Should my legs hurt?

[swampy1970]

If you have a reasonable position on the bike AND you're not inhibited by carb depletion or injury and your legs don't hurt then you're just not pressing hard enough on the pedals. End of story.

Especially in a race, you can ride yourself into the ground and be deep in the hurt locker for a good couple of hours where the legs just scream "f**k no" and it's just a case of mental fortitude.

If you find it hard to push yourself to the point of physical discomfort then you should train on short hills at high power or take up the kilometer time trial or pursuit on the track. I did the kilo once... Once is enough.

 

[JibberJim]

If you have a reasonable position on the bike AND you're not inhibited by carb depletion or injury and your legs don't hurt then you're just not pressing hard enough on the pedals. End of story.

Rubbish, you can be limited by other things before your legs hurt, an effort can still be maximal, just because it can't be maximal for you without your legs hurting does not mean it can't be the same for someone else.

 

[lordrenly]

Rubbish, you can be limited by other things before your legs hurt

I agree with this poster. OP said that he can't grind because his back is hurt if he try to move to higher resistance and I just don't see how his leg can hurt before he becomes tired that way. Especially, from his story, I assume that his leg is stronger than ordinary people and he is clearly an experienced cyclist not a beginner whose legs would hurt easily.

Sure, your leg will hurt if you go hard enough but how hard can it be without grinding?

 

[shilpa123]

I believe that the very reason you're legs are not hurting is for the fact that you have greater capacity to withhold the stress. There is nothing wrong with it. In fact you should be very proud about the way you are and all the things you can do. I think it is just a benefit you have.

 

[An old Guy]

Rubbish, you can be limited by other things before your legs hurt, an effort can still be maximal ...

Of course you are correct, but you are missing the point.

It is also possible to ride where one is limited by leg "pain." Most efforts that build up lacate will cause leg pain if extended.

 

[bgoetz]

I assume that his leg is stronger than ordinary people and he is clearly an experienced cyclist not a beginner whose legs would hurt easily.

Sure, your leg will hurt if you go hard enough but how hard can it be without grinding?

So, you don't think that Ian Stannards legs hurt beyond imagine during the last few kilometers this past weekend? Or how about Boonens, I bet his legs might have hurt even more, which is why he didn't win. Trust me, I will venture a guess that a more experianced cyclist actually deals with more leg pain than a less experienced. For 98% of cyclists, if your legs don't hurt you are not going hard enough. And it does mean they are grinding, they are turning over a 53x13 at the same cadence your turning over your 53x17, it is all in perspective.

I have heard of rare instances where people don't accumulate lactic acid like most, in these very rare instances then maybe, but this has zero to do with training as they don't experiance it when doing any activities that might cause lactic acid. I have always wondered what limits these guys, because they are obviously limited by something otherwise they could win about any bike race on the planet.

 

[Gelsemium]

Stretching helps to reduce the amount of acid in the legs, but I still think some basic supplements work wonders in what pain is concerned.

 

[eshall]

I'm getting serious now. After years of feeling like an impostor, I want to announce that I am a serious cyclist. I will shave the legs. First, what's the best way to do the first shave? It's a lot of hair. Electric, razor or that chemical stuff that melts hair? Also, how do most of you maintain the hairless look? Is it worth it to invest in an electric?

 

[Gelsemium]

Come on eshall, shaving the legs is a requirement for a pro biker, not for recreational ones. I am not counting the time when I am on the bike if you know what I mean.

 

[lordrenly]

So, you don't think that Ian Stannards legs hurt beyond imagine during the last few kilometers this past weekend? Or how about Boonens, I bet his legs might have hurt even more, which is why he didn't win. Trust me, I will venture a guess that a more experianced cyclist actually deals with more leg pain than a less experienced. For 98% of cyclists, if your legs don't hurt you are not going hard enough. And it does mean they are grinding, they are turning over a 53x13 at the same cadence your turning over your 53x17, it is all in perspective.

I have heard of rare instances where people don't accumulate lactic acid like most, in these very rare instances then maybe, but this has zero to do with training as they don't experiance it when doing any activities that might cause lactic acid. I have always wondered what limits these guys, because they are obviously limited by something otherwise they could win about any bike race on the planet.

Yes, I agree with you completely on that. I was referring to the fact that OP cannot grind because his back his hurting and I am wondering how can he gets his leg to hurt before his cardio gives in? He will eventually stop before he built up enough lactic acid to hurt his leg.

I didn't imply that experienced cyclist experiences less pain than less experienced cyclist overall. Of course you have to look the cadence, gear, distance, etc.

