2017 Super Bowl LI cycling trainer game

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On Sunday night, the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons will face off in Super Bowl LI in Houston, Texas at 6:30 p.m. EST. The average Super Bowl this decade last about 3 hours and 44 minutes according to Verge. That means if you have nothing else planned it’s the perfect opportunity to get in a nice long endurance workout. Instead of sitting in front of the television with a bowl of chicken wings and a beer why not hop on your bike to take in the most-watched American sporting event of the year.

This indoor trainer workout designed by the personal training company CTS is loosely styled after a drinking game. It doesn’t require a smart trainer or a power meter, all you requires is you to resist the temptation to relax with your feet up and a bowl of chips in your lap.

To play this game it’s suggested you first get your bike all set up and start by doing a 5 to 10 minute warm-up to build up to what is your moderate intensity, conversational pace or EnduranceMiles as CTS calls it. Once the game starts your workout will be based on what happens in the game. As you watch the game when something described in one of the white boxes takes place go to the intensity level described in the red box at the top of the column.

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What doing this workout would look like is during periods when nothing is happening while you are watching you would maintain your moderate intensity pace. Say the quarterback gets sacked you would then do a 30-seconf sprint before returning to your endurance pace. When there is a kickoff following a field goal, touchdown or at the start of the second half you would ride out of the saddle for one minute.

If it’s first down you do a one-minute power interval. If the quarterback’s throw is intercepted you’d increase your cadence but decrease resistance to do a 2 minute set at a high cadence. During commercial break watch for what adds you are seeing cause they do will affect what intensity you ride at. Whenever you’re done a set, return to the moderate intensity and continue to watch out for cues for you to jump back into a set. You can get some recovery in during commercials, out of bounds, incomplete passes or when the coach is on screen.

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The game directs that if you are mid-interval and see another cue to not switch interval rather finish the interval you are currently doing and wait for the next cue once done. For example, if you see a fast food commercial jump into a two-minute high cadence interval and finish it regardless what other cues you hear during the two minutes.

CTS also suggests you don’t stay on the bike during the entire Super Bowl which they say is unnecessary. They suggest choosing a quarter or a half to do your workout during. If you are following the guidelines exactly, it would be a very tough almost-four-hour workout. However, if you are looking for a challenge you could do the intervals at reduced intensity and knock out an extremely solid indoor workout. CTS says the most popular way to do the workout is to ride the first half and then refuel and relax during the second half.