Getting in Race Shape

[Panda]

Before I ride I get in shape by eating at least two big macs and a large fries. This helps mass centralization, plus it's also tasty.

[sk1l1ne]

Haven't been riding twisties like I used to since I wrecked the CBR. Really showed when I did a trackday over the weekend. My bike fitness sucks! Mostly my legs were sore from moving around on the bike.

[csmith12]

I have been a slacker, back up to 10% bf and I feel it too. Still holding weight goal though.

[Nemesis]

In 2 months I went from 165 to 148. Gonna see if I can drop 5 more lbs. All this from strictly dieting or rather reducing my portions and eating healthier.

[CC Cowboy]

I look Marvelous

[mrb]

I lost 50lbs over about 7 months from just eating healthy and doing p90x on and off. School got in the way so im just trying to stay where im at for now.

I went from 5'11 245lbs to 6'0" 195lbs. I am still a hefty dude

I definelty have to work on core and upper body since i dont play any sports.

[choneofakind]

I'm trying something new; running/cycling/swimming with a team. I'm usually all about the individual sports, but this seems to be working well. My running speed is up from running group intervals, I'm more honest on my workouts, and swimming is kicking my butt. I love it.

[EternalNewb]

Ok. Serious question. I can't do too much weight-bearing/rotating with my damaged wrist ligaments, but I need something to add to my exercises.

I've dropped from 117 to under 107, and it's totally unacceptable.

Aside from planks and jack knives, anyone have any suggestions? I've been told not push-ups or pull-ups of any kind from my doc. Some free weight activity is ok, and I've added approved ones in.

Any suggestions?

[csmith12]

Should be something, like a high protein diet with healthy fats and milk. Find a diet plan that works for you and stick to it. DO NOT over train and get your rest. Most peeps that I have helped do not gain optimally without plenty of rest.

Try wriststraps and wraps/brackes to take the weight off the flex and rotating areas of wrist. That is what I use on the really heavy weight days. And, you may be totally surprised at what even light weight training will do for arms.

There is also the theory of relativity and compensation, "Train your legs and torso harder, the arms will follow". YMMV on that.

[EternalNewb]

I've upped the protein a ton... like 4 eggs as part of my near-daily breakfast, and lots of chicken and fish. Also, lots of beans, spinach, yogurt, and plain/roasted nuts. I'm snacking almost constantly, but my weight is still going down. Maybe I just need to up the portions? Keep in mind, I'm only 5'3" on a good day.

Picking up some kinisiotape later for my wrist, and looking into a better brace, but I think the tape works better with a lot of the stuff I've been doing.

[mwirrick]

One word: bicycling!

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by EternalNewb

I've upped the protein a ton... like 4 eggs as part of my near-daily breakfast, and lots of chicken and fish. Also, lots of beans, spinach, yogurt, and plain/roasted nuts. I'm snacking almost constantly, but my weight is still going down. Maybe I just need to up the portions? Keep in mind, I'm only 5'3" on a good day.

Picking up some kinisiotape later for my wrist, and looking into a better brace, but I think the tape works better with a lot of the stuff I've been doing.

Calories per day? And how much cardio you doing?

[allanoue]

carbos
If you are burning lots of calories you need to carbo load

Lots of carbohydrates are only bad for sedentary people like most of the US population

Drink more beer

[EternalNewb]

Beer!!! Hahaha, I'm part Japanese, so I eat plenty of rice on a daily basis. I'm going to have to start monitoring by intake/activity levels better. =P I'll report back in a week with better numbers, I hope. >_<

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by allanoue

carbos
If you are burning lots of calories you need to carbo load

Lots of carbohydrates are only bad for sedentary people like most of the US population

Drink more beer

I can agree with this at a certain level. Pointless carbs are useless. In the end, most high carb foods give a burst of energy. Use that boost of energy from carbs before your workout and to help maximize your efforts. Nothing undermines the attitude worse than putting in the work for no results.

[mwirrick]

I've been trying to get from 185 to 175. Not as easy as I had thought. Lost 5 lbs at the last race, due to sweat, but mostly find that eating less and more often, combined with cycling and weight workouts--to create a metabolism that is constantly burning calories--works pretty well. Am down 4 pounds, putting aside the weekends temporary water loss.

[rojoracing53]

Originally Posted by EternalNewb

Ok. Serious question. I can't do too much weight-bearing/rotating with my damaged wrist ligaments, but I need something to add to my exercises.

I've dropped from 117 to under 107, and it's totally unacceptable.

Aside from planks and jack knives, anyone have any suggestions? I've been told not push-ups or pull-ups of any kind from my doc. Some free weight activity is ok, and I've added approved ones in.

Any suggestions?

Holy **** 107, windy days must totally suck for you

Lots of cardio with a good solid(not vegan) diet will add wieght if your body truely needs it. Cycling is good but you need to ride hard and for several hours from time to time, not just one hour rides. Plus some good core workouts are always good for everything.

I just build my first single speed Mtb for my up upcoming 24hr solo races and let me tell you. Standing out of the saddle and cranking with everything you have with a cadence of less then 30 is a full body workout like you wouldn't believe. My abs and shoulders feel like I did an hours worth of planks yesterday. Follow a good hard ride like that with a good hardy turkey, bacon, avocado and cream cheese sandwich and you put some wieght back on. But then if you can't do pull ups then MTBing is probably out of the question, you can try road biking but that's harder to find the motivation to push yourself.

[choneofakind]

Swimming. Full body workout, no impact. It's kicking my butt because of the breathing. You'll feel resistance without impact.

[CC Cowboy]

Originally Posted by EternalNewb

I've upped the protein a ton... like 4 eggs as part of my near-daily breakfast, and lots of chicken and fish. Also, lots of beans, spinach, yogurt, and plain/roasted nuts. I'm snacking almost constantly, but my weight is still going down. Maybe I just need to up the portions? Keep in mind, I'm only 5'3" on a good day.

