Winter 'training'

[MightyMitre]

Tomorrow morning we've got our annual club breakfast and a big group of us are riding out to a local cafe for a slap-up, full English breakfast followed by a gentle ride home. Should be great! It's always very sociable and those who can't face riding on a full stomach (:eek: ) usually drive out to the cafe.

Not exactly what you'd call winter training but good for team spirit and there's plenty of time for hard training in the months to come. Everyone's widing down a bit now for a few weeks, so there'll be quite a few social events with easy rides.

So what does eveyone else get up to in the off season? Got any nice social events/rides lined up? :)

[Irulan]

mmm. skiing. I get in at least 30-40 day of alpine and telemark. My hubby and son ski patrol, and playing in the snow is how we all keep our sanity in winter and have fun. We get these nasty freezing fog inversions, but if you go up the mountain you get in the sun.


DH bought me some Rossi Bandit XX's for my birthday, woo hoo!

irulan

[MightyMitre]

Would love to try skiing some day. We don't really get snow in the UK ( if only all that rain would freeze :p ) , but I usually follow the cross country skiing, ski jumping and biathlon from the warmth of my sofa over the winter, on Eurosport. I'd especially like to try cross country skiing - looks excellent.

Might have to see about going to Europe to try it out one day.

:)

[annie]

X-country skiing is great for off-season training. Unfortunately, it requires snow and there's never any guarantee of that. Snowshoeing is great, too, but again needs snow. I am always the one praying for snow and most people think I am crazy. Anything that keeps one active and moving during the off months is going to be a good thing.

As for social events/ rides, I just was on one this past weekend. It was a halloween ride, costumes mandatory. It took place in the dark so lights were also needed. Coming up with a costume that you can ride in and stay warm in and then party in after the ride is always a challenge. I went with 8 other friends. We were bikers of the other sort, Harley riders in lots of black leather, fake tatoos, etc. We put balloons on the bikes, next to the wheels so we sounded obnoxiously loud. It was such a good time! Unfortunately, we didn't win the costume contest, but we sure had a lot of favorable comments on our outfits.

We also have a Christmas ride and ride in appropriate colors. But that's not for awhile yet.......

[sno4rent]

OK, OK! No need to beg... As my screen name implies, I will rent you guys some snow... ;) Woke up this morning to a nice "skiff" of it here in the Boise Valley. More in the mountains. Good thing I got a ride in yesterday, albeit a very cold ride. And I'm guessing Irulan would rent you all some snow too - I think they get more up where she is than we do down here...

~ Wendi

[pedalfaster]

I love food rides!
We are currently being blessed in the Midwest USA with "Indian Summer". We have had two wonderful, social "girl rides" in the past two days. Yesterday's ride included a few climbs with a stop at a country store for snacks. This morning we rode flat, then went out for bagels/coffee. Tomorrow afternoon I plan to hit the trails(mtb).
I want so soak it all in before the rain/cold arrives later this week.

[vinnysmom]

I love food rides too!!
Did a sponsored ride a few weeks ago when it was still sort of balmy here (earlier in October) and the first sag stop at the 24 mile mark featured cooked-to-order omelets, with mimosa's to sip, and an assortment of hot breads and rolls - yikes -
I wisely nibbled on a bit of it all (skipped the mimosa's though) and completed the 80 mile ride to enjoy hot mugs brimming with home made veggie soups and build your own sandwiches.
Now that's how to end the season!!!

Onto the gym since it's all of 30- some degrees (Celsius) here today in the warmest part of the afternoon. No snow yet but it's coming.

:D

[kelrunran]

Hey Snow4rent,

Did you say "Boise Valley". I'm in Boise also. Fairly new to cycling, this year was my first and of course, am hooked. Trying to ride through winter this year either on my road bike or mountain bike. Trying NOT to ride indoors as much as possible.

