[trey_sd]

I searched a few places and couldn't come up with what I was looking for, so I figured id post here.. Just wondering what you guys are doing in the gym, or at home when you cant be on the trails. Just looking for ways to get faster, and gain better endurance. I usually ride 3 times a week ( about 10-15 miles) and if weather is not-so-great, or i get off work a little later i hit the gym. I do only cardio. I ride the stationary bike for an hour or run on the treadmill for an hour. Any tips?

 

[knoob]

Bike James . com
Everything he does is aimed at mountain bikers. Lots of good stuff

 

[trmn8er]

Great topic as many of us are looking for ways to improve our fitness. I am 52 and have lost about 50 lbs since I started MTB. I now have lost almost as much as I want to, and at 6'2.5 and 215 lbs, I am finding it harder to lose weight and still be strong on the bike due to counting calories and running a caloric deficit. My goal weight is 200. My wife and I have taken up Hiking. We do a lot of climbing, and hike at least twice a week. After hiking with her, I take a long bike ride afterward. I also walk backward up hills (sounds weird I know) to work different muscles in my feet and legs. I am also hitting the treadmill on days I work later so I can get in some Cardio. Also, I do push-ups, sit-ups, head lifts to work on neck muscles, calf lifts, and try to eat clean. Point is try to do multiple types of workouts, and change it up from time to time. I am in better shape now that I was at 30. Good luck!

 

[jradin]

I like www.fitnessblender.com for equipment-free plyometric workouts. Great for when I travel for work too.

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[dave54]

I don't exercise to make me a better rider.

I exercise to stay healthier 24/7.

The additional benefit of increased pedaling ability is a bonus, not the primary reason. I would workout even if there were no riding advantage.

I no longer use free weights, only rarely when I want to isolate a specific muscle action or work on a problem spot. I just bodyweight workout. I use some phone apps and track my workouts anywhere -- while traveling, for example, I can plop on a motel room floor and do my workout, and find an overhead pipe in a stairwell for pullups. Don't need a motel exercise room. For cardio I mix up my riding between road and dirt, flat and climbs, power/speed and long submaximal rides. In winter I treadmill, again with varying routines, lots of intervals.

I know without free weights I am unlikely to ever have a sculpted Adonis-like body that makes the ladies swoon when I take off my shirt. I don't care. I am 60 and happily married. My goals are different now.

BTW -- I can do my age (60) in consecutive non-stop pushups. According to various on-line fitness calculators that puts me in the 100 percentile for my age group.

 

[dirt farmer]

Bike James . com
Everything he does is aimed at mountain bikers. Lots of good stuff

Except for his clipless pedal vs flats BS

 

[trey_sd]

And when you visit his site on a mobile device, try to "learn more" and it redirects you to a porn app.


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[knoob]

And when you visit his site on a mobile device, try to "learn more" and it redirects you to a porn app.

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Not on my phone........maybe your cookies need cleaned

 

[knoob]

Except for his clipless pedal vs flats BS

Everyone drinks cool-aid......good thing we each get to CHOOSE what flavor!

 

[trey_sd]

Not on my phone........maybe your cookies need cleaned

Nope. Still redirects me.

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[Island20v]

I am a huge fan of core and lower body workouts on my non-bike or easy bike days. Something alot of people skip out on though is upper body as well. Now I am not saying you need to spend all day doing bicep curls or bench but some pushups, pullups and chinups are a good start.

 

[trmn8er]

I am a huge fan of core and lower body workouts on my non-bike or easy bike days. Something alot of people skip out on though is upper body as well. Now I am not saying you need to spend all day doing bicep curls or bench but some pushups, pullups and chinups are a good start.

I agree. As you get older, it's even more important to build and maintain muscle mass, and as we all know, lean muscle will eat fat. A strong core seems to help on the bike quite a bit too. I need to get better at this to avoid getting flabby. Since I am in weight loss mode, I am losing both muscle and fat, not an ideal situation, but the weight is coming off. As I mentioned earlier, I am often weak from the calorie count, but hopefully I will be able to eat a little more once I hit the goal weight which is not too far off now.

 

[alphajaguars]

Did you calculate your basal metabolic rate to make sure your body's not going into starvation mode?

 

[MSU Alum]

You already get plenty of cardio. I'd work on building muscle strength. That really starts to go away as you get older. Also, since your cardio is so specific to muscle groups in your legs, I'd try to exercise different leg muscle groups. Most of my heavy workouts are in the form of mountain biking and telemark skiing. Those have disproportionately built up parts of my quads. I was getting knee pain running and hiking, until I started working other surrounding muscles. That has helped me immensely. Also watch what kind of carbs you eat. There's a definite difference in how your body responds to strawberries, string beans, etc. than it does to a bowl of (equivalent sugar content) fruit loops! Not all carbs are created equal.