Conditioning/Getting in shape

My personal view on this is to simply ride like you are riding for the first six months or so. Once
your body is in better shape, then start worrying about the regiment schedule. The better shape you
are in, the more difficult it is to improve, and that is where the benefit of alternating etc. will
really come in. Right now your body is benefiting so much from simply being out and excercising. As
far as training every day, you need at least one to two days to recup. Muscles tear down when riding
(or excercising in general). You are literally breaking them down and the only way for them to
recoup is time. I take off one to two per week, depending on how hard I have ridden for the week.
Just one mention, when you say crank out, I get visions of you pushing hard on the bike. Probably
not your intent, but just what comes to mind. You need to make sure you aren't pushing big gears.
Your knees will pay for it in no time if you are. General cadence should be somewhere at upper 70's
to 90's depending on your condition, etc. If the cadence is much lower, you are likely pushing to
hard. I learned from experience, and asking same questions in these groups.

"Bent Pedals" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Couple of quick questions for those more wise than myself . .

52 yrs old, retired, several tonnes overweight, ex smoker, with a generally sedentary lifestyle,
ex avid df rider of close to 14 years, 15 years ago.

Switched to a EZ-Sport Ltd a month ago after realizing the new df I bought this spring induced
enough aches and pains to forgo the retirement plan of getting back into cycling . . .

Love the "bent" and hardly a day goes by without a ride. Distances vary daily, ranging from
15-35 kilometers with avg speeds slowly starting to rise but still around 21 k/h. The speed
isn;t as much a priority as distance. Would love to be able to crank out 75-100 k rides like in
the old days.

As I work these bones back into some sort of shape, is there any sort of routine I should follow
to get maximum return on the effort? Should I be going for distance one day, alternating with a
short speed run the next. Should I ride every day or should I allow recuperation time after rides,
once the legs start feeling the effort? I know years ago there used to be df routines to no end,
with mixes of hard and easy rides and days off. Or, would I be as well served by just getting out
and riding as the mood hits, enjoying the ride, and let the fitness comeback slowly?

And . . .

On the df, I'd always been led to believe that proper form included keeping the legs relatively
parallel to the top tube. This wasn't really an issue with me as it seemed and felt natural. On
the "bent", I find my legs, particularily on the tired side of the ride, seem to get sloppy and
start "toeing out". Is this proper or is it just simply sloppiness on my part? Is it a sign of
improper seat placement or seat back angle? Once I realize what I'm doing I correct the condition
so no great problem . . . grin, mybe the legs are just tire from having the my overhanging gut
resting on them.

Thanks . . .

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Love the "bent" and hardly a day goes by without a ride. Distances vary daily, ranging from
15-35 kilometers with avg speeds slowly starting to rise but still around 21 k/h. The speed
isn;t as much a priority as distance. Would love to be able to crank out 75-100 k rides like
in the old days.

..., is there any sort of routine I should follow to get maximum return on the effort?

I think you are on to it already. 'Hardly a day goes by without a ride' I would focus a little more
on the 20-30 km range. When you feel comfortable after doing this three days in a row, you should be
ready for 100 km. in a day.

This is my regimen and it works for me. With no other preparation, I can leave for a two week
tour and manage more than 100 km per day for six or more days in a row and this is with loaded
panniers too.

Quoted message said:

I know years ago there used to be df routines to no end, with mixes of hard and easy rides and
days off. Or, would I be as well served by just getting out and riding as the mood hits, enjoying
the ride, and let the fitness comeback slowly?

I think you (or anyone) would be well served by just getting out and riding as the mood hits.

--

Cletus D. Lee Bacchetta Giro Lightning Voyager clee.orgclee.orgOpen ↗
- Bellaire, TX USA -

Hmmm.

Probably the best way to increase your conditioning is to hook up with a group of club riders and
occasionally ride with them. Pick the snottyist and most elitist group you can find. If you live in
Washington, I hear that the Outdoor Magazine "Gear Guy" belongs to such a group, and that they
accept bents in the group for ridicule purposes only.