Two women I work with decided to ride once a week through winter. Rode on Tuesday and it was 34 degrees but a beautiful sunny day. Enjoyed being away from the office and hootin' n hollerin' coming down some hills. Funny how we turn into funsters once away from work and on our bikes. Plan on bundling up and continuing to ride.
Kelly

[sno4rent]

Hey Kelly! Yep, Boise Valley!!! We ought to get together and go for a ride sometime. I took up mountain biking just a few months ago when two of my friends and I decided we would do an Adventure Race in Moab. It requires kayaking, mtn. biking, rappelling, and running skills. I had no mtn. biking skills, so I bought a bike and have been hooked ever since. So, needless to say, we too are training through the winter, outside. I keep hoping the snow stays away...

~ Wendi

[laura]

I agree that this is a great time to do some weight training. I've been going to the gym 3 days and riding indoor or outdoors when weather permits for 3 days. As for when, I have two kids and work outside the home, so the only time I have is when everyone else is asleep. Yes, I get up before 5am so I can get an hour in a day. The getting up is hard but I would go crazy if I didn't get some activity in.

[Dogmama]

I'm up at 4:30 too so that I can get my workout in before the day starts. I have to have it before work, otherwise this perimenopausal brain would go bonkers.

Oddly enough, I find that a good weight training session is just as good as an aerobic session for getting endorphins going. Right now, I'm just building weight training base again - 12 reps & compound exercises, to get my tendons & ligaments used to the weight. After another week, I'll start to ramp up the weight and tone down the reps.

[Jacqui C]

Hi

Here in Aberdeen I just continue to ride to and from work right through the winter. Aberdeen is pretty sheltered by the Grampian mountains to the west and the north sea to the east so it doesn't often get THAT cold and the snow never lies very long.
This month though I'm tkaing part in the Geat Grampian Cycle Challenge. It's an indoor challenge among oil related companies, it's split between on and off shore. The idea being each location has the same bike and trainer set up and as a team you compete on distance covered in the month of November. It's highly competitive off shore, last year the off shore winners covered 18000 miles. We as a 9-5 monday-firday operation only made 2000, but hey it got 90% of my colleagues doing some exercise. We split the day into 30 min slots and everyone willing takes a slot and aims to ride everyday this month. It's great for team building.

Jacqui.

[MightyMitre]

Wow Jacqui - that sounds amazing!

Do you work in the oil industry or can any company take part?
I work in Crawley in West Sussex and I couldn't quite see any of my office going for it. ( of course I'd be more than willing :) )

Maybe you could write to Cycling Weekly and get some coverage of it - you never know it could catch on!:)

[annie]

I also agree about the weight training....... in fact, reading all these posts inspired me to finally get to the weight room last night after spin class. So now I am paying the price of sore muscles today....... I thought I took it easy but I guess not easy enough.
I am still trying to ride outside on weekends, and I ride indoors at least 3 times during the week, plus get out for a hike a couple times. When I get into a weight lifting routine, I generally leave out leg work, feeling that my legs get all the exercise they need between pedaling and hiking. I do ab work and upper body lifting only. How do the rest of you handle this? Do you work your legs with weights? If so, does it have a negative or beneficial effect on your riding? And what exercises do you do? thanks in advance for any advice offered.

[Dogmama]

I always work legs in the off season. When I resume "real" riding, I'm amazed at how much easier the hills are!

Leg stuff:

Squats and lunges are good. Be sure your knee doesn't go over the tip of your toe. Have somebody show you - especially with squats - if you aren't sure. Leg extensions are good if your knees will allow it. Hamstring curls are great - our hamstrings are usually whimpy. Calf work is important too. Don't forget to stretch.

I work legs pretty heavily during the winter - i.e., twice a week, 10-12 reps & at least 3 sets each. I warm up squats with two warm up sets - 45 lbs for 15-20 reps and 65 lbs for 15 reps.

I don't take a lot of rest between leg exercises because I want my muscles to get used to doing heavy contractions without rest (like with rolling hills).

During the riding season, I work legs lightly about every 10 days. Same types of exercises, but much less weight and higher reps. I do legs when I know I'll be off the bike for a day or two.

Hope that helps.

