Winter Fitness

Jawgap

I know summer is still with us, but I've been thinking ahead to the autumn and winter. I'd like to hang on to if not improve my cycling fitness through the autumn and over the winter.

I've bought some extra kit to make sure I can take full advantage of any cycling opportunities and not be deterred by the cold but I was especially wondering about 2 things:-

1 - Spinning classes - are they useful?

2 - Gyms - any advice on how to use a gym in relation to cycling. I've been a long time member of a gym but in previous years I've used it in relation to strength training for rugby - I assume a different pattern of use and attendance is needed to get the most benefit in relation to cycling.

Any advice, links etc gratefully received.

tunney

Jawgap wrote: »

I know summer is still with us, but I've been thinking ahead to the autumn and winter. I'd like to hang on to if not improve my cycling fitness through the autumn and over the winter.

I've bought some extra kit to make sure I can take full advantage of any cycling opportunities and not be deterred by the cold but I was especially wondering about 2 things:-

1 - Spinning classes - are they useful?

2 - Gyms - any advice on how to use a gym in relation to cycling. I've been a long time member of a gym but in previous years I've used it in relation to strength training for rugby - I assume a different pattern of use and attendance is needed to get the most benefit in relation to cycling.

Any advice, links etc gratefully received.

1) No, they not really useful

2) Can be useful but the tendency now is for on bike strength training. Big gear work on turbos, I've been doing for a few years and I find it as effective as gym work.

smithslist

tunney wrote: »

1) No, they not really useful

2) Can be useful but the tendency now is for on bike strength training. Big gear work on turbos, I've been doing for a few years and I find it as effective as gym work.

1) "No, they not really useful" - Can you emphasis? :^)

2) Weight work are beneficial but you need to be careful and co-ordinate it accordingly with your bike training.

If you are limited to facility (spinning, turbo, weights, club training etc) usage then any faclities you have access too can benefit you.

ROK ON

Let me preface this by saying I honestly know very little about training methods. You have made the leap by purchasing winter gear. Last winter I bought some top class winter gear, so that I would never have an excuse not to go out. I was often wet, but rarely cold.

In saying that I do not believe that the winter weather here ever gets so bad that you cannot train on the bike during the winter.
There was only one weekend last year that I did not get on the bike and that was due to heavy ice on the roads where I live.

It is possible to cycle in mildly icy weather and snow - but we dont get a lot of this.
The one thing I would do is maybe avoid hills where the wind is blowing at your side (ie the plateau around Sally Gap) - as this has a tendency to push you into the ditch/path of oncoming cars depending on which direction that you are travelling.

Now that this thread is open, I would be very interested in seeing what is recommended for winter training for different cycling events - racing/endurance/sportives/TTing etc.

Esroh

Wc have spinning classes run by the Club which are attended by riders from leisureheads to Olympian and National road champions so they must be of some use

petethedrummer

Sure its winter 11 months of the year here. You're winter training right now.

smithslist

Esroh wrote: »

Wc have spinning classes run by the Club which are attended by riders from leisureheads to Olympian and National road champions so they must be of some use

This was going to be part of my argument as we are waiting on Tunney to support his ans stating that they are not useful......tis be interesting to see wat is going to be said???

tunney

Esroh wrote: »

Wc have spinning classes run by the Club which are attended by riders from leisureheads to Olympian and National road champions so they must be of some use

Whatever you want, you say useful, I say useless. opinions. great fun.

tunney

ROK ON wrote: »

Let me preface this by saying I honestly know very little about training methods. You have made the leap by purchasing winter gear. Last winter I bought some top class winter gear, so that I would never have an excuse not to go out. I was often wet, but rarely cold.

In saying that I do not believe that the winter weather here ever gets so bad that you cannot train on the bike during the winter.
There was only one weekend last year that I did not get on the bike and that was due to heavy ice on the roads where I live.

It is possible to cycle in mildly icy weather and snow - but we dont get a lot of this.
The one thing I would do is maybe avoid hills where the wind is blowing at your side (ie the plateau around Sally Gap) - as this has a tendency to push you into the ditch/path of oncoming cars depending on which direction that you are travelling.

Now that this thread is open, I would be very interested in seeing what is recommended for winter training for different cycling events - racing/endurance/sportives/TTing etc.

Sally Gap in the snow (well the road at the back of the firing range on the back way to Sally Gap). Rarely enough snow to keep you off your bike, that being said when we got to the top of Sally Gap that day we had to turn around as the snow was impassable up there.

