How to improve your fitness?

dancook

If I stood up and went full out as often as I could, slowing down a bit when I'm knackered, and then pushing myself again and again - is that going to help me improve fitness?

Or are there alternative/better ways?

cee

in the training world...the technique you describe is called interval training...and yes.

also..just riding your bike more often and for longer will improve fitness too.

Rich158

It will improve certain apects of your fitness, but not others. It will probably increase the speed of your sprint but do little to improve your endurance.

dancook

Rich158 wrote:

It will improve certain apects of your fitness, but not others. It will probably increase the speed of your sprint but do little to improve your endurance.

So for endurance, just keep taking longer rides at the highest speeds you can maintain without feeling strain on the muscle?

dancook

cee wrote:

in the training world...the technique you describe is called interval training...and yes.

also..just riding your bike more often and for longer will improve fitness too.

Thanks, I'm going to make a conscious effort not take it too easy.

jairaj

A mixture of the two, some interval rides and some endurance rides will give you a good all round fitness.

If you are really fussed about getting fit try to structure it a bit, ie keep a record of the intervals you do and as you get used to them try and make the intervals bigger. Same applies for the endurance rides.

If you're not too fussed then just ride and have fun. As long as you push yourself you'll still become fitter.

R_T_A

Get yourself a cheap bike computer, and then time yourself over a set distance (either a mile or a specific section of your commute that doesn't have too many traffic lights).

Then go for it when you feel good, and take it easier when you don't feel as good. Don't kick yourself for missing targets you set yourself, as even on the "slow" days you're still out exercising on your bike

As mentioned above, make sure you enjoy it whatever you do.

Aapje

dancook wrote:

Thanks, I'm going to make a conscious effort not take it too easy.

Training well is not the same as 'not taking it easy'. You need to do different training exercises. Some will build up your base condition (endurance training, riding for 1.5 - 6 hours at slow or regular speed), while others will increase your speed (high-intensity interval training & resistance training).

You also need to rest well, since you actually gain fitness while resting, not while exercising (during recovery your body is doing 'supercompensation', it will repair the damage from the ride and will then improve your muscles beyond that). The amount of rest you need depends on how long and how hard you train. Some choose to train less often, but train hard. Some train often, but less intense/long. Both are valid for building fitness. Often & hard is risky because you can overtrain, which is bad.

If I stood up and went full out as often as I could, slowing down a bit when I'm knackered, and then pushing myself again and again - is that going to help me improve fitness?

That is a fairly intense kind of interval training and probably not the best thing to start with. It's better ride very slowly between the intense efforts, where you recover enough until you can talk normally (so no hard breathing). Then you do the next effort. Also, it's better to time the intense effort (either look on computer or do the interval for a certain stretch of road), to prevent you from reducing the effort as you get tired.

Gussio

The more you train, the luckier you get.

prj45

Spin spin spin.

Keep that cadence up.

That'll do it.

dancook

Aapje wrote:

Training well is not the same as 'not taking it easy'. ......

Thanks for your detailed and informative post.

Rich158

dancook wrote:

Rich158 wrote:

It will improve certain apects of your fitness, but not others. It will probably increase the speed of your sprint but do little to improve your endurance.

So for endurance, just keep taking longer rides at the highest speeds you can maintain without feeling strain on the muscle?

Foe endurance you need to do a lot of zone 3 work (about 80% max HR). This needn't be long rides exclusively, but at least one long ride per week will help. This won't build speed though so you still need to mix it up with interval work. I usually work on getting two or three months of good quality base work in over the winter and as spring hits start to up the intensity with interval sessions and speed work. I then try to taper and peak, ie cut down the total amount of riding in favour of higher intensity work in order to reach a peak. This takes about 4-6 weeks so I try to target specific events.

stuaff

Rich158 wrote:

dancook wrote:

Rich158 wrote:

It will improve certain apects of your fitness, but not others. It will probably increase the speed of your sprint but do little to improve your endurance.

So for endurance, just keep taking longer rides at the highest speeds you can maintain without feeling strain on the muscle?

