Cycling Fitness / Training Advice

PS Also good is http://www.cptips.com

trying to get fit myself and rode up Highgate Hill (east side) on the w/e. Legs a little sore three days after but I was wondering if anyone can recommend other big/steep hills in London.

Highgate hill. A great hill that, ride it everyday after work.
You could try Highgate West Hill which is steeper and longer and has road bumps to disrupt your rhythm. Or you could try Swains Lane which is steeper again, although a bit shorter.

Other nice hills are going up to Ally Pally, Crouch Hill. Hampstead Hill, all the way up from Chalk Farm to the Ponds at the top, that is a very long drag. East Heath Street is also pretty servere In fact, that whole area has a load of great hills. There is a really nice route that takes in most of them. I will have a look for a link and put it up if I find one

Here you go [ame]http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Tour-de-North-London[/ame

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I try and do this ride at the weekends if there is nothing else on. Be warned though, it is bloody hard work, especially on a fixed.

Top left corner, click on 'Show' and 'View Elevation Profile' to get an idea of how bad it is. On days like today it would be a real killer

I like the hill from Chalk Farm station up to Hampstead station, and if you continue going straight when Hampstead station goes by on your left, there is a final much steeper bit to get up...hill repeats on that would be some good training, generally speaking

If you are gonna do some weights in the gym, I would thoroughly recommend reading 'Arnold: Education of a Bodybuilder' - a great book by any measure....

Start now... measure progress at the start of British Summer Time next year.

Here you go http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Tour-de-North-London

I try and do this ride at the weekends if there is nothing else on. Be warned though, it is bloody hard work, especially on a fixed.

Top left corner, click on 'Show' and 'View Elevation Profile' to get an idea of how bad it is. On days like today it would be a real killer

cheers mike will give it a go on the w/e... if i'm feeling up to it!

Howdy DFP! A possible answer? We are all born with two types of muscle fibers Fast Twitch and Slow Twitch. Whichever muscle fiber you tend to have the most of will determine whether you are a natural born sprinter or better at endurance. This might explain why you have always had trouble with being fast even though you are fit and active? Training can definitely increase your fitness level and ability but it dosen't necessarily mean it will change the kind of muscle fibers you have most of to the ones you want? Dont give up though, It might sound like I'm talking out of my butt but I think it's interesting info at least?

want to say thankyou everyone for contributing some helpful/thoughtful info.

I was expecting a bunch of HTFU's, or some random pun game to occur,

when I saw the 'hardcor skipping' vid, I thought you may well be taking the piss.

But alas no, your a lovely bunch. I kiss you!

best thing I did was to sell my car. If I want to get to work I now have to cycle the 7 very hilly miles through Sussex to the station in the morning, and again in the evening, whether I feel like it or not. Only been doing it a month or so but already the difference is notable.

I'm out to get myself a heart-rate monitor later today so that once I've progressed from 'knackered-just-getting-there' I can start looking to attack my fitness more seriously and manage what it is I"m doing...

all of the above (well maybe, i didnt read it all) plus, dont forget what you put in your body has a massive influence in performance. granted, some people can ride quick/long/hard for ages on a shity diet but they'd be better off long term on a non shitty diet. the bestt thing anyone can do for their body in terms of food is lower the amount of fat. it fucks with everything else and creates health problems that can be so subtle you never realise you are constantly tired, feeling rubbish, seeing stars or whatever. up the fruit yo.

My body complained very loudly at one point in time when I wasn't eating enough (healthy) fats.

A splash of raw olive oil here and there seemed to do the trick :)

I always try to get the table furthest away from the bar - more exercise guaranteed with each pint...

why is he stacked up top but still got weedy legs?

classic gym boy error... bench press a car but cant calf raise their own body weight.
its funny to see in the gym big neck guys going hard on the upper body doing bicep curls all day, sitting there with their small legs out the bottom of their baggy shorts. totally out of proportion. stupid.

great tune on that clip though, classic redman from his first l.p whut....theee album.

@BMMF, yea there are what people call good and bad fats and you do need fat in the diet but really not much at all. so yea the fat you do have should be "good" or "healthy" fat. but still not loads.
so reduce overall fat, then reduce bad fat and presto.

I'm 5kg heavier than my race weight 3 years ago. Really starting to stretch my girdle.

Even hippy's getting a decent draft off me these days.

I always try to get the table furthest away from the bar - more exercise guaranteed with each pint...

Highfive! Rep

Even hippy's getting a decent draft off me these days.

That's just from all the vegies you eat.. phew-eeeee!

The Ross skipping video is SO ultimate fighter

Look how Floyd does it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2B2Vrg1Y25c

i switched to low tar cigarettes

actually, i did a 5k swim in april and the training for that really sorted me out. when i started out although i still had a pretty good stroke i was pretty unfit and only able to do 20-30 (30m) lengths of freestyle stopping every 10. i worked hard on my stroke and breathing and gradually worked up to 50 and eventually 100+ lengths in an hour session. after a few months of training like that three times a week i was up to the 168 lengths of the 5k in under 90 minutes (1hr 19.05). Over the whole period i lost opver a stone, toned my chest back and arms right up and felt better than i had in years.

of course now i've f*kced it all up my not getting back in the pool since april. i am riding a lot more though (20-30 miles a day as an average) so although i've lost a lot of muscle definition in my upper body and arms i haven't put on any weight. if anything i'm slimmer now than i was when i did the swim. i think i've sweat most of the weight off though my hat.

really should get my arse back in the pool tho. hard to find the motivation without a goal though...

anyone know of any distance events coming up? pref indoors.

Even hippy's getting a decent draft off me these days.

That's just because of your fat ass.

???

It's just big boned.

Mayweather hasn't got shit on Ross...

Here's some good circuit stuff to check out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwwnpo3VQZU&feature=related

???

Yep don't think I have not seen you hanging around all over the place with that big randy ass of yours.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRx6SfVWFFc