mags Posted June 3, 2014 Report Share Posted June 3, 2014 G'day all, One thing that has become apparent since doing some miles off-road (since last January) is my fitness, or more correctly the lack of it! I cruise many hours on my road bike but the trials bike has shown up some need for attention to fitness. This "trials caper" later in life needs some resolve to gain some fitness but not injure myself in the process! Hehehehehe I'm reasonably strong for age and weigh 87 kg at 178cms, but the aerobic fitness is lacking as shown by my arms and legs giving out before my concentration getting around the next obstacle. I have some past injuries from motocross when young.... like a collapsed disc in neck and bad vertebrae in lower back so need to be careful. I have pretty well sorted out you need some arm strength and leg strength improvements? So far I have started push-ups for arms and a bit of chest... they give minimal chance of injury. For legs and lower back I'm starting squats with a broom stick (no weights) to give a result and no injury (hopefully). I ride my pushbike when I can and do a minimum of 5 k's but like to do 10k's at least... although I have started stopping and trying to balance! Ahahahahahahahaha I practice static on the Monte every second day to keep ahead of my wife... she does 5 minutes static now both directions with 5.5 and 3.5 psi! I might put 28 psi in her tyres and not tell her!!! MMmmwwaaaaaahhhhaaaaa! I'm mid-fifties and have to be a bit careful about injury.... What are you guys (young and old) doing for exercise specifically suited to trials???? Any tips appreciated!!! Mags Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldyam Posted June 3, 2014 Report Share Posted June 3, 2014 Just ride your bike as much as possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mags Posted June 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2014 Thanks oldyam!!! Can you tell my wife that! Hehehehehe I try to ride as much as I can but its a bugger when you live in a city and the cops are hot on unregistered bikes anywhere... you actually get summonsed to court if caught anywhere except private land! Some judge will then stuff around with ya car/bike licence, as in... lose it if not careful! I do 3-4 sessions a week around the yard doing fig 8's and small front wheel ups by throttle... does fiddling with bike in shed count? Hehehe Mags Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neils on wheels Posted June 3, 2014 Report Share Posted June 3, 2014 Hello Mags, A couple of hours on a pushbike a couple of times a week will do wonders for your aerobic fitness. If you can ride a mountain bike off road as opposed to a road bike this will give your upper body and core more of a work out too. To ride at club level I'd not say you need that much strength and to avoid injury, particularly with an old back injury, you'll be better off exercising for flexibility than strength. Yoga or any similar exercise such as Pilates will do you the world of good. I'd also recommend core exercises for balance and again injury prevention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shyted Posted June 3, 2014 Report Share Posted June 3, 2014 (edited) If fiddling counts i must be the fitest bustard out there as i'm never out the workshop ! Where i work i'm up and down stairs to the dive deck and the top of the pointed bit of the rig and then at home , i ride , and then i go out on the Mont ! Edited June 3, 2014 by shyted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dadof2 Posted June 3, 2014 Report Share Posted June 3, 2014 Cycle and swim Avoid squats, they can damage your knees Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mags Posted June 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2014 I like the mountain bike idea! A mate has been pestering me to come ride the trails with him but geez... he's always falling off and he sees many injuries. Can go at my own pace though! So more flex... I can see that! I'm reasonably strong, so yeah, more flex, cool! I do the squats assisted now (hold rope tied to beam above head) as free squats was hurting knees slightly and lower back a little. Daughter had some knee trouble from sport and a Physio fixed her knees to the best she has ever been... I'm starting to do her knee exercises to strengthen the muscles around them. Thanks for tips! Mags Hello Mags,A couple of hours on a pushbike a couple of times a week will do wonders for your aerobic fitness. If you can ride a mountain bike off road as opposed to a road bike this will give your upper body and core more of a work out too. To ride at club level I'd not say you need that much strength and to avoid injury, particularly with an old back injury, you'll be better off exercising for flexibility than strength. Yoga or any similar exercise such as Pilates will do you the world of good. I'd also recommend core exercises for balance and again injury prevention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mags Posted June 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2014 I must walk out to shed 50 times a day ... does that count? hehehehehe I used to work for an oil company, climbing the stairs on 6 million litre tanks was great for fitness! Mags If fiddling counts i must be the fitest bustard out there as i'm never out the workshop ! Where i work i'm up and down stairs to the dive deck and the top of the pointed bit of the rig and then at home , i ride , and then i go out on the Mont ! