Why does getting fit hurt?

heathrow86

I have been riding now about 3 weeks mainly commuting about 5miles round trip. Thrown in at the weekends are about 10 miles up and down hills etc. But i don't feel any better or fitter. I am starting to lose heart and starting to hate the bike. The bike fits ok I had a bike fit done when I bought it.

How do i keep my spirits up??

redvision

it can be dificult at times.
do you have a bike computer? if not GET ONE! it will give you something to compete against and is also a good indicator for fitness. plus i always find that spending money on the bike motivates you to get out and use it.

even if you dont feel it, you will be fitter than before you started biking, but results dont happen over night. just stick with it and maybe try a few different routes.

Splottboy

Have you put a saddle onto the seatpost?

sungod

just go and ride

even if you were fairly fit as a non-cyclist it takes a while to approach the same level on the bike

practice technique, pedalling at higher cadence, a bike computer can help a lot with this

if you get one with heart rate monitor that can help too - when i began a year ago, my heart rate would be over 160 on a hill and i'd be gasping, now on the same hill i'm going up much faster, heart rate in the 140s, and not gasping like i'm dying - which motivates me to go and find more/bigger hills

to begin i suggest build up over the next few weeks to doing longer rides, 20-30 miles, but avoid any hill that's a huge struggle, concentrate on getting a good pedalling style and enjoying the ride

once you've got some base fitness start going harder on the flat, do some intervals, and add some hills

if you struggle fpr motivation on your own, join a club, there'll be members at different levels and a range of rides, having a chat as you go can be a nice change from solo

danowat

35 miles a week? you'll struggle to get much fitter on that, you need to mix up the riding, longer rides at the weekend, and maybe use the short 5mile commute as an interval session.

StillGoing

Although you may not lose weight you may find you've lost inches? My weight stays around the same but I managed to fit in a suit I haven't been able to wear for years last week. I wear a uniform at work so it's pleasing to know I won't have to fork out for another suit that will only get worn at weddings, funerals etc.

Jordan93

I'm one of those people who loves to push myself to and beyond my limits every time i go out. Take some music on solo rides, get a cycle computer and keep a cadence of between 80-100rpm and last but not least enjoy it. When you start to feel your lungs and legs burn take Jens Voigts' advice and tell your legs to shut up.

tri-sexual

find a riding partner who is motivated,
they will encourage to ride when you dont feel motivated to and will push you along.
not sure what bike you are riding, but a "correct" bike for your needs will transform your riding experience. try other people's bikes if possible
join a club where there will be others who can advise you and socialise with you to make cycling more enjoyable

Cleat Eastwood

Don't forget to rest as well.

StillGoing

Jordan93 wrote:

I'm one of those people who loves to push myself to and beyond my limits every time i go out. Take some music on solo rides, get a cycle computer and keep a cadence of between 80-100rpm and last but not least enjoy it. When you start to feel your lungs and legs burn take Jens Voigts' advice and tell your legs to shut up.

Opinion is divided on this with a lot of experts advocating longer rides in the moderate HR range to burn fat. Hard exercise is good for aerobic fitness.

pratley

ive only been riding for 3-4 weeks, i commute 5 miles a day and then on sunday mornings go out on a ride.
i started out with shorter rides and today done 30miles, av speed 17mph with plenty of steep climbs and was completely knackered when i got home but still love it.

ive also changed the foods i eat, i never used to eat breakfast either but do each day now and i feel much fitter and healthier for it after only a month.

i will just keep pushing myself each week, longer rides etc and hopefully next year will enter some small ameuter race events.

just keep pushing yoyrself and go riding even when you dont really feel up to it

wilshawk

This story sounds familiar, I do a commute about 7 miles total per day, actually been goign about a year+ now, and at times I feel like Im not making any progress fitness wise. I jsut start to feel more and more tired, but I have found the folllowing can help me;

-Stay away from the higher gears, except when you are feeling particulalry energetic. When youre feeling strong its worth having the occasioanl sprint where you find a nice smooth road and go as fast as possible, youll feel great afterwards.

