Chubby newb needs advice

bigroy said:

Greets all,

I recently decided to get into mountain biking to get into shape. Basketball is murder on the old
joints. I caught a great deal on a Marin Quake 9.0 exc from 2001 and am currently researching
trails in the MD. area. I was wondering what kind of training should I be doing to get into better
shape. Is riding roads good to build endurance for off road riding? Any advice would be much
appreciated. Being a newb is the suck.

Firstly, congrats on sorting yourself out.

Secondly, the best practice for mountain biking is mountain biking.

For the MD area, try more-mtb.orgmore-mtb.orgOpen ↗

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bigroy said:

Greets all,

I recently decided to get into mountain biking to get into shape. Basketball is murder on the old
joints. I caught a great deal on a Marin Quake 9.0 exc from 2001 and am currently researching
trails in the MD. area. I was wondering what kind of training should I be doing to get into better
shape. Is riding roads good to build endurance for off road riding? Any advice would be much
appreciated. Being a newb is the suck.

bigroy

--

Quoted message said:

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Posted via cyclingforums.com cyclingforums.comcyclingforums.comOpen ↗

Yes, I ride the roads all the time (I have -- gasp! -- a racing bike, too). The best training is,
however, off roading, as off roading requires quite a few skills that you can't learn riding on the
road. For instance, on my racing bike, I click into my clipless pedals at the start of my ride and
clip out when I end my ride. On my mountain bike, I'm constantly clipping in and out. Similarly,
when you attack a hill on a mountain bike, you want to be at least in the correct front chainring,
and preferably in the correct gear (front chainring and rear cog). It can be hard to shift under
power. For riding on the road, this is less of a problem. On a mountain bike, when going down a
steep hill, you want to get your butt behind the seat; on my racing bike, I don't think that I could
get my butt behind the seat if I wanted to -- the seat's too wide. So, for skill, the best training
is off road. However, as a beginner, your problem will probably be aerobic and not technique,
although technique always helps). In that regard, riding on the road is beneficial, particularly if
you can find a route with hills. Also, for me, it's much easier just to leave my house and ride my
bike. For off roading, the only rides I know of have to be driven there by car.

--
Bob M in CT

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

Quoted message said:

I recently decided to get into mountain biking to get into shape. Basketball is murder on the old
joints. I caught a great deal on a Marin Quake 9.0 exc from 2001 and am currently researching
trails in the MD. area. I was wondering what kind of training should I be doing to get into better
shape. Is riding roads good to build endurance for off road riding? Any advice would be much
appreciated. Being a newb is the suck.

Can't say it enough times...ride, ride, ride, ride...and then ride some more...

- CA-G

Can-Am Girls Kick Ass!

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

Quoted message said:

Greets all,

I recently decided to get into mountain biking to get into shape. Basketball is murder on the old
joints. I caught a great deal on a Marin Quake 9.0 exc from 2001 and am currently researching
trails in the MD. area. I was wondering what kind of training should I be doing to get into better
shape. Is riding roads good to build endurance for off road riding? Any advice would be much
appreciated. Being a newb is the suck.

bigroy

Screw the road, it's finally stopped raining so hit the (dry) trails. There's plenty of trails in
the area, depending on where you live and how are you feel like driving. Most places are listed
here... mtbreview.comMaryland name.htmlOpen ↗

Alex

bigroy said:

Greets all,

I recently decided to get into mountain biking to get into shape. Basketball is murder on the old
joints. I caught a great deal on a Marin Quake 9.0 exc from 2001 and am currently researching
trails in the MD. area. I was wondering what kind of training should I be doing to get into better
shape. Is riding roads good to build endurance for off road riding? Any advice would be much
appreciated. Being a newb is the suck.

bigroy

Just ride, ride, ride. Doesn't matter if on road or off, just ride often.

--
J'm

To Reply Direct, Remove Clothes. ...-.-

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

Quoted message said:

Greets all,

I recently decided to get into mountain biking to get into shape. Basketball is murder on the old
joints. I caught a great deal on a Marin Quake 9.0 exc from 2001 and am currently researching
trails in the MD. area. I was wondering what kind of training should I be doing to get into better
shape. Is riding roads good to build endurance for off road riding? Any advice would be much
appreciated. Being a newb is the suck.

bigroy

Awesome, bigroy. If you want, I can take you out in a week or two (for riding, not dinner and a
movie) to a real fun, not-too-technical place in the Laurel area. Go check out Patapsco too - I can
give you decent directions - but it can be a killer, and a little less than fun if your skills are
lacking or you are out of shape.