.

Whatever you do, please, always stand downwind of me.

[rojoracing53]

Yeah swimming I'm not man enough for that ****, much respect and enve for those who strugle through and figure out how to swim a mile at a time.

[allanoue]

Yes I think swimming and cross country skiing are the two best but CCSkiing is difficult to do this time of year and all year in LA unless you go up to Bear, and you do have a big body of water right there.

[choneofakind]

Swimming is kicking my butt. I'm able to keep up with the Tri guys at school on a bike and with running, but swimming is a new thing to me. It's going to help my upper body strength and my lung capacity/heart rate as well because it's so different. I get tired because I run out of air, not because my legs are burning like I'm used to.

It's a great workout. Love it so far.

[Gurk]

I'm also trying to lose weight. 5'6" Started at 195lbs fatass 2 months ago or a bit less. 186lbs at the moment. Hoping to be 150 lbs by February, which is where I was in 2010.

I can't wait to ride at that weight and see how different it feels. I was always 190+ and super unhealthy since I started riding a motorcycle.

[choneofakind]

Good for you Gurk!! Go go go!!! You'll love getting to your game weight. You'll have so much more energy.



I think you'll like what it does for the bike too. My lightness makes my ninjette appear to be fast.

[Gurk]

Thanks Chris! I believe / hope it'll help me have better endurance, ability to focus longer, give me more setup options, improve my acceleration and stopping, maybe even help me achieve a better body position.

I feel like although I'm not that fast, my lack of fitness started getting more in the way of my riding than it used to when I was slower.

[choneofakind]

I believe it. Read through csmith12's impressions on track pace when he's in shape.

[Gurk]

totally will

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by Gurk

Thanks Chris! I believe / hope it'll help me have better endurance, ability to focus longer, give me more setup options, improve my acceleration and stopping, maybe even help me achieve a better body position.

I feel like although I'm not that fast, my lack of fitness started getting more in the way of my riding than it used to when I was slower.

help me have better endurance - check
ability to focus longer - check
give me more setup options - check
improve my acceleration and stopping - check
maybe even help me achieve a better body position - check

I have learned to not mistake riding harder for the need of an additional level of fitness. Let the bike do the hard work.

[CC Cowboy]

Originally Posted by csmith12

help me have better endurance - check
ability to focus longer - check
give me more setup options - check
improve my acceleration and stopping - check
maybe even help me achieve a better body position - check

I have learned to not mistake riding harder for the need of an additional level of fitness. Let the bike do the hard work.

Relax more!

[nightrider]

Originally Posted by TheDementedDrummer

Swimming helps a lot.
Got my body fat percent down to like 8% with swimming alone

5'11" 130 lbs by the way

that is downright unhealthy.

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by nightrider

that is downright unhealthy.

Oh contraire, an olympic athlete is around 8% bf.

[choneofakind]

I'm just under 5'10" and 134 at game weight. I'm very much healthy and full of energy. I eat lots of fruit and veggies. I exercise a lot, but I also eat a lot.

I would say I'm skinny, but not unhealthy. Some of us just have a smaller frame to start out with.

[TheDementedDrummer]

Originally Posted by nightrider

that is downright unhealthy.

That was when i was on my school swim team.
i'm now like 136ish, but still mostly muscle.

[Kokosun]

http://www.myfitnesspal.com is a good site to monitor food intake and exercise. It's not the most comprehensive weight-loss/health site out there, but it's pretty good for free. There's an Android app that links too. My wife and I have been using it, and it's kept us on track.

[nightrider]

Originally Posted by csmith12

Oh contraire, an olympic athlete is around 8% bf.

Its not the body fat % that is the problem...Its being 5'11 yet only 130 lbs. That puts him at an unhealthy BMI (Body mass index). I guess its ok in the younger years when you're not fully developed but an adult male would definitely want to put on some mass.
I'm also 5'11 and am the ideal weight for that height weighing in at about 160 lbs, I still feel skinny sometimes....130lbs at 8% bf is more suited to 5'6-5'8 individuals.

[Foxrider64]

Originally Posted by nightrider

Its not the body fat % that is the problem...Its being 5'11 yet only 130 lbs. That puts him at an unhealthy BMI (Body mass index). I guess its ok in the younger years when you're not fully developed but an adult male would definitely want to put on some mass.
I'm also 5'11 and am the ideal weight for that height weighing in at about 160 lbs, I still feel skinny sometimes....130lbs at 8% bf is more suited to 5'6-5'8 individuals.

FYI, most insurance companies will not insure you at 5'11 and less than 125 lbs.

My company provides "wellness" discounts and one of the qualifications is a certain range of %BF. I actually error the machine out every year because it can't read very low numbers.

[csmith12]

Interesting, like I need my insurance company telling me what I should and shouldn't look like. Sigh......

[choneofakind]

Meh, whatever. What are we going to do about it?

Sunday was running/biking intervals. Today was swimming/biking (wanted to do intervals, but they wouldn't let our bikes and trainers into the pool room ) and I'm loving it. I sleep so well at night when I'm tired.

[Kokosun]

Originally Posted by Foxrider64

FYI, most insurance companies will not insure you at 5'11 and less than 125 lbs.

Is that true? Does that mean that they wouldn't insure people that are over ... say ... 200lbs?

I hadn't heard of insurance company's refusing to insure an individual, although I had heard that premiums are higher for those that represent a higher risk. I assume that it's all about the actuarial tables that they work from.

[csmith12]

When he made that post, I learned something new Roger. See the link below for general info.

http://www.bmicalculator.org/how-doe...surance-rates/