Health & fitness

All the karting I have been doing recently has got me back into shape like I never thought I would be again. I used to be extremely fit when I was flying around on BMX bikes (well, when I wasn't injured) and I've let slip the last couple of years. I had no idea what karting would do for me physically but it's astonishing. ExtremeNinja is buff again.

Oh, almost forgot to say well done. Well done, Brogan
 
I used to spend my life cycling in my teens and early twenties. Normal Sunday in the warmer six months of the year was about 120 miles, preferably with decent climbs in the Dales. I then did the odd bit until I was around thirty after which I walked around the golf course, getting more exercise than most due to the number of times I had to swing a club and the zigzag progress resulting from the swinging.

Then having retired my daughter suggested getting back on the bike to do a sponsored 32 mile ride. To my surprise I completed it and have continued doing it since then. Last year was hard, the ride was basically into a 22 mph wind, this year it was not quite so hard, to some extent being rather hampered by the weather frequently not being fit to go out in (softie).

I still like to get the bike out and do a few miles but all too often find it rather frustrating. Uphill is hard work and slow, it used to be my strongest part. As far as I know I still had the fastest time from our club in the Otley Mountain 50 up to the time it was discontinued.

If the weather makes a turn for the better I will spend more time on the bike but at the moment it is virtually stuck in the garage.
 
Since my dad is going back into the hospital for an operation in July, and my mom needs extra help. And because I can't have a drivers license, I have been helping them out a lot this May/June, and going on my bike daily *extra* on top of my normal activities simply resulted in an extra 4 Kilometers on the bike every other day. This thankfully resulted in a direct improvement of some body aches from simply not exercising enough. The extra lifting, walking, biking, was a good thing. I also was way more tired, so I slept better and longer. Worse thing is, it will be four weeks in a row in July because of his operation, so I will have to go to the hospital, then my mom, then home, do my own stuff, and repeat. I take the positive out of it, that it improves my health, and that I am abl to spend time with them and help them stay as healthy as possible. But I know I will exhausted by the end of July.

I better loose a bit of weight in the meantime! hehe.
 
I'm 32 and I've never even sat a driving test. Cars in London? Really? What for? It baffles me how people in this city are so dependant on privately owned motor vehicles. By far the slowest way to navigate London besides walking. Not owning a car paid for my trip to Monaco this year and then some.
 
I bought myself a road bicycle today, off of ebay. It is a Trek 1.1, 2011 model, the same as I would buy if I were buying new. Does anybody have any useful hints/tips to share regarding training plans etc? I am not a youth and not underweight, years of stamping my feet in the army have knackered them up a bit and smoking from 15 until 40 has not helped. You may have noticed, I also like a drink. All guidance for a new starter will be well received.
 
What are your aims?
Do you want to lose weight, improve your cardiovascular fitness, or both?

Whatever you do, start off slowly and build up.
Especially so with a bike as you will have quite bad bruising/soreness from the saddle at first until you get used to it.

Here are a few useful links on heart rate training zones:

http://www.brianmac.co.uk/hrm1.htm
http://www.machinehead-software.co.uk/bike/heart_rate/heart_rate_zone_calculator_abcc_bcf.html
http://www.raf.mod.uk/raftriathlon/rafcms/mediafiles/498BDA28_1143_D71E_4627EBDF0F3C498A.pdf
 
Thanks Brogan, both. Been mountain biking a few months, used to cycle a lot as a kid. Work in the medical industry so aware of health risks but glad you posted the links.
EDIT: excellent links.
NEW EDIT: I've always ignored the RAF!
 
I did Muay Thai for most of my 20’s training 5 times a week plus trained in Thailand too. I also did and still do a bit of weightlifting as well. Had a go on some pads the other day, just boxing, for the first time in a few years… I must have been outstanding fit back then that’s for sure.
Also have a mountain bike for the fitness.
 
Let's just say I'm no longer a spring chicken :D but I still train four times a week.
It gets harder every week now and I don't see the same benefits as I used to, but I carry on regardless.

What's really hard for me is following the heart rate training zones as if I follow the aerobic zone I feel like I might as well be sat on the sofa.
So typically I run with a heart rate of between 170 and 180.
 
gethinceri said:
I bought myself a road bicycle today, off of ebay. It is a Trek 1.1, 2011 model, the same as I would buy if I were buying new. Does anybody have any useful hints/tips to share regarding training plans etc? I am not a youth and not underweight, years of stamping my feet in the army have knackered them up a bit and smoking from 15 until 40 has not helped. You may have noticed, I also like a drink. All guidance for a new starter will be well received.
Click to expand

Clipless pedals, and skin tight clothes are the only two things IMO that give a big difference. The rest is all down to your thighs, which unfortunately only expand with endless workouts. I started off with 10 miles up and down the nearest hill and now 60 miles is breezy.

What are your cycling aims, to shift fat, to cycle faster or to cycle longer. Interval training is good for all of them (and the only good use for traffic lights...)
 
Got clipless pedals, shoes, cleats. I look like a boiled egg on matchsticks so skin tight clothing will not be happening. As I used to run middle and long distance I want to build stamina and shift fat with a sportive or two in early summer.
 
I gave up exorcise about 2 years ago but when I was doing it my regime was as follows.

Exercise every other day which included one 1 to 2 hours in the gym alternating between lifting weights and cardiac which included treadmill, rowing machine and cycle machine, I didn't bother with the cross trainer as I found it worthless but the gym did have a great stepping machine that had fantastic resistance..

Whether I was lifting weights or using the machines I would always go into the pool and swim for a least a mile at a steady pace..

I was doing this for about 4 years and can't remember why or the exact time I stopped I really must get motivated again....
 

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