My method

This page is for anyone who might want to draw inspiration from my training sessions. Every home‑trainer workout should be adapted to your own condition, because everyone is different. Always follow the advice of your doctor or medical team.

My beginnings: short breath and painful legs

At the start of my recovery, I always used the same basic exercises, adjusting them depending on how I felt — and especially on my health. I had no power meter, no heart‑rate monitor, just an imprecise smartwatch and a pulse oximeter, which I still use today.

When I left the hospital, my cadence‑focused sessions were only 7 kilometers, and I could barely ride at 12 km/h. I tried to keep a steady cadence of about 60 rpm. My breathing was limited, and my legs hurt.

Day after day, my breathing improved, the pain faded, and I started feeling better. I increased my cadence, and little by little I rode a bit faster and a bit farther.

My first cadence sessions: 7 km at 12 km/h and 60 rpm for 3 days, followed by one rest day. After rebuilding some muscle: 12 km at 19 km/h and 80 rpm. Today: 20 km between 34 and 36 km/h at a cadence of 90 rpm.

Rebuilding muscle: starting from zero

Strength‑focused sessions were extremely difficult at first because I had almost no muscle left. Squats, lunges, and other exercises were a struggle. Staying in a progressive mindset, I kept my sessions short, riding slowly and pushing as much as I could on the pedals by increasing resistance on the home‑trainer. My doctors recommended a high‑protein diet, which helped me rebuild my leg muscles. In the end, the more I rode, the better I felt.

My first strength sessions: 4 km at 10 km/h, 45 rpm, with more resistance than in cadence work. Then: 12 km at 10 km/h and 50 rpm, with slightly more resistance. Today: 20 km at 20 km/h and 60 rpm, with even more resistance.

Month after month: steady progress

Day after day, my muscles came back. Six months after starting to ride, I began sprinting and adding short explosiveness sessions, as well as rhythm sessions.

My first sprints: 37 km/h for just a few seconds. Then: 50 km/h for 15 seconds. Today: 69 km/h for 45 seconds.

Despite a few breaks due to transplant follow‑ups and moments of doubt, I stayed motivated. If I could set up my bike on the home‑trainer, then I could get on it and pedal — even if it was shorter, slower, or easier. I could still ride.

To avoid boredom, I kept my sessions under one hour. I organized myself around 15‑kilometer sessions, then 20‑kilometer sessions, which made it easier to compare my workouts and track my progress.

Today, I ride 20 km almost every day, alternating intense sessions with easier ones — and I always include one or two rest days to absorb the training.

When I left the hospital, I weighed just over 50 kg. Three years later, I weigh 74 kg, with 35% muscle mass. My resting and maximum heart rate have improved, and so has my breathing capacity.

I intentionally didn’t mention heart rate or power in this section.

I hope this page — and this website — can inspire, motivate, and help anyone who needs to rebuild themselves or simply stay active.

Movement is life.