{"id":43064,"date":"2023-11-10T21:52:03","date_gmt":"2023-11-11T05:52:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/?p=43064"},"modified":"2023-11-13T08:33:33","modified_gmt":"2023-11-13T16:33:33","slug":"can-average-cyclists-do-zwift-workouts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/can-average-cyclists-do-zwift-workouts\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Average Cyclists Do Zwift Workouts?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Have you been thinking about doing Zwift workouts, but worried that they might be too tough? In this post I share the fun and excitement I just had, doing my very first structured workout on Zwift. I have been Zwifting for two months now, but have been afraid to attempt a structured workout. I finally did it, and I can\u2019t wait for tomorrow to do it again. Turns out, there was no need at all to be afraid.<\/p>\n

I have to share some personal background, because it is very relevant here. I have been a recreational cyclist all my life, and also spent many years bike commuting to work. Since quitting a full-time job, I am no longer a bike commuter, so my cycling hours have decreased dramatically. Which of course means that my cycling fitness has decreased. Use it or lose it \u2026<\/p>\n

Even more dramatically, I had a very scary heart incident in March of this year. Despite being extremely active all my life, it seems that my genetics caught up with me. It is also possible<\/em> that I made some mistakes over the years. For example, I have always (until now) indulged my love of fatty meats. And I even had a few years when I was stupid enough to smoke cigarettes (hard to believe now, but it did happen back in my youth). Plus, I deliberately chose to believe the misleading articles that would have us believe that red wine is actually good for you. In short, I am not now, and never have been, a saint.<\/p>\n

My heart incident and subsequent treatment were life-threatening, and I experienced it all as terrifying. This had the effect of scaring me off my bike for several months. I knew I had to get back in the saddle to help me fight back against atherosclerosis, but at the same time, I was afraid to be out on the road on my own. What if I had another event? I have been medically cleared for exercise, but this was not enough to magically calm my anxiety.<\/p>\n

My New Zwift Hub Trainer<\/h2>\n

I eventually figured out that a perfect compromise would be to bring my cycling indoors for a while. That way, I could very gradually and carefully increase my cycling intensity, in the safety and comfort of my own home. I took advantage of the great value offered by the new Zwift Hub trainer,<\/a> an indoor smart trainer at an affordable price. I paid $500 for it, which is a whole lot cheaper than comparable products on the market. It’s gone up by a hundred dollars now, but as it has been upgraded to include virtual gearing, it is still an awesome price. (Note<\/strong>: I am NOT an affiliate. I tried, but they weren’t interested. I guess we are just too average.)<\/p>\n

I loved that it was fairly easy to assemble, and I was up and running within less than an hour. Or I guess I should say, up and cycling slowly and carefully!<\/p>\n

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