Fitness: Increasing capacity for a few years off 50.

[Carbon-Kid]

Hello all...

Someone introduced me to mountain biking, and since then I have been hooked on cycling again. I guess it has brought me back to my childhood, riding around tracks and trails.

Anyway, I want very much to increase my fitness, well beyond where I am now. I certainly will not pretend to be an athlete, but I can get around with a bit of a break after climbing hills. But this for me is not good enough. I want to be able to ride up hills without feeling like my lungs want to explode. Compared to when I started, I am much better now.

My question is, what is a reliable (NOT THE FASTEST) way increase strength and fitness? I feel like my legs can go further, but my lungs are giving out. For those that know Lysterfield, I can do a full loop (about 15-20km) but I do need a few breaks to catch my breath...!! I can get up Boy's Farm, but the Comm Games hill climb is beyond me...!!! Although I was close.......

Thank you for any ideas.

 

[Nautonier]

How often do you ride? It's going to be difficult to improve your fitness if you only ride on weekends. I commute to work every day and that does wonders for my MTB fitness. Even getting a wind trainer and spending 40 mins 4-5 times per week would make a big difference to your situation.

 

[Carbon-Kid]

Thank you for your reply.....

With the weather starting to get nasty and trails getting really muddy, I am not getting out as much as I would like. Having said that, I have "spin style bike" designed to emulate hills etc. It is actually harder on my legs than a MTB...!!! I aim to use that 5 days a weeks. I can program in hills and flats. I am hoping this will be a substitute for not getting out while the weather is crap.

I do understand there is not substitute for the real trail. I am trying to remain intact at 47, and not sliding off a muddy trail into a tree..!!!!

 

[Steve-0]

I got my fitness from nothing to fast again by simply riding more. Attacking every climb and just pushing harder.

My dad (52) increases his fitness by doing laps of Mt Cootha or doing 70km loops as quick as possible.

There's more ways in increase particular fitness components but the most reliable and funnest way is to just ride more and make an effort to ride harder and longer every ride. This includes steep climbs and long distance.

 

[Nautonier]

Thank you for your reply.....

With the weather starting to get nasty and trails getting really muddy, I am not getting out as much as I would like. Having said that, I have "spin style bike" designed to emulate hills etc. It is actually harder on my legs than a MTB...!!! I aim to use that 5 days a weeks. I can program in hills and flats. I am hoping this will be a substitute for not getting out while the weather is crap.

I do understand there is not substitute for the real trail. I am trying to remain intact at 47, and not sliding off a muddy trail into a tree..!!!!

If you can hit the spin bike 5 days a week consistently over winter you will be a hill-climbing machine by the time summer comes around. Places like Listerfield are unrideable for most of winter, the You Yangs is one of the few places that doesn't get muddy at all even after days on end of rain. There are some great cardio workout circuits there which include solid hill climbs. I'm 42 and I'm fitter now than I was in my 20s. Having a light bike also helps

 

[Carbon-Kid]

If you can hit the spin bike 5 days a week consistently over winter you will be a hill-climbing machine by the time summer comes around. Places like Listerfield are unrideable for most of winter, the You Yangs is one of the few places that doesn't get muddy at all even after days on end of rain. There are some great cardio workout circuits there which include solid hill climbs. I'm 42 and I'm fitter now than I was in my 20s. Having a light bike also helps

And this is the reason we got the spin bike. I can program in serious ( 20% ) inclines and simulate climbs. My aim is five days a week either on a real bike or the spin bike, with 45 minutes minimum. I try every single time I ride to better the time or distance.

Riding in mud is not our thing. I understand the "HTFU" attitude, but at our age ( 47 + 50 ) that's a bit over the top. Thank you also for the tip that the You Yangs are better in Winter.

Thank you everyone...!!!

