This Will Not Stand - On my embarrasing personal fitness

[Stuart B]

Swung by Halfords on the way back from work today and picked up a set of LED lights and some new rear brake pads. After fitting that little lot I went off up the road again.

While still turning in a fairly rubbish performance I did manage to get a bit further than the last couple of attempts, and though when I got back I still felt completely broken this feeling passed a good deal quicker than the first time I got on the thing. At this point any percieved improvement may well be wishful thinking, but it's encouraged me to stick with it

I also snapped a pic:


Comfortable. Fast. Stylish. Easy on the bum. These are all things this bike is not.

Once my atrophied muscles are capable of carrying me a bit further I think I'll start taking the camera out with me

[Cloudane]

{*} But do be careful. A relative of a good friend recently suffered a fatal accident from one of those things with tons of weights. Always be mindful of safety.

This sad incident was featured in today's Sun newspaper and website.

To be fair, it's very rare for such nasty accidents to occur in gyms. Still, even without such incidents (which I don't think in this case was actually anyone's fault or any lack or care but not known at this stage) injuries do occur so it's always worth taking care. Common sense advice but seemed worth saying.

[VNVObit]

It'll take time. I started cycling again after 20 years of not doing it in June. I had been going to the gym for a while by then. I cycle about 6 miles each way for 3 days each week. When I started it was taking me between 45 to 50 minutes each way. Now I can do the same journey in 30-35 minutes.

It just takes time, be patient, be persistent and don't over do it.

Keep up the good work

[Wibble]

If you're properly inactive (as in, none whatsoever), there's little difference between having had no exercise for 6 months or 10 years, so for anyone who thinks that's an excuse - it's not. The tricky part comes when you have to put effort into finding new challenges because your old routines are so easy.

I was probably in the worst shape anyone could ever have at the start of last year (when the body generates a STOP error, you have no choice but to down for repairs) and it took me about a year to get back to the shape I was in before stuff happened (which still wasn't good, mind). I didn't stop and I'm now in a better shape than I've had for the last 12 years or so. But I'm not done yet

[hairy_pete]

Stuart, that all sounds like you need to build up your endurance foundation first.

If you're feeling completely fucked after a few minutes, you're going too fast. Set a slower pace, one that keeps your heart rate at midrange levels. This enables you to keep going for long enough to make it an actual endurance exercise. Once you feel an improvement, keep the same pace (same heart rate) but make it even longer. When you're comfortable with that 2nd stage, you can also begin to add shorter, faster sessions.

Yes that does mean you need to go ridiculously slow if you're not trained at all. It's only working this way round though.

But nobody does it this way? Well yes, true. That's why barely anyone is getting anywhere with their exercising

[Stuart B]

Well, it's been a little while, hasn't it?

Nano put a bit of a spanner in the works, but now that's out of the way I'm ready to focus a bit more. Plus, thanks to my Dad and an early birthday present I now have a new steed:



Took it for a quick run about earlier on and did get a good way further than I did on the blue boneshaker (in a damn sight more comfort too, might I add.)

Hope to take it on a good long ride tomorrow!

[disciple]

Looks great. You could do some nice trail riding on that, a nice scenic and leisurely ride along the canal or similar.

[seanyseansean]

Stuart, that all sounds like you need to build up your endurance foundation first.

If you're feeling completely fucked after a few minutes, you're going too fast. Set a slower pace, one that keeps your heart rate at midrange levels. This enables you to keep going for long enough to make it an actual endurance exercise. Once you feel an improvement, keep the same pace (same heart rate) but make it even longer. When you're comfortable with that 2nd stage, you can also begin to add shorter, faster sessions.

QFT.

I used to run loads when I was younger. Motivation was the key - being the oldest of 13 kids I just needed time by myself, so got it by going out for a jog. I always took a straight route (you have to get back after) and tried to go past the next corner each day or thereabouts. After I year I was running 28 miles a day. Carried nothing but money for bus fare in my sock, which was just in case I couldn't make the return journey, and I happily stopped whenever I saw something interesting.

I am starting to do it again now, and even though i'm unfit as fuck I laugh when I see some people jogging at full pelt then collapsing a mile after, or those that spend more energy bouncing up and down than going forward.

The point is, do exercise you enjoy and don't feel compelled to do it faster/harder than is comfortable, because comfortable will get easier every time you exercise. The 'next corner' thing kept me going, even though I didn't manage it every day, and if you use it as a tool rather than a challenge you get fitter and won't give it up because you feel crap.

[Stuart B]

Well, I utterly surprised myself this morning. I strapped on the camera bag to see how I would do with a little extra weight and somehow managed to do a complete lap of one of my childhood bike rides, about a mile all told.

It is amazing how much difference keeping it slow and steady does make (as opposed to my older change-up-and-go-at-it-hammer-and-tongs approach). Cheers for the advice chaps

Now it's just a matter of squeezing such a ride into my routine for work days

[Stuart B]

Wel.. managed another full lap this morning, as running Instamapper this time to get some lovely data points. I seem to keep to a speed of 11-12mph at the moment, dropping to 9 in a mild headwind over the fen.

I'll try and do this route once a day for the next week, and see what happens