Re: Legs, or lack of them.
Posted: 11 Jan 2013, 12:08pm
re the virus thing; I an told that reasearch testing show that the best way to recover quickly from a mild viral illness without losing peak conditioning (for athletes) is to do no more than ~25mins level 1 every other day during the illness.
This is about the same as going for a walk for a mile or so, no more. Or riding three or four flat miles, on a small (say 55") gear, just tapping along, at a speed that would have you not even breaking sweat normally. Obviously you may not want to do that, even, but it is just enough that you get an endorphin dose and not go stir crazy or lose too much condition, without slowing recovery.
For non-athletes, I'd suggest staying off the bike altogether whilst obviously ill, then trying the 25mins level 1 every other day routine. When you can do that without any peculiar side-effects, gradually ramp things up.
BTW level 1 is difficult to judge from cold. Only after I got a pulse meter did I realise how hard I often went from the start; for the first five minutes level 1 (about 130bpm for me) felt like nothing, and left to my own devices I'd be otherwise at 150bpm + in no time. Eventually I learned to just keep my gear and effort down somewhat, but it did go against my natural instincts.
cheers
This is about the same as going for a walk for a mile or so, no more. Or riding three or four flat miles, on a small (say 55") gear, just tapping along, at a speed that would have you not even breaking sweat normally. Obviously you may not want to do that, even, but it is just enough that you get an endorphin dose and not go stir crazy or lose too much condition, without slowing recovery.
For non-athletes, I'd suggest staying off the bike altogether whilst obviously ill, then trying the 25mins level 1 every other day routine. When you can do that without any peculiar side-effects, gradually ramp things up.
BTW level 1 is difficult to judge from cold. Only after I got a pulse meter did I realise how hard I often went from the start; for the first five minutes level 1 (about 130bpm for me) felt like nothing, and left to my own devices I'd be otherwise at 150bpm + in no time. Eventually I learned to just keep my gear and effort down somewhat, but it did go against my natural instincts.
cheers