Skinny legs vs Large legs (MUSCLE)

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4 is not bad my friend...trust me once you get past 40 any is damn good. Depending on the day I have 4 also...always had trouble with the lower half...

After 40 it seems your body really wants to hold on to that body fat...I had a friend who just after so long gave up and went the cheater method...Plastic surgeon and they sucked out just enough so you could see them all...

Ofcourse they all went away six months later...lol...:D. But he said it was worth it and would do it again.

-js



Back in my days competing in bodybuilding where BF % means a lot I was really excited about my condition 6 weeks out from one particular competition so I set an appointment to get hydrostatic testing at Georgia State University. With calipers I was below 5%, but after the hydrostic test what a disappointment because I was more like 10%. For the next several weeks I restricted calories and did extra cardio work and yet my skin looked like it was painted on already. The only thing I accomplished other than killing myself for no reason was getting 3rd place (my lowest placing in my career).

The following year I stopped using calipers, didn't bother with the hydrostatic test and just used my fingers to pinch skinfold so that I would not know the data, but could sense that my skin was getting thinner.

Now days my estimate is based on seeing an Abdominal (1) or seeing Abdominals (6). At the moment I am at 4 :D

After 40 it seems your body really wants to hold on to that body fat.

-js
:( This does seem to be the case. I also remember at 38 people would tell me that I would start feeling the aches and pains at 40 and that came true as well, but I cycle pretty good after a 2 hour warm up. :D

:( This does seem to be the case. I also remember at 38 people would tell me that I would start feeling the aches and pains at 40 and that came true as well, but I cycle pretty good after a 2 hour warm up. :DI'm 47 and still not feeling those aches and pains. Knock on wood....:)

You should definitely knock on wood but since I know a little about Felt, I can tell you if you took the same journey he has taken you would probably not be as lucky. Trust me, he is not ready to hang it up either....:)

I'm 47 and still not feeling those aches and pains. Knock on wood....:)

No argument with the weight part, just the percentage body fat part. It's simply not possible to drop 4, 5 or 6 pounds of actual fat that rapidly, you've got to burn 3500 Calories to actually burn off a pound of fat, even one pound is a big workout.

-DaveI'm starting to find it hard to maintain a loss of 1 to 1.5 lbs per week. Sometimes I wonder if I need to sell my soul to the Devil in order to get rid of the last 20 or so pounds. Back when I was 220lbs - 2lbs a week for the first 10 weeks was pretty easy.....

I can tell you what I have been told and what I believe...

First the old calories in and calories out is straight foward enough and you have noted the amount of riding you are doing but I wonder if you have stopped the calories in as much...

But besides the science, I was told by several guys I worked out with how after 40 you body wants to maintain a certain amount of fat. They explained to me that this is due to natural selection and goes back to the cave man. When man had to hunt for food and food was scarce the person who was able to keep more body fat survived longer in harsh conditions hence the body learned to keep body fat longer and these people survived longer to have off spring. The gene was passed on. In the end your body simply want to survive and do it using the least amount of energy.

Your body does not know the difference between a 200lb barbell or huge boulder about to fall on you, it just knows I need to protect myself and I will use all my muscles and energy systems in a way that maximizes my chances for survival. In essence your body really wants to do the least amount of work to get the task done. Once it does it enough time it will adapt given a reasonable task for it.

So your body has adapted to your routine and no longer needs to use the same amount of resources to accomplish the same goals. This is why the hardcore guys told me to always mix it up...once your body adapts you are done. Your body will not change...you need to keep mixing up your routine.

I would like to see if you changed up to some of those 20 minute intervals and held off on the endurance rides, how your body would respond? You may be surprised.

I did not believe what they said at first but when I broke my ankle during the recovery and still today I see what they mean. My body does not care that I am cycling and the watts I am doing, it just knows for some reason I need to perform this task. It is smarter than me and knows my left ankle is not normal so in turn will automatically favor my right ankle or compensate in some other manner. It will protect itself. Even when I try to force my body to use more of my left ankle as soon as I stop making the effort it will go back to they way it feels is best...not me.

The human body is an amazing machine....

-js


I'm starting to find it hard to maintain a loss of 1 to 1.5 lbs per week. Sometimes I wonder if I need to sell my soul to the Devil in order to get rid of the last 20 or so pounds. Back when I was 220lbs - 2lbs a week for the first 10 weeks was pretty easy.....

I'm starting to find it hard to maintain a loss of 1 to 1.5 lbs per week. Sometimes I wonder if I need to sell my soul to the Devil in order to get rid of the last 20 or so pounds. Back when I was 220lbs - 2lbs a week for the first 10 weeks was pretty easy.....When you have been grossly over consuming, a change to "calories in - calories out" towards the negative probably causes you to lose weight fast. Eventually after the change your metabolism adapts to the new "regime" and I think it becomes harder. You may need to take "vacations" from the calorie deficit to keep your body from getting used to it for too long.

