Zwift: Who’s it for?
Zwift, founded in 2014, has transformed the way that we view training indoors. Using computer software and smart turbo trainers, Zwift allows you to bring the outdoors in with its auto adjusting resistance on the turbo to give a realistic road like feel with varied gradients, unique routes from iconic courses and cities around the world. Not only that, Zwift allows you to train and race with friends, pros and fellow Zwifters globally.
Being able to ride with others from the comfort of your own home has opened up a massive global community for those wanting to ride indoors. In winter months naturally Zwift comes in to its own with shorter days and disgusting weather. The city working and/or living professional is someone that can really capitalise on using Zwift. Former age group athlete and newly turned pro long course athlete, Ruth Astle has done just that. Using Zwift for so many of her rides, Astle was on the Specialized Zwift Academy for 2019 and achieved overall world age group championship gold in Kona that year; it has definitely has a proven record for supporting the busy lifestyle of age group athletes and achieving their goals.
World Champions, Vice World Champions and multiple IM/70.3 Winners are huge fans of the online training technology; Jan Frodeno, Lionel Sanders and Lucy Charles-Barclay just to name a few. Zwift presents so many benefits to training for the athletes of the long course world, professional or not. The specificity of training can be second to none; Zwift hosts a catalogue of pre-designed workouts to suit the need of any athlete or any type of session. The time spent in the saddle of long course athletes is key to success and requires not only a level of cardiovascular fitness but a neuromuscular fitness too. Zwift offers the opportunity for long course athletes to develop an uninterrupted fitness on both fronts. Something that can sometimes prove to be difficult in some locations globally. Prolonged time in the saddle can get lonely, Zwift provides a great social aspect. The nature of long course racing means that a lot of time courses aren’t particularly technical. Zwift doesn’t challenge an athlete on a technical front at all. This could be looked at as a benefit or a negative and something that one would have to build into their program elsewhere. On the contrary, holding one position in long course racing is very applicable for courses like Kona, Almere-Amsterdam and Daytona being super comfortable in your time trial position was key to not cramping up in the legs and back when heading out on to the run. This proved very successful for someone like Lionel Sanders, winner of Challenge Daytona 2019.
I guess you could ask with so many benefits for long course athletes is there a place of Zwift for the World Triathlon Series or Super League racers of the short course world. Well equally beneficial are the Zwift meetups and races. Zwift races are fantastic for getting that criterium circuit, high intensity workout and are ever popular with making in the short course world. Likewise, the Zwift catalogue of training workouts or the build your own option is equally beneficial for those constantly travelling for racing or for real specific workouts. Further provides a platform for access to a more interesting time for indoor prolonged rides in winter or when travelling to cities in hotel rooms.
Either way, in times of quarantine this is a platform this is working so well for all athlete alike across the world. To find out more about Zwift, visit their website here.
Article written by Elite Ironman 70.3 athlete Harrison Rolls King. Harrison has a BSc in Sport and Exercise Science with Nutrition.
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