Hello,
On the beginner template, I am using an exercise bike for conditioning. Along with increasing time of riding, I can increase resistance right?
Provided you keep exertion at the desired level. For most aerobic work, I wouldn’t go crazy on the resistance. It doesn’t work better than less resistance for driving adaptations. Rather, it just produces different adaptations- many of which you’re getting via lifting weights.
This might explain the difficulties I’ve experienced attempting LISS on an air bike, given that speed and resistance are dependent variables. Either my pace was too slow that it felt like I wasn’t doing much at all, or if I pushed it, I experienced a deep ache in my quads before I could reach a sustained elevated HR/respiration that “felt” anything like the cardio I had done years back on a standard exercise bike. The pain eventually got so bad that I had to run the knee rehab template (which worked very successfully). I understand a lot of pain experiences come from excessive loading, which makes a lot of sense now if my attempt at conditioning was providing a stimulus that was too similar to that from weight training.
Is there a sensible way to run LISS on an air bike? Or would I be better served finding an alternative?
Yep, you can just pedal slower and keep HR in the 120’s to 130’s. This shouldn’t really feel like you’re doing anything too hard because it’s not that hard unless it gets LOOOOOONNNG.