Since you are totally overweight and out of shape, and riding a relatively heavy "comfort" bent, you
will confirm all of thier preconceived notions about bents, and they will revel in an opportunity to
ridicule and humiliate you on every hill of the ride. You will be dropped by this group mercilessly
at first. Even though you are well past your "testosterone poisoning" younger days, the injustice
and cruelty of that whole experience will stick with you and you will find yourself taking the long
way back on your regular solo rides, and even doing that steep little "out and back" detour to get
some hill conditioning in.

You will find that the regular riding helps you to drop weight and add muscle to your aged,
walrus-like, blubber-marblized midsection, and your average speed will kick up several notches. When
you hook up with the group for clubs rides now, you will find that there will begin to be some
silent sympathizers who secretly admire the fact that you have turned the corner and whipped
yourself into moderately decent shape, even if you ride a bent. Maybe its the guy you loaned your
cell phone to for a call to his wife during a ride, or the tandem couple who appreciated that you
stayed to help them take care of that flat while the rest of the group dropped them and rode off
like self-centered, anti-social buffoons.

Your silent supporters will back you up in small little ways, like changing the subject when the
most vocal and bombastic anti-bent group members try to spew provacations about bents during coffee
stops. If you are not now one, you will have a small insight as to what it feels like to be an
isoloated racial minority in a group setting. Next, you will find yourself dreaming of that exotic,
high $$$ performance bent that only weighs 21 lbs. Since you have dropped 25 lbs due to regular
riding , you are fairly certain that if you had that magic new bent, you could settle accounts with
the blowhard members of your cyling group for once and for all. And you do.

By now bent riding has become an addiction, and you find yourself checking internet bent NG's and
chat groups and gleaning arcane tidbits of knowlege about bike parts and bent technology. You even
know what a "splitter plate"
is. You are now logging about 200-300 miles per week on your bent, and things are a little strained
with your non-riding friends and family because you don't seem to have time for them anymore.
The first group you were riding with turns out in retrospect to have been a bunch of overweight
old duffers that can no longer keep up with you at all, so you graduate to a newer and younger
group that includes a goodly number of Cat 3-4 riders. Nobody gives you trouble about your bike
anymore; they ride enough to know that your physical condition is the main thing when it comes
to serious riding.

Finally, you will start having some repetitive stress and overuse injuries and have to do some
riding layoffs. You need to spend more time at work too, so the riding suffers. You will have some
bad days on your bent, and no longer will you feel the exuberant thrill of recumbent triumpalism
that comes from blowing by a paceline of lycra clad roadies at well over 30 mph. Who cares anyway?
You will finally patch things up by spending more time with your wife, friends and family because
they are really the most important thing in your life, and that high performance bent will get sold
over the internet on www.recumbents.com to some lady named Marci who is looking for that perfect
ride for her husband of some friend.

Weeks later, after having to buy some new trousers at Mervin's to accomodate your expanding
waistline, you will aimlessly wander out into the garage and spot your old Sun EZRacers comfort bent
that has been sitting abandoned and collecting dust in the corner for some time. Funny that you
never sold it, huh?. After assuring your wife that you were only going for a "very short" ride on
the bikepath, and that everything is OK, you will find yourself gliding down the path on your old
magic carpet bent with this silly stupid grin on your face. Heck, you didn't even bother to put on
any cycling clothes, so you like like any other middle-age guy on a bent with your gray hair,
shorts, white socks, beard, and aero-belly. . . . .

Derek,

You are the man!!! Great tale of the round trip to physical conditioning perfection on an
individual basis.

Moderation is the key to happiness!!

--
Miles of Smiles,

Tom Blum Winter Haven, Florida Homebuilts: SWB Tour Easy Clone Speed Machine Clone High Racer Clone
www.gate.net/~teblum

Bent Pedals <[email hidden]> wrote:

: 52 yrs old, retired, several tonnes overweight, ex smoker, with a generally sedentary
: lifestyle, ex avid df rider of close to 14 years, 15 years ago.

Maybe you could talk with a doctor whether an exercise program introduces any issues. At least
you won't need to do anaerobic training yet. But you could get tested to determine your heart
rate zones.

: Love the "bent" and hardly a day goes by without a ride. Distances vary daily, ranging from
: 15-35 kilometers with avg speeds slowly starting to rise but still around 21 k/h. The speed
: isn;t as much a priority as distance. Would love to be able to crank out 75-100 k rides like
: in the old days.

