Just returning to the 'fold' after years of inactivity!

tenaciousd

Hi, i've just joined today after deciding to try and finally get fitter.
Although not vastly unfit, (I used to go to a gym weight training.) I need to be a lot more cardio vascular fit, especially as I've just recovered from a recent kidney failure that was brought on after a vigorous walk up Coniston 'Old Man'.
Now although I am now recovered from the kidney episode, and back at work, I find I'm hugely unfit in the 'puff' department, hence the bike, which i intend to use for work.
I popped out yesterday on it, didn''t go very far at all, with minimal hills, but jeez, I WAS KNACKERED!!!
Could this be a hangover from the illness, cos I don't remember being so knackered, I love bikes, and although just starting back after a bloody long time, feel this will help me no end, (I want to lose approx' a stone in wieght, if not two.) I used to race them years ago, but instead of a racing bike I've gone for a kinda mountain bike 'hybrid' for my 3 mile journey to work.
Any advice on how best to build up my stamina levels? :?

therookie_31

tenaciousd wrote:

Hi, i've just joined today after deciding to try and finally get fitter.
Although not vastly unfit, (I used to go to a gym weight training.) I need to be a lot more cardio vascular fit, especially as I've just recovered from a recent kidney failure that was brought on after a vigorous walk up Coniston 'Old Man'.
Now although I am now recovered from the kidney episode, and back at work, I find I'm hugely unfit in the 'puff' department, hence the bike, which i intend to use for work.
I popped out yesterday on it, didn''t go very far at all, with minimal hills, but jeez, I WAS KNACKERED!!!
Could this be a hangover from the illness, cos I don't remember being so knackered, I love bikes, and although just starting back after a bloody long time, feel this will help me no end, (I want to lose approx' a stone in wieght, if not two.) I used to race them years ago, but instead of a racing bike I've gone for a kinda mountain bike 'hybrid' for my 3 mile journey to work.
Any advice on how best to build up my stamina levels? :?

It's normal that after your kidney episode, you lose alot of fitness. Your muscles start to ''degrade'' after about two weeks of inactivity. I've learned in one of my classes (I'm a kinesiology student) that you gain 1/2 bpm everyday, so your heart rate tends to go up by one bpm after to days. Start over by weight training but in endurance mode. So less weight but more repetitions so your body can get back used to that kind of stress.

Continue biking and try to ride more miles gradually, that means 3 mile a day for a weeks..5 a day for the next week and so on. At the beginning it might be hard but you will get used to it and get fitter the more you give yourself an overloard. Make sure that you rest alot if you can't do it don't push yourself to hard to injure yourself! Don't forget to eat right!

MarvintheAndroid

Quite apart from The rookie_31 said, cycling uses different muscle groups, so anyone taking to riding who is not used to it will likely feel it for a while. This is natural, and persevering in sensible stages will soon reap rewards.

The main thing at this stage is to keep the programme going on a regular basis and not give up.

Marv