-If youre feeling fatigued take a day off, allow the muscles to rebuild, if I leave the bike at home for one day in the week I always come back stronger and raring to go the next day.

-Vary your route, its amazing how you can discover new energy when you suddenly go a different way to usual.

Splottboy

Getting fit IS hard.

Getting FAT and dying early is harder...on you and your family.

volvicspar

I'd second the suggestion to get a bike computer! It's good to see how fast you're going, and it encourages you to keep the speed up. Just don't ride into the back of a car whilst gawping at your cycle computer!

Also, you should do different routes, even on the commute, if that's possible. The same route can become boring quickly!

Bobbinogs

I figure the basic maths might explain why you are not getting fitter. A 2.5 mile trip (you mention a 5 mile round trip) to work at a reasonable 18mph is less than 10 minutes each way. To get fit you have to do something athletic for 20 minutes before you even start breaking through the barrier.

If you want to get fit, look at your route from work (so you get to shower, etc) and see if you can come up with a loop that is about 7.5M and then work hard on it. A 20 minute workout every day will work wonders.

Your current w/e ride will seem a doddle so you can then start upping that at 10% a week. Don't forget to take at least one day completely off to recharge your body and mental vigour.

Stick with it, getting fit is not an overnight thing.

Jordan93

philthy3 wrote:

Jordan93 wrote:

I'm one of those people who loves to push myself to and beyond my limits every time i go out. Take some music on solo rides, get a cycle computer and keep a cadence of between 80-100rpm and last but not least enjoy it. When you start to feel your lungs and legs burn take Jens Voigts' advice and tell your legs to shut up.

Opinion is divided on this with a lot of experts advocating longer rides in the moderate HR range to burn fat. Hard exercise is good for aerobic fitness.

Aye, it's a interesting topic but I dont need/want to burn any fat as i'm already slim. So, I was giving him advice on what I do personally.

MikeWW

Find some people to ride with and start looking at building up the miles . You really want to be getting in 20+ mile rides and 100+ miles a week (get there gradually) to really make a difference

morstar

philthy3 wrote:

Jordan93 wrote:

I'm one of those people who loves to push myself to and beyond my limits every time i go out. Take some music on solo rides, get a cycle computer and keep a cadence of between 80-100rpm and last but not least enjoy it. When you start to feel your lungs and legs burn take Jens Voigts' advice and tell your legs to shut up.

Opinion is divided on this with a lot of experts advocating longer rides in the moderate HR range to burn fat. Hard exercise is good for aerobic fitness.

I think it was cycling weekly did a whole article poo pooing that theory a couple of months back. Basically the logic was fundamentally flawed. I'd like to reference it for you but I can't.

It wasn't anti moderate work outs as moderate workouts are better than none but was quite unequivocal in it's opposition to the theory that they burn more fat than high intensity workouts.

StillGoing

And you can read articles in other publications that sing the merits of longer rides in the moderate HR range for fat burning. As I said, opinion is divided.

danowat

Its been debunked in numerous studies, HIT is actually better for burning fat.

rufus357rufus

danowat wrote:

Its been debunked in numerous studies, HIT is actually better for burning fat.

...however its not better for getting fit! If you want to get aerobically fit then you need to work out predominantly in the aerobic zone which is the same place as the "fat burning zone" (whether or not the "fate burning zone" is true). HIT, Intervals etc will only bring material benefits if you are aerobically fit anyway. There is also the benefit that aerobic training is less painfull and damaging as well.

Clearly the best solution is always going to be a mix but I would say that if you are moderately unfit and finding training painful, then get a cheapo heart rate monitor and spend as much time as possible in the aerobic zone (220 minus your age * 60 to70%)

This is what I did and feel much better and have knocked minutes off my riding and running PB's.

neeb

OP - are you cycling every day during the week, and did you start from a situation when you were doing no exercise at all? You probably just need to take more rest days and then go for longer, more strenuous rides on the days you do go out. You'd probably get more fitness benefit, and also enjoy it more, if you only went out 3 or 4 days a week but really pushed it on the days you did go out. You gain fitness by stressing your body and then letting it recover, and right now you are probably not stressing it enough while also not giving it any time to recover.

