lacking cardio fitness...please help!

welshkev

hi guys and girls, i've got a problem with my cardio fitness. i can reasonably easily manage a 15 - 20 mile ride (cwmcarn is my main xc loop) but the problem i have is that the hills kill me, it's like i can't get enough air in and my heart rate shoots right up - not sure to what my BPM is as i don't wear a heart rate monitor but i know it's a lot!!

now, should i be concentrating on doing more interval based sprint training? hammer some short sharp hill climb reps?
i've got a lot fitter - only been riding again since last january and i've lost about a stone in weight, but i need to be able to keep up with my mates up the hills :?

your help would be much appreciated

EarlofBarnet

You could try doing some 'fartlec' style training on a hill to try and build up your fitness on the hills. Find a short-ish length climb (maybe half a mile long?) and ride up reasonably quickly, then ride down slowly to recover. Then repeat. I'd go for three reps to start and build to six. Should soon see results.

Only other thing I'd try would to try and include more hills in your routes and put more effort in to them. Using the downhills/flats as more of a recovery.

welshkev

yeah, cheers Earl. i've been trying not to avoid the hills as i know they're my weak point. but it's hard sometimes when you go out on your own to be motivated

i thought i was in the right area with the hill climb reps, there's a nice little off road climb by me about 400 metres long with a nice looping downhill reward on the way down, i'll be there tomorrow doing some climbs. thanks again

robertpb

If you are running out of puff do some lung exercises, they can be done in any spare time.

Like all the muscles in your body the lungs need to workout.

Plus you have to mentally enjoy riding up hill, makes a hell of a difference.

Add some good interval training and there'll be no stopping you.

rhyko7

have a browse through the roadie training session on here, those guys really know there stuff over in that forum. basically tho, the more and longer you can ride on your bike the better!
if its cwmcarn you get outa breathe on i wouldnt worry, no one can get up those climbs without heavy breathing-you probably just need to pace yourself better

welshkev

i did my first hill climd session saturday, i was only out about 45 mins and i was shagged..lol. but i reckon in about a months time if i keep it up 2 or 3 times a week i'll definately notice the difference
rhyko: i wish that it was only on cwmcarn that i got out of breath. but i still give that climb a good go none the less

EarlofBarnet

45 mins should be plenty for a pure hill session. Just make sure you have a rest day (or two) between sessions to give yourself time to fully recover. Have you considered some protein/carb drink for after the sessions to aid recovery?

Surf-Matt

I'd do some running - it really turbocharges your fitness. Try and stay off road to avoid knee damage though.

.blitz

welshkev: as well as the advice already offered, you may want to try some easy bench presses. Slow reps with a low weight will open up the rib cage and expand the chest cavity.

EarlofBarnet

One of my mates was using a power breathe device to help strengthen his lungs when doing flat out cardio. Might be worth a look to help maximise oxygen intake when panting away.

welshkev

Surf-Matt wrote:

I'd do some running - it really turbocharges your fitness. Try and stay off road to avoid knee damage though.

i can't run that much unfortunately mate, i dislocated 3 bones in my back playing rugby when i was about 17 and the jarring of running sometimes makes the bones shift slightly and catch the nerves and i fall over!!! :shock:

i do try and do a little bit in the gym because the treadmills tend to be a little bit more forgiving and a little bit bouncy. not like a few years back when i was out for a road run feeling good and my leg gave way in front of about 4-5 girls and they all pi.ssed themselves laughing at me :oops: then i had to hobble about 1.5 miles home. at least if i fall in the gym i only have to go down to the changing rooms

did some hill interval training on the static bike in the gym this morning, felt good

rhyko7

get out and ride on the pavements by you in cwmbran-i did yesterday on way up to Henllys DH, was really hard work!
mix your workouts up, try and do some much longer steadier pace workouts too, or you will only be good at sprinting up short hills then no energy to do rest of ride

Surf-Matt

Kev - sorry to hear that. Sounds nasty.

Do try and vary your stuff though - if you only cycle, you are missing out on building good core muscles and getting a great fitness base.

