General fitness

miss notax

Hello

I started mountain biking autumn last year and currently try to ride once a week (I used to do more but my other half is recovering from a brokern wrist!). My technical skills are pretty good, but it's my fitness that's now letting me down :oops:

I used to think that I was fairly fit and i've always been able to basically blag it and *somehow* manage everything, but not any more. I used to be in the forces and could get away with minimum effort and still always run rings around the others! I guess i'm just getting old :?

Anyway, what can I do to get my fitness levels up? I am a member of a gym but to be honest with my OH out of action we havn't been in a month or so. We're starting to go back this week. So, if I go mtbing once a week, spinning another night - and what else?

I'm slim with no health problems so I guess I have no excuses

Thanks!

Matteeboy

Might not be convenient for you but I do a little hilly 10 mile route each morning before work (work from home) - gives a pretty decent base level of fitness to build on with other stuff.

Was it you that hurt your face in a bike crash? If so, is it okay now?!

miss notax

Hmmm, I don't have my bike at home so unfortunately rides have to be planned with military precision... I guess I could squeeze a run in before work though, although I hate running! Would that actually do any good for cycling anyway?

And yep - it was me who managed to ram my handlebars into my face! It's all healed now thanks, but for about a week I did look like Chris had beaten me up :shock:

Matteeboy

Sarah - I run too but am currently out of action with a slightly iffy knee - fine for cycling though!

I'd say it would help you a lot - it's full in cardio exercise and should help fitness a lot.
I'm not keen on road myself so stick to trails - it sort of seems a bit like MTBing (!)

Lots of people rate swimming but I don't - yes it's great if you can do a mile at a time but that takes ages! You can burn plenty of calories and get noticeably fitter with a half hour run.

Just make sure you get the right shoes - my knee problem stems from a slightly dodgy running stance. Being sorted but a bit annoying.

SBezza

If you are a member of a gym, try some High Intesity Interval training, that will get you fitness level up a bit. I am sure the fitness instructors at the gym, could devise a suitable program for you.

You can even do it on the bike, find a hill that takes a couple of mins to climb, and do several with a slow ride back down to recover

jmeadows

have you thought of a boxercise class/martial arts class for a bit of variation?
great for overall fitness

miss notax

Good suggestions - thank you

I like the idea of the boxercise classes, I used to do these years ago so could be fun to get back into. My excuse is that I always seem to be so BUSY - there just arn't enough hours in the day :? (and my tv is broken so it's not as if I waste any time slumped in front of it!)!

jmeadows

i know, its hard fitting it all in.
dont know bout you but once i drag myself out and get into the habit i feel so much better for it. the martial arts is great for the old legs too..

FENNER

jmeadows wrote:

the martial arts is great for the old legs too..

Got to disagree there I'm afraid :oops: I trained 4 times a week for 8 years at Tang-Soo-Do and it has destroyed my knees ! and I'm only just past 40 ! Martial arts needs to be started early in life. Its ok as a fitness boost but its addictive and you tend to push and stretch beyond you limits.On the plus side my core strength and balance is bang on.

laters

Matteeboy

Have to partially agree with Fenner - I used to compete a lot in kickboxing and I now have a seriously dodgy right knee.
Still pretty supple but it takes its toll on your joints.

miss notax

Hey there

Well, i'm being very good and managing at least one spinning class a week (usually 2) plus at least one long-ish ride. Hopefully that will do the job!

I'm fed up of always being at the back of rides, so I either need to speed up significantly or sabotage the others

Matteeboy

How about being the star of the group and offering chocolate to everyone midway through a ride.

Strong laxative chocolate :twisted: :twisted:

That'll see you at the front

miss notax

Aha! A cunning and devious plan :twisted:

Can't wait to go out this evening - as the sun was setting we saw about 30 deer running through the forest last week which was a truly stunning sight. And it gave me time to catch up :?

Matteeboy

Well we have some good surf here for the first time in about a month - Woopeee!!

Enjoy the evening -cracking weather here too but damn windy!

Thewaylander

Marial arts are a good fitness boost, i study Wu Shu Kwan for the past 8 years,

MOst knee and legs problems come from either high contact sparing( not alot you can do) or poor stances IE a poor horse riding stance is a real killer onthe knee's.

but i would recomend doing a martial art to anyone, though i admit to be against boxercise classes, the ones i have seen have bad technique, people come out thinking know something and its not good.

Matteeboy

Waylander - I'd say it's more the "circuit" type stuff than the actual training that is good in martial arts.

Having taught kickboxing and done karate for many years, I think it's vital to have a varied and intensive workout at each session - but making sure that beginners are catered for (felt a bit guilty when I made a beginner mate of mine throw up on his first session!).

My knee problem was a tear in a national KBing comp - I cooled down too much before my round and twanged it. Hurt a lot and taught me a lesson!

Thewaylander

I think especially for cyclist the best part, is the stretching, as cycling tightens muscles, and lets be honest how many of us stretch out as we should after riding, we normally pack up and drive home

jmeadows

most injuries from martial arts are caused by poor technique, but lets face it any training can lead to unlucky injuries, for leg strength i do think martial arts is spot on.
boxercise classes are fine if the person doing it doesnt come out thinking theyre floyd mayweather, it is good fitness tho for those who want to stay away from full on martial arts/boxing training.
if people stretch using plyometrics they will reduce the risk of overstretching using traditional techniques, simple way of reducing injuries- avoid overdoing it