For me…I can concentrate on entertainment through pain…but not really through something that threatens to ‘break’ me, and requires truly pushing through. So generay this means I’m ok with a movie up into sweet spot, but threshold (usually…) or VO2 work no matter what I’m going to be focused on the clock, so I just crank music and put on CX race footage.
Sweet spot and below, I find the engagement of a TV show or movie helps the time go by. I also tend to focus more on the show…ACTIVELY focus on it whole riding, much more than when just sitting on the couch. When on the couch, I’ll get tired…driftnof, check the news, etc. not on the bike…
I don’t have any sources on me, but I believe there is some evidence to support better absorption and retention of learning during exercise.
Riding outside isn’t possible from about November- March where I live, but last winter I kept the long endurance rides because I could watch previous lectures and other course material as revision. Racked up a bunch of volume and ended up super prepared for exams. I’d be curious to try learning a language or something similar.
I watched Platform last week It was a great film! Motivation is key @toribath, I agree. I’m at the stage where I think all the remaining sessions on this block of the plan are doable, but its easy to drift into self-doubt. That’s where mixing things up a bit helps I guess.
Hey @anon67840561, that’s a valid point. I am yet to venture into anything above Sweetspot (other than the occasional over/unders), and I can imagine that you have to stay focused during VO2 efforts. I’ve got my first workouts for VO2 when I start my Build phase in a couple of weeks, so will see what works. As far as the couch goes, I fall asleep within 5 minutes of ANY movie when I try to watch anything with my kids!
…and as far as new languages go, I have enough time keeping up with the new lingo of my children that seems to evolve constantly. No sooner do I start using ‘sick’ correctly (or so I thought) for the first time last week, I was eye rolled and told that things are now ‘epic’…I’m starting to feel old!
Ok, so I was going for Platoon on @JoeX recommendation, but it wasn’t on Netflix, so decided to opt for 13 Hours. Great film, so much so that it threw off my workout as I kept inadvertently dipping my cadence and had to play catch up a number of times. This cooked my legs by the time I got an hour in to the 2 hour workout. I made it though, but it was tough going and treated the intervals like hills. I switched to music for the last interval and got my cadence back a little, but then my speaker died with 3 minutes to go! The longest 3 minutes of my life…
…made it though Thanks for the recommendations, but I think i’ll stick to tunes next time
I find no matter what I do my cadence drifts a little during the two hours. I’ve done audible books, Netflix, music, focuses on TR, or just chilled and done nothing.
It all depends on the mood I’m in and what I’ve done that day.
Looking at your workout it looks perfectly executed to me.
Hi
I do Music… A mix of either my Spotify playlist. Or Adventurous i pick one the Spotify playlist from my daily selection. I have a very eclectic taste so i get some odd songs, but do not complain generally makes me think who is that when sitting at 85% of FTP after 90 minutes need a distraction.
Just watched IP Man 1 to 4 last week @Alen and @kiwiscott - excellent film series! If you like a good martial arts flick, I’d heartily recommend Seven Samurai, which is the movie that the Magnificent Seven was based on. Or, if you want a good action comedy, King Fu Hustle is hilarious!
Not sure about recommendations but DO NOT watch somethings wholesome or sad - I was watching a korean series on Netflix called Move To Heaven and was on the season finale during my Carpathian Peak +2 and started crying! Not good for RPE
I like watching any first person race videos. Trainer road race analysis, NorCal cycling are two of my favorites. I find that my cadence/efforts subconsciously try to match and gives me an extra “lift”.
If I am not doing video (e.g. really hard workouts where I need the attention) then YouTube music heavy metal workout mix is pretty good or I put on Machinae Supremacy albums (heavy metal chip/sid genre).
I know this is an older thread, but I’m a huge gamer and use long sessions to watch in-depth tutorials for games I’m playing, soeedruns, or lore videos (,for games in the Souls series, for example). A three hour ride doesn’t seem that bad when you’re paying attention to learning new info the entire time does not work well with V02…because I don’t know own name after those
It was a great film! Motivation is key 
Thanks for the recommendations, but I think i’ll stick to tunes next time 
does not work well with V02…because I don’t know own name after those