3 Gründe, die für das Wattbike sprechen

3 reasons that speak for the Wattbike

Interval training is an important component of conditioning training.

Condition is defined as follows:

"Condition is the ability to repeat a given effort with minimal fatigue"

And is therefore basically an important part of the training and especially the training for many sports, as these are cyclically structured.

And an excellent tool for reducing body fat if used properly. This is far ahead of classic endurance training in particular, as I explained in detail in the article " Why classic cardio for fat loss is a waste of time ".

Condition can be trained with various tools and training systems. In addition to fitness training through strength training and classic sprints, a bike has the most advantages. In the YPSI we use two different wheels for this. Firstly, an air bike that, with high, adaptive air resistance and arm and leg involvement, leads to a high level of global fatigue in a short period of time. In addition, we have had a Wattbike since the beginning of this year.

What is the Watt Bike?

A Wattbike could be defined as a super sports car among indoor bikes. I'm not a fan of classic indoor bikes and spinning bikes for various reasons, such as the pedaling behavior of the flywheel and the high revolutions with low resistance and the associated neutral fatigue without relevant strain on the muscular system. This changed significantly when I first heard about the Wattbike and its innovations and then used it.

The Wattbike was developed in 2008 in cooperation with the British Track Cycling Association. With the aim of producing an indoor bike that gives you the feeling of riding on the street and at the same time allows high loads and the collection of bike-specific performance data and pedaling technique analysis.

The 3 advantages of the Wattbike over other interval training tools are:

1. Very high, variable resistance with low impact - The Wattbike has a dual braking system - variable resistance can be set using air and/or magnets - with a very high limit. For example, with an air bike, the limit is 1999 watts, which is not quite enough to test the maximum load limit, especially for people who train with high squats. With the Wattbike, the record is over 3000 watts, which is currently held by the 6-time Olympic champion and 11-time world champion in track cycling Chris Hoy. Also here is weightlifter Dmitri Klokov , who pedaled 2062 watts on the Wattbike without a warm-up. This variable, high resistance enables a high muscular load with a very low impact, especially in comparison to sprints, which are also excellent for interval training, but the trainee due to the high impact, i.e. the forces that act on the body, must be introduced to higher speeds very slowly in order to avoid injury. This impact is significantly lower on the Wattbike, which makes it possible to train safely in the high load range much faster.

2. Higher lactate production - lactate is a by-product especially during 20-70s to maximum exercise. 400m and 800m sprints, speed skating and judo are classic examples of high lactate production. The production of lactate is local. This is a major advantage of the Wattbike over sprints and the air bike, as there is more global fatigue due to total body stress, which limits local production of lactate. Due to the lower global fatigue and higher local stress on the leg muscles when training with the Wattbike in comparison, higher lactate production and the resulting hormonal response such as increased testosterone output and improved blood sugar management are a great advantage.

3. Advanced Progress Accounting - The software and app allow you to collect and analyze data like no other interval training tool. In addition to determining classic values ​​such as time, performance in watts and revolutions per minute, the software also analyzes the pedaling technique and gives graphic feedback on the power transmission directly on the display , which makes it possible to optimize pedaling form and technique directly. The data of each unit is also saved and can be analyzed overall or specifically for each user in order to record progress precisely. And to plan further training sessions.

The Wattbike is an excellent tool for high-intensity interval workouts to complement strength training as a means of improving conditioning and fat loss. It has also enjoyed great popularity, especially in the last year, and many teams such as Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Manchester United as well as professional athletes such as UFC Champion Conor McGregor and multiple boxing world champion Anthony Joshua successfully use the bike in their training.

Good luck with the Wattbike!

Image: The Wattbike in the YPSI.

Back to blog