Take it easy?

Thought I'd start a new thread as 'Weights Anybody' is getting kinda big!

I'd be interested to hear about people attitudes towards training/riding, or rather I'm after the secret of how not to over do things :)

This is something I find it really hard to do - to take it easy! I seem to think that unless I'm totally grovelling and busting a gut its not doing me any good :o

Even when I set out to do a light session half way through I can feel myself upping the pace and usually end up going full steam.

I know if I didn't go quite so hard I'd be able to do more sessions a week, whether that's in the gymn or on the bike. My non cycling friend exersise every day and goes for a higher number of light sessions, where as I tend to do the opposite, go mad/ overdo it so I have to rest in between days.

Trouble is - I like going totally crazy, working up a good sweat and getting totally exhausted. I love just flopping into bed at night after a good session feeling like I can't take another step.

Would I be better off making myself go easier so I could train more often or should I just carry on as I am - an endorphin junkie! I 'd be interested to hear how other people train.


:)

I found that once I started training with a heart rate monitor ( at least when I am riding indoors) It reall opened my eyes as too how hard I thought I was working vs. where I needed to be working. Just a thought.

At my age (43) I listen to my body too... it tells me when I am doing too much.

Irulan

Mighty,

try for a long slow distance ride. and i mean LONG. 3 hours long. You can't be working too hard if you want to last 3 hours
:)

And slooooow...no higher than 65% of your MHR slow. It feels as if you aren't working, but by the end you should be pretty fatigued. This will help build your cardio base.

a lot of people go as hard as they can every ride or workout and end up overtraining or plateau-ing. You need variety in your rides and training, slow, long, intervals, fast, speedwork etc. High intensity rides should only be done 1-2 times a week if you are starting out. (and assuming you have a decent cardio base).

the heart rate monitor helps, gives you something to focus on, to make sure you are where you should be for heart rate.

just my two cents

Han

I'm new to serious biking, but not to serious exercise. I agree with Irulan about listening to your body. As long as you're not experiencing the symptoms of overtraining, it sounds like you are working with your capacity. But, variety is a great thing, so if you like to work hard, maybe you could vary the WAY you get the intensity. (I always scoffed at low-weight, s-l-o-w weight training, until I tried it and realized that it is extremely intense and challenging, but in a different way.)

Ah-huh to everyone's posting up to now, I'd like to suggest looking for a training guide on the web (I've seen some of em, though don't have them book-marked). Or check out Bicycing magazine which usually has info on training, and lately has been offering (on-line version) an on-line coach to work with you for a fairly inexpensive figure. Scroll down to the bottom of the on-line home page and it should be in a 2x2 inch click on box...

I have to admit that working out slowly for longer time gets me that "I just worked out" feeling, so the suggestion to go slow over longer time is good one.

Doing intervals also is a good thing too - sprint for 1 minute, slow down for two or three, and sprint again. This also helps build different things...

good luck!

MightyMitre, question:
You lift weights full-tilt as well as ride all-out all the time? Are you/were you ever competitive in sports? Do you take rest days?

If so, I'd add my 2 cents in that I think this is pretty normal behavior (as a competitor, a trainer, MA in counseling). We all get motivated by the rush, the challenge, the thrill, the results--they are all motivators. However, if you feel you are compulsive, feel as if your fitness routine is a ritual that you cannot pass on for one day, then...well, you need to look at some other issues and slowing down is the first one, as most everyone has mentioned.

Now, with all that was just said above, I KNOW that isn't where you/anyone are coming from whatsoever! But, I say all of this in ernest because, we've all seen someone on the road at 6 in the morning, riding/running in the dark, pouring rain, looking a bit too thin and worn around the edges...that's not just over training, that's a "problem". We've all seen it.

We talk a lot about our rides/ bodies on this forum and, that's as it should be, however, a reminder; watch out for signs that you, a riding buddy or girlfriend are way over-doing it...

I see it in the gym all the time--it's always the same 2-3 woman. All they talk about is someone "tempting" them with jelly beans (oh the horror). Their muscles are starting to look like cooked chicken falling off the bones. They always go full-bore and always talk about how much they do but never admit to how tired they appear.

So, back to the original point--if your level of fitness is "all out", then so be it; if your current level of fitness is going to create burnout so you never want to get on your bike or go to a gym again, take a week off to walk, look at the flowers/eat your favorite foods. If you know someone who, from all apperances, are overdoing/going full-bore/cooked chicken falling off the bones, perhaps ask them if they know the signs of over-training; then, leave it alone. No judgement. Taking care of you (and your bike) is #1.
Terry

I'm one of those every-day-exercisers. I take maybe a day off a month. Am I addicted? Possibly. I just feel weird if I don't work out for about an hour in the morning. I also prefer the gym early in the morning because it isn't a meat market (Bally's). And in the summer in Tucson, the morning is the only time to ride.

But, so far I've suffered no ill effects. I don't get more colds or more injuries. I've worked out for almost 20 years, so I'm lucky to have a good base. When I start to have colds or aches & pains, I do scale back. Right now I'm nursing a sore hamstring (overstretched in yoga) so I've cut out all hamstring involved leg exercises like squats (which I love).