As for ice, I've been around the lakes and up over sally gap and wicklow gap in -7. As long as it hasn't rain there generally isn't ice.

alfalad

Esroh wrote: »

Wc have spinning classes run by the Club which are attended by riders from leisureheads to Olympian and National road champions so they must be of some use

Naturally they are some some use as you are pushing yourself for 45 min on a bike ish thing. But how often do you only cycle for 45 min? So they would not be the best either!

Esroh

Have to agree with ROK that if you can get out on the road if You want to during the winter.
Having something to aim at is the best incentive.
For W200 you know you can get away with a new year start but with something like TOI chal you have to get out Nov and Dec. Even if you were going on a training week in the sun in April you have to have the base miles in.

As the Coaching manual for all sports now says 'Set some Goals':D

tunney

smithslist wrote: »

This was going to be part of my argument as we are waiting on Tunney to support his ans stating that they are not useful......tis be interesting to see wat is going to be said???

I've done quite a few spinning classes including some targeted at cyclists. I just don't see the specifity of training, nor the aim of the sessions, I found that they lacked focus and seemed to be simply sessions for cyclists who didn't want to do nothing during the winter but didn't want to either get out on the road or hurt on the turbos.

Maybe your spinning classes are the exception, I don't know, but I do know I've yet to find a useful spinning class.

Esroh

alfalad wrote: »

Naturally they are some some use as you are pushing yourself for 45 min on a bike ish thing. But how often do you only cycle for 45 min? So they would not be the best either!

Should explain they on our own bikes on Turbos. Club has 15 and if you want to be sure of a spot you bring your own, then you can do a second session
They are cycling specific set out by a CI coach who believes in making you suffer

tunney

Esroh wrote: »

Should explain they on our own bikes on Turbos. Club has 15 and if you want to be sure of a spot you bring your own, then you can do a second session
They are cycling specific set out by a CI coach who believes in making you suffer

So they are a group turbo rather than a spinning class then? The OP was talking about spinning classes and I think the assumption that these are the traditional gym styled spinning classes is valid.

alfalad

Esroh wrote: »

Should explain they on our own bikes on Turbos. Club has 15 and if you want to be sure of a spot you bring your own, then you can do a second session
They are cycling specific set out by a CI coach who believes in making you suffer

So it's a longer session on turbos as opposed to a 45 session in the gym with Scooter blaring in the background? Wouldn't mind something like that actually!

Esroh

Yes I should have taken it as a Gym Spinning session but not being familar with either the gym or its offerings I just refered to what we call our spinning classes.

Ryaner

Jawgap wrote: »

2 - Gyms - any advice on how to use a gym in relation to cycling. I've been a long time member of a gym but in previous years I've used it in relation to strength training for rugby - I assume a different pattern of use and attendance is needed to get the most benefit in relation to cycling.

Can be useful for core exercises but not so much for anything else if you are just after cycling fitness. Most of the core stuff can be done at home with a mat anyway.
Last thing you want to do is *gain* more weight from gym training.

eggie

You could do worse than hitting the gym over the winter to build strength and increase muscle endurance.

In the winter i combine weights, swimming, punch bag. This year I will also be purchasing a turbo trainer for use at home if I dont feel like venturing out.

For me the secret to keep training is to chop and change from one type of exercise to another so I dont get bored. Doing the same thing week in week out is boring plus it leaves you over training certain muscle groups.

Do a bit of everything I say.

Beasty

I'll try and keep up the commuting over the Winter. I typically managed 2-3 days a week between October and March, and once I get warmed up the weather did not bother me too much (I recall one morning in February when the wind chill registered at -8, and as there was a head-wind it probably felt even colder).

jwshooter

for my thinking hill walking has it all , a brisk walk on the hill will work all areas required .
i play squash 3-5 nites a week and have a small gym at home.

there is also 4 large dogs that have to be walked .

PS .just set up a turbo this eve

Esroh

jwshooter wrote: »

for my thinking hill walking has it all , a brisk walk on the hill will work all areas required .
i play squash 3-5 nites a week and have a small gym at home.

there is also 4 large dogs that have to be walked .

PS .just set up a turbo this eve

+1 on the Hillwalking. We hace a cycling subsection to the HW club(Have done the Commeragh challenge walk but not been able to get down to do the SK cycle)
+1 with the dogs though I only have 2. Have got them that they will now run beside me on the lead when I ride the Mtb(exta dog power is great on hills;)) so that means I get a short spin on the bike aswell. Lucky with the roads around here.
Turbo is set up but will be avoided for a while yet

dooverylittle

I am struggling to see how anyone can claim that spin classes are not useful. Its well accepted that interval training is "Smart" training. maxing your heart rate out 10-15 times in 45 minutes has to be beneficial.

jwshooter

dooverylittle wrote: »

I am struggling to see how anyone can claim that spin classes are not useful. Its well accepted that interval training is "Smart" training. maxing your heart rate out 10-15 times in 45 minutes has to be beneficial.

whats a spin class ?.

