CRF's Only Forums

Hi All,
I am a PT & exercise physiologist in NY. I am a new CRF owner, a long time rider & intermediate racer in both MX & off-road.
Since I have come to join this online community recently, I have enjoyed the info exchange here and was hoping to strike up a new dialogue about fitness,training, and rehab since I noticed all of the posts seem dated.
If anyone has any training ideas, questions, theories going for 2013, let's hear 'em!!!!!

welcome to the group and congrats on your new CRF. personally i would enjoy seeing fitness and training exchange. i'll start.

for me, cycling is a big part of my fitness program. it allows me to strengthen and increase my CV endurance, strengthen my legs and puts me on two wheels which helps maintain/improve two wheel balance. plus it gets you outside which is mentally healthy. plus i'm not out there causign additional stress to my aging joints.

i also mix in gym time on the weights and machines. i'm not there to bulk up but to stengthen and increase flexibility. flexibility is one of my weakest areas of fitness and when you crash it suddenly becomes one of the most important areas. so, this is an area where i would be interested in hearing from those who are successful in a stretching and/or flexibility program.

ken

I'm trying to exercise more this year. Mountain biking after work a couple times a week. Running here and there. But need more of a schedule.

I'm mostly doing this so I can continue eating whatever I want.

crfsonly wrote:welcome to the group and congrats on your new CRF. personally i would enjoy seeing fitness and training exchange. i'll start.

for me, cycling is a big part of my fitness program. it allows me to strengthen and increase my CV endurance, strengthen my legs and puts me on two wheels which helps maintain/improve two wheel balance. plus it gets you outside which is mentally healthy. plus i'm not out there causign additional stress to my aging joints.

i also mix in gym time on the weights and machines. i'm not there to bulk up but to
stengthen and increase flexibility. flexibility is one of my weakest areas of fitness and when you crash it suddenly becomes one of the most important areas. so, this is an area where i would be interested in hearing from those who are successful in a stretching and/or flexibility program.

ken

KEN,
I like your approach. As an ex pro cyclist & XC skier, I believe cardio is huge, and also it is key to keep your upper body strength as well as joint integrity to help perform on the MX bike and stave off injury

lightflight wrote:I'm trying to exercise more this year. Mountain biking after work a couple times a week. Running here and there. But need more of a schedule.

I'm mostly doing this so I can continue eating whatever I want.

I agree that scheduling is tough, and part of the beauty of training is not having to stress all the time about your calories.
It's nice to be 35 or 40 years old and still be able to see a six pack when you look in the mirror

I have a six pack under my keg.

Torrmentor wrote:

crfsonly wrote:welcome to the group and congrats on your new CRF. personally i would enjoy seeing fitness and training exchange. i'll start.

for me, cycling is a big part of my fitness program. it allows me to strengthen and increase my CV endurance, strengthen my legs and puts me on two wheels which helps maintain/improve two wheel balance. plus it gets you outside which is mentally healthy. plus i'm not out there causign additional stress to my aging joints.

i also mix in gym time on the weights and machines. i'm not there to bulk up but to
stengthen and increase flexibility. flexibility is one of my weakest areas of fitness and when you crash it suddenly becomes one of the most important areas. so, this is an area where i would be interested in hearing from those who are successful in a stretching and/or flexibility program.

ken

KEN,
I like your approach. As an ex pro cyclist & XC skier, I believe cardio is huge, and also it is key to keep your upper body strength as well as joint integrity to help perform on the MX bike and stave off injury

well as an older rider joint "management" is key. i'd love to be able to run every day but that's not realistic for my knees. when i do run i run intervals. run for 7 minutes and walk for 1 minute. you'd be surprised to find this actually increases my mile time and allows my joints to recover during the run.

