Any Tips To Increase Fitness?

[Lion]

Well as the title says, I've recently got back into cycling, and ive increased my commute by 2 miles so far (About 6 each way now) , but i feel so drained at the end of it!

I just wanted to know if anyones got any good tips on how i can increase my endurance, ie is it better to take a days rest midweek, any good diet tips or is it just a case of sticking with it?
Also has anyone had any success with creatine? I dont really like taking suppliments but I used to take it when i was weightlifting, and it worked, so i was thinking maybe it can help the lower back / leg muscles too?

Thanks

 

[spandex]

I have found that doing more Sport and eating/Drinking less is doing it for me.

 

[jay clock]

keep at it. After a few weeks it will be easy as anything. that is a nice distance to commute.

As for this supplement rubbish, what's wrong with healthy food? Eat a bit more, or stay the same and lose weight

 

[col]

Stay with the healthy food good rest and push your cycling.If I remember rightly from a long time ago, there can be issues with creatin where your strength is uneven in ligament and muscle, so you run the risk of injury as one pulls harder than the other can , if that makes sense? Dont bother with it, get your carbs into you the night before and rest properly too.

 

[Ravenz]

Well as the title says, I've recently got back into cycling, and ive increased my commute by 2 miles so far (About 6 each way now) , but i feel so drained at the end of it!

From the little information that you have supplied I am assuming that your fitness levels are on the low side.. a 6 mile ride should not leave you 'drained' ... again I am assuming that you are riding at a pace that is moderate...??

ok.. bulding base levels of aerobic fitness is going to take time... a few may disagree but commuting is ,imo, not 'training' .. it is getting you to work on time ... safely.. did I mention safely? (i.e. not getting in arguments with car/bus/lorry drivers ) and if the workplace doesnt have showers etc .. not drenched in sweat.....
take a look at your diet.. does it include high fat . high Gi foods disproportion of sugary foods ... . do you skip breakfast... are you taking in enough fluids .. are you getting enough sleep.. ??? the list is endless when we are talking a lack of energy..

What are your goals .. ? eventually do more extensive riding over longer distances...? ok . . . hopefully you see that there are a myriad of questions that need to be asked before you can plan a logical fitness programme...
I am not pushing my own professional services but if you are serious then consider going to gym and taking advice .. council gyms also have qualified instructors!

 

[jimboalee]

Six miles on a bike twice each day shouldn't need any specific dietary requirements.
An overweight guy feeding on pie and chips every day will be getting enough energy for two half hour sessions.
A thin guy who eats salads and crispbreads will also be getting enough energy for the two half hour sessions.

Dehydration shouldn't be a problem either. The first cup af tea will remedy 1/2 hour's cycling fluid loss.

If half an hour now is getting you exhausted, it is just part of the process. "The longest journey starts with the first step". It will get easier.

 

[palinurus]

How long have you been riding? might just take time if you've recently started.

If you have a tendency to really lay into the pedals every day (I do) then try and take it easy a couple of days a week at least, just get out five mins. earlier and go slower. Might be an idea to do this for a few weeks to start with if you've got back into it recently.

 

[Lion]

Thanks for all the replys so far.
Well i've been on a keep fit diet (Allthough i hate that word, its more of a lifestyle change tbh) since Jan, doing quite well, 28lbs gone so far, but i am still quite a hefty chap, id say ive got a good 70lbs to go before i reach my target.
I've been cycling for about 3 weeks now, but with the recent weather, not as much as id liked - even though it tires me out, i still enjoy it though.

Ok so I'll try to give you a bit more info
I tend to push myself, even on a commute, i like to feel that im getting a bit of a workout, aswell as getting where im going - if that makes sence lol.

Well i tend not to get into arguments, unless its really unavoidable, but so far ive done ok.
My diet is what i would consider to be healthy, lots of wholegrain and carbs, plenty of fruit and veg, maybe not enough water though, so i can try and up that.
I usually get about 8 hours of sleep a night, i asume thats enough.

My goals are as you say - eventually do more extensive riding over longer distances, i would like to take a few cycling holidays etc


Thanks for the heads up on the suppliments, as i said ive never been that keen on them, so thats just made my mind up even more.
I will of course keep at it Hopefully in a few weeks i can look back and laugh that i ever wrote this.

 

[palinurus]

I'd suggest three easy commutes per week and two at whatever pace you feel like (with an easy day between them). Give yourself a chance to build fitness and recover a bit in between. Throw in a few easy-mid paced rides at the weekend to get used to increasing distance.

 

[andygates]

The hardest thing you do will always be the hardest thing you do.

You can't benchpress 400 lbs by pressing 200lbs a lot.

Do longer, harder rides and your commute will start to seem easy as you get fitter.

And be consistent! Consistency is the golden wossname (that I always forget).

 

[gavintc]

I have to agree with Andy - consistency is the key. Do a little often and you will gain more than a lot rarely. And remember, it never get easier, you just go faster.

 

[jimboalee]

To start another controversy.

"Fitness" is defined as 'the ability to transport oxygen to the muscles and vital organs".

In other words, it is related to the amount of capilarization in the circulatory system.
This is only increased by 'overloading' the muscles, either anaerobically or aerobically.

The most important muscle to be made 'fitter' is the Cardiac, all others follow. To make the Cardiac work harder, you need to use the voluntary ones harder, so the cycle is never ending.

You may not be able to measure your 'pumping volume' but the heartrate is measureable.
I don't measure it, but I would suggest an absolute beginner should.
Once a beginner can ride 12 miles in an hour, there is no need for a HRM.


I started cycling in the days before digital wristwatches ( and I don't wear one now ) and certainly before HRMs. We just pushed ourselves until it hurt.

Read my signature.

 

[Stig-OT-Dump]

...but you need top aim for a plateau of fitness, where you reach a standard with which you are happy. And I love my HRM. I use it more to rein myself in on rest days than to make me push myself harder on hard days.

But back to the original question - if you really want to make yourself fitter, I reckon you should mix it up a bit. There is a reason why top athletes cycle more than 100km a day repeatedly, run 26 miles a day with big breaks in between, and the longest olympic swimming event is 10km. Do some brisk walking. Take the stairs. Even start jogging.

Last week's Sunday Times quoted CTC research saying that cycling at a given speed took the same effort as walking at 1/4 of that speed (3mph walk is equivalent to 12mph ride). A brisk walk for an hour may do a lot more for your fitness than a 6 mile ride.

 

[jimboalee]

+1 Stig-O.

It is well accepted cycling is 4 times as efficient as walking - over the same DISTANCE.

Foot power is roughly the same ( walk, jog or run ) over the same DISTANCE.

How wonderful are bicycles?

 

[jay clock]

if you really want to make yourself fitter, I reckon you should mix it up a bit

agreed. Since I took up triathlon I have gone from being the lardy fat bloke to "blimey you're fit". Hard for me to cope with that change in image

Doing a 10k road race tomorrow. Two and half years ago I could not run a mile (even though I could cycle fine). I can now swim a mile in 35 mins. Three years back I could not swim 200m non stop

It is the variety that has helped my overall fitness.