Idiot starts 12 sessions on a Computer-Trainer, has NO clue why or what it will do for him.

[MotownBikeBoy]

I would be the idiot in question. The trainer who handles the tri team training at my gym approached me a couple of weeks ago about their new C-T program and asked me if I was interested. So, I signed up, thinking it would be a one time analysis. Well, it's actually a package of 12 sessions. Now, I do have dreams of being able to do their Tri team next year, but a few hurdles to get over first - such as, I never learned to swim, I started running for the first time in 20 years in January and promptly tore my hamstring and am just now healing to the point I can consider trying again. Cycling is the only thing I have going for me, but I've never been on a road bike, only hybrids and mountain bikes. Sounds really promising, doesn't it? Gonna go about as well as my boxing lessons - expecting to take a lot more punches Saturday that I throw and contact on the trainer's jaw. This morning was actually metabolic testing and power analysis on the stationary bike through the eNewLeaf analysis site. So, I found out how my bike AT zones correspond to wattage. So, then the trainer asked me what I wanted to get out of it - I had/have no clue. Spoken like a true idiot. So, what can this moron do with $600 worth of C-T time? What should I concentrate on, improving speed, or power, or muscle-building or fat-burning efficiency? Oh well, if nothing else, I look pretty good in a jersey and Zoics, maybe I can catch some lady's eye and get a date out if it. Probably not, but a guy's gotta try. Yeah, I'm an idiot for sure! Help me, guys!

 

[MotownBikeBoy]

Compu-Trainer! Even I'm not that stupid. Damned auto-correct changed it on me.

 

[danfoz]

Originally Posted by MotownBikeBoy .

Oh well, if nothing else, I look pretty good in a jersey and Zoics, maybe I can catch some lady's eye and get a date out if it. Probably not, but a guy's gotta try

I'm going with this option /img/vbsmilies/smilies/wink.gif

 

[RapDaddyo]

The real benefit of a CompuTrainer versus a standard trainer is that you can program a workout or a test. At this stage of your riding, you don't need to program a complex ride such as a crit simulation ride. So, for the most part you can just do something like 2x20mins at an intensity (power) that you can sustain for 20mins then repeat after a 5min recovery. But, toward the end of your sessions I recommend doing a VO2MAX test. This is a valuable index of your fitness and you can re-test yourself at a later date to see if your training regimen is producing the desired results. A VO2MAX test is basically a ramp test. For my VO2MAX test sessions, I program my CT to start at 150W and ramp up by 5 watts every 12 seconds. You ride to exhaustion, which simply means that you can't maintain the programmed power. Then you take the average power of the last minute. Then you can use this formula to compute VO2MAX:
VO2 (in L/min) = 0.01224 x power (watts) + 0.3-0.4 L/min
Cheers

 

[maydog]

+1

A triathlon is all about sustainable power, well for the bike and run at least. Focus on longer intervals and get the power up.

Swimming is very technique dependent, efficiency is key. Look up Total Immersion Swimming. The founder give a good talk why having a huge aerobic engine doesn't correlate to being a fast swimmer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97b6XIntfcc

I have been working on swimming for about 5 years and am still frustrated, impressed and motivated by the seemingly "unfit" swimmers that can lap me.Then there are the "fit" swimmers that are motivating in other ways.

I train swimming and cycling almost exclusively and save the running for race day. I have a seriously arthritic knee so my mileage is limited. Regardless, you will likely be a decent runner by maintaining good aerobic fitness.

 

[MotownBikeBoy]

Thanks, guys. Here are some of my stats and test results:

Height: 5' 11"
Weight currently 165, +5 this last week, I have problems with edema.
Age: 47

Zones: 1 - 119-128; 2 - 129-136; 3 - 137-146; AT @ 146; 4 - 147-157; 5 - 158-166

Max HR - 151; HR @ AT -146; HR @ Aerobic Base 129

VO2 Peak - 26.5; VO2 @ threshold - 25.1; VO2 @ base - 18.5

Fat burn rate at base - 5 kcal/min; Fat burn rate @ threshold - 14.5 kcal/min

This is what I am doing for workouts:

M,W,F 5-6 weight/strength/resistance such as free weights, bench press, squats with weights, rowing, push ups, crunches, step ups with weights, kettle bells, viper stick, various machines, usually leg presses, rows, chest presses, back extensions, abs, etc.

M,W,F 6-7, group weight loss/fitness, treadmills, squats, lunges, deadlifts, stairs, step ups, free weights, resistance bands.

W 8 pm, S 8 am - one on one weight/strength/resistance, the trainer has me doing a wide variety of things.

S 10 am, boxing lessons including about a 10 minute ab workout of various crunches, medicine ball, etc.