Kim

[annie]

Yes, that does help with what exercises to do. When you are doing the heavier leg work, are you still riding at all? And if so, are your legs tired from amost a double workout? Just curious.......

Thanks for all the advice! It's nice to hear from someone who knows her stuff because it works for her!:) Experience is a good teacher.

[vinnysmom]

I totally agree with your going crazy part.
I am up and at the gym in the darkness of the morning since the weather has decided to be cold, and rainy.
It's a splurge I do for myself. If I don't do it then - it won't happen on most days.
Keep going - keep going - keep going - keep going - my mantra.
I also want to start next spring at a higher level of biking than I ended this late fall. I'm not a maniac biker, just want to keep setting the bar a little higher for myself and see where it will take me. What are you goals??

[Irulan]

I"m in Spokane, I hit Mccall at least once a summer for mountain biking. Next summer's plan is the 20 Mile trail. I hook with some Boise and Cascade/McCall folks, plus others from CO and so on... fun stuff!!

Irulan

[sno4rent]

That sounds like fun, Irulan! McCall is only 2 hours away at the most. Let me know when it is and if I can, I'll ride with you guys - I'll probably bring my training partners too.

~ Wendi

[vinnysmom]

Is anybody a member of a cycling club?
Do you ride in any club-sponsored events?

I sort of like to ride by myself or with one or two friends and not so much in a group setting.
I've done some massive group rides and the people all spread out after the first couple of miles which makes it nice.
The starts are sort of crazy though if you have very many inexperienced riders.

Thinking about joining a couple of local clubs just to get on their mailing lists for different rides in this area.
Another question too - does anybody have a suggestion for a cycling magazine that offers interesting articles etc???
A little off-season reading material and am building a Christmas wish-list.

[Dogmama]

Originally posted by annie
Yes, that does help with what exercises to do. When you are doing the heavier leg work, are you still riding at all? And if so, are your legs tired from amost a double workout? Just curious.......


I do the heavier leg exercises in the winter when I'm not riding as much. I don't schedule a heavy leg exercise before a big ride, however. Sometimes a nice easy spin after a heavy leg day helps to work the gym-kinks out.

[Irulan]

My legs develop muscle easily, so I don't train them additionally. Right now I do spin classes 2-3 times a week, and as soon as the mountain opens I will be alpine and telemark skiing twice a week.

I do weights for my upper body: I do a group of basic excecises to hit all the main groups for chest, back and shoulders. The arms are secondary; they get hit by all the main group work. And stretching, I do a lot of that.
Irulan

[annie]

Originally posted by vinnysmom
[B]Is anybody a member of a cycling club?
Do you ride in any club-sponsored events?

I belong to two cycling clubs, one that consists of mostly road riders, and one that is more oriented towards off-road riding. They compliment each other well. The off-road club is also more into racing, both road and off. I can't imagine not belonging to either one. I have found SO many friends and riding companions through both clubs. Riding with others has taught me so much that I can now pass on to newcomers.

I do quite a few of the club rides. Can't do them all! I'd like to....... but I also enjoy riding alone sometimes and can still do that whenever. Joining a club gives you the option of doing either, riding with others or alone. I think it's a great way to go, assuming you can find a club that suits your type of riding.

[laura]

Do you work your legs with weights? If so, does it have a negative or beneficial effect on your riding? And what exercises do you do? [B]

The main reason I go to the weight room is to work my hamstrings and glutes. I ride seven days a week during Spring and Summer but notice these areas are a lot weaker than my quads and calves. If you build some mass there in the off season it will provide a better base for power and endurance and climbing will really improve. Of course I don't ignore the rest of my body and do two upper body workouts (one day biceps, triceps, shoulders and then chest, back and abs) per week and one leg.

I have terrible knees and can't really do lunges so I do wall squats, presses, and hamstring curls. I also do the step machine at two steps up each time. I don't do a hard ride within a day of the workout but will do a flat recovery ride.

