Mountain Bike Reviews Forum banner
Cancel
Create thread New Forums

training on top of a laborious job...

Jump to Latest
1 - 20 of 23 Posts

Timon

· .
Joined
·
1,535 Posts
Discussion starter · #1 ·
how do you guys do it?

this is my first summer of actual training, and its wearing on me. i feel drained.
throughout the winter i was fine and put in 8ish hours a week, because work was pretty slow as well as less labor intensive.

now in the summer i'm framing houses...on my feet with 30lb bags around my waist 8hrs a day, 5+ days a week. up and down ladders, build this wall, cut this, demo that, carry this lumber pack from point a to point b, sheet that, stand this wall. come home and all i feel like doing is putting my feet up. taking the doggie for a walk is a chore. becomes a mental battle with myself of "okay, i gotta just go out and do some intervals for an hour" vs "but you're not gonna make any progress if you're just tired all the time"

feel like my sleep is solid and my nutrition is good. starting to doubt i can keep it up.:skep:
 
#2 ·
You might be a candidate for Chris Carmichael's "Time Crunched Training Program". All you need is roughly 6hrs a week. As for being tired from your job I would just recommend that you fuel up as well as possible before your workouts.
 
#3 ·
I can relate to this ?. I install floor coverings (see screen name) and am a carpet cleaner by trade and am always lifting, hunched over, and working on my knees (easy)! I ride singlespeed and do a little riding with gears once in a while.

As time goes on you will get used to it, just don't go hard too fast! My employee is an ex-bmx pro and cannot even imagine doing a singlespeed ride after a hard day of work.:thumbsup:
 
#4 ·
I'm a stagehand. I can't imagine training on work days during a heavy-work period. However... I think it helps maintain fitness to commute to work on a bike, if that's at all practical for you, and a good workout on the weekend will do wonders if you're already doing a physically demanding job and commuting by bike.

If commuting was out for me, I'd keep shoehorning in some weekday rides, but I wouldn't hold myself to any particular standard of intensity - I'd start at an easy pace and feel it out from there.

When I was racing cyclocross and working a warehouse job, I figured out that my training tolerance was a weekend race and one or maybe two high intensity rides during the week, along with commuting by bike most days (about a half hour ride each way.) It's not a ton of training time, but I still made good progress and I got through the season without hurting myself.
 
#5 ·
Same here...I own a carpet cleaning business and do the majority of work myself. I'm thankful to be loaded with business, but the physical nature of the work takes it's toll on my mtb training. Fortunately I can take several days off at a time to recover when needed, but I can only do this so much (them bills keep a coming :mad:) As much as I love training for upcoming races, I'm almost thankful the spring series is nearly over.

Try to stack everything in your favor to recover as fast as possible from work and training.
Shoot for 8 hrs of sleep at night and take power naps during the day when possible.
Supplement with a protein/gainer powder between meals if your body loves to catabolize muscle for energy when not getting enough calories. In addition to your healthy diet, look into fish oil, vitamin B-Complex, magnesium glycinate and L-glutimine for their various roles in recovery. Take care.
 
#6 ·
Work tired and bike tired aren't the same thing.
I manufacture cultured marble vanity tops for a living, so I'm constantly moving 75-150 lb vanity tops around the shop, 150 lb buckets of matrix (mixture of crushed stone and polymer resin), scooping that matrix out of the bucket to fill molds, then grinding, sanding, and buffing the finished product. I'm not out in the sun all day, but it is strenuous.
I used to have an employee, but had to lay him off 3 years ago. When I had to transition to doing all the work myself those first couple of weeks I was so beat. But I found if I took a short break after work, maybe had a caffeinated soda, I'd be good to go on the bike.
Last night, I was dog tired at the end of the day, but got on the bike and felt great.
As previously stated, sleep is key; don't fight it just go to bed.
 
#7 ·
I'd been a builder (not office based) and also did a full contact martial art for about 6 hrs per week. The job started to hurt too much around the age of 47.

The martial art was harder than the mtn biking I do. Maybe from the contact and many more injuries?!

I found one of the most important things was hydration. The days where I dehydrated I couldn't even think properly at training. On a big summer's day (inc before/after work) I'd have up to 9 litres of water; sometimes it wasn't enough but all I could physically take.

