Training Plan vs Just Riding

[lerouc]

So i want to get my fitness up a bit an i was wondering is it better to follow a training plan (fittrack or something i found on the internet) or just riding my bike.

 

When i ride my bike (try to get 3/4 session in a week) i go balls to the walls and i literally go as fast and hard as possible. Sundays are usually less intense because i go riding with the wife. My avg HR is almost never under 170 when i go for a ride and i can keep that up for a good couple of hours.

 

I am a big guy so the first goal is obviously to loose some weight but i've seen plenty of bigger guys than me that kills me on hills. Hills are my weak point, on flats and downhills i can keep up but on a hill it looks like i want to pull over and look for parking.

 

At the moment we (the wife and I) see a personal trainer at the gym on a monday/tuesday and he does just some general fitness type exercises with us. He does push me to the limits and i feel it for the next day or two.

 

Then i try and get a ride in on wednesdays/thursdays and then saturdays and sundays. The weekly rides i usually do 1-1.5hrs and the weekends i ride 2.5hrs and up.

 

I've entered the Houw Hoek Tour which is in 7 weeks and i really want to be a bit faster by then.

 

I have an indoor trainer should i throw in some intervals (I have a few sufferfest videos which i used in the past)?

 

Any advice would be appreciated.

[lerouc]

if it wasn't too obvious, mtb...

[Bianchisti]

Just keep doing what you doing and you will improve. Significantly so as well. A generic internet program won't be any more beneficial than what you doing already.

 

A program can help with discipline and motivation but you don't have a lack if either. For someone who sounds like you coming off a low fitness base (no offence) with lots of gains to make, just ride your bike however you feel and make sure you enjoy it. Don't even think about the fitness and it will come.

['Dale]

lerouc

 

Everything starts with a goal.

What do you wanna achieve in cycling?

 

Then determine the building blocks from there, such as 

 

1. goal weight

2. finishing position at Tour

3. finish x hill in y time. 

4. etc.

 

Sterkte

[nonky]

it sounds like you are training in your anaerobic zone at 170bpm.

use your HRM to get an indication of the zone/s you should be training in.

giving it horns EVERY TIME you ride is not necessarily the best way to get fit or lose weight.

some focused core exercises in the gym will also help.

I am not disciplined enough to follow the fittrack programmes but, even then, I use it and find the fact that it records all activities very useful.

good luck!

[Wyatt Earp]

 

 

When i ride my bike (try to get 3/4 session in a week) i go balls to the walls and i literally go as fast and hard as possible. 

But why ?

[lerouc]

But why ?

 

Because i love it...I always try and improve my previous times and when i see another rider on the trails i have to try and catch them.

[Wyatt Earp]

Because i love it...I always try and improve my previous times and when i see another rider on the trails i have to try and catch them.

I understand that, but to be honest, it achieves nothing.

You need to train to a plan and allow the body enough time to recover and build itself up.

You train like you do and ultimately you reach a plateau and at which point your fitness stays stagnant .

[lerouc]

I understand that, but to be honest, it achieves nothing.

You need to train to a plan and allow the body enough time to recover and build itself up.

You train like you do and ultimately you reach a plateau and at which point your fitness stays stagnant .

So you get the point why i am here to ask for advice...

[SwissVan]

So i want to get my fitness up a bit an i was wondering is it better to follow a training plan (fittrack or something i found on the internet) or just riding my bike.

 

When i ride my bike (try to get 3/4 session in a week) i go balls to the walls and i literally go as fast and hard as possible. Sundays are usually less intense because i go riding with the wife. My avg HR is almost never under 170 when i go for a ride and i can keep that up for a good couple of hours.

 

I am a big guy so the first goal is obviously to loose some weight but i've seen plenty of bigger guys than me that kills me on hills. Hills are my weak point, on flats and downhills i can keep up but on a hill it looks like i want to pull over and look for parking.

 

At the moment we (the wife and I) see a personal trainer at the gym on a monday/tuesday and he does just some general fitness type exercises with us. He does push me to the limits and i feel it for the next day or two.

 

Then i try and get a ride in on wednesdays/thursdays and then saturdays and sundays. The weekly rides i usually do 1-1.5hrs and the weekends i ride 2.5hrs and up.

 

I've entered the Houw Hoek Tour which is in 7 weeks and i really want to be a bit faster by then.

 

I have an indoor trainer should i throw in some intervals (I have a few sufferfest videos which i used in the past)?

 

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

A training plan is way better than just riding, with a training plan you have a step by step process designed to achieve a goal with the time you have available to train. By just riding you are procrastinating and hoping that you are doing the correct training.  

 

With a training plan you will have to set a goal (in your case maybe to climb better?) and do a test to determine your CORRECT training zones based on heart rate or power. The training plan will be based on your goal and test results.

 

To train effectively you should not push (balls to the wall) every time you ride and in the gym, that's what happens when you don't follow a training program.

[HappyMartin]

What Wyatt said.