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mags Posted June 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2014 I swim in summer here in Australia but winter too cool. There quite a few heated pools nearby and the yummy mummies are easy on the eye! I'd scare them in my budgie smugglers... better wear some proper swim shorts! Hehehehehe Mags Cycle and swim Avoid squats, they can damage your knees Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shyted Posted June 4, 2014 Report Share Posted June 4, 2014 The object of my training is not to get hurt.That's the reason i came from racing as i already have a pin in my right shoulder and an old green stick fracture of my left coller bone , right wrist snapped and skin that looks like a patch work quilt . So i have to work around my injuries . At our age we don't want damaged limbs esspecially the knees and lower back . Nothing that involves impact for me so cycling is good , as is walking and playing with the kid's. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fro75 Posted July 24, 2014 Report Share Posted July 24, 2014 Hi Mags, I live in Tamworth NSW and am 39 yrs. I have had LARS ligaments in knees, disc L5 issues but have found CrossFit is excellent. Find a local gym and do the beginners program. All of the workouts are scalable to ability/strenght. Many of the movements are very benifitial to Trials. Light squats, Box Jumps, Ring Rows and Dips all strenghten muscles that will make your time on the bike easier and more enjoyable. I have been training with Crossfit 2340 for about 18 months and have found my bike fitness to be so much better. During the winter months i work until dark so actual riding is limited to the weekends unless i can rack a day off somehow. I like to practise balance and front and rear wheel hops without the engine running. Training for fitness will also reduce your body weight making the bikes job easier, ride for longer and also help you enjoy trials into your later years. And ride. Join a club and ride trials. Have fun, Jeff. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mags Posted July 24, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2014 Thanks Jeff! I'm not at the stage of lifting front or rear yet! Trying but its pretty hard on the back and neck so my technique is probably out. The experienced riders seem to flick it round like a feather or at least it looks that way and still amazes me! Even the young girls in trials seem to flick it round... I may need some professional trials lessons in the near future. I'm heading to the physio with back x -rays in hand to tailor a exercise regime for back and knees. Will go that way first and then might be able to try a cross fit style later. I can ride for about 30-40 mins and before collapsed disc in neck causes loss of concentration with aching. 5 minute rest with head not so tilted back and I can go again. Still not too fussed on clubs.... one even said we like to see you come for 6 months to see if you like us and we like you... then you may be offered a membership. You must also provide a 5 day notice to go to a trials meet. With our business we can really only know the day before or sometimes on the day. I assumed you could enter on the day but apparently not. So we just ride "social trials" at this stage.... and social trials is just me and my wife riding around the scrub together. Mags Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crashmonkey Posted July 25, 2014 Report Share Posted July 25, 2014 Eat pies before you get on ya bike, exercise for the arm and mouth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mags Posted July 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2014 I ride a trials motorcycle... I'll have an espresso for "section" caffeine thanks! Not a tall, non-fat, decaf, no creme, extra hot, 3 raw sugars, 2 shots of soy with a squirt of caramel... Mags Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sherconoob Posted August 10, 2014 Report Share Posted August 10, 2014 been lucky to ride three times a week for a while now and finally not aching all over for two days after every ride, so definitely agree if you are in a position to ride more it's way more fun than exercise. i don't know how useful it is, but whenever i'm standing still in a queue, doing the dishes etc i crouch slightly and balance on the ball of one foot, and alternate from foot to foot as one gets tired. i'm hoping it exercises the legs a bit but also develops a better sense of balance. someone else recommended also doing this eyes -shut. definitely gets WAY harder to balance so started doing that as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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