I identify with the person who hammers on "easy rides". A trainer told me that the type of muscle fiber you predominately have foretells if you're an every-other-day hammer-er or an every day person (I don't hammer, but I do work hard & sweat). So, your body might just do better with intense workouts and rest. If I do intervals more than two days in a row, I have to go really easy the third day.

Kim

Thanks Guys - some interesting replies.

I've recently started to do longer slower rides and I have felt tired at the end. I guess it's just a different way of riding and a different way of getting tired. I'm trying to extend my rides out to about 3 hours so to do this I'll have to make sure I go slowly , otherwise I'll just end up in a messy heap on the road side :D

Terry - thanks for your comments. There's definitely no worries about me over training. I love to ride but at the end of the day it's the way I enjoy myself when I'm not working. I'm a firm believer in keeping balance in your life. If I feel I've been getting too bogged down in cycling/ cycle talk one week I'll take a break, spend time with non - cycling friend and generally try and add some variation.

I know what you mean about girls in the gym who look like they could do with a good meal, and carry on training regardless of how ill they look and feel. Thanks for raising the issue.

A guy in my club whose reasonably new to racing has lost a huge amount of weight over the winter to get to his ideal racing weight. I hadn't seen him for a few weeks and he looks like a rake! He certainly wasn't fat to start with, and in my opinion he doesn't need to loose any more - if he does I'm sure he'll start to loose power/strength and get ill more often so I'll be keeping a watchful eye on him. He's a good laugh and I certainly don't want him to waste into thin air!

Dogmama,
Oh, don't get me wrong about doing something "fitness-oriented" on a daily basis...if you don't get the "bode" moving, heart pumping, stretching, on a daily basis, ya' just don't feel as good...Amen, that's the truth, Ruth!

I'm not worried about all of you great ladies here, because most of you sound like atheletes. It's great stuff...

FYI...hope this is relevant/not too far off topic...
This past weekend, a few of us did a Tucson trail called the "50 Year Trail", and it was one heck of a rocky, uphill ride...loved it!
However, one of the guys who rides with us showed his wife the trail pictures (she is NOT a cyclist). She commented "Do you really ride on that?" To which he replied yes; she said "I can't see any woman having the strenght to ride with you guys, and, if one did, you know what kind "SHE" must be"... as if drugs were involved. Oh man.
All I could do was laughed; so did he...it never occured to her that women mountain bike...poor guy, I told him, 'Uh-oooooh, Lucy, you got some as-plainin' ta' do!'
Terry

Terry- OMG! I feel really sorry for her (and her hubby) if she feels that women can only achieve if they're pumped full of drugs. What a shame - she could be out there with her hubby having a great time. Some people put such limitations on themselves. :(

the fact that a woman would make such a narrow minded comment is infuriating. stereotyping women in general is not a smart thing to do, especially if the comments come from another woman.

my mouth dropped open when i read that comment. it is women like that that give all of us good athletes a bad name.

wow, you have a lot more patience than i. i would have ripped her a new one.


ok, i am done ranting. onward!!!

Well ladies,
I agree whole heartedly...I don't have to live with her and her spouse never brings her along for the rides. Wouldn't do much good to shoot the messenger, plus, I can't beat up on someone who doesn't know any better.

Laughing (howling and taunting was more like it) was the best thing to do at the moment. I think the guy was embarrassed after he said it...we may revisit this conversation. I am never treated disrespectfully, second class, ect. by the men I ride with, so, she's just probably jealous.

Terry

To me this seems like an extreme example of how some women percieve mountain biking... an all male club or too hard or too dirty or something. Are we to fault them their perceptions and conditioning? Better the gentle education and introduction approach to the non-extremist.

Irulan

I understand where your coming from Irulan. I think gentle encouragement is the key.

I don't know about where you live but in England women and sports are a minority, mainly, I believe , due to the way it's taught in English schools. A lot of schools have hardly any games / P.E lessons and what they do have is usually limited to hockey ,netball, and tennis. ( I must add here, I'm a bit one sided - I don't really get on very well with ball sports :D )

When I talk to girls in my office or in the pub (in their early 20's), time and time again they say they don't like sport or exercise because they don't like getting sweaty or getting their hair messed up. This is where I usually loose patients - not all sports are like that and there are such things as showers. ( Sorry, minor rant there- that attitude really bugs me )

Then you get the girls who are genuinely interested when I tell them about cycling but write themselves off right away, saying it sounds cool but don't think they could ever possibly be able to do that.

I suppose the world is so full of images of the perfect female, with perfect hair and makeup it's hard for some women to understand that they can actually let their hair down from time to time and getting muddy is actually good fun.:)

I agree that education is the key to perception problems, but , I also know that women can be their own worse enemy. Insecurity and ignorance serve only those who exploit.

There have been 2 woman in the past 2 spin classes who have had trouble with their shoes clipping-in; it turned out that the problem wasn't the peddles...the shoe cleats were not adjusted at the shops where they bought the shoes; the women were unaware that the cleats had to be adjusted to the ball of the foot---no one showed them, helped them, nada. Perfect opportunity to educate...granted there are times when I feel that I'm the blind leading the blind, but, who cares?

I'm going to start bringing a tri-tool to spin. Hopefully, someone will ask where I got it and I can send them to my neighborhood bike shop where there is a female machanic. She's a downhill pro and a great help (and, so are the guys that work there, too).
Terry