I think you need to do longer rides at a carefully regulated pace (slower than usual). Maybe
introduce a weekly ride of 50 km, and get rest the rest of the week. This doesn't necessarily mean
days off, it could mean just 2 km to 30 km on the other days, but mostly the same slow pace. But you
need to be careful that you don't push yourself on the rest days, so ride at a pace that certainly
doesn't feel like exercising.

You can read books for general principles but it's important to get the feeling and some experience
on how they apply to your training. A heart rate monitor can be a good tool. You will need one that
displays your current pulse (AFAIK all do that), most of the other features are not very useful.
Maybe you can consider a model that gives a beep when you are out of the HR zone you defined.

: effort? Should I be going for distance one day, alternating with a short speed run the next.
: Should I ride every day or should I allow recuperation time after rides, once the legs start
: feeling the effort?

I think 3 "hard" days a week makes a good training programme. If you can ride easily, you could ride
the remaining 4 days as well, but it's probably too difficult for a beginner. Don't ride too hard on
the easy days and don't ride too hard on the hard days. If you can keep your programme for a month
you can consider adding slightly more challenge the next.

If you develop aches or seem to accumulate tiredness over a couple of days or a longer
period, back off.

: hard and easy rides and days off. Or, would I be as well served by just getting out and riding as
: the mood hits, enjoying the ride, and let the fitness comeback slowly?

If you like that more than putting effort on planning and measurement for maximized training
efficiency, go ahead. I'd recommend experimenting with both approaches :-)

--
Risto Varanka | helsinki.fihpv.htmlOpen ↗ varis at no spam please iki fi

Quoted message said:

52 yrs old, retired, several tonnes overweight, ex smoker, with a generally sedentary lifestyle,
ex avid df rider of close to 14 years, 15 years ago.

My story closely parallels your own. I am 53.

Quoted message said:

Switched to a EZ-Sport Ltd a month ago

I bought a Vision R40.

Quoted message said:

As I work these bones back into some sort of shape, is there any sort of routine I should follow
to get maximum return on the effort?

I am not qualified to answer this question, therefore here I go...! I have heard that not only must
you get muscles in shape, but your heart and lungs and circulatory system et al. And that various
connective tissues (whatever that means) takes a lot longer than muscles to respond to stress and
toughen. Bones will get thicker in the middle where you won't notice it, with repeated stress. Saw
some research on that. Takes a lil while too. My challenge is to get stronger without further
damaging my tinker-toy knees which have been a bother ever since that car crash in 1964. It has
really limited what I can do. I am hoping to continue conditioning and do some touring this next
year with a couple of buds, but the ole knees haven't let me do any long distance stuff yet. Oh, I
did 50 miles w/o pain, but some days 30 miles gives me fits.

For what it may be worth, my scheme was/is to not crank on with a buncha torque until I have a
couple years conditioning. I ride about 50-70 miles/week. I generally am always pushing to raise my
average speed on my commute. I always seem to do some sprints, racing various pretenders on DFs, or
racing the bus or lil gurls on trikes.

I have had my bicycle 1 1/2 years. My pulse has gone down about
14/sec to 62 (not resting), my tummy is smaller and really tight, my endurance is way up. While
hiking I can run up mtns that I huffed and puffed up before. My leg muscles draw comments and
admiring glances a lot. And they are still growing. Gonna enter them babies in the fair.

Quoted message said:

As far as training every day, you need at least one to two days to recup.

30-35 years ago, I was living in the mtns, 'bout 5500 feet. I'd run 16 miles up and down hills every
other day. The day off was all I needed. Actually, I felt like running even on the day off. I kinda
bounced as I walked, I felt like I was on the moon gravity wise. I was about 175 lbs, very buff. I
was a smoke chaser for the USFS and carried heavy packs and walked where even indians never walked
before, if they were smart.

Nowadays, I allow one day between fast commutes and I normally feel fine, but find that I can go
lots faster if I skip 2 or 3 days instead. Like the book (Cycling After 50) (which I recommend to
you) says, as we age it takes us longer to recover.

