Hey everyone, I've been struggling to maintain consistent training lately due to an increasingly demanding work schedule. I used to ride 5-6 times per week but can now barely squeeze in 2-3 quality sessions.
How do you all balance training with other life commitments? Do you prioritize certain types of rides when time is limited (like HIIT sessions vs long endurance miles)? Also curious if anyone has tips for staying motivated when you're mentally drained from work but know you need to get on the bike.
I've tried early morning rides but find my performance suffers without proper sleep. Maybe shorter but more intense sessions are the answer? Would love to hear what's worked for others in similar situations.
X-Training, Periodization, Tri-Athletic Training, Indoor Bike HITT. I'm a swim, gym, bike, run, trainer and I can get a 1500m swim in 30-45 minutes. Go to the gym for a big leg workout in half hour. Set up a week a month or a month every 6 months for Periodization. Make your own Challenge Cross-training, or supplementing your main sport with other forms of exercise, is a key strategy for cyclists. It helps improve performance, prevent injuries, and keep you motivated. Since cycling is a repetitive, front-to-back motion, adding different types of exercises is crucial for building a more resilient body and avoiding overuse injuries.
Any challenge to introduce cyclists to a variety of new physical activities, including strength training, different cardio workouts, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), and mobility exercises. By incorporating these varied movements, the plan is to move in multiple planes of motion, such as rotational and side-to-side movements, which are often neglected in cycling.
A good cross-training plan focuses on fundamental movement patterns like squats, hinges, lunges, pushes, and pulls. It also includes exercises specifically for core stability, which is essential for maintaining proper posture on the bike. By following a semi-structured plan like this, cyclists can develop overall body strength, improve their resilience, and become stronger and more efficient riders. By diversifying your routine, you can also break through plateaus and stay excited about a fitness journey.
Two Wheels
Stay Safe
Robert
"SPINMAN"
Even though you are working there are often many things you can do to assist in training and general conditioning. If training for amateur events just focus on being involved in a broad range of activity (including sex!). If you are training to aspire to a pro then doing some activities can hamper your improvement and take away from those activities more directly related to improvement in a given sport/activity. Cross training is great for overall health, but is not always beneficial for a specific sport unless those activities directly compliment your trying to improve yourself in that sport.
If you sit at a desk I would first get a workstation set-up so you can stand while working. Just doing that is significantly better than just sitting tapping away on a keyboard. Any break time should be used for activity. At lunch, take something you can at least walk with if you need to eat. Got a building with stairs? Not sure why anyone in good shape uses elevators (often to only go up/down 1 floor!). Climb stairs 2 to 3 at a time, descend 1 to 2 stairs at a time. Do it slowly so that muscles are undergoing controlled stress (plus flying down stairs is dangerous and not great for knees). In all activity use the power of thought. You gain more when consciously acknowledging that your activity is helping you physically, as opposed to just looking at it as drudgery (this has been proven in many studies; participants only changing their thought process and attitude towards their routine physical activity had improved vital statistics, better mindset, and some reducing or completely eliminating prescribed medications. No, not a cure-all, just a better way to get more out of your daily activity; be workplace, home, and/or recreation.
I am sure all these "special" training programs serve some purpose; but why worry about doing something created by someone else; presumably tailored to their own needs, body type, medical condition, and/or personal goals (not yours!); and of course to make money (often the prime motivation!).
Use your time wisely; if you watch TV then do something instead of just sitting. I lay down and do various leg and core exercises while getting entertained at the same time. Never used any "training prpgram found anywhere (online, crackerjack box, etc.) except in my own brain; and I give you credit that you are intelligent enough to think on your own 2 feet. If wrong then I'm not sure how I cycled over 1000 miles on a low-pro in the midday Florida at average speeds over 17.5 mph while in my 60s and not requiring anything while riding (max ride was a metric century/62 mi) other than bike, body, 1 banana (only long rides), and 1 to 2 pints of water (cost $1 for liquid and nutrient; how muchbdoesvyour powergatorMOSTLY WATER ade amd gel packs, bars, biscuits, etc. cost?). We have become suckers for buying ridiculous "energy stuff" (do people no longer eat properly!?). If you are doing your activities at Olympic level traning then I can see using certain techniques, treatments, "energy gunk", etc. for quicker recovery; but us amateurs just need to stay active, have a good attitude, and eat properly. Note: I cycle at anytime of day so weather really not an issue. Need more training and sleep? Then get off the phone, computer, TV, etc. and you'll find you can have plenty of time for proper sleep and adeqiate activity.
Note: regarding "recovery" of amateur athletes; most often due to not being prepared in advance (proper diet/hydration, activity level, and sleep) of the activity. I feel just fine after a long ride rewuoring nothing more than my normal diet and sleep; and I just extend my rides and activities without any though to having to do some sort of structured recovery. Learn your body; only you know what you need so disregard everything I said.
All advice given is fine; but we are all different. Find your own true path and overall you will benefit more than forcing yourself into the subservience of another's money making venture. That will be $20; thank you.
Simple: work less, ride more!
LOL, sorry. that's not the answer you want, but I'm very close to full retirement and now struggle to do even 20 hours of work in a week. Basically, if the weather's good, I ride. If not, I work.
In the longer term, I reckon it's worth engineering a life that allows you to enjoy a better work-life balance.
One of the staff members at a castle near me (I live in England) cycles to work from 2 towns away, roughly 20 miles and 1500 feet of elevation gain, often with strong winds (it's along the sea), each way. So, he's both working full time and getting in plenty of riding.
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