Lost My Fitness - Need A Way Back... Help please!

Secteur

Hi all,

6 weeks ago today I came off my bike whilst at the peak of my fitness after training hard++ all winter. I have always been a bit overweight and am not naturally fit / athletic. I only started with fitness 14 months ago, aged 32, but in that time lost serious weight (4st) and got pretty competitive on the bike as I took it seriously.

Anyway, one fractured scaphoid, one operation to fix it and 6 weeks later I am just out of plaster.

In that time I did no exercise - stupid, i know, but let's not get into that just now!

Tonight I went for my first run, and after 3 minutes thought my chest was going to explode. Managed 12 minutes with 3 short walking rest stops. Then did 20 mins on the turbo, and felt knackered.

My wrist is stiff & sore, and my surgeon has strictly banned me from outdoor riding for at least 2 months, so I only have running / turbo for now. I could join a gym, but would prefer not to.

I have never been a runner - i find it hard, painful and see slow progress. I used to do semi-regular 30 min runs and managed 40 mins on two occasions just before my accident.

So, if anyone is still reading this thread (thank you!) my question is how should I go about getting my fitness back the most efficient way over the next 2 months given my limitations? I have often struggled with inefficient training and "pointless miles".

Any general tips / advice from those wiser and fitter are welcome!

Many thanks,

Secteur.

PS if anyone ever hurts their scaphoid and finds this thread on a search, PM me for advice & reassurance!

whojanicanackerov

Contact a Cycling coach and explain to them your requirements being turbo based etc.
You`ll soon be back seeing improvements.You can pay for a personal 3 months plan from between £50 and £120.
Which is money well spent it will make you alot faster/fitter than twice that money spent on bike bling.

jgsi

From my own experience after breaking my hand and being in cast for 6 weeks, it bllxed up the racing season completely for that year.
I couldnt get the fitness back until very late into October.. so get riding asap but don't expect miracles... focus on staying safe and being patient for the coming year.
On the plus point, the other half took pity on me and allowed me a weeks cycling on Mallorca as recuperation.

Velonutter

Broken loads of bones when I used to race motorbikes, simple thing for me was to ignore the consultant and go for some slow rides, keep it slow, flat routes and it will come back.

I'm a bit of a Maverick and cut my plaster after 3 days, was riding my motorbike within 2 days of my op, was told I would only have 60% movement, actually have 95%, if you believe you can do it, then you can.

Tom Dean

Velonutter wrote:

if you believe you can do it, then you can.

Nonsense. Worst advice ever

Rule74Please

If plaster is off the bone has healed enough to do "normal" things

Ask surgeon why you can't ride for 2 months as the bones have healed.

Last time I broke a collar bone was told not to ride for 12 weeks. 3 weeks later, no sling, full movement in shoulder and back on the bike. Doctors are always way too conservative and we fall for it.

Question him as to why when your wrist is good enough for him to let you drive a car - something way more dangerous than sitting on a bike for an hour or so.

P_Tucker

Velonutter wrote:

Broken loads of bones when I used to race motorbikes, simple thing for me was to ignore the consultant and go for some slow rides, keep it slow, flat routes and it will come back.

I'm a bit of a Maverick and cut my plaster after 3 days, was riding my motorbike within 2 days of my op, was told I would only have 60% movement, actually have 95%, if you believe you can do it, then you can.

Secteur

Hi all,

I'm taking no chances when it comes to my dominant wrist!

He let me out of plaster at 4 (and a half) weeks post-op as he knew my job was in jeopardy and I hadnt taken any time off and was struggling to work with the plaster on.

That said, he did say the bone looked like it was healING but not healED - the screw is holding it together enough to allow day-to-day activities, but at 4 weeks the bone could still be disrupted by the jarring of a bike ride, or worse still another fall. He told me to avoid any heavy actions at all, e.g. no lifting heavy bags etc even.

To be honest, it's waaaaaay too stiff to even consider riding - I have maybe 25% of the normal movement in my wrist and even that's painful - especially in the extremes of motion - so I couldnt ride even if I wanted to!

So, running (and turbo) it is...

Velonutter

P_Tucker wrote:

Velonutter wrote:

Broken loads of bones when I used to race motorbikes, simple thing for me was to ignore the consultant and go for some slow rides, keep it slow, flat routes and it will come back.

I'm a bit of a Maverick and cut my plaster after 3 days, was riding my motorbike within 2 days of my op, was told I would only have 60% movement, actually have 95%, if you believe you can do it, then you can.

PMSL Thanks for the compliment Mate

secretsqizz

Saddam rode a bike? :shock:

mattshrops

Bit dull but start off with zone 2 x 60 mins. Then go on to 2 sessions per day or until you die of boredom.

When you can you can add some surges/bursts maybe x 20 secs every 5 mins or similar.