Training - Rebuilding Stamina
Discussion
Apologies for the prosaic start, but to explain, I was never a competitive cyclist, just a very enthusuastic amateur, rode daily (roadie from 5 until about 22) until I started a proper career. Got back into riding (mtb) when I was about 28/29. Could ride for a good 4 or 5 hours with a few breaks here and there, not fast, not black routes, not huge climbs, just good fun in all weathers. Basically didnt have time when kids came along but have now started riding again (41yo now) especially as son is now 7 and can join in. I'm about 2 stone lighter than I was when I gave up and I go to gym twice a week. I'd thought maybe my fitness would outweigh the age. It doesn't. Went to Coed-y-brenin a couple of weeks ago on my tod, try Minotaur for me and check out the Green route to take my lad there next year. Well, f
k my ass and call me a bh if it didnt hurt like hell. Yes I had a few bike problems, all my own fault, but even so, I found my lack of stamina scary....
So, back at gym, i've dropped the rower and the treadmill and started hitting the bike (I find excercise bikes less fun than rowers though I like my mtb more than my kayak, go figure) and doing 30 minute sessions (about all I have time for) twice/three times a week
Question is, are there any other sensible midweek excercises I can do. I'm going to try and fit in a midweek ride to my routine, but really want to sort myself out for the spring when the trails are muddy and slippery and good fun. Dont want to be floundering like a lycra clad guppy fish. Again. Like I say, I'm realistic, I'm not going to do the Beast in 4 hours, or ever for that matter, but would like to be able to ride for an hour or so without dying. I want tips to harden the fk up 
k my ass and call me a bh if it didnt hurt like hell. Yes I had a few bike problems, all my own fault, but even so, I found my lack of stamina scary....So, back at gym, i've dropped the rower and the treadmill and started hitting the bike (I find excercise bikes less fun than rowers though I like my mtb more than my kayak, go figure) and doing 30 minute sessions (about all I have time for) twice/three times a week
Question is, are there any other sensible midweek excercises I can do. I'm going to try and fit in a midweek ride to my routine, but really want to sort myself out for the spring when the trails are muddy and slippery and good fun. Dont want to be floundering like a lycra clad guppy fish. Again. Like I say, I'm realistic, I'm not going to do the Beast in 4 hours, or ever for that matter, but would like to be able to ride for an hour or so without dying. I want tips to harden the f
k up Jimbo. said:
If you want to be able to ride for longer, then you've got to do just that: start riding longer. No other way.
I know thats what it comes down to, trouble is, life is a bit complex (and i'm not one for the ubiquitous relationship thread so dont worry) but realistically, its less than once a month i'll get time for a proper ride out until I get house sorted out. High intensity interval training can improve stamina. I was doing 25/30 miles on the road bike weekly. I then got quite good at it with some good climbing times so wanted to go a little further and get a little bit competetive next summer.
I completed a 60 mile route with over 1100m of climbing at 17mph last week after 6 weeks of hard training. Not for long periods, just hard.
I haven't had any coaching and use training techniques I've looked online for.
Just try a few minutes steady, then sprint for 10 seconds. I'd do 3 sets of that then 10 minutes steady. Then another 3 sets and another 10 minutes steady. Then I'd try a hill climb so hard efforts, hard gear for 5 minutes. Then another 10 steady minutes.
A warm up and warm down are critical for the heart and muscles, especially as you get older.
I completed a 60 mile route with over 1100m of climbing at 17mph last week after 6 weeks of hard training. Not for long periods, just hard.
I haven't had any coaching and use training techniques I've looked online for.
Just try a few minutes steady, then sprint for 10 seconds. I'd do 3 sets of that then 10 minutes steady. Then another 3 sets and another 10 minutes steady. Then I'd try a hill climb so hard efforts, hard gear for 5 minutes. Then another 10 steady minutes.
A warm up and warm down are critical for the heart and muscles, especially as you get older.
McFsC said:
High intensity interval training can improve stamina. I was doing 25/30 miles on the road bike weekly. I then got quite good at it with some good climbing times so wanted to go a little further and get a little bit competetive next summer.
I completed a 60 mile route with over 1100m of climbing at 17mph last week after 6 weeks of hard training. Not for long periods, just hard.
I haven't had any coaching and use training techniques I've looked online for.
Just try a few minutes steady, then sprint for 10 seconds. I'd do 3 sets of that then 10 minutes steady. Then another 3 sets and another 10 minutes steady. Then I'd try a hill climb so hard efforts, hard gear for 5 minutes. Then another 10 steady minutes.
A warm up and warm down are critical for the heart and muscles, especially as you get older.
Thats interesting thanks, i'll give the interval technique a go. Funny, I mentioned to a mate the other day about warm up. On the bike at the gym, I noticed my legs didnt properly warm up and hold steady cadence for almost seven minutes, so yes, I do need to warm up properly in future!I completed a 60 mile route with over 1100m of climbing at 17mph last week after 6 weeks of hard training. Not for long periods, just hard.
I haven't had any coaching and use training techniques I've looked online for.
Just try a few minutes steady, then sprint for 10 seconds. I'd do 3 sets of that then 10 minutes steady. Then another 3 sets and another 10 minutes steady. Then I'd try a hill climb so hard efforts, hard gear for 5 minutes. Then another 10 steady minutes.
A warm up and warm down are critical for the heart and muscles, especially as you get older.
For the first few miles of my earlier rides ( when I really didn't have a clue ) I was getting really frustrated at how slow and hard it felt, then after a few small hills and whatever, I really warmed up and my pace increased.
If you try and put your heart from 60 beats per minute to 160+ within a minute, it won't like it. Try putting it from 60 beats a minute to 160+ within 10 minutes and it will work so much better.
Muscles are the same and there's a very good reason pro riders spend time on the Turbo before TT's and big one day rides.
If you try and put your heart from 60 beats per minute to 160+ within a minute, it won't like it. Try putting it from 60 beats a minute to 160+ within 10 minutes and it will work so much better.
Muscles are the same and there's a very good reason pro riders spend time on the Turbo before TT's and big one day rides.
Edited by McFsC on Sunday 16th December 21:59
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