Training Tips – Cycling Rollers Training Session Plans

Cycling rollers are a superb training tool that will help both beginner and experienced cyclists improve technique and fitness. I reviewed the Tacx Antares Rollers and Feedback Sports Omnium Rollers on Life In The Saddle; in this post I follow up with three simple training sessions that are easy to follow when using cycle rollers.


Rollers are particularly useful for working on pedalling technique, cadence training, and active recovery. The low resistance means they allow you to easily spin at a high RPM—working on elements of your cycling technique such as balance and efficiency that can be hard to target out on the road.

Recovery Spin Session – 30 minutes

This session is designed to be done post-race, or on a rest day. The objective is to get blood flowing to your muscles to flush out lactic acid that has built up during hard efforts.

The "intervals" are very low intensity, but are added to bring variety and interest to what could otherwise be a monotonous spin session.

• 5 min – 100 RPM Gentle spinning (100 Watts) 
• 1 min – 120 RPM Fast cadence (140 Watts) 
• 5 min – 105 RPM Gentle spinning (120 Watts) 
• 1 min – 130 RPM Fast cadence (140 Watts) 
• 2 min – 90 RPM Right leg emphasis 
• 2 min – 90 RPM Left leg emphasis 
• 4 min – 100 RPM Gentle spinning (100 Watts)

High Cadence Pyramid Session – 45 minutes

This session is designed to work both on low cadence stability and high cadence control. The focus is on building your cadence gradually, but maintaining your pedalling technique.

You should not be bouncing around on the saddle; try and keep your upper body stable and work on powering those legs round at a higher RPM with each set.

• 10 min – 100RPM Gentle spinning (warm-up) (100 Watts)
• 1 min – 115 RPM Fast spinning
• 1 min – 100 RPM Gentle spinning
• 1 min – 120 RPM Fast spinning
• 1 min – 100 RPM Gentle spinning
• 30 sec – 120+ RPM Fast spinning
• 30 sec – 100 RPM Gentle spinning

>> Repeat the last 5 mins x4

• 5 min – 100 RPM Gentle spinning
• 5 min – PYRAMID: Steady high cadence with progressive power. Select the big ring up front and the largest cog on the cassette, spin the gear up until you get to 120 RPM, then change into the next hardest gear on the cassette. KEEP GOING until your cadence starts to fall below 100 and you cannot get it higher. Then, start to shift back up to the easier gears on the cassette (pyramid training). If you find this hard to get near this kind of cadence using the big ring gears then use the smaller ring and start mid-way down the cassette (you may have to change up the big ring mid-pyramid if you do this).
• 10 min – 100 RPM Gentle spinning (cool-down)

The Single Legged Spin Session (40 mins)

This is a technique rather than a fitness session and is designed to help even-out any power imbalances in your leg strokes.

Stay in the same gear as you use for the warm up (small ring) when you move into the first set, but cycle one legged for the next 10 minutes. The best way to do this is to unclip your "resting" leg and just place it on the pedal.

• 10 min – 80-100 RPM Gentle spinning (warm-up) (100 Watts)
• 1 min – 80-100 RPM Left leg emphasis (try to maintain 100 Watts)
• 1 min – 80-100 RPM Right leg emphasis (try to maintain 100 Watts)

>> Repeat the last 2 mins x5

• 10 min – 100 RPM – Now change up to the big ring on the front and ride fairly hard with both legs. Try to keep up the same feel of fluidity and smoothness that you were working on.
• 10 min – 100 RPM Gentle spinning (cool-down)

All these sessions could also be done on a turbo trainer, but the benefit of using a set of rollers like the Tacx Antares Rollers is that they will really work on your bike handling, core stability, and technique.