The important things I found that helped me keep pushing were:-

Good diet.
Being hydrated.

Having a shower straight after work.
Training with like minded people.

Deciding what's the important part of the training e.g. good health, de-stress, fun, etc.
Realising much of it is mental (once the decision is made to exercise the hard day seems to go away most of the time). Having the shower washed away the work day stuff and I started afresh. Still works for me now.
 
#8 ·
My job is not laborious from a physical perspetive, but very time consuming and stressful/mentally taxing. Here is what I do:

When I'm really busy, I don't miss out on chances to get in quality rides during the week--I know the next day I might come home wiped out so I take advantage of the days I have the energy to get in a quality ride during the workweek.

When I'm really busy and can't ride as much, I focus on quality, harder workouts. (I did this before reading The Time Crunched Cyclist--which I read recently and that sort of validates the idea of getting in more quality rides when you have less time).

If I'm totally wiped out, but can get out there on the bike, sometimes I'll turn that into a recovery ride day. Every now and then when I get out there I'll start to feel better than expected and can go ahead and do a planned harder workout.

I try to do a long ride and a quality interval ride on the weekends when I can ride in the morning when I'm rested.

When I get slower weeks at work where I have more free time, I put in a lot more training volume.

This isn't perfect. But is is the way I try to fit in training when I have to balance it with stressful workweeks, volunteering, family, etc.
 
#9 ·
Had a buddy in construction many years ago. He would literally run around the construction site. Zip up ladders. Run over to the lumber pile. He pissed all his co-workers off, and did very little bike or downhill ski training. However, when race time hit, he was always at the front. He used to say something like "strong is strong".
 
#10 ·
floorguy724 said:
I can relate to this ?. I install floor coverings (see screen name) and am a carpet cleaner by trade and am always lifting, hunched over, and working on my knees (easy)! I ride singlespeed and do a little riding with gears once in a while.

As time goes on you will get used to it, just don't go hard too fast! My employee is an ex-bmx pro and cannot even imagine doing a singlespeed ride after a hard day of work.:thumbsup:
Click to expand...
I'm a flooring contractor too. Have been in the business for 15 years, riding for the last 12 or so. Somedays I'm just too beat to ride, but I try to ride at least 2-3 times a week. It helps to think of it as "riding", not "training". For me thinking of it as training just puts too much emphasis on numbers and performance, and not enough on fun.
 
#11 ·
The Sun

I'm in the same boat. Luckily, down here the mtb season takes a break mid-summer and starts again in fall.

My job is laborious, not as much as some of yours, but its under direct sun for 4+ hours per day, 7 days a week, with temps always in the 90s and high humidity causes heat index usually 100+. The sun beats down on my back and shoulders all day and just takes it out of me. And when you sweat all day, you don't want to get on the bike for another couple hours of sweat.

i've planned ahead and hopefully gotten it right this year. I'm exactly where I want to be right now, the building phase is over and I just need to maintain it for the next month. Then about June I'll drop the intensity and try to just put in about 30 base miles every morning.

Two things I've found helpful:
1) treat the job like training: don't bonk - take in some fuel frequently (and of course hydrate). I feel a lot stronger at the end of the day when I eat as if I'm doing base training.

2) if possible have some recovery between work and bike. I wouldn't get off the bike and then work, or get off work and then on the bike. So most of my training happens at daylight or dawn (keeps the heat/sweat down too). For morning I jump on the bike asap, no breakfast (but bring a carb drink), then come back, shower and enjoy a nice breakfast. If its an afternoon ride I take a cold shower after work, eat something, relax and then hit a ride (sometimes even after dark).
 
#12 ·
One thing to remember is while working to keep fueling through the day, I'm working construction too and find that working the whole day is easier when I take time to keep up on calories like I'm racing, fuel every hour and plently of water. Good fuel, not sodas or junk. Then after work go out and just spin on the hard work days to train your legs to the bike and keep the real hard training to days that aren't so demanding at work or weekends. Some days after work I can barely get onto the bike for an hour, but learning to spin it out while exausted really helps train for those times when your just biking and pushed too hard. Then on race days your legs are used to doing the motions, you just has the extra strenght to push it harder.
 