[Irulan]

Originally posted by laura
Do you work your legs with weights? If so, does it have a negative or beneficial effect on your riding? And what exercises do you do? The main reason I go to the weight room is to work my hamstrings and glutes. I ride seven days a week during Spring and Summer but notice these areas are a lot weaker than my quads and calves. If you build some mass there in the off season it will provide a better base for power and endurance and climbing will really improve. Of course I don't ignore the rest of my body and do two upper body workouts (one day biceps, triceps, shoulders and then chest, back and abs) per week and one leg.

I have terrible knees and can't really do lunges so I do wall squats, presses, and hamstring curls. I also do the step machine at two steps up each time. I don't do a hard ride within a day of the workout but will do a flat recovery ride. [/B]

Let me preface my reply with the note that I am a former body builder, former gym rat, and nowadays I have to make myself go inside and workout.
I don't do any weights with lower body. I ski hard and ride hard. I used to do a lot of preseason ski weight training, but since I mountain bike so hard I haven't felt a need for that. If I raced I'd put more thought into that, but I don't race.

Upper body: I concentrate on super setting opposing major muscle groups, and don't really do any isolation work.
chest press, overhead press, seated or bent rows, lat pulldown and upright rowing. Some times I add in some reverse flys but not always. I use free weights as much as possible, working on the core is a plus with free wieghts. Oh, and some ab work.

I'm very much into "functional " fitness. I do the weights for back health and being able to do things like lift my bike up on a rack. I spin for cardio and to maintain bike conditioning over the winter. There's the mental health aspect of a good work out.

laura, I am surprised if your knees give you trouble that you can do a stair climber, they just kill my knees. Spinning or an eliptical are the only things that don't hurt my knees.

Irulan

[Dogmama]

Originally posted by Irulan
Upper body: I concentrate on super setting opposing major muscle groups, and don't really do any isolation work.
Irulan

I really like super setting because I can focus on endurance as well as strength. Granted, I can't lift as much when I go from one to the other without a rest, but I think it's important for bicycling.

One workout that I really like is push/pull. One workout you do all pushing exercises, e.g., chest press, squats, overhead press, tricep push down, calf raises, etc. The next workout you do all pulling exercises, e.g., rows, chins, hamstring curls, crunches, bicep curls. You can really move quickly between squats & chest presses, since they're entirely different muscle groups. Although squats & chest presses are pretty heavy compound exercises & maybe wouldn't lend to supersetting as well as, say, chest press & hamstring curl.

I'd really rather be on my bike, but I think this is a good alternative. After all, you can't have joy without sorrow & you can't love cycling unless you're stuck inside sometimes!

[Trek420]

" I am surprised if your knees give you trouble that you can do a stair climber, they just kill my knees. Spinning or an eliptical are the only things that don't hurt my knees.

Irulan"

I'll join you gals in the weight room in a month the day after my test. I gain muscle easily when I lift but I get real tight.

I stretch before, after, during, I've tried massage, keeping my muscles warm, putting them on ice, gallons of green tea, before, during or after sports drinks that promise this or that for the acid..you name it I'm stiff, sore and about as fluid as a redwood tree. What am I doing wrong?

The eliptical trainer feels like it gives legs a real good workout and it doesn't hurt my knees. Thanks for the suggestion, I'd skipped that before.

[Dogmama]

I always start my winter lifting schedule with a couple of weeks of light lifting - lots of reps (12-15), not a lot of weight to build a base. If I start lifting heavily without a base, I'll be stiff & sore. I'm wondering if that might be your case also? Tendons & ligaments adjust more slowly than muscles. I see lots of sore rotator cuffs in the gym - you can tell those because the guys are "doing the chicken" - holding their shoulder and rotating their elbow - between lifts.

When I started to get as serious with my winter training as I am with my cycling, I saw great results. It's too bad, though, that we're wearing all these sweaters that cover up our great delts & biceps!

[annie]

You can always wear really tight-fitting sweaters...........;) Or bodysuits - they show off a well-defined physique if you don't mind the snapping and unsnapping part every time you need to visit the potty.

