*The "just have fun" thing keeps getting brought up. IMO, no reason why this stuff can't be fun, in its own way. If you're really interested in getting faster, a winter which includes doing some productive indoor work will help get you there. OK, you're gonna sweat, and breath heavy, and your legs are gonna hurt, but keep thinking of how good it's gonna feel when you take that fitness outside.
Execellent point, Chris. I have dedicated my winter to lifting weights using what I think of as cycling-specific lifts and workouts. I have not had the opportunity to ride the trainer, but I have been out on a few winter rides and I am running also to keep my fitness level in check.
Here is a typical week for me at the gym (I am training for HalfMary now so you will see a lot of running in this mix):
Sunday: Long Run or MTB Ride depending on weather and time available
Monday: Short and sweet run at lunchtime, then Legs. I go a bit old school. Squats, Deadlift, Lunges with barbell, single leg calf raises, single leg press followed by 30 minutes on bike or elliptical machine
Tuesday: running and ab/back work
Wednesday: Running, Upper body: upright rows, chest press, lat pull-down, bent-over row, abs and lower back work
Thursday: cross training, either on trainer, stationary bike at gym, or elliptical. And calisthenics: push ups, pull ups (assisted), dips (assisted)
Friday is a rest day
Saturday: long run or MTB ride depending on weather and time available
As the season progresses and my half mary is done with, I will be switching to a more cycling focused routine, with more road riding thrown in mid-week and less lifting. For me, it is important that I keep my upper body in check with regard to the lower-body strength I build as I ramp up the biking, so I tend to lift more upper body with high reps/low weight during the riding season and leave the leg conditioning in the care of the bicycle.
With regard to having fun, all of this stuff is naturally fun to me. I am a physical person and find any kind of movement conducive to having fun and relieving stress, so my typical day may be more geared towards activity than another's might be. If you continue to do what feels "right" for you, you will see gains. But to achieve a maximal level of performance, you may need to become focused on the data, and training load, and schedules, and diet and cross-training to get what you want.
Take some time to evaluate what you really,
really want to accomplish from a training program, and adjust is to suit your needs.
Best,
JGR