Crosstraining

[tunariaan]

Did my first session today

Started with a fairly slow 1km run(5mins)

went straight to the spinning bike and spinned for 5min standing

i did 5 sets of this without stopping doing a total of 50min

Avg HR was 157 and max 197

Any other programs you okes can think of?

[camerons]

If I did that I think I would get annoyed hopping from machine to machine.

 

What are you goals/what are you training for? Knowing that will help people to make suggestions.

[Skaap]

yip, daai is n odd manier van oefen....

[tunariaan]

I am currently working on a boat in WEst Africa; the running i do on the helideck(basically it is a big round metal pad ontop of the boat where i run in circles)

straight below that is an open gim with a old spinning bike

I am running fit and i'm just trying to get stronger on the bike

Ideal distances for me is 30-50km's but i want to be stronger so i can try and stand on climbing hills and also try and avoid granny where possible

I am also trying to get my resting heart rate below 40

[dev null]

Maybe I am stupid or missing something here.

 

Aint crosstraining an activity where you do another sport or training which focus on different muscle groups to the ones which you normally use for your main sporting activity such as cycling?

 

As an example, my main sport is surfski paddling, and I do cycling as crosstraining.

[Zula]

Did my first session today

Started with a fairly slow 1km run(5mins)

went straight to the spinning bike and spinned for 5min standing

i did 5 sets of this without stopping doing a total of 50min

Avg HR was 157 and max 197

Any other programs you okes can think of?

 

That isn't cross training dude that's called a brick session where you do more than one disciplne after each other. The benefit of a brick is for those who participate in triathlon. For example running after cycling would be considered a brick so as to re-create the feeling of jelly legs after cycling. Come to think of it what you described above is more of a super set than a brick, designed to get your heart pumping like a steam train.

 

When you refer to cross training what you actually mean is doing running to supplement your cycling. For example running 10k's a week is a great way to cross train if you are a cyclist because cycling is not always possible due to weather etc.

 

See what I mean?

Edited September 13, 2011 by Zula

[gadget]

 

I am running fit and i'm just trying to get stronger on the bike

Ideal distances for me is 30-50km's but i want to be stronger so i can try and stand on climbing hills and also try and avoid granny where possible

I am also trying to get my resting heart rate below 40

 

My suggestion will be plyometrics for the goals you have. Jumping squats, burpies, push-ups (boot camp type stuff). Squats and lunges do wonders going up hills. But then again, so does losing a bit of weight!!

[tunariaan]

Thanks for the info Zula

@ gadget, i cant lose any since i dont have a gram of fat on me

I am planning to do 40-60km running per week for the next ' weeks or so, basically i need to work on standing in the saddle and to climb hills faster

[Robrider]

I would train sitting in the saddle more than standing in the saddle. In the long run its more efficient. So personally I would train for longer periods on the bike, and do intervals at high resistance.

[Robrider]

Oh, and running 60km per week in a circle sounds like the most boring thing I could possibly think of in my whole life!

[tunariaan]

@ robrider, migh be boring yes, but atleast i maintain my fitness and it keep me racing fit for the 5, 10 and 21km;s

i want to inprove my climbing and that i do standing mostly in the saddle , i dont have a problem with speed and sitting in the saddle , i want to get the legs use to standing for longer periods

Most okes have different methods, i prever heavier gears and generally try and avoid granny

this is the way i ride excepth for very steap technical section where i have to use granny

[Zula]

@ robrider, migh be boring yes, but atleast i maintain my fitness and it keep me racing fit for the 5, 10 and 21km;s

i want to inprove my climbing and that i do standing mostly in the saddle , i dont have a problem with speed and sitting in the saddle , i want to get the legs use to standing for longer periods

Most okes have different methods, i prever heavier gears and generally try and avoid granny

this is the way i ride excepth for very steap technical section where i have to use granny

 

Read the latest Lance Armstrong book. In there he describes exactly how he became a better climber. Sorry to tell you this but the best climbers in the world don't stand when they climb. Yes they do alternate between sitting and standing but generally they will spin up a hill in a lighter gear with a high cadence as opposed to mashing up a hill in a big gear. Lance got this advice from a Mr Indurain. Me thinks that between those two guys they know what they talking about.

 

Its true that different strokes for different folks but after I adopted the sitting strategy my climbing improved 10 fold and now I can hold my own generally. You have to stand every now and then but I only use it to break up the climb into sizeable bits. So pedal seated for 50 strokes then stand for 20 etc. Don't forget to drop a gear when you stand up and the opposite when you sit down.

Edited September 14, 2011 by Zula

[tunariaan]

Thanks Zula , will try that one aswell

I have measured on my watch for example climbing up to the tower above George, it is i think a distance of 3km and you climb something like 300 plus meters, that if i spin my overall speed per kilometer drops way below compared to when i am standing

it might be that i can possibly spin faster so i will see if i can improve that aswell

[Zula]

Thanks Zula , will try that one aswell

I have measured on my watch for example climbing up to the tower above George, it is i think a distance of 3km and you climb something like 300 plus meters, that if i spin my overall speed per kilometer drops way below compared to when i am standing

it might be that i can possibly spin faster so i will see if i can improve that aswell

 

That may be possible, but like you said then work on your speed and you'll get to the top quicker. Another point to bear in mind is that you want to arrive at the top of a climb as fresh as possible so that you can get back into your normal pace as soon as possible. Its all about recovery when you get to the top.

[massiveboy]

you want to be a stronger climber -- then get on your bike and climb climb climb!!! stuff all the interval drills on hills just climb at a pace just more than comfortable and do it over and over again --- it does work!!

[camerons]

I think Zula and Robrider have given you some sound advice for climbing. Seems like for about 95% of people seating climbing is the best thing to do!

 

To get better and therefore faster at it you need to start building your power. Is there a power meter on your spinning bike or some way to measure your effort?

 

To build power try this program on the bike:

 

On a effort scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being sitting on your sofa and 10 being balls out max you want to vomit type stuff do this:

 

Warm Up part one:

5 mins - effort starting at 2 rising to 5 by the end

Warm up part two:

Time trial - 6 mins - effort level 6. Cadence 90-100

Rest - 1 min - effort level 4

Main Set:

Time trial 4 mins - effort level 7. Cadence 90-100. Every minute add 20 to your candence for 10 seconds (effort level 10) then go back to time trial pace

Climbing - 2:30mins - effort level 8. Cadence 80 max. Every minute add 20 to your candence for 10 seconds (effort level 10) then go back to normal climbing pace

Rest - 3 mins - effort level 4

Repeat x 4

Cool down:

5 mins - effort level 4 reducing to 2 by the end

 

Make sure that every time you do this you are going slightly harder than the time before otherwise you'll just platue and never get any better. This is why some way of measuring effort it key.

 

If you like this program I can suggest some others, just can't be bothered typing out more if you're just going to ignore it I've been doing programs like this on my turbo trainer over the winter and I am feeling quite strong on the bike at the moment.