Beasty

jwshooter wrote: »

whats a spin class ?.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-5yQJ0nPN8

macadam

jwshooter wrote: »

whats a spin class ?.

Must be somthing to do with those clay yokes for shooting they always seem to be spinning, and i can never hit them.

Lumen

Beasty wrote: »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-5yQJ0nPN8

Ah, 170rpm. This would be excellent training for downhill fixie racing.

irishmotorist

With the exception of the week of snow earlier this year, I continued commuting as normal. Most days are safe in the city unless there are unusually extreme conditions. IMO, Tunny's photo doesn't show conditions that are particularly safe/normal for mortals so I'd except that. Personally, I avoided Wicklow (Feather beds/sally gap etc.) for about Nov to Feb or so. Low lying land around the city (albeit impeded by traffic lights) is as safe as it is at any other time of year with occasional exceptions and will give you as many hours in the saddle as you want.

Get some tights, get a good jacket, get some gloves and get out! I got some heavy duty overshoes and that took away the last remaining discomfort of frozen toes.

jwshooter

macadam wrote: »

Must be somthing to do with those clay yokes for shooting they always seem to be spinning, and i can never hit them.

iv no problem hitting them mac.

macadam

The winter training will start soon as there seems to be a sudden drop in the temp.
A good day out at phesants will keep any of ye fit , start at 7.30am and finish around 3pm in some of the heaviest ground you will find.

Better than clays and spinning any day.

Chips Lovell

You saying shootin´critters will help me win races in the Spring?

jwshooter

el tonto wrote: »

You saying shootin´critters will help me win races in the Spring?

no. the hill walking will .

PS .sean kelly enjoys his hill walking and deer stalking.

Chips Lovell

The deer should take out a restraining order.

ROK ON

el tonto wrote: »

You saying shootin´critters will help me win races in the Spring?

Not necessarily. But if you had to kill everything that you ate, maybe that would help.

Not that I can talk about either eating or racing:).

macadam

el tonto wrote: »

You saying shootin´critters will help me win races in the Spring?

Try walking through a ploughed field with about 2kgs of muck stuck to the boots , it will keep you fit.

Its just the way I spend two days a week from 1st nov to 31st jan, sometimes dont bother shootin "critters", especially when the freezer is full.

Jawgap

petethedrummer wrote: »

Sure its winter 11 months of the year here. You're winter training right now.

I thought it was 6 months of bad weather and 6 months of winter!!

Ryaner wrote: »

Can be useful for core exercises but not so much for anything else if you are just after cycling fitness. Most of the core stuff can be done at home with a mat anyway.
Last thing you want to do is *gain* more weight from gym training.

My main limitation is the light. I quite enjoy cycling in the cold and finishing up with a warm rosy glow, but at the moment I've managed to extend my commute to it's maximum - but the main problem is that about two-thirds of the commute is on some pretty busy unlit former "N" roads. I want to keep the longer commute going for as long as possible so I've invested in a set of decent lights, but I reckon doing the whole commute in the dark (to be in work by 8am) is going to be problematic. Hence, the need to try and supplement a reduced commute with something else to hang on to the fitness.

Weekends will still be fine!!!!

Quigs Snr

The best training for the winter remains your trusty old roadbike. We usually take about 6 weeks off around Sept/Oct and go mountainbiking instead but after that its back to the road. Good lights, lots of them and warm clothes for night rides. On the days when it is genuinely too bad e.g. foggy at night or intense weather which would comprimise visibility for motorists then its onto the turbo. The key to the turbo is get on it with a plan. Know what you are doing, when and for how long. Otherwise you will throw shapes for a few minutes and end up lollipoping along for a while before wondering what the scores are in the champions league and convincing yourself thats enough training for one night and sure isn't it ages to the start of the season anyway.

alfalad

Quigs Snr wrote: »

Otherwise you will throw shapes for a few minutes and end up lollipoping along for a while before wondering what the scores are in the champions league and convincing yourself thats enough training for one night and sure isn't it ages to the start of the season anyway.

Thats why you should do it infront of the champions league! Plus if you start when they start the commentary and finish when they are finished showing the highlights of the other games thats a good 3 hours!