Quoted message said:

Sorry, should have said it differently. I'm allergic to the big gears, try to keep the cadence
between 80-90, grin, but not always successfully.

With my Silly-Putty knees I found I needed lower gearing. I changed my front chain ring to 22T, and
I run a 32 in the rear, with a 26" tire. Sheldon Brown thinks I have 17.9 gear inches, and maybe I
do. If I can't ride up a hill I can always winch myself up! :-) If my gearing was much lower I'd
fall over. I can now painlessly climb a really steep hill, as long as it isn't too *high* of a hill!
I also spin purdy fast. Well.. not really.. I 'trudge' purdy fast, like 80 cruise on the flat, and
lots more when needed.

Quoted message said:

This danged bent needs gentle coaxing up the hills.

*I* need gentle coaxing up hills.

iLiad said:

My personal view on this is to simply ride like you are riding for the first six months or so.

Makes sense . . . don't push too hard too soon.

Quoted message said:

Right now your body is benefiting so much from simply being out and excercising. As far as
training every day, you need at least one to two days to recup.

I've been finding that 2-3 days of riding then 1 day off fits and feels right. So I guess
I'm doing okay.

Quoted message said:

Just one mention, when you say crank out, I get visions of you pushing hard on the bike. Probably
not your intent, but just what comes to mind. You need to make sure you aren't pushing big gears.

Sorry, should have said it differently. I'm allergic to the big gears, try to keep the
cadence between 80-90, grin, but not always successfully. This danged bent needs gentle
coaxing up the hills.

Thanks for the advice.

Cletus Lee said:

I think you are on to it already. 'Hardly a day goes by without a ride'

Grin, it's kinda hard not too . . . it's one of the few inexpensive activities that puts a
silly grin on my face.

Quoted message said:

I would focus a little more on the 20-30 km range. When you feel comfortable after doing this three
days in a row, you should be ready for 100 km. in a day.

I do find the 20-30 range coming along more often. Went out on a night ride the other night,
a 12k ride through a few subdivisons. Once I got home and realized I hadn't broken a sweat,
I went out and did the ride again . . . The previous day I'd done a personal best *on the
bent* of 35k, hence the reason behind the original question.

Quoted message said:

I can leave for a two week tour and manage more than 100 km per day for six or more days in a row
and this is with loaded panniers too.

Sounds like what I'm aiming for . . . Back in the df days, a friend and I took a 5 day tour
that still brings fond memories.

Thanks for the advice . . .

derek said:

Probably the best way to increase your conditioning is to hook up with a group of club riders and
occasionally ride with them. Pick the snottyist and most elitist group you can find.

Actually, you've come close to one of my goals . . . a long term goal, but a noble goal
non-the-less.

Last year the local cycling club put on thier annual century. A friend of mine finished the ride in
the lead group of jersied lycraid egoists. Because he didn't belong to thier team, he'd recieved an
immense amount of grief for the last 40 miles. He figures they were ticked off because his 30lb mtn
bike with wide tires could keep up with thier sub 20lb, 1 inch tyred speedsters. My goal . . . to
give this same crowd a run on a bent. Yeah, I know, it'll likely never happen, but hell, a man's
gotta have a dream!

Quoted message said:

Maybe its the guy you loaned your cell phone to for a call to his wife during a ride, or the tandem
couple who appreciated that you stayed to help them take care of that flat while the rest of the
group dropped them and rode off like self-centered, anti-social buffoons.

Sounds like real life to me . . .

Quoted message said:

By now bent riding has become an addiction, and you find yourself checking internet bent NG's and
chat groups and gleaning arcane tidbits of knowlege about bike parts and bent technology.

Grin, doing that already . . . will that get me in shape as well? (smile).

Quoted message said:

You even know what a "splitter plate" is.

Uh oh . . . what is a splitter plate? I'll never get the cadence above 90 without knowing.
Please, enlighten me more!

Quoted message said:

things are a little strained with your non-riding friends and family because you don't seem to have
time for them anymore.

Have you been chatting with my wife?

