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The big game is set for Sunday. You have a choice: You can park your derriere on the davenport (for Pats fans, that’s an old-timey word for sofa, from the now defunct Massachusetts furniture manufacturer of the same name) stuffing your face for four hours, or you can make the time fly (like an eagle, if that’s your affiliation) by getting on your trainer and doing our Super Bowl indoor cycling extravaganza, thereby earning that recovery sub and brew.
We knew you’d make the right choice, which is why we cooked up this trainer workout in collaboration with David Ertl, Peaks Coaching Group Elite Coach. Ertl occasionally sets up his trainer for a Sunday game and does sprint intervals every time the ball is snapped until the whistle blows the play dead, or “usually about 8 seconds,” he says. For the big game, we’ve added some more elements to amp up the fun. It’s a bit like a drinking game, except every time one of these Super Bowl situations happen, you sprint!
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Like a drinking game, it can get a bit excessive if you try it for the whole shebang. Instead, hop on and warm up during the pregame and anthem; play during the first half into the halftime show; and cool down and refuel during the second half.
Here are the rules of the game:
Set up your trainer (recruit a buddy or two if you can—or just let the heckle pit cheer you on as you work up a sweat). Start spinning easy, working up to "zone 2" endurance pace (~65 to 74 percent of HRR, conversational pace, or 5 to 6 on 1-10 scale) during pregame announcements and the national anthem. This is your base pace for the duration of the game.
When one of the game scenarios below occurs, perform the corresponding sprint interval. Follow the interval with recovery as needed, working back up to endurance base pace. If two scenarios happen back to back, like a punt returned for a touch down, piggyback the corresponding intervals! Above all, have fun!
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All Scores (i.e. Touchdown, Field Goal, Safety)
20-second sprint!
Kickoffs & Punts
30-second out-of-the-saddle hill charge (increase the resistance to pretend you're charging up a short kicker climb).
Penalty Flags & Sacks
30-second Monster Mash: Shift into a big gear and without getting out of the saddle, push HARD getting the gear up to speed and crank as hard as you can for the duration of the interval.
Announcer Mentions of: Rubber Dog Masks, Philadelphia Fan Behavior, Tom Brady's hand
10-second sprint!
Beer & Car/Truck Commercials
High-cadence spinning drill: Aim for >100 rpm for duration of ad
Halftime Show
2 x 10 minute tempo (~75 to 84 percent HRR, 7 to 8 on 1 – 10 scale) with 5-minute recovery between intervals
Cool down and refuel!