On a more serious note, it sounds like we have some very knowledgeable weight lifters around here that I can ask for some advice. I've lifted on and off for quite a few years now. I used to lift quite heavily, but have backed off since tearing a ligament 5 years ago. Now I lift because I know its beneficial for my aging body.:p I've discovered that some muscles respond much faster than others for me. I'm pretty much with Irulan on legs - I don't do weights but work them hard on the bike or hikes or skiing- and concentrate on upper body and abs in the weight room. My problem is my deltoid muscles. No matter what I've tried in the past, I cannot seem to get my shoulders to look the way I would like. Triceps and particularly biceps, I have to be careful with and not lift too heavy or I don't like the results.( It's not necessarily a good thing to have bigger biceps than one's husband.)I work chest and back with various exercises and that seems to be fine. But these shoulders are my weak point. Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated! I know I have to work with what I have and I don't expect miracles but it'd be fun to try something different and see if I get any results. C'mon coaches, let's see what you've got. :D

[Dogmama]

To find out about muscle groups, there is a great book called "Strength Training Anatomy by Frederic Delavier. It has pictures showing muscles being used during hundreds of weight training exercises. Talks about the major muscle groups that are hit during an exercise and gives variations. Highly recommended.

[Trek420]

"I am surprised if your knees give you trouble that you can do a stair climber, they just kill my knees. Spinning or an eliptical are the only things that don't hurt my knees.

Irulan"

Well gals, I took my test for second degree black belt last night and passed. From all reports it looked great!

I want to thank you all for your training sugestions especially steering me to the eliptical trainer. I had so much more energy and mobility that my teachers were literaly shocked.

Well, that's over. I'll always do Aikido for as long as I can but now....I can get back on the bike!!! Don't have to go through another test for at least 3-4 years so ....more time for cycling!

whoopeeeee.

[TwoTiredGal]

I also do the weight lifting and running thing during the off season. Since I'm in Colorado I can usually get some riding during the winter but not as much as I'd like so I use the trainer sometimes also. For weight lifting, I used the Mountain Bikers Training Bible and thought that was a great way to workout to get or stay in shape. I try to run outside as much as possible but the treadmill is a great alternative. I have a few friends who are using Fit For Life workouts because they're a little shorter timewise than your average workout and that seems to be working for them also. I guess my advice is to do what you love or find something that makes you feel like you're improving your skills on what you love to do and then you'll stick with it more. Oh... and snowshoeing is a great butt and quad burner! :D

[vinnysmom]

I am experimenting with a couple of things - both indoors as this apparently is the year for big sloppy snows with only a few days reprieve between new snowfalls.
I racewalk and run on a treadmill and then scoot over to the stairclimber in the mornings and then have joined a weighttraining/cardio class in the evenings a couple of days a week.
Maybe adding something new a couple of evenings will mix things up and keep me motivated for these dark dark early evenings.
The class is also teaching me some new freeweight things.
The class is so small this time of year that it's practically a shared lesson with a private trainer.
Inexpensive way to work with a trainer as the classes are offered through our local city gym for only $25 beans for an eight week session.

[Irulan]

Originally posted by vinnysmom
I
The class is so small this time of year that it's practically a shared lesson with a private trainer.
Inexpensive way to work with a trainer as the classes are offered through our local city gym for only $25 beans for an eight week session.

that's a steal!!! what a great price. Have fun.

What kind of weight program do they talk about in the mountainbikers training bible?

Irulan

[TwoTiredGal]

In the Mountain Bikers Training Bible, he (Friel) developed a program that is ultimately for racers because it's centered on peak performances at certain times for certain races. But I wasn't racing when I did it and it still worked great for me. It's just different intensities and different amounts of weight depending on where you are in the season. The weight workouts themselves are whole body rather than doing upper one day and lower another day. I did like that! He also has cardiovascular things in the book but I didn't pay as much attention to those so I can't say much about them. I really like the book though and refer back to it quite a bit when trying to decide how to evolve my lifting at various times.