 Poster: A snowHead
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I started to exercise 2 weeks ago, mostly by going out in the evening to cycle various routes up Highgate Hill. Next week I will start doing 2 circuits.
I just came back, and had been wondering as I cycled along: is it actually better for me to cycle for 1/2 hour every day (with one ascent of the hill), or 1 hour every other day (with 2 ascents). Or isn't there any difference? (Don't bother to say 1 hour every day is better)
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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And whilst the People Who Know These Things are at it, could you tell me whether (from the point of view of ski-readiness rather than cycling efficiency) it is better for me to labour up a hill in the highest gear I can manage or to change down. I should add that they are very little hills, and I'm no sort of cyclist, and I have a very old and inefficient bike (perhaps the best sort, if the whole point of going out is to get some exercise).
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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pam w, it's bad for your knees to cycle uphill with too high a gear
snowball, I'd go for the 1 hour every other day - builds the endurance more. but i don't know anything
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I find it's better to exercise most days but change the intensity. Very low intensity aids the recovery process.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Arno and DB are both right.
You want to avoid muscle memory and try to shock your muscles by varying the duration and the speed at which they are working. If you have the time, do a short ride in a higher gear one night and a longer ride at an overall faster pedal speed another night. Try to be out of the saddle for as much of the ride as possible. When you are sitting down, aim for at least 60rpm with your pedals. You can check this by counting whilst timing a minute.
Building stamina to survive day after day of all day skiing is far more important than building power muscle to survive 90 seconds of 3G turns, so the longer you can ride for and the more frequently, the better.
Also don't be worried about doing it on an old heavy bike. If you spent a few £k on a nice new road bike, you would just have to go much further and faster to get the same workout.
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re gears I would try to vary it as much as possible - its why mountain biking is so good as the rate/intensity/rythm of pedalling changes so frequently..
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Quote: |
When you are sitting down, aim for at least 60rpm with your pedals.
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60 rpm is seriously slow cadence. For a good cv workout, try to pedal at about 80 rpm, or even more if your technique is up to it. Do change up a couple of gears and get out of the saddle for the hills if they're short. I'd also recommend SPDs or similar. They'll work your hamstrings effectively, as well as your quads, so you'll get a better workout.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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snowball, Take heed of this. I've started cycling with a lady in our village. Next spring she's cycling from John O'Groats to Land's End (a charity ride). I've been biking with her twice a week for a few weeks. On Friday we did 20miles on the roads, on mountain bikes with chunky tyres. We did loads of hills. The last one nearly finished me off but I kept going, following her as she disappeared over the horizon. She's 60 years old. 
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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I'm 60 too, but not (as I mentioned) fit. 
At least my first holiday is with the SCGB. They never hammer it.
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Be wary of using cycling as a means of exercising your quads and hamstrings. I cycle *a lot*, (I commute by bike 2 or 3 days a week, and MTBing is what I do when I'm not skiing) and while I have good quads and hamstrings, that's led to knock-on effects elsewhere: as they;re so tight, I have a bad back as my core muscles ry to compensate for the lack of flexibility lower down. I'm beginning to counter this with a good set of hamstring stretches, but it means I can't do the squats I want to do to get fit for the ski season
and bar shaker seems to have the best advice - alternate between a fast RPM double lap effort and an all-out single lap assault in the highest gear you can manage. I ride singlespeed, and riding a 32:16 gearing is hard work at forst but by golly it gets you very fit very quickly
remeber you don;t stop doing things as you get old, you get old becasue you stop doing things. I have several friends older than me who regularly beat me up and down hills, including one in his 60s!
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You know it makes sense.
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nbt, what do you do to stretch your hamstrings? I cycle to work everyday and mtb a lot at the weekend and have very tight hamstrings as well. I touch my toes, standing and sitting down, both legs together and individually after I've been at the gym approx. 3 times a week but usually forget after I've been cycling but this doesn't seem to be enough. I have problems with my feet and this seems to be exacerbated by the tight hamstrings so would really like to do something to loosen them up. Also why can't you do squats, I'm assuming it's because of the bad back rather than the hamstrings?
