Definitely feel my fitness slipping away .

[Globalti]

I sympathise with the OP; it's amazing how soon you become flabby as winter approaches. My own loss of muscle tone was accompanied by increasing back pain with sciatica, which has gone away now since I managed a few rides during the Xmas break. I have now joined a gym so as to do upper body work and possibly some leg strength stuff.

 

[postman]

I will be getting back in the saddle as soon as possible .I had most of last year off the bike and no heavy gardening,due to a bleeding Prostate.So i am down on fitness and now a few pounds overweight.I have a Turbo set up in the conservatory.Going to take it easy and the fitness will return.This will be the same for you.Don't worry it will come back.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Hi.
With the darks nights upon us ,very busy at work and the onslaught of to much food at Christmas my cycling miles have suffered a fair bit these last few weeks. Cycling has been mainly confined to the weekends and today after seeing lots of cyclists passing my house and heading into the Welsh mountains I thought I would join in and get the bike out. The road leading out of town is a fairly steep affair and climbs for around 5 miles. By the time I got to the top I was well and truly knackered with my legs feeling like jelly and puffing and panting like an asthmatic dog..I got to the top though without stopping and continued my ride out for another 15 miles without stopping. When I got home I collapsed on the sofa to recover. I know for a fact that last summer just gone I would of taken this trip with relative ease when I was cycling many miles a week and I'm surprised how just a few weeks of inactivity in cycling can put you back..Needless to say though I still enjoyed it and I'm looking forward into getting back into my more regular bike rides again when the lighter nights come.
All the best
Johnny

Fitness does dip if you stop doing whatever it was that you do to keep fit in the first place.

However, I'm not sure that a "few weeks" off the bike should leave you with jelly legs, asthmatic panting and collapsing on the sofa though. Assuming you were fit before you stopped that is.

Maybe something else is going on with your body?

 

[The Mighty News]

Hi.
With the darks nights upon us ,very busy at work and the onslaught of to much food at Christmas my cycling miles have suffered a fair bit these last few weeks. Cycling has been mainly confined to the weekends and today after seeing lots of cyclists passing my house and heading into the Welsh mountains I thought I would join in and get the bike out. The road leading out of town is a fairly steep affair and climbs for around 5 miles. By the time I got to the top I was well and truly knackered with my legs feeling like jelly and puffing and panting like an asthmatic dog..I got to the top though without stopping and continued my ride out for another 15 miles without stopping. When I got home I collapsed on the sofa to recover. I know for a fact that last summer just gone I would of taken this trip with relative ease when I was cycling many miles a week and I'm surprised how just a few weeks of inactivity in cycling can put you back..Needless to say though I still enjoyed it and I'm looking forward into getting back into my more regular bike rides again when the lighter nights come.
All the best
Johnny

im in a similar place to you, stopped too early for xmas and didnt get the chance to get out, in fact I still havent so you're ahead of me on that :-) I really want to get the bike out as I know its going to be a hard first ride but, needs must.

 

[The Mighty News]

Fitness does dip if you stop doing whatever it was that you do to keep fit in the first place.

However, I'm not sure that a "few weeks" off the bike should leave you with jelly legs, asthmatic panting and collapsing on the sofa though. Assuming you were fit before you stopped that is.

Maybe something else is going on with your body?

Depends how much alcohol and food was consumed over that period ;-)

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I've got Thursday pencilled in as my first ride of the years, a ride over to Hatton Locks to meet up with friends provided the weathers not bad.

 

[Ian H]

Here's a relevant piece in Laurent Fignon's book.

 

[Dan Ferris]

Been there and living it this time of year - i think its a combination of everything and reading through the post we are all in similar boats!

I am trying to mix my winter training up with wattbike sessions, trial running and gym weight work. Along with the odd dry sunday run - just remember to hydrate and fuel up the night before / morning of the ride as the spontaneous sessions are those where you end up suffering - with the amount of winter kit i wear i just seem to sweat more and therefore need to hydrate more.

 

[the_mikey]

I'm in the same boat, having broke my collarbone just before christmas, it'll be some months before I'm back to pre-christmas fitness..

 

[kingrollo]

My fitness levels have dropped over winter - and they weren't great before...

I must need a new bike...

 

[kingrollo]

Here's a relevant piece in Laurent Fignon's book.

A must read for anyone who han't read it (the whole book not just that page)