Best exercise to prepare for the summers cycling.

[mat205125]

Apart from spending hours sat in the gym on the exercise bikes, what other activities are recommended for improving strength and fitness ready for a summers MTBing?

Running is a bit of a no-no due to the effects of an old knee injury.

Swimming is good, and enjoyable, but does it use the same muscle groups?

Not planning to become the next Steve Peat, but wanna get into a bit better condition than being toward the other end of the scale

[pdV6]

Er, get out on your bike more?

[mat205125]

Too dark by the time I get home mid week, and going anywhere involves running the gauntlet on some very twisty dangerous unlit roads. Suicide on a bike in the dark.

Weekends are biking weekends natch.

[ewenm]

Swimming for the aerobic benefit and a weights program for muscle strength.

[Moose.]

Purchase some lights?

With cycling, I find muscle memory really helps. If your legs are used to cracking those pedals then you can go for much longer than if you are simply "fit".

[Nick_F]

Ride at lunchtime in the week?

[JPJ]

Rowing machine - also has the benefit of strengthening some of the core muscles and the arms which will help on those killer climbs.

[BadgerBenji]

Turbo trainer, big fan and a heart rate monitor, not fun but it works.

[mat205125]

BadgerBenji said:

Turbo trainer, big fan and a heart rate monitor, not fun but it works.

What's one of those?

[sjg]

As said, no substitute for getting out on your bike.

If you're going to the gym concentrate on cardio stuff and keep any weights light but with plenty of reps.

Night riding is fun - why not get some lights and ride your usual off-road haunts?

[ewenm]

mat205125 said:

BadgerBenji said:

Turbo trainer, big fan and a heart rate monitor, not fun but it works.

What's one of those?

A roller (or set) and frame that you mount the back wheel of your bike on.

[mat205125]

ewenm said:

mat205125 said:

BadgerBenji said:

Turbo trainer, big fan and a heart rate monitor, not fun but it works.

What's one of those?

A roller (or set) and frame that you mount the back wheel of your bike on.

Oh yeah. Seen them in the magazines. Are they any good? Can they accept any kind of bike and tyre combination?

[ewenm]

Personally I don't like them - similar to treadmills. I'd much rather get out in the dark/wind/rain than run or cycle in a gym. So dull!

I'm sure if you use them properly they're fine but I don't have the concentration levels required to make the most of them.

[BadgerBenji]

mat205125 said:

ewenm said:

mat205125 said:

BadgerBenji said:

Turbo trainer, big fan and a heart rate monitor, not fun but it works.

What's one of those?

A roller (or set) and frame that you mount the back wheel of your bike on.

Oh yeah. Seen them in the magazines. Are they any good? Can they accept any kind of bike and tyre combination?

Slicks, the better models have variable resistance.

I used to use one for interval training in the winter, it was ok for half an hour, but you cant really do more than that for an interval session anyway, its all about quality and quantity. Heart rate monitor is a necessary as well.

[Roman]

I find turbo trainers boring personally. Much prefer the social aspect of spin, crew, circuit or body pump classes at a gym.

[clonmult]

sjg said:

As said, no substitute for getting out on your bike.

If you're going to the gym concentrate on cardio stuff and keep any weights light but with plenty of reps.

Night riding is fun - why not get some lights and ride your usual off-road haunts?

I'll agree that there is absolutely no substitute for getting out on your bike.

In ways I'm a little lucky (or stoopid?), I cycle to work, regardless of the weather, makes for about 12 miles a day.

As for the excercise down the gym, cardio stuff for aerobic capacity is incredibly important, but it can also depends on what sort of rides you are excercising for. I haven't done any major rides in years, but I remember doing a huge amount of leg excercise, squats, incline sled, etc. in order to get the basic strength up for some killer hills out to the east of Basingstoke.

There is also the issue of diet as well. Just keeping up the same diet as you are ramping up the excercise isn't necessarily that good.

[jacko lah]

pdV6 said:

Er, get out on your bike more?

Yeah I was about to say WINTER Cycling. Cycling to work in a hail-storm - that'll give him all the exercise he needs. Bloke I know comutes 12 miles from Formby to Liverpool even in the rain and snow on a bike. Fittest bloke I know.

There's actually a GOOD train service.