Foe endurance you need to do a lot of zone 3 work (about 80% max HR). This needn't be long rides exclusively, but at least one long ride per week will help. This won't build speed though so you still need to mix it up with interval work. I usually work on getting two or three months of good quality base work in over the winter and as spring hits start to up the intensity with interval sessions and speed work. I then try to taper and peak, ie cut down the total amount of riding in favour of higher intensity work in order to reach a peak. This takes about 4-6 weeks so I try to target specific events.

+1. Though I have an HRM for the Garmin, never used it. But my 'regime' seems to work for me. I don't like pootling, but nor do I want to kill myself. Out for a long ride at the weekends, I'll tend to stick to a high but sustained tempo. I've gone from being knackered (and sore for a couple of days) after 59 miles a couple of years ago to regular 50,60,70, 80 milers, and even doing 140 miles on Saturday with no problems. For interval work, my commute probably helps....plenty of traffic lights, junctions, etc...and I want to get from A-B as quick as possible.

Rich158

StuAff wrote:

Rich158 wrote:

dancook wrote:

Rich158 wrote:

It will improve certain apects of your fitness, but not others. It will probably increase the speed of your sprint but do little to improve your endurance.

So for endurance, just keep taking longer rides at the highest speeds you can maintain without feeling strain on the muscle?

Foe endurance you need to do a lot of zone 3 work (about 80% max HR). This needn't be long rides exclusively, but at least one long ride per week will help. This won't build speed though so you still need to mix it up with interval work. I usually work on getting two or three months of good quality base work in over the winter and as spring hits start to up the intensity with interval sessions and speed work. I then try to taper and peak, ie cut down the total amount of riding in favour of higher intensity work in order to reach a peak. This takes about 4-6 weeks so I try to target specific events.

+1. Though I have an HRM for the Garmin, never used it. But my 'regime' seems to work for me. I don't like pootling, but nor do I want to kill myself. Out for a long ride at the weekends, I'll tend to stick to a high but sustained tempo. I've gone from being knackered (and sore for a couple of days) after 59 miles a couple of years ago to regular 50,60,70, 80 milers, and even doing 140 miles on Saturday with no problems. For interval work, my commute probably helps....plenty of traffic lights, junctions, etc...and I want to get from A-B as quick as possible.

That’s where you HRM comes in. For intervals to be effective you need to target 90% HRM in order to develop and tax your lactic system. It’s also useful to ensure you don’t sit in the 80-85% of MHR where it's too difficult to maintain the pace for the long rides needed to build endurance and allow some recovery time, but not hard enough to significantly improve your aerobic performance and increase your lactate threshold.

If you’re serious about getting fitter ime a HRM is essential, as is working out your zones properly

Coriander

Rich158 wrote:

StuAff wrote:

Rich158 wrote:

dancook wrote:

Rich158 wrote:

It will improve certain apects of your fitness, but not others. It will probably increase the speed of your sprint but do little to improve your endurance.

So for endurance, just keep taking longer rides at the highest speeds you can maintain without feeling strain on the muscle?

Foe endurance you need to do a lot of zone 3 work (about 80% max HR). This needn't be long rides exclusively, but at least one long ride per week will help. This won't build speed though so you still need to mix it up with interval work. I usually work on getting two or three months of good quality base work in over the winter and as spring hits start to up the intensity with interval sessions and speed work. I then try to taper and peak, ie cut down the total amount of riding in favour of higher intensity work in order to reach a peak. This takes about 4-6 weeks so I try to target specific events.

+1. Though I have an HRM for the Garmin, never used it. But my 'regime' seems to work for me. I don't like pootling, but nor do I want to kill myself. Out for a long ride at the weekends, I'll tend to stick to a high but sustained tempo. I've gone from being knackered (and sore for a couple of days) after 59 miles a couple of years ago to regular 50,60,70, 80 milers, and even doing 140 miles on Saturday with no problems. For interval work, my commute probably helps....plenty of traffic lights, junctions, etc...and I want to get from A-B as quick as possible.