#15 ·
I quit my carpentry job and got a job waiting tables. my shifts are from 10-2 or 5-9. I work half the time and make about the same money. I found a cheap rental near the trailheads, and try to keep bills to a minimum by living simply. My biggest expense is just trying to keep my bikes running. when I was working as a carpenter it took a lot of motivation to go for a ride after working all day in 90 + degree heat. I would have to sit around for at least an hour and relax before I could head out the door. start slow and build up intensity. usually after a short warm-up I could get into it. often before i would start my rides i would think there's no way, i'm just to tired. I would find that my " walking/standing legs" were worn out but my " riding legs" still had a lot left in them. Getting motivated to ride was the hardest part. 9 + hours of sleep a night was also crucial. But if your not married, have kids, or overwelmed by bills and are serious about racing....quit.
 
#16 ·
Sounds like you are using your body more than it is used to. It will adapt if you consistently care for it.
Eat well. ( healthy food several times a day )
Hydrate before you feel thirsty. (Thirst indicates you are already dehydrating)
Stretch before going to bed.
Sleep well.(min 8 hours)
Do hard workouts when you are rested ( weekends, first thing in the am)
Fuel before doing hard workouts.
Always refill your muscle glycogen stores within 1/2 hour of finishing a hard workout.
Avoid drinking six packs, delaying eating, eating fast food, sleeping less, negative attitudes, etc..
The good feelings you'll get from sticking to this help too.
Steer clear of a "just add more" mentality. ( caffeine, working out, etc.) cuz your body is talking to you. Give it what it thrives on: rest, food, water, good vibes.
OK I'll shutup and ride now.
 
#17 ·
Coryell's mention of waiting tables reminded me of something...

If you're not doing ab work in the morning, start. I think it helps me tremendously in making a day spent on my feet, whether I'm lifting heavy staging pieces or just walking around in a warehouse, a lot less tiring. I just take a few minutes to do some crunches before I get out of bed.
 
Discussion starter · #18 ·
Sounds like you are using your body more than it is used to. It will adapt if you consistently care for it.
Click to expand...
i've been a carpenter and been physically active for years. used to go to the gym and lift weights at night after work. or go play basketball a couple times a week. this just seems more fatiguing, i suppose because of the length & higher intensity. hopefully my body will adjust.

and i think i do take care of myself nutritionally. did that paleo thing for a good chunk of the winter. almost never eat fast food, soda, white breads, alcohol...etc.

thinking as it stays lighter later, i may be able to sneak in a nap after work and before a ride.

Hydrate before you feel thirsty. (Thirst indicates you are already dehydrating)
Click to expand...
fwiw, i read an article a couple weeks back (with medical/doctor quotes/references) that says this line of thinking is actually false. the body is good at regulating its own hydration levels and you should simply drink when you're thirsty.
 
#19 ·
nomit said:
fwiw, i read an article a couple weeks back (with medical/doctor quotes/references) that says this line of thinking is actually false. the body is good at regulating its own hydration levels and you should simply drink when you're thirsty.
Click to expand...
Was that specifically for sports and/or laborious outdoor activities in summer? Or just for general everyday living? I highly suspect the latter.
 
#20 ·
coryell said:
when I was working as a carpenter it took a lot of motivation to go for a ride after working all day in 90 + degree heat. I would have to sit around for at least an hour and relax before I could head out the door. start slow and build up intensity. usually after a short warm-up I could get into it. often before i would start my rides i would think there's no way, i'm just to tired. I would find that my " walking/standing legs" were worn out but my " riding legs" still had a lot left in them. Getting motivated to ride was the hardest part. 9 + hours of sleep a night was also crucial.
Click to expand...
Yeah, thats a perfect description of what I feel like! But luckily the bulk of my work season only lasts for 2-3 months and then i get tons of free time the rest of the year. Plus I get a really awesome tan :thumbsup:
 
1 - 20 of 23 Posts
About this Discussion
22 Replies
19 Participants
Last post:
dru
Mountain Bike Reviews Forum
posts
16M
members
534K
Since
1990
A forum community dedicated to Mountain Bike owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about bike parts, components, deals, performance, modifications, classifieds, trails, troubleshooting, maintenance, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
General Discussion Downhill - Freeride California - Norcal Shocks and Suspension Passion