Should I have some sort of strategy for getting into

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BusyRaeNOTBusty
BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
better cardio shape? Some special way to combine HIIT, steady state, rest days, recovery weeks, etc?

Basically I need to get into better cardio shape to improve my mountain biking but due to this whole being a grown up thing and winter, I don't have much time to be on my actual bike. Somehow I need to combine the occasional bike ride, spin class and use of my basement stair climber to improve. Oh and I also "lift heavy" 2-3 times a week.

Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions?

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  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member
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    You get better at biking by biking. Why not bike?

    Different interval durations and intensities have different results.

    What are you trying to work on mostly? Attacking/chasing? Hill climbing? Endurance/stamina? Vo2 max? All of the above?

    Id suggest looking into different types of cycling intervals, but, you still may need 40 minutes when you factor in warmup and cooldown.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    You get better at biking by biking. Why not bike?

    Snow, mud, 3 small children and a 50 hour work week.

    I guess my current primary goal is increasing endurance.
  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member
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    Strength training will increase your power output but endurance is built through riding. If your goal is biking than perhaps do more spin classes and less strength training. It may be necessary for both proper recovery and utilization of the time you have available.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    I guess my current primary goal is increasing endurance.

    Turbo trainer and a training tyre...
  • composite
    composite Posts: 138 Member
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    Currently I'm doing 2 HIT sessions a week:

    20min warm up 5x1 min on 1min off max intervals, 15min warm down. I'm finding this extremely beneficial in generally keeping my heart rate and breathing more under control when doing hard but not MAX efforts when riding, especially when climbing. Means I can climb faster for longer.
    Straight after this I do 5x15 squats, leg extensions, leg curls for leg muscular endurance.


    In terms of riding I tend to do two evening rides a week.
    1. A slow, flat ride of 2-3 hours (longer the better) with an effort of less than 70%. This is basically base miles and will just improve how long you can go for.

    2. A 2-3 hour that is hilly and unpredictable and tends to be very up and down in terms of intensity.

    On the weekend I'll do 6-7 hours+ which is the real endurance ride that combines all of the above. I try to stay below 90% but I am riding to capacity.

    Of course I'm training for endurance racing and ultras etc. but a less volume version of what I do would be useful to any one IMO. Maybe do the 2 HIT sessions and one or 2 general rides in the week? If you are really time strapped do the HIT sessions they are the best bang for buck but aren't fun.
  • OverDoIt
    OverDoIt Posts: 332 Member
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    HIIT is great. That bike in your pic is not cheap. If you can afford that you can afford a nice commuter. I rode 10 miles yesterday and 15 the day before on a 29er that weighs about 35 pounds+my bike locks and 235lb butt. I see folks of all ages and fitness levels commuting on bikes everyday around here. There is a legislator that I know of who rides about 15 miles rain, sleet or snow each way to the capital.Hardcore !!
  • michellemybelll
    michellemybelll Posts: 2,228 Member
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    You get better at biking by biking. Why not bike?

    Snow, mud, 3 small children and a 50 hour work week.

    I guess my current primary goal is increasing endurance.

    ok. so, right now, use your machine at home when your kids aren't able to be left alone/no one else can watch them. when you're able to leave your house, catch a spin class; when the cold, snow, and other excuses for not taking to the streets let up, cycle outside. easy peazy.
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
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    Can you replace other transport with a push bike?
    All local journeys I do on a push bike - generally it's actually quicker for me - I can lock it up right outside the shop, go through alleys and so on. Decent set of panniers and you can carry plenty.

    I've actually wondered about making a trike to put my dog in (he will run beside me, but can't keep up the pace I'd long for sustained periods when I'm on the push bike) for longer journeys - there may be various options for when you have kids with you - the extra weight means you have to work harder, too.

    Doing short periods of intense exercise certainly seems to offer some decent benefits that transfer to endurance too and thus are pretty good when considering time vs benefit.
  • ScientificExplorerGirl
    ScientificExplorerGirl Posts: 535 Member
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    You get better at biking by biking. Why not bike?

