Up for a fun and challenging biking workout? You can create your own Netflix Bike workout by combining your favorite Netflix series with cycling intervals. This makes for unpredictable challenges targeting your mental and physical stamina.
During the show, you will follow cues that will prompt you to change your workout, based on what happens in the episode. Since you never know exactly what’s next, you’ll be less likely to zone out during your ride. That means you get the mental and physical benefits of pushing yourself through unexpected drills and unknown recovery intervals.
These workouts work especially well if you have the ability to stream Netflix directly to your machine (such as Matrix’s line of bikes featuring the XIR consoles), but you can do them on any bike that gives you access to Netflix.
The Workouts:
Here are two bike workouts using popular Netflix series. These workouts are based on time. You’ll be committed to completing your workout while watching an entire episode. Your distance and pace will vary depending on what happens during your series.
Series 1: Wild Wild Country:
Your workouts are an endurance event in the Oregon desert under the cult leadership of Bagwan Shree Rajnesh and his devotee Sheela in 1981. Bizarre interactions between the local town and the members of the commune result in a stranger than fiction reality documented by actual footage during the original events combined with present-day interviews. You have six episodes that run just over an hour each. Complete an episode for an interval style, endurance workout, or split them in half when you are pressed for time.
Start this workout using a load and pace that feel comfortable for you, putting you in your aerobic zone (about 75% of your max heart rate). You should be able to comfortably maintain this for an hour or more. Return to this pace between drills.
- Bhagwan is shown on screen. Increase your pace by 20 RPM. Continue for 3 minutes or until the next drill.
- Sheela does something chilling: Standing power sprint. Increase your load to moderately heavy. Increase your cadence by about 20 RPM. 90 seconds.
- Something absolutely bizarre happens: Flat sprint! Increase your cadence as much as possible while maintaining a moderate load. 45 seconds.
- Someone provides a “logical/rationale” description for a very bad choice: 2 minute Hill Climb. Increase your load to the heaviest load you can manage while maintaining a cadence of about 65 RPM. Stand for 15 seconds, Sit for 15 seconds. Continue for 2 minutes.
- You see a Rolls Royce: Get off your bike. Do 10 push-ups. (You can alternate this with bodyweight squats, 30 seconds of plank holds, sit-ups, etc.)
- Someone describes a method of poison or contamination: Tabata power jumps. Increase your load to moderately heavy. Stand and increase your pace for 20 seconds. Sit for 10 seconds, reduce your pace. Repeat 4 times.
Series 2: Stranger Things:
Worth a re-watch, this Netflix series is based in Hawkins, Indiana, featuring a threatening parallel universe, a girl with paranormal powers, and kids on bikes out to rescue their friends and community. The 80’s soundtrack and nostalgia make this a fun ride. You have two seasons of episodes ranging from 42 minutes to just under an hour.
Your base pace for this workout will be aerobic (about 75% of your max heart rate), with a light to moderate load and pace. You’ll be completing drills back to back during this workout and returning to this pace between them.
- There is a radio transmission. Increase your load slightly. Maintain your pace.
- Someone drinks, eats an Eggo Waffle, or smokes on screen: Flat sprint! Increase your cadence as much as possible while maintaining a moderate load. 40 seconds.
- Someone uses paranormal powers: Standing power sprint. Increase your load to moderately heavy. Increase your cadence by about 20 RPM. 90 seconds.
- Eleven has a nosebleed: Steep Hill Climb. Increase to the heaviest load you can manage while maintaining a cadence of about 65 RPM. Stand for 30 seconds, Sit for 15 seconds. Continue for 3 rounds.
- The Upside Down is mentioned or shown on the screen: Interval power jumps. Increase your load to moderately heavy. Stand and increase your pace for 30 seconds. Sit for 15 seconds, reduce your pace. Repeat 4 times.
- Someone dies or goes missing: Stop your bike and do five burpees.
- Someone is riding a bike: Increase your cadence by about 20 RPM using a light to moderate load. Keep your hips back and chest lifted.
- Anyone mentions Will by name: Jump! Increase your load slightly and peddle out of the saddle for 15 seconds.
- Someone “logically” explains a supernatural event: Moderate hill climb. Increase your load to a level that allows you to maintain a pace of approximately 70 RPM. Climb while remaining in the saddle for 1 minute.
- An 80’s song is featured in the soundtrack: Recovery while you rock out. Feel free to sing along. Base the pace on your warm up for up to 3 minutes or until the next cue happens.
You can use the workouts above or create your own Netflix biking workouts. Thank you to thechuggernauts.com and http://movieboozer.com for inspiration on these cues. Use their search function to pick your own series and build in biking drills to go with the cues.
You’ll want to print a copy of the cues to have them nearby until you get familiar with the workout. While the drills here are based on cadence, load, and time, you can take advantage of the heart rate and wattage feedback on your console by targeting these during your workout.
Get creative! Mixing in strength training drills using other equipment or bodyweight (off the bike) is another way to mix it up with full cardio and strength workout.