Now that even Peter Sagan has confessed he's not riding on Zwift (or Z), I can do the same. I don't use Z (any more and for now). Here we go. I said it. I feel much better now.
Just kidding, but these days it seems like that if you don't use Z, you're a pariah. So I'll try to explain why I'm not using it.
Firstly, I don't have anything again Z and those using it. I think Z is a great company, their concept is fantastic (if you're into that), and it's fun and entertaining for many. Plus, it can be an excellent tool for improving your fitness and performance. Several stories support all the above, so I don't need to delve into that.
I've also used Z a few times in the early days (ah! the old days) and even did some freelance work for their UK PR. Last year I even applied for a job there and went to the final stage of the process. Just today, I get why I didn't get the job. To simply put it, I was not the best fit, because I didn't believe in it 100%. So kudos to them for having found that through the interviewing process!
Now, back to the reasons why I don't use Z.
First, I'm lazy. Or, in other words, I want to optimize the time I have for training (which isn't infinite) and limit the actions to get on the turbo as quickly as possible. Even with fewer things to do, I tend to be quite slow and I spend a lot of time checking I have everything I need. You know how it works: once you forget the towel, another time the water bottle, or even both! So, not having to turn on a laptop (or a phone or a tablet) and connecting them to the app, it's something less I need to do and think of.
Secondly, it's not that I don't like indoor training. I actually enjoy the turbo (if not too long), and I still believe it's the most efficient and effective way to improve your cycling panache. I mean, no traffic, no red lights, just hammer down and suffer. What else on heart would you possibly want?
Thirdly, I'm quite into mind training in this period. If you didn't know, that's the new hipster trend, while the cafés in East London are closed.
After I started to work with a sport psychologist, I began focusing more on my breathing pattern and my working muscles when things get tough. The main goal is to keep my mind connected to my body and develop a more in-depth interaction between them. Anything that distracts me from this, and takes my focus away, is quite annoying.
That is true not only for Z but also for movies or music. I was never able to watch a video during a turbo session. After a couple of scenes, I just stopped following the images. So, music had been my preferred way to pass the time during turbo. I listened to audiobooks for a while but found that my focus leaned towards the book more than my training.
Music was the primary go-to for turbo training. It was an excellent time to brush up some cult of the 90s punk-rock, or just let Alexa decide the tune. But then, even music became a distraction. Mostly because I often forgot to charge Alexa (it's a speaker, but we call it Alexa), so half-way through the set, it went out of juice.
Then, by speaking to one of my mentors, Rob Pickard -- former Head of Performance for Triathlon Australia -- something else clicked. He told me that when he wants to have no distractions at all, he switches the music off too. I had never tried that before, so I gave it a go after our conversation.
A whole new world opened. I enjoyed my turbo session for the first time in a very long time. When I took all distractions away from the turbo session, I was finally able to get into that mind-body flow I was trying to get into. That included keeping my phone in a different room to avoid the temptation of checking it in the easy intervals.
On the other hand, when I run, I find it easier to get into the flow. The reason is that when I run, I don't bring anything with me, expect the home keys and a water bottle for the long sessions.
However, even during the low-intensity training sessions, it is easier for the mind to meander around. And that's fine. I don't pretend to be a full-on 'flow Jedi' every time (at least for now, haha). When my mind starts thinking about something else during the session, that's also an opportunity for getting some work done. I sometimes write articles in my head when I run, or think of potential pitches to send to magazines, or I just enjoy a break or admiring what's around me.
When that happens, I still try to bring the mind back to my body here and there. How is my glute working? Is it pushing? Am I watching my feet or facing the road ahead? Is my upper body clinched or opened? I ask myself these questions to make sure I'm in the moment and keep good form.
When the running session is harder things are quite different. I find it easier to focus on the body and the breathing. That's because when a have fewer distractions (except maintaining the safe distance during lockdown), and I increase the pace and suffer more, my mind is trying to economize its actions and focus on the basics. When things get tough, even thinking is becoming too much and an unnecessary dispense of energies.
But on the turbo, even during the hard sessions, I always found it harder to keep the mind into the present moment. I know the turbo can become quite tedious and dull, so if you're not used to it, it's normal for the mind to try the easy way out.
Unfortunately, when that happens, even your position on the bike changes and that can lead to wrong movement and biomechanical patterns that are hurtful long term. Yet, if you take the distractions away, keeping a correct position on the bike is easier.
Long story short, once I tried what Rob had suggested, not only was I able to be in the moment and train my mind, but even the training session became more fun. I know you must be a bit weird to enjoy these kind of things. But races will be tough, and training your mind to endure tough moments it's a great strategy to be ready for those moments when they'll occur.
So, that is why I don't use Z (any more and for now). It works for me, and I enjoy it, but I understand it's not for everyone. Luckily!
I forgot. Now I also don't use Z because Sagan doesn’t either. If he will, then we'll see.
Just kidding.