Training help needed - How to ramp up quickly using both gym and cycling

H

hobkirk

0
64, 6'2", 240#, retired. I stopped running 5 years ago and steadily put on weight. Time to make some changes. I joined a gym 2 months ago and started riding my 35 year old Lotus road bike 3 weeks ago. I am making lots of progress but I think I might benefit from more expertise.

Currently I go to the gym Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I tweak it slightly to accommodate weather, but keeping a rest day between sessions. I do 20 minutes of on an elliptical cardio machine that has arms - I figure the variety is better than riding an exercise bike. Then I do a complete circuit of 12 machines (I will probably change to weights in the future but the machines' "guidance" is probably helpful for now). I do 3 sets, setting the weight so my max reps are 5-10. In general the weights are set around 60% for each machine (80% for leg machines). It's very taxing - I definitely feel spent when I am done. Then I do ten minutes of stretching in the sauna (no one uses the sauna at this time of year). I don't do any cycling on gym days.

I've ramped the cycling up quickly. I used the exercise bikes at the gym before I started riding my bike for real. I've also taken a few spinning classes. I rode 30 miles my first week, then 60, and this week I've done 38 and 23 mile group rides on the weekend plus a a 33 mile solo ride Tuesday. I am really slow ascending but I keep up with others on the flats. My average speed including stops is 13 MPH.

My spinning class at the gym is on Thursday mornings. I am a dripping mess when the hour is over. I have not been taking any real rides on Thursday.

Sorry for all the blather! Now my questions:
  1. [*]Is there any physiological advantage to stretching in the sauna? Would the heat improve the impact of the stretches?
    [*]Is there any advantage to having rest days from the cycling? Is it a good idea to avoid cycling on gym days?
    [*]Is it a good idea to count the spinning class as a ride or should I do a ride in the afternoon?
Thank you.
 
hobkirk said:
64, 6'2", 240#, retired. I stopped running 5 years ago and steadily put on weight. Time to make some changes. I joined a gym 2 months ago and started riding my 35 year old Lotus road bike 3 weeks ago. I am making lots of progress but I think I might benefit from more expertise.

Currently I go to the gym Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I tweak it slightly to accommodate weather, but keeping a rest day between sessions. I do 20 minutes of on an elliptical cardio machine that has arms - I figure the variety is better than riding an exercise bike. Then I do a complete circuit of 12 machines (I will probably change to weights in the future but the machines' "guidance" is probably helpful for now). I do 3 sets, setting the weight so my max reps are 5-10. In general the weights are set around 60% for each machine (80% for leg machines). It's very taxing - I definitely feel spent when I am done. Then I do ten minutes of stretching in the sauna (no one uses the sauna at this time of year). I don't do any cycling on gym days.

I've ramped the cycling up quickly. I used the exercise bikes at the gym before I started riding my bike for real. I've also taken a few spinning classes. I rode 30 miles my first week, then 60, and this week I've done 38 and 23 mile group rides on the weekend plus a a 33 mile solo ride Tuesday. I am really slow ascending but I keep up with others on the flats. My average speed including stops is 13 MPH.

My spinning class at the gym is on Thursday mornings. I am a dripping mess when the hour is over. I have not been taking any real rides on Thursday.

Sorry for all the blather! Now my questions:
  1. [*]Is there any physiological advantage to stretching in the sauna? Would the heat improve the impact of the stretches?
    [*]Is there any advantage to having rest days from the cycling? Is it a good idea to avoid cycling on gym days?
    [*]Is it a good idea to count the spinning class as a ride or should I do a ride in the afternoon?
Thank you.
Click to expand...

1. I am not a big proponent of stretching anyways. I fail to see the benefit of it.

2. Experienced riders ride everyday, but you probably would benefit by going every other day.

3. Yes, count the spinning class as a ride.
 
hobkirk said:
  1. [*]Is there any physiological advantage to stretching in the sauna? Would the heat improve the impact of the stretches?
    [*]Is there any advantage to having rest days from the cycling? Is it a good idea to avoid cycling on gym days?
    [*]Is it a good idea to count the spinning class as a ride or should I do a ride in the afternoon?
Thank you.
Click to expand...

1. There may be- you need to be warm to stretch, warmed up exercise wise is better but I'd imagine it could enhance the stretching, you may be able to stretch that much further. Its not the extent of the stretch that makes a difference, its if its enough. Holding each stretch for upwards of 40 seconds, apparently 2 mins is ideal.
Stretching is very important- despite what the other guy says! Its important as when you exercise, your muscles shrink. When exercising your muscles get lots of little micro tears and as you rest they mend. If you have not stretched they are likely to heal in a missmatched way and it would leave you feeling quite stiff, you'd lose some flexibility over time, may become quite bulky (and not in a good way) with it and would be at risk of an injury. Your fitness would be affected as muscles which were not able to repair would not be as good use to you when you came back to use them the next time you exercised.

All in all, yes stretching matters! After exercise rather then before and holding several stretches for upwards of 40 seconds each.



2. YES rest days do matter! Its when you rest that your body does any building. If your not resting your not able to muscle build. You work out to tear down muscles, you rest to build them up, you repeat this over time and you become stronger, faster, better and more toned. You cannot recover to the same degree over night that you do on a rest day. And the truth is atheletes do take a rest day! Even if they calm down once per week/every other day (and I mean really slow- like a runner running 6 days a week and then walking on the 7th day- still resting yet still moving). Rest days also mean you can come back afresh. Rest days are very important to training!

3.Sprinting would count as an exercise- why would it not? its exercise where you put alot of energy in. If it didn't count would you consider chopping it out or your week?
Yes it counts!
 

I offers me a free trial of the mag?

Look, believe what you want- if it works for you there is no reason to change it. But I know for me on the days I have not stretched I feel so stiff the next day my workout is very impaired, it can often take days and days to get over that stiffness and the aching. Maybe my workouts are just different to yours and this is why (all cardio, HRM from 140-190bpm for 1.5-2 hours= a workout, I sometimes do added weight work afterwars but not often) but fact is, it prevents me from injuries and I can solidly vouch for that.
 
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