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beginner exercise program

Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2011 1:10 am
by ftssjk
Hey guys,

I'm a complete beginner to road biking.
My goal is to eventually be able to do 25kms twice a week, and perhaps increase that to 25-100kms, 3 or 4 times a week in the spring/summer

I am quite unfit though, I haven't really done any cardio exercise since year 10 in highschool (been about 4 years), and even in highschool i hated cardio.
I was always better at sprinting.

anyway, on to my vital stats... I am in my late teens, and am 70kgs, 178cms.

I haven't actually got my bike yet, but I started 'training' on my sisters stationary bike for now.

Yesterday I cycled for 5 minutes on a stationary bike and I was already getting quite tired.
Before I used to grind the gears on max resistance, but have since learned that this is very inefficient. . So I tried doing the cadence thing, where I tried to get 90rpm
Hard work. At what I thought was around 90/rpms I was getting around 30km/ph.
I feel my quads getting stronger though, after pretty much being dormant for 4 years.

Can anyone instruct me on further training?
I was thinking of training everyday, and gradually increasing the length of time by 5 minutes every second day,

So Today (Monday) I cycled 5 minutes, tomorrow I'll cycle 10 minutes, 10 minutes again on wednesday, 15 minutes on thursday and friday, 20 minutes on saturday and sunday, 25 minutes on next monday and tuesday, etc.
until I'm able to reach an hour of riding.

After that I'll do an hour every second day (4 days a week) so that I don't overtrain, then slowly increase that to 90 minutes. (training every other day).

thoughts?

I get really bored on the stationary bike though and time seems to pass very slowly

beginner exercise program

Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2011 4:50 am
by Comedian
Mate you are young and don't sound particularly overweight... You'll be fine. The question should be "what do you want to achieve from riding?". Do you want to commute or to branch into road or mtb?

I'd probably getting a hybrid that isn't too expensive and ride that for a while. If you want to do mtb or road riding you can adapt a hybrid (a little) to either and then try it.

Either that or just ride the hybrid. It will make a great bike.

Re: beginner exercise program

Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2011 7:44 am
by vander
Start at atleast 20 min. Sub 20 min you are having no aerobic benefits. So i think start out at a pace you can hold for 20 minutes. Then you can either keep upping the intensity at that speed or you can up the duration. Although intensity increases have been shown to have the best fitness improvements you will need to up the duration to be able to do any sort of distance rides.

My story: I started riding indoors on a trainer just like you when I knew i was going to get a bike. I started out doing 20 minute efforts. I kept upping the intensity for a week. Second week I started doing 20 minutes of hard work and then 10 minutes of easier work at the end, with a couple of 40-45minute rides in there. Third week I started doing 30 minutes of hard work with a few longer rides. Fourth week i got my bike and could easily do a few hour rides then on the weekend (after having it for 1 week) I went on a longer ride (about 60km). Last week I managed 10hours of riding.

I have a history of overuse injuries and this sort of increase has not stirred up anything.

Edit: Stationary bike infront of the TV works well for me.

beginner exercise program

Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2011 8:14 am
by Comedian
I forgot to mention...if you are worried about your health maybe talk to a doc first?

Re: beginner exercise program

Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2011 9:53 am
by Sweeper59
The main advice I'd add to the above comments is to build up slowly, and be mindful of rest days. In simple terms, increasing your fitness involves pushing your body past it's current limits, then allowing your body to re-build itself stronger. However, it must be given time to recover and re-build. I've always thought that improving fitness is a long term thing i.e. it's not where you're at next month, but where you're going to be at in 5 years time. In short, improved fitness is not a quick fix - but rather a lifestyle change. I would suggest that you consider riding every second day and give your body a chance to recover.
I try to mix my exercise up a bit. I ride about 3 times a week, generally 35k's on Tues and Thurs mornings, then a 50-70 kms on Sundays. I go fairly hard on the mid-week rides, which include plenty of hills, but Sunday is always a slower, more leisurely ride with a group. I also add in a couple of gym classes, swim or run on other days. But I always have at least 1 day off a week.
I love cycling, but I think I'd eventually get bored if I rode every day - I don't want to get to that stage.

Re: beginner exercise program

Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2011 10:05 am
by sherlock
ftssjk wrote: Yesterday I cycled for 5 minutes on a stationary bike and I was already getting quite tired.
Before I used to grind the gears on max resistance, but have since learned that this is very inefficient. . So I tried doing the cadence thing, where I tried to get 90rpm
Hard work. At what I thought was around 90/rpms I was getting around 30km/ph.
90rpm is a fair bit to start out on. Most aim for a steady 70-80rpm. You will get sore at 90rpm if your body isn't used to the motions.

And forget these 10 minute rides. Take 5 minutes to warm up, then ride for 30 minutes, then 5 to wind down. Alternate your intensity during the 30 minutes and then step it up to an hour or so afterwards. You weigh almost nothing and you just need to get your cardio right. Make sure you eat something about an hour before riding, too (i.e. cereal, or a banana) and drink during.

Re: beginner exercise program

Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2011 10:18 am
by sogood
Low resistance high cadence is worth doing. Push to 90-100 at a resistance level that you can handle and continue. The whole aim is to reset your "natural" cadence and there's no need to start at 70. Just take it up especially given your youth. At your age, cadence of 120 and above is easily achievable.

Re: beginner exercise program

Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2011 4:39 pm
by vander
sogood wrote:Low resistance high cadence is worth doing. Push to 90-100 at a resistance level that you can handle and continue. The whole aim is to reset your "natural" cadence and there's no need to start at 70. Just take it up especially given your youth. At your age, cadence of 120 and above is easily achievable.
Cadence of 120? Really. Not saying I know better just asking.

Re: beginner exercise program

Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2011 5:59 pm
by ftssjk
thanks for the tips
at the moment im just getting my legs used to the idea of exercising haha.

I thought i'd get that first before venturing into cardio territory.

i think for now I just get really bored.
whenever im on the stationary bike I just face the wall (theres no tv or anything in there)
ill see if i can move it into the living room

Re: beginner exercise program

Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 4:45 pm
by timbo
You are right about stationary bikes being boring.
The only time I ride one is warming up at the gym, as you often have an aerobics class to perv (allegedly) on.
Getting a real bike and exploring your local area, bike paths, taking short cuts where a car can't go, getting lost and having to travel twice as far as you intended, saying g'day to fellow cyclists, get swooped by a magpie and just enjoying the fresh air is far more fun than a stationary bike.
Just keep it for a rainy day.