 

[andy]

The easiest way to get fitter now is STRAVA!!! irate:

 

[mtb101]

you need to build your aerobic base first i.e. endurance! so that aren't fangin it everywhere you go, reason being that you will expose yourself to injury, it takes time for your body to adapt to the increased workload. Not only talking about heart/lung, muscles, but joints, tendons - knees, back. so you build your aerobic base by riding more at a steady pace (better get a heart rate monitor);

Aerobic base building workouts should be at a heart rate range of approximately 65%–75% maximum heart rate

think of your aerobic base as like building a house, it's the foundation of your riding, once you have that you then have a good base for more high performance riding and have hopefully knocked off a few kgs along the way.

 

[wilddemon]

Im in the same boat. I find that focussing on improving heart rate has been really good for me with the side benefit of not having a coronary from overwork. Calc your MHR (max heart rate) and aim for 60 to 70%. If you can do your allotted time (1 hour, 2 hours, etc) without your heart rate fading for the amount of work then increase your heart rate to say 65 to 75%. Of course I'm no doctor or even educated on the matter. But I've watched my heart rate go from an hour of 120bpm to 2 hours of 165bpm in 10 months and I feel like that is a good reflection of my improvement and been a big motivator for me. Now the hills I used to avoid I actually look forward to.

Disclaimer: this will not necessarily make you fit, nor help you avoid a heart attack. But it worked for me.

 

[redbruce]

And this is the reason we got the spin bike. I can program in serious ( 20% ) inclines and simulate climbs. My aim is five days a week either on a real bike or the spin bike, with 45 minutes minimum. I try every single time I ride to better the time or distance.

Riding in mud is not our thing. I understand the "HTFU" attitude, but at our age ( 47 + 50 ) that's a bit over the top. Thank you also for the tip that the You Yangs are better in Winter.

Thank you everyone...!!!

Just remember the physiological adaptation occurs when resting so so all work and no rest will leave you further behind.

 

[indica]

Ride more.
I ride with some old pricks who out do me as they ride more than I do.
Sounds simple but it is the way. A trainer may help living in dreary sMelbourne. You can get some decent training DVDs to help you too.

 

[dusty_nz]

I took a job as a cycle courier.

Within a month I was decimating my mates. Basically, Ride every day and not always at full power.

Strava is also great, Fun way to do interval training.

 

[bjmtb]

Do yourself a favour and buy one of these! http://www.powerbreathe.com/

I have been using one for some time now and have found the improvements to be priceless. My lung capacity and strength especially under load or stress has improved vastly. It has allowed me to push harder for longer and feel less burning in my lungs. I get more oxygen into my body with less effort and find it less difficult to breathe when worn out. I do a lot of downhill mountain biking and copped the handlebars to my chest last week in a crash. I noticed that using the power breathe i wasn't winded for nearly as long and could recover quicker. its definately something i would consider buying if i had not bought one already

 

[mmatrix]

Time + Fun

I am a bit older than you and can tell you time is the best way to improve. Don't be in a hurry to get fit quickly , let the body get used to riding ,improve your skills gradually. By riding every week your fitness will build up and your body will get used to riding .
Just find some mates to ride with and enjoy riding with them, don't rush your fitness let it build over time.
I have seen many guys our age start riding and after a couple of months they dramatically increase the amount of time on the bike, they often then get sick,strain their back or knees or crash heavily and then you never see them again.
So the most important ingredient is to enjoy your riding, do it regally .
After about 6 months try a club level race

 

[davros]

fitness

persistance is your best freind, just keep at it and you will get better

 

[Slowman]

Just remember the physiological adaptation occurs when resting so so all work and no rest will leave you further behind.

Yes indeed rest is essential to absorb the training.

A well structured training programme will incorporate rest days and recovery sessions and schedule and "easy" week every 4th week (some every 3rd week depending on where your fitness is). If you want bang for your buck, that is time, a properly structured programme will help you see the quickest gains. Riding more definitely works but only up to a point, if there is no structure you will plateau.

Once you understand the principles it is pretty easy to construct your own. Peaking at the right time (periodisation) is one of the most important things to get right. Have a read of this http://www.trainingbible.com/joesblog/2008/12/simplified-base-bicycle-training.html He talks about resisting the temptation to go fast too soon.