Quoted message said:

After assuring your wife that you were only going for a "very short" ride on the bikepath, and
that everything is OK, you will find yourself gliding down the path on your old magic carpet bent
with this silly stupid grin on your face. Heck, you didn't even bother to put on any cycling
clothes, so you like like any other middle-age guy on a bent with your gray hair, shorts, white
socks, beard, and aero-belly. . . . .

I take exception to the white socks . . . and you forgot the white beard.

Thanks for the smile . . .

Quoted message said:

Maybe you could talk with a doctor whether an exercise program introduces any issues. At least
you won't need to do anaerobic training yet. But you could get tested to determine your heart
rate zones.

Done and okayed . . . the Doc says I'm not quite in bad enough shape yet that I need to be
overly concerned that way. He says listen to your body and don't force it any harder than it
wants to go . . .

Quoted message said:

I think you need to do longer rides at a carefully regulated pace (slower than usual).

I'm all for longer rides, that's the aim. As for speed, I'd like to be able to average 25k/h
but right now I'm just coming up on 21 k/h, up from 18/19 last month.

Quoted message said:

Maybe introduce a weekly ride of 50 km, and get rest the rest of the week. This doesn't
necessarily mean days off, it could mean just 2 km to 30 km on the other days, but mostly the same
slow pace. But you need to be careful that you don't push yourself on the rest days, so ride at a
pace that certainly doesn't feel like exercising.

I'm not a speed demon at all, what kind of average should a fit LWB rider of 52 be
looking for?

Quoted message said:

A heart rate monitor can be a good tool. You will need one that displays your current pulse (AFAIK
all do that), most of the other features are not very useful. Maybe you can consider a model that
gives a beep when you are out of the HR zone you defined.

I've actually been mulling that over . . .

Quoted message said:

If you like that more than putting effort on planning and measurement for maximized training
efficiency, go ahead. I'd recommend experimenting with both approaches :-)

Grin, my ideal situation lies somewhere in between, enjoyment comes first, but I would
like to get into reasonably good shape as well. It'll come regardless I suppose. Just keep
on riding.

Thanks for your input . . .

(GeoB) said:

My story closely parallels your own. I am 53.

Grin, a year older and a year wiser! You have my full attention.

Quoted message said:

I am not qualified to answer this question, therefore here I go...!

Grin, and a man after my own heart as well!

Quoted message said:

I have heard that not only must you get muscles in shape, but your heart and lungs and circulatory
system et al.

It's the heart and lungs that seem to be taking all the strain. The legs haven't failed me
yet . . . but there are a few hills around here that I stop to catch my breath halfway up. 2
or 3 minutes rest and I can usually clear the crest with flying colours. And I'm proud to
say that, thus far, I haven't yet walked up a hill . . . even though it'd likely be faster.
Grin. Call it stubborness.

Quoted message said:

My challenge is to get stronger without further damaging my tinker-toy knees which have been a
bother ever since that car crash in 1964.

I am lucky in that respect . . . no joint problems yet. I did feel the right knee give a
small squeal of protest the other day so I backed off a bit with no further worries.

Quoted message said:

It has really limited what I can do. I am hoping to continue conditioning and do some touring this
next year with a couple of buds, but the ole knees haven't let me do any long distance stuff yet.
Oh, I did 50 miles w/o pain, but some days 30 miles gives me fits.

My hat's off to you for continuing your efforts . . .

Quoted message said:

I always seem to do some sprints, racing various pretenders on DFs, or racing the bus or lil gurls
on trikes.

Grin, passed a 15 year old on an old rusty beat up mtn bike the other day . . .
unfortunately the wife won't let me change the family name to Mercx just yet. And those 'lil
gurls on trikes, they certainly are a challenge . . . grin.

Quoted message said:

I have had my bicycle 1 1/2 years. My pulse has gone down about
14/sec to 62 (not resting),

I already feel the blood pressure dropping . . . and after just a month.

Quoted message said:

my tummy is smaller and really tight,

My wife says mine will get smaller once I give birth . . .

Quoted message said:

my endurance is way up.

Grin mine too! We've been married 30 years now and I just tune her out.

Oh, sorry, you meant your cycling endurance. I feel mine
improving slowly. Trouble is I keep thinking back to the df years and
expect to match the speed and distances whenI was 15-20 years younger.

Thanks for the input . . .

