Training routine/types of training

Right, so I’ve lost 8lb, down to 143lb, and a couple of inches, sorted my diet out, and now I need to sort out my training regime.

My goal is to enter the Holme Valley Challenge with a sub 4 hour time. This will be the first time I have raced in 2 years, because of illness and injury.

Currently, I have been commuting to work once a week on my road bike – 30 mile round trip, have been steadily reducing the time it takes to do the journey.

I also do 1 MTB ride a week usually for between 1-2 hours. I do a Body Pump class once a week and in between, I walk the dog, get competitive on the Wii Fit with my boyfriend, and sometimes go for a swim. I am looking to ramp up a bit now as I can now cope with the level I’m doing without major fatigue, and I feel and look much better.

I am feeling much stronger in the upper body from the Pump and definitely have more control downhill (except for the other day when I put my front wheel into a bog and went over the handlebars at speed) but I am still struggling up the hills on the MTB. I’m better uphill on the road bike than I was, but every time I go out on the MTB, I just die and I feel demoralised because I’m not making progress. I am asthmatic and have been a bit affected by the grass pollen lately, so I’m wondering if that’s the main culprit in terms of my cardiovascular limits.

What should I be adding to my training regime/doing to get up them thar hills please!

why do you die climbing on the MTB?

IS it steeper climbs, the technical side, etc.

At the end of the day the only way to get better is to ride more. but you can also use those rides youo have to ride a bit smarter, If you know what the problems are.

Basically, longish rides to get used to riding and short hard rides to develop power and get used to pain. Look up intervals etc.

Intervals!

steep and technical climbs is my ugh zone! I can slog it up a gradual ascent pretty well since I’ve had a roadie. But if it gets steep and rocky, I just can’t seem to get the momentum to get up and over things.

steep and technical climbs is my ugh zone!

You need more power then. Very short very intense uphill intervals, and perhaps some kettlebell squats or something.

ahh my gym does kettlecise on a wednesday, I was intending to go before hurtling over the handlebars on tuesday and screwing up my right shoulder – going to the physio next weds instead!

The interval training, would that be best done on stationary bike/turbo trainer so I could set a programme or up resistance etc?

I find climbing on a road bike easier than on an MTB because all you have to do on the road is pedal, and you can keep to whatever cadence you like.

Off-road climbing is harder, as there’s more balance involved, you have to shift your weight about more, your cadence is more erratic etc etc.

Unfortunately, the only way for it to get better is to do it more. The best training* for riding up hills is riding up hills…

*for your general punter

I’m in the same boat with techy climbs, I can spin up pretty much anything at a decent pace on the road bike but stick a rock in the way and I go to pieces.

I reckon ride more of the stuff giving you problems is likely the answer. Intervals work really well on my commute but by Fridays i’m a shell of a man.

I was hoping that body pump was going to sort some of my climbing issues out as i’m pretty much all legs, however is seems that i just need to spend more time on the MTB as i’m road fit but not MTB fit.

And a massive lack of skills 😀

The interval training, would that be best done on stationary bike/turbo trainer so I could set a programme or up resistance etc?

Hmm, maybe, but I’d say find a really steep real hill. There’s more to it than pedalling, especially on the mtb, as said above. Also for me at least turbo max resistance is not as hard as a big steep hill.

On loose techy climbs on the MTB, I think power is a big substitute for skill. If you’ve got power you’ve got momentum, so you can just roll on up the tricky bits.

Yup, I’d agree – just not getting a huge amount of time on the MTB at the moment due to dire weather, which won’t be helping. I know people do ride in all conditions, but I’ve just found that when I’ve been out on the moors recently it’s so muddy and boggy that I’m spending more time off the bike (either pushing or falling off it) than on it, and having to turn back on rides due to impassable trails, and (pride issue) holding my fellow riders up because I’m slow as hell or walking.

was wondering really if I can’t get out on the MTB as much as I’d like if there are any cross training/gym activities that would at least help. Maybe my technique for climbing on the MTB needs work as well 😐

are there spin bikes at your gym, and could you sit on them when spin classes aren’t being held? if so throw the resistance up the the point you can barely turn the pedals when standing and stamping hard with all your body weight…. then turn it up a little more.

failing that, singlespeed up hills, the hill with dictate your cadence, not your gear choice 😀

I would suggest learning not to spin up climbs, spinning doesn’t develop power which is what you need. Yes spinning is efficient and it has its place, but out of the saddle, low cadence etc, where you need power will help.