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I struggle to touch my shins, never mind my feet! I use this method
and yes, doing squats seems to aggravate y back, whichis a shame as IMHO core stability and good thighs are really good for skiing fitness
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Poster: A snowHead
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lynseyf, there are umpteen stretches that you can do, the secret is to do them regularly, at least morning and evening, as well as after exercise. Try Googling 'hamstring stretches' and you'll find lots of good ones straight away.
I started doing Pilates because of recurrent lower back pain. Now that I have good core strength and flexible hamstrings (though my quads are still far too tight) I rarely get back pain. Once your abdominal muscles are strong, you will use them plus your already strong quads, and not your back, to do squats. Ditto sit-ups (of which we do a LOT in Pilates classes.)
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hurtle, I thought it was bad to stretch when your muscles were cold?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Yes, my hamstrings are very tight - I need to do something about that. Thanks again for all the comments (I've been away over the last 3 days and unable to log in - or cycle.... but just going out now).
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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nbt, I was taught to do straight legged hamstring stretches. Use a scarf or similar to hook round your heel, keep the knees straight, and keep the feet relaxed. To my inexpert eye your drawing looks like it's doing more for your hip flexors than your hamstrings.
Hamstrings are really hefty muscles - you need to hold the stretches for a long time. 10 minutes isn't a bad idea. Lie in a doorway and prop up legs on the door frames. With an iPod.  A quick little old fashioned jerky stretch to "touch the toes" won't do anything useful.
I do a not very efficient hamstring stretch every morning for 2 minutes, timed by my electric toothbrush, when brushing my teeth.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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lynseyf,
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bad to stretch when your muscles were cold?
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True, but a bit of gentle stretching when you get out of bed in the morning should be OK.
pam w,
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10 minutes isn't a bad idea
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Hamstrings in full stretch for 10 mins, you've got to be joking? I wouldn't be able to move my legs at all after that!  30 seconds for each stretch, more like, though they can be repeated, preferably as part of a short sequence of different exercises, including strengthening . CEM says to hold for up to 40 seconds, 3 times.
lynsey, I should have said, have a look at our very own CEM's excellent suggestions for strengthening and stretching, here. He knows about these things. 
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| Quote: |
Hamstrings in full stretch for 10 mins, you've got to be joking? I wouldn't be able to move my legs at all after that!
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depends what you mean by "full stretch". I never said that. A gentle, consistent, stretch for 10 minutes is not a big problem, except for being deeply boring. The recommendation was made to me (for stretches for up to 20 mins for hamstrings) by a stretch expert with whom I did a whole day stretch workshop. It wasn't an amateur suggestion by any means.
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pam w, if you say so. Think I'll pass on that one.
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[quote="pam w"]
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stretch expert with whom I did a whole day stretch workshop. It wasn't an amateur suggestion by any means. |
That sounds interesting - where did you do that?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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The original thread was about cycling and it's usefulness for skiing. I am a big fan of cycling as part of your fitness: your heart gets a workout, you burn fat, your legs get stronger, you develop stamina, your balance improves. You also develop tolerance to cold which you can never get from a nice warm gym.
I can never do more than 20 minutes on a stepper in a gym before boredom takes over, I can do a couple of hours on a bike no problem.
Every day or every other day? How long? Whatever you enjoy and does not tire you out.
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penster, I've become really cold this week cycling. On Monday, I wore a ski base layer, a fleece, a goretex XCR jacket, my hiking shoes, fleece biking trousers, 2 pairs of gloves, a buff. I was pretty warm going uphill, going downhill - cold. We did 25km, hard. But afterwards, my feet were like blocks of ice and it took a while for me to warm up. What do you do to keep warm?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| erica2004 wrote: |
| penster, I've become really cold this week cycling. On Monday, I wore a ski base layer, a fleece, a goretex XCR jacket, my hiking shoes, fleece biking trousers, 2 pairs of gloves, a buff. I was pretty warm going uphill, going downhill - cold. We did 25km, hard. But afterwards, my feet were like blocks of ice and it took a while for me to warm up. What do you do to keep warm? |
have used these all winter and have found them warm and hardwearing http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=17096
use a pair of ski socks or sealskins, if that is not warm enough clingfilm around your shoes with overshoes on top, IMA you can wear as many layers of clothing as you want, but if you cannot keep your hands, feet and head warm you are flogging a dead horse.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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I just wanted to jump on this thread for all you would be cyclists out there and ask you to be extra carefull I have been taking my bike out quite a lot recently in an effort to improve my fitness and stamina, I have lost my enthusiasm for running ..... Anyway I would not be writing this if I hadnt been wearing a helmet last weds at 1300 I skidded on some black ice and now a lot of my body is black and my helmet is cracked into 3 ! luckily not my head 
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ymh, cheers!