My 2 cents:

Enjoy your rides!

Warm up a good 15k before you practice sprints.

Spin. Spin. Spin. 80-90 RPM on the cadence. As you do this you will gain strength and rhythm and
slowly increase your gearing, therein you will find a gradual increase in ave. speed and endurance.
This is the key.

It's good for me to have options built into planned rides so that if I feel particularly strong or
are having just way too much fun to end it, I can option for more miles. Always have an option for
some more miles. More miles are good, very very good.

If you aren't feeling particularly strong on some days, use those days to practice spinning: lower
gears higher cadence, smoother rhythm. Some days just won't be fast. But any day on the bike is
better than not being on the bike unless you need to rest. It's also very good to rest.

I have a book recommendation for you:

The Complete Book of Long-Distance Cycling, "Build the Strength, Skills and Confidence to Ride as
Far as You Want", Published by Bicycling Magazine. Edited by Edmund Burke and Ed Pavelka. $20 at
Borders. A really good investment.

Of course, Derek's previous post really outlines the progression.

Lon HepCat Sacramento

Bent Pedals <[email hidden]> wrote:
: I take exception to the white socks . . . and you forgot the white beard.

What's so special about white tennis socks, I never got it? They make the fit of my Shimano R97's
perfect :-)

--
Risto Varanka | helsinki.fihpv.htmlOpen ↗ varis at no spam please iki fi

Bent Pedals <[email hidden]> wrote:

: I'm not a speed demon at all, what kind of average should a fit LWB rider of 52 be looking
: for?

Depends very much, averages usually aren't too informative. How you feel or what your heart rate is
would be much more informative for setting the pace.

:>If you like that more than putting effort on planning and measurement for maximized training
:>efficiency, go ahead. I'd recommend experimenting with both approaches :-)

: Grin, my ideal situation lies somewhere in between, enjoyment comes first, but I would like
: to get into reasonably good shape as well. It'll come regardless I suppose. Just keep on
: riding.

You can have both :-) Plan your rides, then go out and have fun. Regular riding with about correct
distance and pace will get very good results over time, when talking about generic fitness.

--
Risto Varanka | helsinki.fihpv.htmlOpen ↗ varis at no spam please iki fi

(GeoB) said:

Quoted message said:

As far as training every day, you need at least one to two days to recup.

I've been finding that 2 days on, one day of seems to do the trick. On the same hand, when
I'm out I'm not pushing myself overly hard.

Quoted message said:

Nowadays, I allow one day between fast commutes and I normally feel fine, but find that I can go
lots faster if I skip 2 or 3 days instead.

I've been finding that I too push a little hard after my "off" days, after 5-10k I wisen up
a little and ease back on the pace. But yes, a day or two off does seem to improve the spped
on the next ride to some degree.

I think right now I've got to concentrate on finding a comfortable pace and trying to
maintain it. A lot of times I find myself tearing up the road on slight declines and slowing
to a snails pace on the inclines. Have to work on becoming a little more steady.

Quoted message said:

Like the book (Cycling After 50) (which I recommend to you) says, as we age it takes us longer
to recover.

Chapters send me an e-mail this morning saying my copy of "Cycling Past 50" had been
shipped. Thanks for the recommendation.

Have a good ride . . .

L.A. said:

I have a book recommendation for you: The Complete Book of Long-Distance Cycling, "Build the
Strength, Skills and Confidence to Ride as Far as You Want", Published by Bicycling Magazine.
Edited by Edmund Burke and Ed Pavelka. $20 at Borders. A really good investment.

Recieved an e-mail from Chapters today, saying my order had been shipped. Thanks for the
recommendation . . .

Grin, not that I'm going to follow the programs to the letter, but it'll make for
good guidance.

Thanks again . . .

Quoted message said:

What's so special about white tennis socks, I never got it? They make the fit of my Shimano R97's
perfect :-)

Grin. Sorry Risto.

Way way back in my younger years, during high-school, it was considered "poor fashion" to
wear whites socks in any place except the gym. We used to tease the guilty party to no end.
It's strange how childhood stupidity shapes ones adult years. I've never worn white socks
since . . . even when I played tennis. grin.

No offense meant . . . just a chuckle back to the old days.