so you can focus on calorie burning through sprint sets.

5. Set your Schwinn's resistance in accordance with your workout plan. If you have not established a workout plan, or are unsure as to how you want to train, set the Schwinn on a medium resistance setting and see how it feels, and how hard you have to work at that resistance level.

6. Keep a diary of your exercise. It is very rewarding to see the fruits of your labor spelled out on a page. For example, it is very satisfying if, during your first workout at a certain resistance, you could only sprint for eight minutes but one month later you can sprint for 15 minutes at the same resistance. Keeping a workout diary enables you to track your progress, and it is a good motivator to use your Schwinn when you are feeling lazy or unmotivated.

Tips & Warnings

• For a good all-round workout, mix up your routine to keep your muscles guessing. If you train the same way every time, your muscles become used to the workout, so don't be afraid to make changes.

References

• Ultra Cycling: Indoor Cycle Training
• Road Cycling: Cycling Training