I think cross training is essential, be it circuits, swimming, running (or not) or whatever.

welshkev

i am doing other forms of exercise, sorry if i didn't make that clear i do a 10-15 mle ride at least once a week. i go to the gym and swim, cross trainer, rower etc. it's just that i'm really bad on the hills and want to get better

cheers for all the advice , it's much appreciated

welshkev

rhyko7 wrote:

get out and ride on the pavements by you in cwmbran-i did yesterday on way up to Henllys DH, was really hard work!
mix your workouts up, try and do some much longer steadier pace workouts too, or you will only be good at sprinting up short hills then no energy to do rest of ride

where in henllys is the downhill mate?

rhyko7

right above the housing estate at the very top behind the houses there is a small narrow road up to someones house-on the side of this narrow lane is a set of woods, there are a few tracks within the woods.

drummondjhn

Surf-Matt wrote:

I'd do some running - it really turbocharges your fitness. Try and stay off road to avoid knee damage though.

+1

welshkev

rhyko7 wrote:

right above the housing estate at the very top behind the houses there is a small narrow road up to someones house-on the side of this narrow lane is a set of woods, there are a few tracks within the woods.

i've probably ridden there, been a long time since i've been up that way, i usually just go straight to upper cwmbran if i'm going local. you ever ride the downhill run in the lanes by 14 locks? haven't done it for years but it used to be pretty cool

rhyko7

welshkev wrote:

rhyko7 wrote:

right above the housing estate at the very top behind the houses there is a small narrow road up to someones house-on the side of this narrow lane is a set of woods, there are a few tracks within the woods.

i've probably ridden there, been a long time since i've been up that way, i usually just go straight to upper cwmbran if i'm going local. you ever ride the downhill run in the lanes by 14 locks? haven't done it for years but it used to be pretty cool

yeah its called bluebell woods i know the guys who maintain the place and the guy who built the jumps up there years ago, and my mate lives right next to it so i session it every few wks or so. i have a couple of brutal technical DH tracks within a 10 minute ride of my house so i tend to ride them more than anything (they are rediculously slimey at the mo & pretty much unrideable without wet scream tyres).
i think the Henllys DH is probably the most fun of the 3 tracks i have mentioned as its steep enough to ride in snow and its not too soggey
is there much up in upper cwmbran to ride?

welshkev

rhyko7 wrote:

welshkev wrote:

rhyko7 wrote:

right above the housing estate at the very top behind the houses there is a small narrow road up to someones house-on the side of this narrow lane is a set of woods, there are a few tracks within the woods.

i've probably ridden there, been a long time since i've been up that way, i usually just go straight to upper cwmbran if i'm going local. you ever ride the downhill run in the lanes by 14 locks? haven't done it for years but it used to be pretty cool

yeah its called bluebell woods i know the guys who maintain the place and the guy who built the jumps up there years ago, and my mate lives right next to it so i session it every few wks or so. i have a couple of brutal technical DH tracks within a 10 minute ride of my house so i tend to ride them more than anything (they are rediculously slimey at the mo & pretty much unrideable without wet scream tyres).
i think the Henllys DH is probably the most fun of the 3 tracks i have mentioned as its steep enough to ride in snow and its not too soggey
is there much up in upper cwmbran to ride?

there's one downhill track up there that's quite cool, been built by some of the locals - it's in a private wood though. the people who own the wood don't mind people riding there as long as they don't damage the woods, make huge un planned/un talked about jumps etc. plus there's loads of other trails up there. i'll pm you directions if you want

rhyko7

welshkev wrote:

rhyko7 wrote:

welshkev wrote:

rhyko7 wrote:

right above the housing estate at the very top behind the houses there is a small narrow road up to someones house-on the side of this narrow lane is a set of woods, there are a few tracks within the woods.

i've probably ridden there, been a long time since i've been up that way, i usually just go straight to upper cwmbran if i'm going local. you ever ride the downhill run in the lanes by 14 locks? haven't done it for years but it used to be pretty cool

yeah its called bluebell woods i know the guys who maintain the place and the guy who built the jumps up there years ago, and my mate lives right next to it so i session it every few wks or so. i have a couple of brutal technical DH tracks within a 10 minute ride of my house so i tend to ride them more than anything (they are rediculously slimey at the mo & pretty much unrideable without wet scream tyres).
i think the Henllys DH is probably the most fun of the 3 tracks i have mentioned as its steep enough to ride in snow and its not too soggey
is there much up in upper cwmbran to ride?

there's one downhill track up there that's quite cool, been built by some of the locals - it's in a private wood though. the people who own the wood don't mind people riding there as long as they don't damage the woods, make huge un planned/un talked about jumps etc. plus there's loads of other trails up there. i'll pm you directions if you want

yeah directions would be great
i would offer to do the same for Henllys but i dont know the road names, i would be more than happy to meet up and show you where they are tho, i may go up there again tomorow, i was up there today snowboarding (some really nice powder on the fileds around it , may take bike and board tomoz