Pross

rufus357rufus wrote:

danowat wrote:

Its been debunked in numerous studies, HIT is actually better for burning fat.

...however its not better for getting fit! If you want to get aerobically fit then you need to work out predominantly in the aerobic zone which is the same place as the "fat burning zone" (whether or not the "fate burning zone" is true). HIT, Intervals etc will only bring material benefits if you are aerobically fit anyway. There is also the benefit that aerobic training is less painfull and damaging as well.

Clearly the best solution is always going to be a mix but I would say that if you are moderately unfit and finding training painful, then get a cheapo heart rate monitor and spend as much time as possible in the aerobic zone (220 minus your age * 60 to70%)

This is what I did and feel much better and have knocked minutes off my riding and running PB's.

220 minus your age is a pointless and non-scientific guide to your max HR and it could be potentially damaging basing any HR monitored exercise on that. Any exercise based on HR should be measured against a calculated maximum HR. Also, aerobic training is anything up to your anaerobic level i.e. up to about 90% of your max HR.

keef66

@Pross

"220 minus your age is a pointless and non-scientific guide to your max HR and it could be potentially damaging basing any HR monitored exercise on that. Any exercise based on HR should be measured against a calculated maximum HR. Also, aerobic training is anything up to your anaerobic level i.e. up to about 90% of your max HR."

I know what you're trying to say, but you need to swap these two round for it to make sense! You first need to measure your actual max HR using a monitor, then calculate your training zones from that.

The 220 - age thing would have had me using 168 as my max (yes, I am 52 :shock: ) but when I strapped on the HRM and sprinted up a hill I got it up to 183 so I'm basing my zones on that

Pross

Yep, badly worded sorry - your maximum heart rate should be measured and that used to calculate your training zones :oops: The 220 minus my age worked just about while I was about 20 but nowadays is about 10 beats out!

ireland57

Just keep riding.

HAVE FUN!

You are getting fitter. Sometimes it takes a while to feel it.

When you learn to enjoy the bike you'll make other changes to your life as well.

soveda

danowat wrote:

Its been debunked in numerous studies, HIT is actually better for burning fat.

It's a bit more complicated than that, the amount of fat that is mobilized may be more on very long moderate intensity training but for most of us we simply use up our glycogen stores even with high intensity training. Once you have used up Glycogen then the body will work on fat, pretty hard to do high intensity work when you are metabolizing only fat because it's slower to get mobilized. Overall there isn't any reason (for most people) to think that one or the other is "better" at reducing fat stores except that you are more likely to use up fat if you do the exercise so do whichever you are likely to stick with!

cougie

From what base are you starting off at ?

A 2.5 mile ride is nothing - a child should be able to do that happily. Even a beginner cyclist should be able to do 30 or 40 miles without too much difficulty.

Do you do any walking or anything else physical at all ? If not, why not ?

heathrow86

Thanks for yor responses, I am coming from no fitness at all after coming back to cycling after a 20+ year break. I am currently riding an Orbea Aqua fitted with a 39/53 chainring.

I started commuting to work about 3 weeks ago however after my first 2 days I came down with a heavy cold, so no cycling. I returned to cycling again the following week, rode for 2 days and then had a rest day on the Wednesday.On the Thursday/Friday, I had dead legs.

Yesterday i did a 10 mile ride. Unfortunatley where i live it is pretty hilly, so you have to do alot of climbing.

Today my legs are aching quite alot. so i might go in the car today as i need to take my work clothes.

I have an induction at my local gym next Monday so i may use that to help with my cardio & strength work.

Pross

If it's hurting it's working. Stick at it but don't overdo things. If you are just starting and have had a cold it isn't surprising it has been hard going. I'm not sure what joining a gym will do that riding a bike won't though.