If you are in the Annapolis area, Quiet Waters Park really got me in shape last year. I would ride
the paved paths and roads until that got boring, then blast all the trails (until the best ones were
inexplicably closed to anything but foot traffic), then do the roads again until I couldn't ride
anymore. I did over a thousand miles there between last July and October.

Welcome to biking. Marin bikes rule.

Chris

bigroy <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Greets all,

I recently decided to get into mountain biking to get into shape. Basketball is murder on the old
joints. I caught a great deal on a Marin Quake 9.0 exc from 2001 and am currently researching
trails in the MD. area. I was wondering what kind of training should I be doing to get into better
shape. Is riding roads good to build endurance for off road riding? Any advice would be much
appreciated. Being a newb is the suck.

bigroy

Start riding your bike to work. After about 6 months of commuting 6-10 miles to work you won't be
chubby any more.

-- The Ogre ogrehut.netogrehut.netOpen ↗

"bigroy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
| Greets all,
|
| I recently decided to get into mountain biking to get into shape. Basketball is murder on the old
| joints. I caught a great deal on a Marin Quake 9.0 exc from 2001 and am currently researching
| trails in the MD. area. I was wondering what kind of training should I be doing to get into better
| shape. Is riding roads good to build endurance for off road riding? Any advice would be much
| appreciated. Being a newb is the suck.
|
| bigroy

I mean this in the most loving way possible:

Shut up and ride! :-)

Nelson<----Space Commander Blubberpuss

---
__o _`\(,_ Cycling is life, (_)/ (_) all the rest, just details. Nelson Binch =^o.o^=
intergalax.comintergalax.comOpen ↗

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Release Date: 6/18/2003

Big Roy:

Where in MD do you live? Myself and some friends are going out to ride Schaeffer Farms on Sunday if
you're interested in joining us. This is my first ride in almost a year - had a kid while ago and
just have not had time to get out and cycle what with wife, kid, job and grad school.

Email me offline if you're interested. Scaheffer is in Germantown, which is closeby to
Gaithersburg/Rockville/Frederick.

J

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

Quoted message said:

Greets all,

I recently decided to get into mountain biking to get into shape. Basketball is murder on the old
joints. I caught a great deal on a Marin Quake 9.0 exc from 2001 and am currently researching
trails in the MD. area. I was wondering what kind of training should I be doing to get into better
shape. Is riding roads good to build endurance for off road riding? Any advice would be much
appreciated. Being a newb is the suck.

bigroy

--

Quoted message said:

--------------------------<

Posted via cyclingforums.com cyclingforums.comcyclingforums.comOpen ↗

bigroy said:

Greets all,

Quoted message said:

I recently decided to get into mountain biking to get into shape. Basketball is murder on the old
joints. I caught a great deal on a Marin Quake 9.0 exc from 2001 and am currently researching
trails in the MD. area. I was wondering what kind of training should I be doing to get into better
shape. Is riding roads good to build endurance for off road riding? Any advice would be much
appreciated. Being a newb is the suck.

The thing I like about moutain bike excercise is that it's all about exertion and recovery. You get
wiped out climbing a hill, have some time to recover, get wiped out on the next hill, and so on, as
far as you can go.

I went through it once, and I think I got to be a strong recreational rider. I'm trying now to do it
again, after too many years sitting in the same chair and the same office all day. I haven't ridden
seriously for 7 or 8 years.

FWIW, my strategy (mid-40's, need to add muscle more than I need to lose weight) was to gradually
bring up the level of activity until I felt good enough for a solid moutain bike ride. Now I'll ride
shortish (hour and a half) rides without out rest stops, and push myself towards my
strength/endurance limit on the hills. When I get off the bike I immedately drink something sugary
to put the glycogen back in my legs, and then I start the clock ... gotta eat protein within an
hour. Right now I'm forcing myself to two recovery days ... but I might drop that.

Two months into my program, it feels great. I think in the old days I depleted my legs too much. I
knew I felt stronger after missing a week or two of riding, but didn't have a good strategy for
increasing capacity.

FWIW, I'd say even if you are trying to lose weight ... feed those legs (you need them to power the
excercise program - pun intended), and take the rest days (whatever they are for you) that you need.

I like the natural (and compatible with our evolution?) cycle of running hard, and then eating (as
if you caught something). It seems like good feedback for the body ... get faster, eat sooner ;-)
Rest a couple of days, and do it again.