Physical fitness

I did my first endurance at Tally this year. Literally kicked my butt.. Afterwards though, I found that it really broke me in. After the Solo 20 at Nashville, I came in ready to go back out for more. I may start doing the Middle and Heavyweight solos.

But if you are riding a solo like a sprint race, you need to settle down a bit. I had to learn that being tense is your worst enemy. Check your bar positions and your rearsets. If your all cramped up, it's going to drain you fast.

 

Just following up on this thread because of a search. I am not much of a bicyclist but I am in what I would say is very good shape.

My problem is that after an hour or so on the bike I find it harder and harder to shift my weight around using just my legs - obviously I don't want to influence the bike by pulling on the bars to shift my weight. My legs just get tired. Is there anything that you all suggest?

I should also say that I am a 43 year old crossfitter with about 5-7% bodyfat. I can hold a plank for five minutes (to give an idea of core strength) but I'm gutting it for the last minute.

Any ideas. Do I have to take up bicycling? I notice that lots of successful racers do it, Spies, both Bostroms, etc.

 

Crossfitter?

Hold a plank?

Not familiar with the terminology. Some sort of sport?

 

CrossFit is a cross-training program run by a lot of small gyms and military gyms, they train a lot of Law Enforcement/FF types, too. Strength training with Cardio, lots of movement, almost no machines.

Core isometric exercise - the 'front leaning rest' position (or pushup position). Try to hold it for two minutes - if you can, you're in good shape...

 

Rowing. On a Concept-II. Look up 'Pete Plan'.

Don't have to, but it's a very intense workout if you do it right. I can get 1125 or more Calories in an hour (measured by my Garmin FR60 and correlated with a friend's Powertap) on a set of indoor rollers, your mileage may vary...

BTW, I'm 45, I've been working out 1900 or more Cal a day (about 1hr 40min) for forever, seems like, and I can't get rid of the last few percent of bodyfat. Racing throws a giant monkey wrench in my food intake and Calorie output every month (or work travel does).

 

I'm 57 now, about 25 pounds over my goal weight, racing for 6 years, was knackerd three laps into every damn race.

This year I started a regimen on the elliptical that my wife bought and hardly uses. I do ten minutes EVERY day, but three days a week I do a full 30-minute program with it on the maximum incline. I'd do more but I have a prolapsed disc ion my back that gets aggravated by too much time on there. I've reduced my food intake with a simple rule: Take half. If I used to eat three eggs, three pieces of bacon and three slices of toast, now I eat two of each and skip some days an dhave granola and fruit on those days. I am losing weight painlessly, eating good tasty food and there is no such thing as a "slip."

I'm still no threat to Robert Jensen, Timmy Bemisderfer or Sammy Gaige, but at least I can hang close enough to them for a while and enjoy the show. I also feel great after a race, as opposed to dizzy and totally fried like last year.

 

CrossFit and cycling is what I do all the time. I do not get spent in the beginning, but after a few races on a couple of consecutive days will wear anyone out.

 

I'd def recommend P90X, a little expensive for a bunch of DVD's but it's a one time fee compared to gym's and Crossfit which I've heard is awesome but it's not available at all gyms and there's a monthly fee involved.

 

Ive found that squats/lunges have helped me out tremendously.
7% bodyfat is pretty damn lean...

 

Crossfit posts a "workout of the day" on their website every day. It's free, vs the expensive gym memberships. They have demos of every excersize on there as well. If you have any lifting experience you will be fine. But I would suggest subbing combination excersizes for some of the olympic lifts if you have never done them. No need to get hurt trying. The intensity may not be the same as going to an actual gym, but you just have to push yourself. LOTS of bodyweight squats, pushups, pullups. Awesome total body fitness workout for athletes like us.

Check it out. Crossfit.com

 

Squats were the thing that helped me the most. I did the 1 1/2 hour endurance at Miller last year in Oct (solo). I wasn't sore and I wasn't too tired afterward.

 

Solo's have taught me to go as fast (relatively speaking) without as much effort. It was something i had to work towards, but i was barely tired after the Solo race at Barber. I am also considering doing both Solo's for more seat time.

As far as fitness, i lift weights, ride the bicycle, play basketball and jump on a trampoline (don't laugh, do it for 10min straight and see how your legs feel and how winded you are).

 

Big advocate of Crossfit here. Im even sponsored by my local affiliate this year, Albany Crossfit. Hard to argue with losing over 60lbs. Not to mention I can now deadlift more than my bike weighs, run a low 6 minute mile, row a 2k in 6:45, jump to a 54" high box, you get the idea. Most of the workouts are super high intesity short workouts called met-cons. Kind of like a sprint race, but there is also quite a bit of endurance, and strength brought into the picture as well. It is probably the most performance enhancing thing ive done for the money, and its much more enjoyable to race when your not worried about falling off the bike your last lap because your so tired.

 

If you guys are looking for something that won't make you tense or tire out your legs and strengthen your core then I'm going to suggest something that hasn't been suggested in this thread (or maybe it has and I missed it).

Yoga.

Laugh all you want. Thank me later.

 

BTW, this is in addition to all the other stuff you are doing.

 

I did a lot of Bikram yoga (hot room type) last year and it really is a great workout. I was more sore from that then anything other type of workout that I did. Reminds me that I really need to get back to doing that more.

 

Crossfit times a million bazillon!

 

I've been adding some heavy bag a couple days each week just to try something new.

 

I've found the answer......for me at 34 yrs. old with 2 shoulder injuries, tendonitis elbow, 1 stage before stress fractured knees, damaged soft tissue in my neck. Used to work out for bulk pre-track riding and did my first few days at 228 lbs @ 6'2. Bad idea, even though I could leg press 900 lbs. for reps. I had jack for endurance.

I rearranged my workouts and geared them toward endurance, dropped 50 lbs. and down to 8% bodyfat pre-trackday. I can do a full day in Florida Summers, usually 7-8 sessions without a problem. Most 20 yr. olds are packing it in at 1p while I'm busy lapping guys. Secret, none really I lift lighter but do drop sets and my leg workouts are quite lengthy. Training days are 6 times a week, 5 times on leg weeks as I rest either chest or shoulders due to injuries. Cardio every training day but only 20mins on the elliptical and when I get close to an event I'll do 15min elliptical followed by a 5 min bike sprint. On leg days I follow lifting with 15mins on the step machine at a medium pace then 10 mins on the elliptical.

I stretch hamstring, quads, calves while working out, then before cardio stretch groin (ie inner thigh), calves, and hamstrings again on the floor every workout day, pre-trackday, and trackday morning. I don't work out for a week preceding a trackday but do a normal cardio pace until 3 days before hand. Starting 2 days before hand I hit the hot tub for 25 mins. a day, concentrating the jets on lower back and legs. The night before I begin hydrating at 7p and pig out on carbs.

I eat a carb-lite diet from "normal" grocery stores, no smoking, no soda etc. but no crazy journals, workout program$, trainer$, or high price natural food store$. Hardest part for you guys just getting the training going now is going to be getting off the couch. I'm 9 mos. into my 15th year and it became as routine as taking a shower a long time ago. I promise you will see a difference at the track. I no longer workout for a physique, it is merely a byproduct of my training and my goal is being comfortable on the bike.

 

how many times your bodyweight is that?