Training / Fitness Question...Vinny or Carl???

[Ant]

Ok, so after riding for the last couple months (bicycle) I have a few training questions.

1) It seems as though if I take a day or 2 off from riding I can rider harder and longer the next ride. If I go everyday I seem to dog it a little. Should I put set rest days into my sched.? Or should I just go real easy on the off days?

2) I live on a road with a big hill .25 miles from my house. Am i doing more harm then good by starting my rides going up this hill?

3) How hard should I be pushing? I mean I went home yesterday knowing I'd ride about 7 miles because I was pretty tired. Should I be pushing myself more for better fitness? Or are we back to the rest thing? Yesterday was day 4 of the week with 1 day rest and 17 miles ridden the other 3 days.

Thanks.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by Ant

1) It seems as though if I take a day or 2 off from riding I can rider harder and longer the next ride. If I go everyday I seem to dog it a little. Should I put set rest days into my sched.? Or should I just go real easy on the off days?

Absolutely. Ensure you get rest days in whenever you can. An off-day should be just that -- an off-day. No strenuous exercise. If you over-train, you risk reversing some of the benefits of training in the first place. Check this link in reference to cyclists.

YOU HAVE TO REST. Absolutely HAVE to.

Originally Posted by Ant

2) I live on a road with a big hill .25 miles from my house. Am i doing more harm then good by starting my rides going up this hill?

I'm not a cyclist, but I don't think so. As long as you're properly stretched and warmed up, you're good to go. In a similar situation, I am using a new bodybuilding routine where I lift very heavy for the first set of a given exercise, then heavy and then moderate for the subsequent sets.

Originally Posted by Ant

3) How hard should I be pushing? I mean I went home yesterday knowing I'd ride about 7 miles because I was pretty tired. Should I be pushing myself more for better fitness? Or are we back to the rest thing? Yesterday was day 4 of the week with 1 day rest and 17 miles ridden the other 3 days.

Sounds like you MIGHT be overtraining. How many miles do you normally ride in a given session? Have you considered doing a two day on, one day off split for your cycling?

Originally Posted by Ant

Thanks.

Anytime, bro. I am glad I can help with whatever information I can. I'm in a bit of a rut myself with this working out/bodybuilding shit and need a break. Too much is not a good thing, and I'm not seeing the results I wanted to see.

[carl_g]

ant you shoud def take rest days just like vinny said your body needs to recoup.

Starting off on a hill is fine..no problem there..

basically a big to what vinny said.

[duc748pilot]

i need to get in shape.

[pmdez]

and i need to buy a damn bicycle!!

i do go to the gym and i find when i go every other day, i feel and look much better. those rest days do really help whether your working out, riding or any other activity.

[Ant]

Thanks guys.

Vinny, I hear what you're saying about overtraining but honestly, I have fun when riding so it's hard to not ride just because. I'd really like to be able to ride for long periods one day. But I decided to take today and friday off and then go for it on sat. and sun.

[Ripp53]

best way to due it is 1 on 1 off

[soda7o]

Ant it slike that with everythign.. i run liek 40 minutes a day... (or atleast i sued to before i began slave hours at work) anyway .. aftre a day off i could run harder and faster and longer..but like 3 days in a row by the third day i would be out of gas..
take days of rest... i like to do 2 dyas 1 day rest 2 dyas 1 day rest..etc etc

[Ant]

Well I got a new bicycle so this rest thing may not work out. lol Bike is so pimp to ride.