There are plenty of sites out there but Joe Friel is one of the best coaches for fitness on the bike. A road bike and a coach are useful tools as well.

 

[pharmaboy]

Once you understand the principles it is pretty easy to construct your own. Peaking at the right time (periodisation) is one of the most important things to get right. Have a read of this http://www.trainingbible.com/joesblog/2008/12/simplified-base-bicycle-training.html He talks about resisting the temptation to go fast too soon.

There are plenty of sites out there but Joe Friel is one of the best coaches for fitness on the bike. A road bike and a coach are useful tools as well.

I think one thing we have to be careful with is, who overtraining really applies to.

The sort of people who have professional coaches, and are used as study subjects, arent normal cyclists - they are highly competitive near professional and above levels. The sort of people who get up everyday at 3.30am, ride hard for 3 hours, and do gym in the evenings, then on the weekend when they put in some "proper" time on the bike! Have fat levels such that you can count their ribs from 3 paces away, and drink one beer on their birthdays only.

On the flip side, one of the things thats seen as a differentiator between sportsman and high performing amateurs and professionals is the intensity at which they train - ie extremely high intensity - they seek the discomfort and pain in training.

99% of us who are interested in training for best performance, are never going to put in 20 hours a week - i've known the odd professional coach and athlete, and the hours they will put in boggles the mind.

 

[Slowman]

...The sort of people who get up everyday at 3.30am, ride hard for 3 hours, and do gym in the evenings, then on the weekend when they put in some "proper" time on the bike! Have fat levels such that you can count their ribs from 3 paces away, and drink one beer on their birthdays only...

That was me a few years ago (except it was running at lunchtime and swimming at night) though I was still far from elite! With young children (again) that has all taken a back seat, like everything it's all about priorities and being realistic about what you can achieve with the time available and the difference between what you might want to achieve.

Nevertheless, a properly constructed programme can't take you from 5 or 6 hours a week to 20 hours a week in a season...you'll burn out, injure yourself, become sick or worse. New studies have shown that training at higher intensities for large training volumes for over 50s possibly shortens your life, so that is another thing to consider. So a proper programme will only build you up to what is sustainable based on your current fitness level and training history, all the while monitoring results and evaluating whether modifications are necessary.

What I take from this is that flogging yourself day in day out all year long isn't the right thing to do, so you need to pick a couple of events that you want to peak for and up the intensity there and just have fun and be sensible the rest of the time.

Wise words of caution at any time: don't over do it! As they say; undertrain and you might not finish, overtrain and you might not start.

 

[flamin_roadie]

Consistency is the key.

Rather than hammering to exhaustion once a week, I find doing 3 to 4 (tue, thurs, sat, sun) rides at a moderate intensity better. It translates to cycle commuting twice a week and a longer weekend ride as the minimum. The key for me, is being on the bike at least 3 days a week.

Unfortunately, the maxim "use it or lose it" applies to strength, endurance and cardiovascular fitness in our 40s and 50s. Regaining fitness as an older man takes longer. Most "Get fit in 12 weeks" programs are designed for men under 35. There is just not enough recovery time built in these programs for people over 40, especially if you haven't been doing much exercise for a few years. I found making a "Get fit in 42 weeks" program, based on the approach outlined in Thomas Chapple's book, "Base Building for Cyclists", more achievable.

Yeah it takes a bit more discipline and patience, but isn't that what being older is all about? ;-)

 

[MudRhino]

I too use to have the burning sensation in my chest whilst riding - the best thing I can recommend to you is to give up smoking.

In all seriousness, just go out and ride as often as you can - but be sure you spend that time enjoying it, not just pushing yourself to the point of passing out. I am just a few years below you and have lost 25% of my breathing abilities due to smoking for so many years, but going out regularly has helped heaps - I still huff and puff, but no where near as bad as I use to.

Also, as for riding during winter and in the rain - you should try it, its actually fun. The only down side is cleaning the dirt and rocks off of your gear afterward.