Aching Muscles

[Skipper]

Is anyone else suffering from a bout of bike downtime due to the snow? I had about two weeks when it was just too dodgy to venture out on the roads, so I resorted to using the turbo trainer in the back garden. Kept up more or less the same schedule, i.e four times a week, 90 - 120 mins a time. Every one was a pretty good work out. I even pushed settings up to maximum from time to time, so I could get up out of the saddle and mimic the hills etc.
First 'real' ride again on Saturday in the sunshine, normal 40 miler, and the next day my legs ached, two days after and it was worse. Almost like I'd not done any exercise for weeks!
There must be a secret to keeping your fitness up on the turbo?

 

[Rob3rt]

The key to getting the most out of a turbo trainer is.................. STOP BEING A PUSSY!

On a more serious note, what do you do for those 90-120 minutes?

 

[Skipper]

The key to getting the most out of a turbo trainer is.................. STOP BEING A PUSSY!

On a more serious note, what do you do for those 90-120 minutes?

pedal and count the blades of grass, occasionally standing on the pedals .... counting the blades of grass.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

Perhaps maybe the first few rides, but I've not really stopped for long and I was pleasantly surprised that fitness returned reasonably quickly.

 

[Biker Joe]

Perhaps maybe the first few rides, but I've not really stopped for long and I was pleasantly surprised that fitness returned reasonably quickly.

Sign of good general fitness. Excellent!

 

[Andrew_Culture]

Sign of good general fitness. Excellent!

Huzzah! It's about time I got fit

 

[Andrew_P]

The thing I found with my weather enforced bike lay off is that in the Gym when you are feeling it, one can turn the pressure off all too easy and human nature is to avoid pain. Much harder to turn the wind, rain and hills off and impossible to shorten the commute when your legs are feeling the pain.

Just a bit more polite than Rob3rts STOP BEING A TURBO PUSSY

 

[Standoff]

Thought the last two weeks of roller hell would prepare me nicely for when the snow clears but I'm still aching after yesterday's first post snow ride! Suppose nothing is the same as actually being out on a bike.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

Thought the last two weeks of roller hell would prepare me nicely for when the snow clears but I'm still aching after yesterday's first post snow ride! Suppose nothing is the same as actually being out on a bike.

I found cycling in deep snow really tough on my body, I forgot that on a road bike everything is smooth, mountain biking is about as harsh on your body as resisting arrest.

 

[Trail Child]

I'm not sure which is harder work - cycling in deep snow or frigid temperatures. I found that when the temps get below -20C, the tires get really hard to pedal and it feels twice as much work.

What doesn't kill me will only make me stronger (or so I keep trying to tell myself).

 

[Crankarm]

Man up.

 

[Licramite]

The thing I found with my weather enforced bike lay off is that in the Gym when you are feeling it, one can turn the pressure off all too easy and human nature is to avoid pain. Much harder to turn the wind, rain and hills off and impossible to shorten the commute when your legs are feeling the pain.
Just a bit more polite than Rob3rts STOP BEING A TURBO PUSSY

oh sod I must be doing the turbo all wrong then, - an hour session on the turbo an I am a 1 nackered. - I slow down when I get off and not before.
doesn't help when I have no slow music on my mp3 player, its got 3 settings - very loud, very fast, and very loud and very fast.

I won't to get out on the bike - it's easier , at least you can coast bits.

 

[Eribiste]

I only missed a couple of weekend rides due to inclement weather, but flippin' 'eck did it make a difference! This weekend just gone I did 14 miles on Saturday, fine, with a good average (17 mph). On Sunday though, I clocked up 30, but the last 4 were really hard work, and the average was down to a bit over 15!

I think I'll get better when I can start doing my regular twice weekly 9 mile training rides as well as the weekend tours.

 

[Biker Joe]

First 'real' ride again on Saturday in the sunshine, normal 40 miler, and the next day my legs ached, two days after and it was worse. Almost like I'd not done any exercise for weeks!
There must be a secret to keeping your fitness up on the turbo?

Did you do your stretching after the ride? Very important. Speeds recovery.

 

[Herzog]

Try drinking something to aid recovery. There are a load of specially forumlated prodicts on the market, or you could just make your own chocolate milk (I have a pint of ovaltine after a ride, I can't vouch for its recoverery benefits, but it tastes very, very nice and I'm able to get up the next day!).