If both cyclists cycle with the same gear under the same cadence over the same period of time, will the experienced one will experience less pain or do you think that is not true as well due to other factors?

 

[swampy1970]

Rubbish, you can be limited by other things before your legs hurt, an effort can still be maximal, just because it can't be maximal for you without your legs hurting does not mean it can't be the same for someone else.

If you're not limited by injury, inadequate nutrition or a crappy position/wonky cleats, you're just left with the age old favorite of not having recovered from a previous bout of racing/training.

What else do you have in mind - other than a need to grow a pair and stomp on the pedals harder? h34r: When you're up around 8mmol of blood lactate **** gets painful in a hurry.

Dear Santa, I would like some "pain be gone" so I can do 5 minute VO2 Max efforts without my legs hurting. If you could include the google maps plugin to find those elusive pots of gold at the end of rainbows, that'd be ace. My daughter would love a unicorn for a pet.

 

[bgoetz]

If you're not limited by injury, inadequate nutrition or a crappy position/wonky cleats, you're just left with the age old favorite of not having recovered from a previous bout of racing/training.

What else do you have in mind - other than a need to grow a pair and stomp on the pedals harder? h34r: When you're up around 8mmol of blood lactate **** gets painful in a hurry.

Dear Santa, I would like some "pain be gone" so I can do 5 minute VO2 Max efforts without my legs hurting. If you could include the google maps plugin to find those elusive pots of gold at the end of rainbows, that'd be ace. My daughter would love a unicorn for a pet.

unicorn milk actually serves as very good "pain be gone", so all you need is the pet unicorn.

 

[jeremy2]

My guess is that you have very fit legs and that's why no matter how hard you push yourself, you don't feel anything in your legs.Your cardio on the other hand is wanting and you need to do more exercises related/beneficial to that area and maybe you'll see some change. All the best.

 

[Gelsemium]

That's true, but we should also increase exercise gradually, make things happen naturally, if we force it it's more natural that pains come.

 

[RapDaddyo]

But, the fundamental concept of training is stress-rest-adaptation. What comes first is stress and the stress often produces some muscular discomfort both during and after the activity. Some discomfort (although not sharp pain) is a completely normal part of training and should not be viewed necessarily as something to be avoided.

 

[BeachyKeen]

I guess you could say there's a difference between the normal level of pain or muscle burn that you should expect when doing exercise, and the kind of pain in your joints or wherever that tells you that you're doing something wrong. Maybe it's not necessary to feel the burn in your muscles every single time.

 

[swampy1970]

But, the fundamental concept of training is stress-rest-adaptation. What comes first is stress and the stress often produces some muscular discomfort both during and after the activity. Some discomfort (although not sharp pain) is a completely normal part of training and should not be viewed necessarily as something to be avoided.

Hallelujah!

Most folk don't do enough to warrant big rest periods of more than a day. Go out have fun and make the legs hurt, go home, rest, eat, sleep. Get up and work and then smash the pedals again...

Differentiate between the pain from hard effort and that of an injury. The former will likely subside from 20 to 30 minutes of riding the day after, the later will just plain hurt a lot.

If you find yourself with a couple of weeks worth of training sessions where you have no desire whatsoever then it's time for a rethink. If you just feel blah for a day or two, give yourself an extra 20 to 30 minutes to warm up an ease off the legs before pounding the pedals hard.

 

[Gelsemium]

Pretty much, I think you described it well when you said "if we feel blah for a couple of days" it just means we need to see what's wrong with the body and eventually warming up better can be the solution.

 

[bgoetz]

Pretty much, I think you described it well when you said "if we feel blah for a couple of days" it just means we need to see what's wrong with the body and eventually warming up better can be the solution.

Actually I think he meant you ran yourself into the ground too many times without getting sufficient recovery and need to take some time and recover. He was just describing the stress adaptation cycle and how important rest is in the whole thing. Trust me he is correct, try spending a good majority of a 10k mile season feeling "blah".

 

[An old Guy]

Gelsemium, on 10 Mar 2015 - 10:42 AM, said:

Pretty much, I think you described it well when you said "if we feel blah for a couple of days" it just means we need to see what's wrong with the body and eventually warming up better can be the solution.

Actually I think he meant you ran yourself into the ground too many times without getting sufficient recovery and need to take some time and recover. He was just describing the stress adaptation cycle and how important rest is in the whole thing. Trust me he is correct, try spending a good majority of a 10k mile season feeling "blah".

It is interesting how different people feel about training. On days I don't feel like training I stare out the window until I get on my bike and do my training.

But I enjoy riding. 3-1/2 hour days are nice. I am thinking about 4-1/2 hour days for next month, but life gets in the way.