Road cycling to fitness
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Yep - only really got into cycling once the kids started going to secondary school. Can now happily leave them to their own devices when I go out for 2-3 hours plus at the weekends.<br><br>
I you want an intense work out in 30 min you need a clear enough road that you can do high intensity intervals (eg from almost stationary accelerate to flat out in a very high gear, repeat) or get to a speed about 80% of flat out and try to hold it for 5,10,15 minutes. Or find one of your hills - keep going up and down until your lungs or legs pack out.<br><br>
Not nearly as much fun as a nice long trek though! My legs were relatively weak so they would always blow up before my lungs. They are now getting a lot better. The trick is finding what your sustainable limit is, so you can stay at your threshold for longer. -
Too wet and windy today so on the watt bike indoors. Warm up then 80 rpm on max resistance for 10 minutes, then 10 secs at 90 rpm plus 20 secs at 80 x en 90 rpm at 1/2 resistance for 10 mins. Followed by session on the roller to straighten out hams and quads.<br><br>
84kg after New Years blow out. Time to get serious with some healthy eating. -
<p>84kg...crikey I havent weighed that little since, well, fuck, last century :(</p>
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<p>yeah the old BMI says I need to be 80-83kg, but I think about 89-91kg would be my ideal range, I think I was about 78kg or so when I left school!</p>
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I want to get to 80kg as that was my student weight - although I'm probably fitter now than my student days. Although not quite so agile :(<br><br>
I had got to 82kg leading up to Xmas but it seems I've put 2kg straight on my gut. I need to lose this in 2 weeks before my cycle event - so low fat clean food and no grog for January at least methinks. -
Not sure I buy in to the whole "clean" food thing, especially at our elite non bodybuilding levels.<br><br>
I know our bodies all respond to different foods differently but I find it better to just start with the basics of calories in vs calories out with the aim of meeting macro nutrient requirements first and foremost. I don't quite follow If It Fits Your Macros but I'm not far off it. I prefer fats over carbs anway when it comes to fat loss. Seems to work best for me. -
I'm about to find out if it works! For me it means less fat, less red meat, fewer carbs. More fruit, veg and fish. Not interested in supplements, protein powder etc. Want to keep as natural as possible.<br><br>
Will replace either breakfast or lunch with a smoothie, then eat a "balanced" meal in evening eg chicken, rice, veg - that sort of thing.<br>
Also no booze for at least the next two weeks.<br><br>
I'm interested to see how it goes. -
Good stuff mate. <br><br>
I've cut back on fruit a lot over the past year or two and has made a real difference. I eat heaps of green and coloured vege tho. Important to get that fibre.<br><br>
Hardly eat any rice potatoe or bread nowadays but do eat a lot of red meat, chicken, fish etc and the mostly good fats that come with it. Struggling a bit at the moment with fats actually as avocados down the local are $3.49 each!!! -
Someone gave me some avocado oil a long time ago - shoved in the back of cupboard and forgot about it - until now. It's really good flavour and has a much higher burn temp than olive oil, so great for stir fry. Only problem - it's about 3x the cost!<br><br>
Gym yesterday<br>
Mixture of squats, sliders, squat thrusts, pressups, crocs, knee lifts, planks etc on the power plate<br>
Dips, chin-ups<br>
Cable pull downs<br>
KB swings, clean and jerk<br>
Bulgarian bag<br>
Burpee / press up / chin ups<br>
Punch bag<br>
Sit-ups and stuff -
Cycled to Richmond park and put in a quick "lunchtime lap". Went as flat out as I could (great fun overtaking a couple of cars on a downhill stretch) but headwind was a problem. All in - including cycling there and back - about 1hr 15 mins at a fair clip. A bit like a 1hr time trial - except much slower :)<br><br>
My fastest lap is just under 22 minutes. 20 mins is considered good (ave speed 20mph). I read that David Millar the time trial and TDF rider went there once in full TT gear. He did the circuit in just over 13 minutes (ave 30mph) which given the hills is just mind bogglingy insane. -
Not been out on the bike since about November, really need to burn off some of the Xmas excess ! :)<br>
The continuous gales & torrential rain in west Wales are my excuse for vegitating on my sofa eating chocolate ! -
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<p>Not been out on the bike since about November, really need to burn off some of the Xmas excess ! :)<br>
The continuous gales & torrential rain in west Wales are my excuse for vegitating on my sofa eating chocolate !</p>
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<p>C'mon bro, get amongst it!! and keep us posted :good1:</p> -
Yep weather has been shit - even in London! Fingers crossed I can get out for a decent run tomorrow without cycling into a fricken headwind.<br><br>
Gym today - lots of chins, dips, burpees, pressups, KBs, punchbag etc.<br><br>
The big weigh-in revealed drumroll I have lost 2kg this week. Now down to 82kg. Want to lose at least one more K before the "big race" next Sunday. -
Cheeky 50 mile run out to the Surrey Hills. 3.5 hrs non-stop except for dreaded traffic and lights. Legs were screaming on roller when I got back, hopefully get the benefit tomorrow!<br><br>
A strange bright yellow thing appeared in the sky after a couple of hours of cycling, confused the hell out of me. -
<p>Don't worry Cookie, that was just North Korea testing their latest doomsday device :whistle:</p>
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<p>if you aren't cursing and crying while you are rolling out you ain't doing it right!</p>