That’s where you HRM comes in. For intervals to be effective you need to target 90% HRM in order to develop and tax your lactic system. It’s also useful to ensure you don’t sit in the 80-85% of MHR where it's too difficult to maintain the pace for the long rides needed to build endurance and allow some recovery time, but not hard enough to significantly improve your aerobic performance and increase your lactate threshold.

If you’re serious about getting fitter ime a HRM is essential, as is working out your zones properly

How do you do that? Coz I've always regarded the old 220-your age thing as a bit random.

Rich158

I generally use this for info

http://www.cptips.com/hrmntr.htm

but for my MHR I use the max I've ever recorded. My max under test was 172, but I've hit 184 in the final sprint at Crystal Palace so that's what I use. In order to calculate the zones I use (MHR-RHR)*percentage+RHR so for 60% (184-40)*0.6+40 to give a value of 126. To find your RHR take the average value over a week from reading taking upon waking before getting out of bed. This is also useful to monitor as a 10% fluctuation in RHR can indicate overtraining.

God I should be on the road forum :shock:

Coriander

Rich158 wrote:

I generally use this for info

http://www.cptips.com/hrmntr.htm

but for my MHR I use the max I've ever recorded. My max under test was 172, but I've hit 184 in the final sprint at Crystal Palace so that's what I use. In order to calculate the zones I use (MHR-RHR)*percentage+RHR so for 60% (184-40)*0.6+40 to give a value of 126. To find your RHR take the average value over a week from reading taking upon waking before getting out of bed. This is also useful to monitor as a 10% fluctuation in RHR can indicate overtraining.

God I should be on the road forum :shock:

Yep, I am sorry I asked.

londonlivvy

dancook wrote:

If I stood up and went full out as often as I could, slowing down a bit when I'm knackered, and then pushing myself again and again - is that going to help me improve fitness?

Or are there alternative/better ways?

I found that a good starting point to get fitter / faster on the bike was the Polar Personal Trainer website - you enter your event date (say a sportive in 6 weeks time) and how often you're willing to train and it tells you what to do (including endurance rides, intervals etc). You do need a HR monitor to do the programme, though not necessarily a polar one.
www.polarpersonaltrainer.com

(PS I don't work for polar, nor do I have any connection to them!)

Rich158

+1 Polar are a good starting point and imho do some of the best HR monitors.

You should be aware it's a slippery slope, before too long you'll be going to talks on training, monitoring your RHR on a daily basis ,having delusions about hitting Cat 2, and pining for a power meter :roll:

What me never :oops: :oops: :oops:

stuaff

Rich158 wrote:

+1 Polar are a good starting point and imho do some of the best HR monitors.

You should be aware it's a slippery slope, before too long you'll be going to talks on training, monitoring your RHR on a daily basis ,having delusions about hitting Cat 2, and pining for a power meter :roll:

What me never :oops: :oops: :oops:

Good points earlier on...must confess that that's part of what bothers me about getting into the whole HRM, zones, etc...Apart from being dubious about the benefits for someone like me (old, scrawny, can't put weight on no matter what), I don't want cycling to be too much like work. Hitting 100+ miles week in week out sometimes feels like that anyway, though I know it's done me good RE endurance, fitness in general & preparing for L2P in particular. I know I'm ready, I have been for some while tbh, but I'm not taking it for granted. I might have a go with the Garmin HRM some time, but I'm happy enough being able to do the distances I do and the speeds I do comfortably (by which I mean, I know I've worked hard at it, not just pootling around without effort), and in a sense that's enough for me. I'm never going to feel willing or able to tackle the Marmotte, L'Etape etc..and I don't really care.

sc999cs

Chips and fizzy drinks...

Sorry I thought you said "How to improve your fatness?"

Canny Jock

Not great fun, but spinning in the gym is a good addition to actual bike time, especially if you can fit it in during work (OK, lunch)

suzyb

How would you go about improving your lung capacity.

I find when MTBing especially my legs feel OK but I have to stop because I'm puffing and panting.

Rich158

suzyb wrote:

How would you go about improving your lung capacity.