Explosive leg moves in the gym.

I’ve just found that when I’ve been out on the moors recently it’s so muddy and boggy that I’m spending more time off the bike

Where do you live? There are probably trails which are rideable.

Explosive leg moves in the gym.

You should check my glutes Phil… real pert and firm.

Explosive? I don’t want to strap fireworks to my legs thank you! 😛

Mol, I live in Leeds. I ride with a group in Ilkley once a week at the moment which usually involves a hard slog up the moorside and it’s been a mare these last few wet weeks.

Box jumps and the like..

eg.

Do step ups onto a box as close to waist height as you can… add weights if you need.

Do two footed standing jumps over a stack of reebok steps.

Explosive jumps from a deep squat position, with or without weights… depends how tough you are.

I could go on.

I’m sure you’ve got plenty of riding options there!

my thoughts exactly panda! i even googles ‘legs wrapped in dynamite’ in the hope i’d find a vaguely amusing photo to illustrate that thought, but it was all napoleon dynamite pics 🙁

A friend of mine doesn’t do MTB training because he says ” it’s too hard” I laughed, but what he meant was that it’s really hard to control how tough “you” can pedal at. Steep hills off road are just killers!! I don’t ride other than for fun because I don’t need that sort of training, but because I have done loads of off road with my dad, I can sprint pretty well compared to other girls in my running club.

I just rode as far up the hill as I could each time I came to one!! Soz not great advice!!

I just rode as far up the hill as I could each time I came to one!! Soz not great advice!!

I’d say it has genius in it’s simplicity.

I just rode as far up the hill as I could each time I came to one!! Soz not great advice!!

One thing to add to this, you can ride further than you think you can, so don’t give up just because it gets hard.

it’s really hard to control how tough “you” can pedal at.

It is, and you can train more consistently and target specific things better on the road. But there are some things that MTB is really good for despite (or because of) that.

Like being on the rivet and then having to go into the red for a bit to clear something or for a steep but, then returning to the rivet.

One thing to add to this, you can ride further than you think you can, so don’t give up just because it gets hard.

I think it’s mental as much as physical with me. I get very demoralised about not improving, and riding with better riders and getting left behind all the time, I worry I am spoiling their enjoyment if they have to wait for me and I am embarrassed about how unfit I am 😥 which then makes me shy of riding as much as I could do to improve.

I suppose there is no magic formula other than riding up more hills, I will just have to get a bit less tough on myself and stop expecting that I will be as fast and strong as people who haven’t had long breaks from training.

I refer to these pages a lot. Good periodised training programme and background information, and covers intervals, strength training, stretching, technique etc. I think you’d do a lot worse than following this program.

If you’ve got some spare cash, you get get a personalised fitness program for you from a coach, eg Torq fitness.

I worry I am spoiling their enjoyment if they have to wait for me and I am embarrassed about how unfit I am

Don’t be. I know it’s easier said than done.

I don’t know your riding buddies, but I’d be genuinely surprised if they really thought this, but if they do – you should get different riding buddies.

But that said if you want to ‘train’, training on your own or with a parnter of similar ability is a good thing to get in the habit of. Each session should have a goal and should be quite prescribed and controlled. Sounds serious but all that means is you’re maybe working on power by doing intervals, or endurance by going long slow and steady, and should be of a predeterrmined length and intensity. Not always easy to that wif you always ride in a group.

Social rides are different – everyone should go at the pace of the slowest rider, or be content to go fast wiat fast wait fast wait. Most mtbers are happy with this in my experience.

Social rides are different – everyone should go at the pace of the slowest rider, or be content to go fast wiat fast wait fast wait.

Unless you’re in the Alps. It’s your last day. You’ve sat out the previous day through injury and the lifts are only open for another hour… **** everyone else.

You’ve sat out the previous day through injury.

couldn’t have been that bad an injury if you only needed a day off. Your own fault for not being man enough to ride it off. 🙂

I suppose there is no magic formula other than riding up more hills

There is.. well not magic, but you can ‘train’ in more effective ways than just riding.

It is however much less fun!