Ergometer training plan: Interval training for every fitness level

Once you have familiarised yourself with the correct adjustment of your ergometer and the correct posture for your workout, you can now start training. Concentrate on fitness training that is right for you so that it is effective and you don't overexert yourself. The duration of the workout, the selected resistance and the revolutions per minute play an important role here. We have therefore put together three different ergometer training plans for you: for beginners, advanced users and a HIIT.

Our ergometers have 8, 16 or 32 resistance levels. In the ergometer training plan, the resistance is specified as "low", "medium" and "high". With 32 levels, this corresponds roughly to levels 1-10, 11-21 and 22-32, meaning that you divide the resistance levels of your ergometer roughly into thirds. Your own feeling and fitness naturally also play an important role here. Beginners in particular often find even a lower resistance more strenuous than advanced riders.

The cadence - i.e. the revolutions per minute - indicates how many kicks you make with your legs per minute. An athlete always trains more effectively with a higher cadence: the muscles are trained more effectively due to the more frequent tensing. In addition, the effort required is lower when the cadence is higher. However, this also depends on the selected resistance.

The duration of the training indicates how long you do which phase of the workout. You will also find a warm-up phase in every training plan so that you start your training at a leisurely pace and your body gets used to the exercise. The cool-down phase is also included so that you don't end the workout too abruptly. This allows your body to rest slowly.

During interval training on the ergometer, you alternate between more strenuous and easier phases. This increases the training effect as your body is constantly exposed to new stimuli. This gives you a good boost to fat burning and muscle building is stimulated. The alternating impulses also increase your endurance.

Practise the ergometer training plan approx. three times a week - with breaks between the training sessions in order to observe the regeneration phases and not overstrain your body.

Depending on your training goal, you should keep an eye on your training heart rate and adjust your training accordingly. In our blog on heart rate during sport you can find out everything you need to know about training in the right heart rate zone.

As a beginner, you start your ergometer training with lower resistance levels, a lower cadence and longer intervals. It is particularly important here that the changes between intervals are not too frequent and that the revolutions per minute do not vary too much. Once you have got used to this training and there is still "room for improvement", you can switch to advanced ergometer training after a few weeks.

Duration: 20 minutes

Once you have been doing your ergometer interval training for beginners for a few weeks and have got used to the training, your body needs new stimuli. Otherwise your training success will stagnate and your progress will slow down. This is exactly the right time to switch to interval training for advanced cyclists. Here, the cadence is increased once again and the resistance is also adjusted**. The *intervals* also change a little faster than in beginner interval training.

Total duration: 25 minutes

The highest level of interval training is HIIT: high-intensity interval training. You should only do this type of training if you have been practising a sport for some time or are generally already fitter. Here, the intervals change even faster and are significantly shorter, which has a positive effect on your condition and melts your fat reserves.

Total duration: 20 minutes

With ergometer interval training and the right training plan, you can quickly see your athletic progress and pursue your goals - whether you want to increase your endurance, build muscle or burn fat. Start your training with the right ergometer training plan and make sure you do it correctly.