I find when MTBing especially my legs feel OK but I have to stop because I'm puffing and panting.

You probably need more base level endurance work. I have the opposite problem, my CV fitness is OK but I feel I lack power in my legs on hills. That's exactly why I always use a HR monitor, without one I always find I'm working to hard when I'm doing base level work.

When do you start puffing and panting, after a long time in the sadlle or when working hard on hills etc?

Apparently you can increase your lung capacity

http://www.wikihow.com/Increase-Your-Lung-Capacity

good old wiki, there's an answer for anything I've never tried it myself though

rjsterry

Rich158 wrote:

suzyb wrote:

How would you go about improving your lung capacity.

I find when MTBing especially my legs feel OK but I have to stop because I'm puffing and panting.

You probably need more base level endurance work. I have the opposite problem, my CV fitness is OK but I feel I lack power in my legs on hills. That's exactly why I always use a HR monitor, without one I always find I'm working to hard when I'm doing base level work.

When do you start puffing and panting, after a long time in the sadlle or when working hard on hills etc?

Apparently you can increase your lung capacity

http://www.wikihow.com/Increase-Your-Lung-Capacity

good old wiki, there's an answer for anything I've never tried it myself though

I have often wondered whether my facemask has slightly improved my CV fitness, due to its slight restriction of breathing. No way to know for sure, as I don't have any figures for 'before', but anyone know if this would work in theory?

Rich158

rjsterry wrote:

Rich158 wrote:

suzyb wrote:

How would you go about improving your lung capacity.

I find when MTBing especially my legs feel OK but I have to stop because I'm puffing and panting.

You probably need more base level endurance work. I have the opposite problem, my CV fitness is OK but I feel I lack power in my legs on hills. That's exactly why I always use a HR monitor, without one I always find I'm working to hard when I'm doing base level work.

When do you start puffing and panting, after a long time in the sadlle or when working hard on hills etc?

Apparently you can increase your lung capacity

http://www.wikihow.com/Increase-Your-Lung-Capacity

good old wiki, there's an answer for anything I've never tried it myself though

I have often wondered whether my facemask has slightly improved my CV fitness, due to its slight restriction of breathing. No way to know for sure, as I don't have any figures for 'before', but anyone know if this would work in theory?

I'd say there's a slight possibility it has. An increase in lung capacity won't neccesarily correspond to an increase in fitness if your body can't use the extra oxygen efficiently. That's why base level work is probably more important than outright lung capacity, as it will train your CV system and increase your VO2 max figure

dancook

Rich158 wrote:

suzyb wrote:

Apparently you can increase your lung capacity

http://www.wikihow.com/Increase-Your-Lung-Capacity

I used to swim every lunch time a few years back, I only really ever swam underwater.

I was able to keep up with the 'pro' front crawlers for a 25m length at a time, then I had to breathe! I did work my way up to 50metres underwater swimming, so it's a good way to increase lung capacity!

Rich158

+1 to swimming. Over the winter I generally swim (if it can be called that) 2/3 times a week and it does wonders for the lungs, especially for an asthmatic, ex 30 a day, old boy like me

suzyb

Oh god no!!! Swimming requires being seen in a swimming costume (unless you have your own pool.

It is when I'm working hard on hills that I start puffing. Lidl was selling a cheap heart rate monitor so I may see if I can get one to try and do this training thing right.

Rich158

There's no easy answer to hills other than do more of them and be prepared for it to hurt.

Hills require a well developed lactic system, and a good power to weight ratio. It might also be worth looking at your technique, do you spin or grind? Personally I go for zone4 work on hills, or above 84% MHR and it seems to do the trick

rjsterry

Rich158 wrote:

There's no easy answer to hills other than do more of them and be prepared for it to hurt.

Hills require a well developed lactic system, and a good power to weight ratio. It might also be worth looking at your technique, do you spin or grind? Personally I go for zone4 work on hills, or above 84% MHR and it seems to do the trick

I can confirm without a shadow of doubt and without any calculation that Succomb's Hill put me well into zone 4. Only three minutes of it though, so I guess I need to do some reps :shock: feck!