Can I expect continued improvement?



HillyGoat

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Sep 19, 2010
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56 yo, cycling 2 years, no previous exercise or fitness background except basic training in the Army, 37 years ago. I began crit racing this January and am doing better than I had expected but I often wonder what, if any improvement may be possible at my age. I have heard it takes more than just a couple of years to reach one's max potential but am I fighting a losing battle against the clock? I train 9 - 12 hours per week and take care to get enough rest and avoid overtraining. Any tips are appreciated.
 
The first thing you need to do is determine what you want to achieve. Lose weight, increase endurance ,win races, all of the above.
You gotta know where you want to go before you can get there.
 
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I will do enough races by the end of May to become Cat 4. I have two general goals, to acheive a few podium finishes this year, the other is to become a Cat 3 racer by the end of next year. I think my biggest need is to increase power at lactate threshold. I just started lifting (light weights) and will focus on increasing teh weight training at the end of this years season.
 
The best way is just put in the mileage.The more you cycle, the harder you are able to push yourself, the better the performance.
I would'nt recpommend weight lifting cause you might gain excess muscle you might not want.
 
Originally Posted by TriVon .

The best way is just put in the mileage.The more you cycle, the harder you are able to push yourself, the better the performance.
I would'nt recpommend weight lifting cause you might gain excess muscle you might not want.

Not to mention, that excess muscle will be slow-twitch muscle if it's gained by lifting weights, which is almost never used in cycling.

Jason
 
56 is a bit old to start racing. By that age you know that falling down hurts. And racers fall down.

I am 62 and still recovering from a bad accident a couple years ago. I ride 3+ hours a day unless I have physical work to do around the house or the weather is bad. I don't think you are over training. More likely under training.

You could continue to improve for years. Now you are just a low power rider and any time on the bike will help you. But as you improve you will need to spend more and more time at higher efforts. The good part is that as you get stronger the longer time at high effort gets easier.

At my age I find a power meter (I have a PowerTap) is useful. It has provided a nice record of how I have improved since my accident. For example, I did a couple hills yesterday that I had problems with a year ago. They seemed easy. Checking my power records: this time my power output was higher and my heart rate lower on the hills. I am much stronger than I was.

Go out and have fun racing and getting stronger.
 
Thanks for your thoughts. It is encouraging to hear I can expect continued improvement.
 
A great deal of your improvement will come from mental attitude. Don't get discouraged. I know people that have trained for a year to knock 20 seconds off a 60 mile race. Of course thay were already in good form.
 
Hey Old Guy,

Just curious, how do you know I am a low power cyclist without riding with me?
 
jpr95 said:
Not to mention, that excess muscle will be slow-twitch muscle if it's gained by lifting weights, which is almost never used in cycling.
 
Jason
Ummm, really? Slow twitch is always being used in the body and is the primary muscle used in any endurance activity. Mass gained from lifting weights is usually fast twitch. But, you're correct that weight lifting will not improve performance on the bike or at least not anywhere near as well as spending time on the saddle.
 
According to Joe Friel (Cyclist Training Bible) weight lifting builds slow twitch muscle which produces less lactic acid, thus raising lactate threshold/endurance.
 
Originally Posted by HillyGoat .

According to Joe Friel (Cyclist Training Bible) weight lifting builds slow twitch muscle which produces less lactic acid, thus raising lactate threshold/endurance.
Give it a shot and see how it works for you. Your fellow competitors will appreciate you on this training plan.

Best wishes,
From a: Former competitive weightlifter / Current recreational lifter / 29 years of consistent lifting / weakest endurance rider in my club
 
HillyGoat said:
According to Joe Friel (Cyclist Training Bible) weight lifting builds slow twitch muscle which produces less lactic acid, thus raising lactate threshold/endurance.
Not that I consider Friel an expert, but would you mind providing a page number? Better yet a link to the study or studies he referenced. That statement goes against what experts in the field describe, as well as empirical examples.
 
Originally Posted by HillyGoat .

Hey Old Guy,

Just curious, how do you know I am a low power cyclist without riding with me?
You wrote:
"no previous exercise or fitness background except basic training in the Army, 37 years ago"
"I think my biggest need is to increase power at lactate threshold."
"I have two general goals, to achieve a few podium finishes this year."

And you are asking if you will get stronger.

No offense was meant.
 

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