Just added the Tu & Th Compu-Trainer sessions as of yesterday.

Finally, trying to go out as much as possible - this past week, I rode Sat pm, 14.5 miles; Sun pm 12.3 miles (front derailleur issues), Mon PM can't remember exactly, somewhere around 15, Tuesday evening same, last night 21.2. My average speed is hard to say, it goes up and down dramatically depending on how I feel. Last night it was decent, 14.2 mph, which was pretty good considering I had half a banana before my AM workout, then had a Greek yogurt when I got to work, then was nauseous the rest of the day and ate nothing until I had a protein bar half way through the ride. I am really all over the board, since Easter it has ranged from 8.9 mph to my best of 15.6 IIRC. I try to get in a longer ride when I can on the weekends, it was going to be last Sunday PM until my front derailleur decided to act up.

 

[Volnix]

Originally Posted by MotownBikeBoy .

I would be the idiot in question. The trainer who handles the tri team training at my gym approached me a couple of weeks ago about their new C-T program and asked me if I was interested. So, I signed up, thinking it would be a one time analysis. Well, it's actually a package of 12 sessions.

Now, I do have dreams of being able to do their Tri team next year, but a few hurdles to get over first - such as, I never learned to swim, I started running for the first time in 20 years in January and promptly tore my hamstring and am just now healing to the point I can consider trying again. Cycling is the only thing I have going for me, but I've never been on a road bike, only hybrids and mountain bikes. Sounds really promising, doesn't it? Gonna go about as well as my boxing lessons - expecting to take a lot more punches Saturday that I throw and contact on the trainer's jaw.

This morning was actually metabolic testing and power analysis on the stationary bike through the eNewLeaf analysis site. So, I found out how my bike AT zones correspond to wattage.

So, then the trainer asked me what I wanted to get out of it - I had/have no clue. Spoken like a true idiot.

So, what can this moron do with $600 worth of C-T time? What should I concentrate on, improving speed, or power, or muscle-building or fat-burning efficiency?

Oh well, if nothing else, I look pretty good in a jersey and Zoics, maybe I can catch some lady's eye and get a date out if it. Probably not, but a guy's gotta try.

Yeah, I'm an idiot for sure! Help me, guys!

I have done both swimming and cycling, equally unprofessional and without any point what so ever, allthough, even like that, by dull repetitions of a goal (1km of swimming with stops every 100 meters and 20km of cycling non-stop on a sporty effort) I have managed to sleep better at night and feel good afterwards to enjoy some beer more (or maybe some more beer /img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif). Its good to have someone to show you how to do both though...

But I didnt pay anything like $600. I was paying just 30euro per month to use an indoor swimming pool and the cycling bit I am doing it my self.

I went to a proper cycling team training the other day, I had some very good advice but the guy there is coaching a team of country-scale performance. I dont even wear bib-shorts! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif So basically the first day "I lost them into the sunset" and the next day I returned with some of them back. But unless I cough up 600 euro on gear, for pedals clothing etc, which would be the minimum I could do to hang out with these guys there is no point for me going to these training sessions. Even with that gear I would still need to train much harder and drink less beer and to be honest drinking beer after cycling is kinda my favorite bit. Its not like I go out cycling, come back and stare at the wall Rocky - Balboa style thinking "how faster I am gonna ride tomorrow". I ride pretty fast as it is, GPS told me that I hit 60km/h on a ride and thats more then enough for me especially in these roads here...

I think that if you think that you are not gonna take anything out of this training programm you could ask for your $$ back and you could get some nice gear or something else maybe... /img/vbsmilies/smilies/wink.gif I am sure that $600 will buy you alot of beer. Maybe you can buy $600 euro of beer, build a hill out of it and try hill-climbing! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif You could climb the beer hill, and -drink- your way down... Sounds fun... /img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif

 

[MotownBikeBoy]

I'm sure it will be worth the price. All of this is costing me a lot, but I love it, it has helped dramatically improve my physical health, and the mental health benefits are literally life-saving for me. Sorry to make this so dramatic on a sports forum, but when I was diagnosed last summer, I didn't know if I could face a serious chronic illness that could be life threatening. I thought with all seriousness about finding a concrete support column of a freeway overpass and driving straight into it at 90 mph. So glad I didn't, that is the coward's way out and I have proven to myself that I am a lot tougher than I thought I was. I have a good support system medically and socially, and thank God I have the resources to afford quality medical care and insurance here in the ****ed up American healthcare system. Even so, I have to start being more fiscally pragmatic, the expensive Specialized mountain bike I have my eye on is out for now, perhaps in the Fall, when I may be able to pick it up on sale.