60 Minute Ride BEFORE Brekkies...

['Dale]

Riders,

 

Other than assisting with weight loss, what benefits are there to this practice?

 

AND

 

Is this training technique only reserved for Slow, Steady Intensity?

 

[Velouria]

Hill climbs/LT intervals on a full stomach aren't too much fun, so I often do them before breakfast, just because I don't like coughing up a lung that tastes like 2nd hand ProNutro...

[pastapouch]

ya, because of the high amount of energy needed you'll need to eat something at least an hour before startign training.

[AndreZA]

For rides less then 2hrs I don't even have breakfast. A cup of coffee and that is it. And only water during the ride. You've got enough energy stored for the period.

[LeTurbo]

I tried it once. It was only a Coke and Bar One that got me the last 5km home without crying.

[Lucky Luke.]

Riders,

 

Other than assisting with weight loss, what benefits are there to this practice?

 

AND

 

Is this training technique only reserved for Slow, Steady Intensity?

 

 

This trains your body to burn fat as an energy source. Weight loss is one benefit, as is being able to ride longer with less carb intake. An extreme version would be this: http://www.bicycling.co.za/list/effective-cycling-training-methods

[Cois]

This trains your body to burn fat as an energy source. Weight loss is one benefit, as is being able to ride longer with less carb intake. An extreme version would be this: http://www.bicycling.co.za/list/effective-cycling-training-methods

This can work for me...

[Andyr249]

Just don't overdo it.

[FlatCruiser]

For rides less then 2hrs I don't even have breakfast. A cup of coffee and that is it. And only water during the ride. You've got enough energy stored for the period.

I do the same on early rides of 2hrs or less, coffee and a rusk - you might feel a little hungry on the last 2 or 3 km

[gadget]

I saw this article last week and it might be of interest:

 

NY Times: The benefits of exercising before breakfast.

 

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/15/phys-ed-the-benefits-of-exercising-before-breakfast/

 

My view: If it works for you then great. I struggle if I don't eat something.

Edited December 21, 2010 by gadget

[rudi-h]

I'm useless training first thing in the morning. I klap a peanut butter and syrup zamie before I ride! I'm not sure about the fat burning advantage. A doctor friend of mine told me that fat burning only kicks in when glycogen levels are very low anyway.

 

So yes, if you feel good riding without brekkie, do it, but I don't believe there's a big advantage as opposed to eating something.

['Dale]

Just don't overdo it.

Andy,

 

Meaning don't do it too often.

Or don't try to do too much on an empty tummy...

[Lucky Luke.]

Andy,

 

Meaning don't do it too often.

Or don't try to do too much on an empty tummy...

 

Meaning if you do it two days in a row with high intensity with a total ride time of five or six hours as mentioned in the article I linked to.. but I don't think this is what you had planned?

 

Burning a lot of fat at high intensity floods your body with ketonic acid. Eat like a horse to get rid of it.

[Zeps]

Must agree with Manfrog, normally ride an hour before breakfast with just a cup of rooibols.

 

This week we have been riding 2 hours MTB in the morning pretty hard and still just the rooibos before and take nothing with .....

[Reg Lizard]

Riding before brekkies is still "ok", but I did rides yesterday morning and this morning at 3h50 before I was even awake Must say its the best time of the day to cycle, hardly any cars and you feel like you own the road

[SeaBee]

From what I understood from some chats with pretty knowledgeable people, this is to be done at low intensity. That way you drain your glyco stores and then start utilising fat as energy source. By doing low intensity, your body basically "has time" to convert the fat stores into energy instead of muscle cannibalisation, which will happen first if you go anaerobic with nothing left in the tank.

 

Training like this also helps your body become more effective at consuming fat for an energy source - or so they say.

 

I ride on a cup of coffee before and water for any training under 90 mins anyways. For longer rides I most often still don't take breakfast and just take a carb drink along, maybe something to snack on if it exceeds 3 hours, but even then not always.