I agree with you ken at 35 my joints cant handel running every day. I can get about 3 miles every other day and manage it ok. I tried biking but it just dont seem to give me the cardio workout I need and get from running.
I have been lifting weights the past couple months and some shoulder pain has came along with it also so I guess I will slow down on it also. I am doing around 4 sets with reps of 14 to 17. The shoulder pain kinda makes me nervous because about 3 years ago i was into body building low reps heavy weight and ended up with a torn bicept tendon and rotator cuf and this irritation and pain I am having now kinda feels the same as that one did.
So if you are old like us take it easy and do what you can and over doing it isnt the best idea!

edge22 wrote:I agree with you ken at 35 my joints cant handel running every day.

wait until you are 53 like me. it only gets "better".

I can get about 3 miles every other day and manage it ok.

every other day is good. gives your joints time to restore/heal. try the interval method i mentioned above. run 7 min and walk 1 min and repeat for your three miles.

I tried biking but it just dont seem to give me the cardio workout I need and get from running.

running is very economical in both time needed and intensity. however, if you can find a loop to cycle that is about 3 miles long with 1.5 miles or so being slightly uphill and the down side slightly downhill you can do interval training on that loop and it will kick your butt IF, IF you drive yourself hard up hill and then drive yourself down hill at a recovery pace. if you aren't getting the cardio it's because you have the wrong loop or you are not pushing yourself. if you aren't convinced take a spinning class and you'll see what is possible.

I have been lifting weights the past couple months and some shoulder pain has came along with it also so I guess I will slow down on it also. I am doing around 4 sets with reps of 14 to 17. The shoulder pain kinda makes me nervous because about 3 years ago i was into body building low reps heavy weight and ended up with a torn bicept tendon and rotator cuf and this irritation and pain I am having now kinda feels the same as that one did.

once you have shoulder/rotator issues it's nearly impossible to lift the same weight and intensity you used to. at least that's my experience. what works for me is to warm up and strenghten the muscles that are responsible for controlling the joint. i do this with very light weight on a cable machine so i can move naturally without adding any binding pressure to the shoulder. elbow close to the body, straight down the body and held as to pivot from this position. arm squared off rotating in towards the body. both arms and then switch to the same position but rotate out from the body. again, very light weight, high reps (20), arm held down at my side rotating arm at shoulder. this helps warm up my shoulder and strengthen the flexor muscles. the shoulder lifting i do is lighter weight and again on cable machines with the long arms that pivot up and down and left and right. this allows me to find a position that does not create any pain or discomfort during the lifting motion.

lastly, pain is my enemy when it comes to exercising. if something is screaming stop, you have to stop. the old saying, "no pain, no gain" well that's not really true when it comes to certain types of pain. have to know your body and listen to it or it will take you out of the game altogether.

ken

edge22 wrote:I agree with you ken at 35 my joints cant handel running every day. I can get about 3 miles every other day and manage it ok. I tried biking but it just dont seem to give me the cardio workout I need and get from running.
I have been lifting weights the past couple months and some shoulder pain has came along with it also so I guess I will slow down on it also. I am doing around 4 sets with reps of 14 to 17. The shoulder pain kinda makes me nervous because about 3 years ago i was into body building low reps heavy weight and ended up with a torn bicept tendon and rotator cuf and this irritation and pain I am having now kinda feels the same as that one did.
So if you are old like us take it easy and do what you can and over doing it isnt the best idea!

Do you feel confident that the shoulder was properly rehabilitated? If so, sweet. If it is suspect, you can back up and do some post-rehab style training to promote range of motion and strength.
With that type of injury, it is very common to have adhesions & scare tissue limiting the motion afterwards depending upon how it was handled initially.
I know what you are saying about cycling, and it is hard to beat running since YOU are moving your body/mass over distance. There's no costing effect, no medium that is helping to move you forward i.e. skis, bike, etc.
Kens recommendation is solid: basically look for a route that affords you little recovery time, and pedal on the downhill as well.
This is one reason an indoor trainer or spin bike is good: no coasting, you control the resistance at all times.

Its the other shoulder the one I had fixed feels great.
But this week I am going to try lighter weight and see if it still bothers me.