Helen LS, ouch!
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You know it makes sense.
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I'm sorry for rubbishing people on my first post, but static stretching prior to excercising has, in most cases, been shown to have no effect on performance and some research suggests it may actually be detrimental.
Warm up by light jogging, lunges, scorpion kicks etc.. Your trying to recreate sport specific actions in order to condition muscular response.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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danjunk, welcome to 
Oh and by the way I'm with you on stretching
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Poster: A snowHead
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| danjunk wrote: |
I'm sorry for rubbishing people on my first post, but static stretching prior to excercising has, in most cases, been shown to have no effect on performance and some research suggests it may actually be detrimental.
Warm up by light jogging, lunges, scorpion kicks etc.. Your trying to recreate sport specific actions in order to condition muscular response. |
100% correct, warm up prior to exercise, there is documanted proof..[don't ask me to search the books for it, i haven't got time] that static stretching prior to an event such as a 100m run elongates the muscle fibres and reduces the effective explosive power of the muscle for approx 1.5 hours
stretches should always be done when the muscles are warm, if i prescribe a stretchng routine to anyone it is always warm muscles to be stretched, now that can be warm as in after coming out a hot shower or warm as in having done some exercise, walking, running, biking etc
if the number of people i have seen in the past 2 weeks with tight calves is anything to go by  ...the entire population needs to stretch more
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hi CEM,
Exactly right, though i'm of the opinion that dynamic stretching is more effective, but horses for courses......
The latest research was conducted at the University of Nevada, and makes for some pretty informative, if dry, reading
Oh and you said my calves were small, not tight. I was quite offended!! 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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snowball, without wishing to be trite, the best exercise is the exercise you do - rather than the exercise you think about. So do what's best for you.
Personally, I'm much better at sticking with exercise if I tell myself that I have to do something every day. Little and often fits into my life better.
I too hate exercising. Somehow, though, I now seem to do quite a lot of it.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| FlyingStantoni wrote: |
Personally, I'm much better at sticking with exercise if I tell myself that I have to do something every day. Little and often fits into my life better.
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Yes, I find that too.
My question was a theoretical one but I suspect nobody on here actually knows the answer (only Arno, I think, tried to answer it - though the general info and opinions about bikes and exercise has been interesting).
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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try to put pillows from a sofa in a zig-zag order (like a chess board), then jump from one to other. or jump between empty spots. make sure your feet are together and leaving ground simulatenously. kinda like skiing moguls...
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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RobMcQ, you are correct that 60 is slow cadence but its easy to count and it should be used as a lower limit. There is a world of difference at 80rpm and I wouldn't expect someone to maintain that pace for long unless they were already seriously fit, or were using far too low a gear. I personally only do 2 hours a week at consistently high rpm, the rest (currently doing 11+ hours a week) is 65-75 with some sprints thrown in.
Some of the people I work out with do Ironman and triathalons. They seem to spend their entire life in the gym or on their road bikes, making my efforts seem puny. I have never been tired on the mountain since I started getting fit for my trips though.
Very good points about stretching on here. I have never stretched before exercise but always stretch after it.
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| erica2004 wrote: |
| penster, I've become really cold this week cycling ... What do you do to keep warm? |
When it is really cold, my feet turn to blocks of ice like everybody else. I have a (possibly crackpot) theory that your cold tolerance improves by exposing yourself to cold weather. I am about to try out some heated insoles which I have bought from Maplin for 10 quid and run (each foot) on 3 AA batteries. I have also bought a dozen rechargable AAs. I used to use electrically heated socks which use a torch (D) battery. You can buy them off Amazon UK for 20 quid; they also worked well. I will let you know how I get on.
Mick
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