I also think as we get older and go farther along in a weight loss regime, we become less interested in making the sacrifices necessary to cut that kind of weight.

I can tell you what I have been told and what I believe...

First the old calories in and calories out is straight foward enough and you have noted the amount of riding you are doing but I wonder if you have stopped the calories in as much...

But besides the science, I was told by several guys I worked out with how after 40 you body wants to maintain a certain amount of fat. They explained to me that this is due to natural selection and goes back to the cave man. When man had to hunt for food and food was scarce the person who was able to keep more body fat survived longer in harsh conditions hence the body learned to keep body fat longer and these people survived longer to have off spring. The gene was passed on. In the end your body simply want to survive and do it using the least amount of energy.

Your body does not know the difference between a 200lb barbell or huge boulder about to fall on you, it just knows I need to protect myself and I will use all my muscles and energy systems in a way that maximizes my chances for survival. In essence your body really wants to do the least amount of work to get the task done. Once it does it enough time it will adapt given a reasonable task for it.

So your body has adapted to your routine and no longer needs to use the same amount of resources to accomplish the same goals. This is why the hardcore guys told me to always mix it up...once your body adapts you are done. Your body will not change...you need to keep mixing up your routine.

I would like to see if you changed up to some of those 20 minute intervals and held off on the endurance rides, how your body would respond? You may be surprised.

I did not believe what they said at first but when I broke my ankle during the recovery and still today I see what they mean. My body does not care that I am cycling and the watts I am doing, it just knows for some reason I need to perform this task. It is smarter than me and knows my left ankle is not normal so in turn will automatically favor my right ankle or compensate in some other manner. It will protect itself. Even when I try to force my body to use more of my left ankle as soon as I stop making the effort it will go back to they way it feels is best...not me.

The human body is an amazing machine....

-js
The diet is the same - the training is pretty much the same too, although on second thoughts I have been gaining a little muscle of late which kinda answers my own comment...

I honestly still have my doubts about people claiming they are gaining muscle through cardio...all my experience and articles I have read say it should not be. I can understand that you may look like you gained more muscle because your muscles seem to pop more now you can see all those muscles that were once hiding but gained muscle...I doubt it.

I still say change up your diet or your training and see how your body responds.

I was in cab a few minutes ago and they were talking about Mark Lepster (sp??) who is swimming for USA in the olympics and how his coaches tell him to take in 10,000 calories a day and he is eating all the time...they were saying 5 times the normal amount for average people...I wonder how much training this guy does?

-js

The diet is the same - the training is pretty much the same too, although on second thoughts I have been gaining a little muscle of late which kinda answers my own comment...

his coaches tell him to take in 10,000 calories a day and he is eating all the time...they were saying 5 times the normal amount for average people...I wonder how much training this guy does?Swimming will use more muscles than cycling (though possibly at a lower resistance?) and hence, caloric burn rates could be higher. But 8000 cal (10k - 2k for body functions) sounds like a lot of swimming.

I honestly still have my doubts about people claiming they are gaining muscle through cardio...all my experience and articles I have read say it should not be. I can understand that you may look like you gained more muscle because your muscles seem to pop more now you can see all those muscles that were once hiding but gained muscle...I doubt it.

I still say change up your diet or your training and see how your body responds.

I was in cab a few minutes ago and they were talking about Mark Lepster (sp??) who is swimming for USA in the olympics and how his coaches tell him to take in 10,000 calories a day and he is eating all the time...they were saying 5 times the normal amount for average people...I wonder how much training this guy does?

-js
At that point eating becomes a real chore especially when you are trying to get those kind of calories from good foods (not quite as hard to do with fast food). As soon as you finish one meal you are just about to start the next.

Way back in college other than going to class and lifting weights I would lay in bed to conserve calories in order to gain size. I definately fit in the "hard gainer" category.

I honestly still have my doubts about people claiming they are gaining muscle through cardio...all my experience and articles I have read say it should not be. I can understand that you may look like you gained more muscle because your muscles seem to pop more now you can see all those muscles that were once hiding but gained muscle...I doubt it.

I still say change up your diet or your training and see how your body responds.

I was in cab a few minutes ago and they were talking about Mark Lepster (sp??) who is swimming for USA in the olympics and how his coaches tell him to take in 10,000 calories a day and he is eating all the time...they were saying 5 times the normal amount for average people...I wonder how much training this guy does?

-js
Unless all my cycling shorts, and jeans simultaneously shrank at the same time, depsite never having done so before, I know that my thighs have put on a little more in the muscle department.