    Snow, mud, 3 small children and a 50 hour work week.

    I guess my current primary goal is increasing endurance.

    I hear you--snow this year has been too much! During the Winter I find that by using my stationary bike (spin bike style) with various interval training videos available on youtube, I have been able to maintain most of the gains from last summer when I was routinely biking 75-100 kms at a clip. I have done a few long bike rides inside, but honestly after about an hour and a half it becomes quite tedious.

    This Winter I began lifting weights and doing planks to increase my core strength. I must say that in so doing I believe my biking form has greatly improved--better form on pedal strokes, higher cadence for longer times, and increased resistance/out of the saddle biking are all much easier now as a result.

    If you are looking for specific routines check out these two videos:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00ljitdyqzU
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CF3BAzSFE7g

    Global Cycling Network (GCN; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rAdgsFHxZI) also has several new interval training videos added this year that are quite good.

    I also started running as cross training for biking. I think the muscle groups used really complement each other. This Summer I will be doing a duathalon (run-bike-run) and a 100 km charity bike ride. As soon as the weather cooperates I will be outside to get my distances back up.

    Have fun :-)
  • Chain_Ring
    Chain_Ring Posts: 753 Member
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    www.trainingpeaks.com
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    I guess what I'm looking for is not suggestions on how to squeeze in workouts (I'm already pretty decent at this) but on how to structure the workouts I do get. I'm trying for 3-4 hour-ish long cardio sessions a week. I'm just not sure how to use my time. Long steady state? Short HIIT? HIIT followed by steady state? Right now I generally do steady state keep my heart rate around 140 when I'm on the stair climber. Spin classes are more interval-ish but not really "HIIT". MTB rides are flats & long hills, etc. I'm not doing any HIIT I guess. Should I be?

    A road bike is definitely on my want list and I do plan to commute to work when I can this summer (can't really take all 3 kids to school on my bike, nor is there time enough to take them in the car, and come back home for my bike. It'll have to be when school's out and they can go to daycare a little earlier and/or when my husband is off work).
  • doughnutwretch
    doughnutwretch Posts: 498 Member
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    HIIT is going to be one of the best ways to help you increase your overall endurance. However, it's good to combine both HIIT and steady-state.

    The way my cardio sessions are structured, I do HIIT with one minute intervals on Mondays and Thursdays, HIIT with two minute intervals on Tuesdays and Fridays and a long steady-state session on Wednesday and one weekend day. My endurance and intensity has improved exponentially over the past couple months with not only cardio but also my lifting sessions, recovery time is faster, HR is lower, and my lungs aren't struggling through the workouts anymore.
  • composite
    composite Posts: 138 Member
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    I guess what I'm looking for is not suggestions on how to squeeze in workouts (I'm already pretty decent at this) but on how to structure the workouts I do get. I'm trying for 3-4 hour-ish long cardio sessions a week. I'm just not sure how to use my time. Long steady state? Short HIIT? HIIT followed by steady state? Right now I generally do steady state keep my heart rate around 140 when I'm on the stair climber. Spin classes are more interval-ish but not really "HIIT". MTB rides are flats & long hills, etc. I'm not doing any HIIT I guess. Should I be?

    What I would do with 4 hours over a week.

    3 x HIT session -
    15 mins warm up, 5 x 1min on/off max effort/rest, 10min warm down
    That's so thats 1 hour 45 done.
    During warm ups I would do peddle drills like one legged peddling. It will help you warm up and improve technique.

    1 x MTB ride at 2hours 15min. Do whatever the route is but vary them between hilly ones and flat ones.
    Hilly ones keep below 85%-90%, practice spinning up hills.
    The flat ones will be more steady state anyway. Steady state is bloody boring though unless you got very good scenery and its a really nice day.
  • KatrinaWilke
    KatrinaWilke Posts: 372 Member
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    You need to hire a Carmichael coach!! http://trainright.com/

    Or buy the Time Crunched Cyclist book. And if you have alot of money to spare purchase a power meter!

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