Health & Fitness

[David2504]

Looking through the topics on this particular ‘Board’ they seem to be about health rather than fitness. The subjects discussed are about illness, injury and occasionally diet, all of which granted can have a huge impact on fitness, but cannot see any topics specifically about fitness.

[philvantwo]

What did you want to know about fitness?

[foxyrider]

and fit for what?

[Pebble]

I don't fit as well into my cloths as I did before xmas.

[horizon]

but cannot see any topics specifically about fitness.

There are loads of posts about fitness but they must be on different sections/boards/forums (whatever you call them). You're right, it seems they are probably about achieving certain cycling goals so get posted under different topics.

[Hellhound]

Health impacts on fitness.

[ANTONISH]

It's probable that readers and contributors to the forum are generally not in the first flush of youth.
As we age the likelihood of something going wrong with our bodies is going to increase.
Hence we have more interest in health problems than cycling performance.

To bore you further I receive a free copy of "Men's Health" every month.
Full of stuff about building "abs" and "glutes" etc - some new miracle diet or supplement - I try to palm it off onto my son who is into lifting heavy weights (not body building) but he finds it too tedious.

I would suggest that you find a source of cycle training information - there are plenty of magazines and probably online forum's.
There will probably be recommendations for various core building and weight training exercises to aid your cycling performance - you can find information on that in "Men's Health" magazine .

[Mick F]

I'm healthy and strong, not overweight, and live an active and happy life.

However ................... fitness?
Fitness for what? ........ was the question posed by Foxyrider.

For the past sixteen years, I've been cycling at least 3,000miles a year and a few times it's been nearly 5,000miles.
2020 had me doing only 1,350miles ................... and 2021 a pitiful 960miles.

Yesterday, I did a 30mile ride and came back worn out. I'm still worn out this morning despite sleeping like a log last night.
Round here, the hills are relentless and come thick and fast, so my 30mile ride (in common with all of my rides) was over 100ft of ascent per mile. Yesterday, it was 3,270ft of ascent = 109ft per mile.

This was one of my favourite circuits and yesterday's was the 75th time. Over the years, my average speed for that ride has dropped from 14mph to yesterday's 10mph. Same road, same bike, and same bloke riding it.

I'm not Cycling Fit ............. or not fit enough for cycling.

There's only one cure.
Stop finding excuses for not cycling, and get out and get the miles in.

[David2504]

An interesting mix of responses. Thanks

[yostumpy]

There could be a x- over between getting older and not being ‘fit’ . But being fit is all relative really, as we remember doing a ‘ favorite loop’ at 14 mph avg but now it’s 10 mph. But the faster loop could have been in the middle of summer, a few years ago, and on a ‘good day’ , and the 10 mph could be first ride for awhile, just after Xmas, middle of winter. We all get good days and bad days, and ‘ I’ve had enough, I’m going home’ days. I think we all know know where we are fitness wise, compared to our best rides the previous year. We all slow down over time, but not all ways down to fitness, but...... I used, to blat around on my Pearson Audax bike, and was faster than when I got my Bob Jackson, and I was faster on that, than when I got my Olive (Ridgeback World Panorama Deluxe). Why is that? Well, my mindset has changed. I no longer wanted to stonk up a hill, like you do when you are ‘fit’, but take my time, admiring the view, looking for tracks and bridle ways, stopping to photograph flowers, and rescue bumble bees lying dazed in the road, etc. So as a result of my exploring, admiring, rescuing, I’m not as fit as I was, because I’m not constantly pushing myself, and my distances have dropped, as I do more things when I’m riding, other than head down ars.......... In a way the type of riding you choose to do dictates how fit you are, I used to commute 50 km daily, but didn’t think I was fit. I could still easily do that, in the same time, but the thought of now doing a 200 km Audax, let alone in 81/2 hours, does make me realize how I’ve changed, and my weight has gone up a bit, as I’ve slowed up. All goes round in circles really, but in ‘lockdown’ I bought myself a recumbent, and have had renewed ‘vigor’ as its something new, and I’ve actually been racing on it, in the BHPC national series of races. I’ve never raced in my life, but this is fun. Hey ho, life in the old dog yet!

[Slowtwitch]

I have a routine I follow every year: I lay off cycling completely for the month of December, have a good old blow out, and then come out fighting (as much as one can) in January. Gradually building up the miles and intensity, shedding the half stone I put on over Xmas and by the time April comes I have a bit of form again. By May I can easily trot out 80 miles in a decent time.

This has worked for me for over 30 years. I'd be interested to hear what the 'secret' is for others!

[francovendee]

I don't consider myself very fit but apart from one rather worrying complaint I'm generally healthy.
If I have a week off the bike I find whatever level of fitness I had has reduced and it will take a week or more to regain.
If I cycle every day (10-15 miles) then my legs feel stronger. If I do a week of longer rides (30-40miles) and then take a day or two off the bike my legs feel stronger the next time I ride.

[Blondie]

There is exercising with enough frequency, duration, and intensity to be healthy. Then there is exercising with enough frequency , duration, and intensity to perform at the best you can. The latter isn’t necessarily healthier as the sweet spot for health and sweet spot for performance overlap but are not the same.

My first concern is exercising to maintain health and then to see how much I need to add, whether that’s frequency duration or intensity and dare I say it recovery to improve performance. Performance being an individual term such as how fast you can ride, or how long you can ride consistently etc.

Like many it’s time outside on the bike I value. Whilst going faster would be nice, the joy comes from the duration not the speed of the trip. I only really bother about speed as it matters for some of the events I enter. For me endurance is the fitness metric I value. The ability to maintain whatever speed it is, for very long periods of time, whilst not feeling battered by the end.