Lets just say that the piece of equipment I put on my bike forces you to use extra muscles, ones that you don't normally use.... and let's just leave it at that. We have one sh*tstorm of a thread going on right now elsewhere on this forum and that doesn't need to happen here. LOL

Yes I saw the storm you were talking about a while ago...took me over an hour to go through the thread quickly and wish I had used that time on the bike instead of wasting my time reading it....at where I am with my training way too much information, I just need to build the engine first.

I have never won any state or national races, have not been racing for 10-20 years, never played school sports and one of the reasons I like the bike is that it reminds me of my only physical job which was being a bike messenger in college. Well I guess movie making is physical but not really. I need something simple and easy for me to follow...I think Tyson's post in the thread said it best for me.

BTW, enjoy your PCs and hope they give you the success you are after and if not the Camaro should.

-js

-js

Unless all my cycling shorts, and jeans simultaneously shrank at the same time, depsite never having done so before, I know that my thighs have put on a little more in the muscle department.

Lets just say that the piece of equipment I put on my bike forces you to use extra muscles, ones that you don't normally use.... and let's just leave it at that. We have one sh*tstorm of a thread going on right now elsewhere on this forum and that doesn't need to happen here. LOL

Yes I saw the storm you were talking about a while ago...took me over an hour to go through the thread quickly and wish I had used that time on the bike instead of wasting my time reading it....at where I am with my training way too much information, I just need to build the engine first.

-js
:D So true

Yes I saw the storm you were talking about a while ago...took me over an hour to go through the thread quickly and wish I had used that time on the bike instead of wasting my time reading it....at where I am with my training way too much information, I just need to build the engine first.

I have never won any state or national races, have not been racing for 10-20 years, never played school sports and one of the reasons I like the bike is that it reminds me of my only physical job which was being a bike messenger in college. Well I guess movie making is physical but not really. I need something simple and easy for me to follow...I think Tyson's post in the thread said it best for me.

BTW, enjoy your PCs and hope they give you the success you are after and if not the Camaro should.

-js

-js
Thanks! The training, well - lard loss, is going good. Down 21lbs so far this year and just under where I was at last year and I'm stronger too, so I can't complain. As for the Camaro, if I can't generate enough of my own torque on the bike, at least the old SS has 568lb/ft on tap... Where's the "love" emoticon when you need it!

Unless all my cycling shorts, and jeans simultaneously shrank at the same time, depsite never having done so before, I know that my thighs have put on a little more in the muscle department.I would have to second this; my thighs are bigger than they used to be too, and I do no weight training (for my legs anyway, though once a week I do some bench jumps). However, I do lots of "L7" jumps (sprints) on my bike, for 10 seconds max, using a fairly tall gear on a slight uphill. I do 10 jumps on a ride, twice a week. I didn't do these until last year. Before that I mostly just "rode lots," with some sporadic longer intervals.

I understand that endurance riding, at L4 and under, won't bulk you up, especially if your muscles are more slow-twitch. But if you intersperse lots of L7 and are a fast-twitch muscle guy as I am, then you might well see some added bulk. OTOH, I wonder if the more dense capillaries obtained from L4 training could add any bulk. I'm pretty sure the experts here will tell you this "hypertrophy" is not the result of endurance training though.

So, are you a sprinter? Maybe your muscles are telling you that! :)

I would have to second this; my thighs are bigger than they used to be too, and I do no weight training (for my legs anyway, though once a week I do some bench jumps). However, I do lots of "L7" jumps (sprints) on my bike, for 10 seconds max, using a fairly tall gear on a slight uphill. I do 10 jumps on a ride, twice a week. I didn't do these until last year. Before that I mostly just "rode lots," with some sporadic longer intervals.

I understand that endurance riding, at L4 and under, won't bulk you up, especially if your muscles are more slow-twitch. But if you intersperse lots of L7 and are a fast-twitch muscle guy as I am, then you might well see some added bulk. OTOH, I wonder if the more dense capillaries obtained from L4 training could add any bulk. I'm pretty sure the experts here will tell you this "hypertrophy" is not the result of endurance training though.

So, are you a sprinter? Maybe your muscles are telling you that! :)
When I get rid of my "tub o' lard" around my waiste I'll be back to looking like stickman again. Sprinter I aint - the only time I used to be able to put in a good dig and make people suffer was when the gradient was above 8%.

Right now I'm the fatman, that's what I am... No sprinting for me.

Based on my observations (especially of the pros) and personal experience, hard biking firms the legs up and gives them a wiry definition, but doesn't add bulk. Has anyone here actually added muscular bulk through cycling?Well, last year when I hopped on the bike, I lost inches off just about everywhere (waist, chest, neck) but didn't lose weight, so I was building muscle someplace.