My cardio sucks. What do I need to do?

Add swimming and you are there, it's all pain, all gain using those 3 methods.

Lay off the weed. .cutter down to two doobies a week

This is what I do.

Sprint interval cycle training with a road bike that sits in a indoor trainer (Basically a bike that uses a stand to make it a stationary bike).

Hard day (to me):

1. 1 mile warm up, heart rate up to 120.

2. .3 mile out the saddle sprint and the remainder of the mile maintain 165-170 for heart rate.

3. 1 mile cool down heart rate no lower than 130, then repeat #2

10 mile total. Then proceed to strength training with reps in the 20s.

Easy day (to me):

15 mile bike ride @ 120 Heart rate

Then strength training.

The good thing about the indoor cycling is you can not coast and log miles, each mile is earned. Doesn't matter if the weather is crap either. But it is a little boring, so I watch races on TV to help push through.

I see fatties all the time on 1k+ road bikes doing longer rides, doesn't mean shit when you can peddle 3 times and coast 100 yards.

If you get a HR monitor (which you should) do some research on safe goals for your current fitness and age. You ride so you should have a decent base.

I did this all last winter, went to Budds Creek for a practice day and road a pro level track for the full 15min they give you and was stoked! Its fun being prepared. Its not fun riding 2 laps.

I noticed the biggest gains when I started riding mountain bike 3 times a week. I'd only do about 8 to 15 miles when per day that I go out riding but the intensity you have when mountain biking is similar to what you experience when you're pushing it around the track. Road biking is a good alternative but not as good as mountain biking in my opinion.

There was a thread where Eddie C (Asterisk medic dude) chimed in and chastized everyone for suggesting that mountain bike is the best training for MOTO but I think that was geared at those who are training for MOTO only. he made some valid points. I have all of my hobbies to have fun while staying in shape. I'll find the link if anyone is interested.

A long time ago, if you bought a new Husquvarna, in the back of the manual there was a fitness section for moto.

Basically, run a lot.

They broke it down into 3 types tho. One day, long distance. 3 miles at a steady pace. Next day, a half hour of wind sprints.
3rd day I think they called it fast runs, 2 or 3 minutes as fast as you can, 2 or 3 minutes off, repeat for a half hour.

When you can run, at a good clip, and cover 3 miles in under 30 minutes, that's saying something.


Forget the gizmos, run till you feel like you're gonna puke, over and over, till you get to the 3 miles in 30 thing.

You get there, you'll be looking for the pass on the last lap.

As mentioned, skiing is actually really good training for MX.
U can use roller skiis too. Great for arms

If you are serious, do the following:

-Ignore every post in this thread, even the serious ones
-Go to www.racerxvt.com and read EVERYTHING.
-Commence your path to daily suffering, abnormal amounts of food consumption and ultimately better fitness.

Enjoy.

Burpees! Lots and lots of burpees. Do 50-100 a day for time. plus jog a few miles. You'll be good in no time.

I laughed so hard my stomach hurts!!!!

Work on Technique. Riding with better technique uses less energy, lower heart rate. Video is your best friend, and never lies. Cycling is great for elevating heart rate and recovering, repeat. Ride with a purpose, and efficiently. Good Luck!

774 Chaplin Kawasaki
Factory Backing
Acerbis
Dunlop

Almost? We dropped down to like 10F here last week and had two day of sub-freezing temps for highs and I'm still trying to thaw out. You guys up north can keep that shit. Too much for this southern boy.

Lots of good options for off the bike cardio in this thread. . . But on the bike no matter how good your cardio is if you dont breathe it is all for naught. Ask me how i know! I tend to lock up, hold on too tight, forget to breathe, etc.

When i was fighting mma our coach always taught us to exhale, the body will automatically inhale. Exhale over every jump or on the exit of every corner and make it a habit, enjoy your new found "cardio"!!!

This works for me to get a good cardio workout

Some great info on here, I also say the HRM is a good start, so that you can compare the intensity of the training you do with what you are training for.

I just started training with HRM and here's what I saw: when I was doing my jug/runs, my heart rate was around 155-165 depending on the hills, speed, etc. When I wore it during a moto, my heart rate was 177-181 the whole race.

So now I'm looking at doing shorter, more intense cardio. I don't really want to go out and do just a 15 minute run though, because I'm old and need to burn calories. I do a 5 min warmup, 15 minute exertion, 5 minute slow pace, then another 10-15 minute exertion. I figure this is good just in case my classes are run close together.

No metrics are perfect and I'm not a trainer, but I guess my point is that you have to base your training on something. The good thing about using heart rate is that you can apply it to most any training activity (running, elliptical, staitonary bike, rower, swimming) to make sure you are getting the intensity you need.

I scored a Garmin 405 for $50 with strap at a neighborhood yardsale. I also use it on the bike, and it gives me lap times, speeds, everything.

Smoke smoke two joints before you moke two joints LOL

the best way to increase your cardio is to max out your heart rate during every workout, no matter what you do. to find your max heart rate take 220 and subract your age from that... for me mine is 197 because im 23. nutrition is key too, drop the junk food and you will notice an increase in overall energy and endurance.

for workouts i do a lot of high intensity interval workouts, like sprinting and compound lifts like cleans, jerks, snatches, deadlifts, or any other lift that doesnt isolate just one muscle group. while riding we use every muscle in the body pretty much so incorporate that while you workout.

Few questions:

1) How old are you?
2) How much sleep do you get and how much water do you drink?
3) How would you rate your diet?

A friend of mine said years ago "the new doesn't wear off of anything quicker than a piece of exercise equipment" so I would not buy anything to get yourself in shape until you've addressed your sleep, diet and hydration first. After that I would swim as much as possible combined with bicycling and stretching.

The thing I do best is always remembering "less is more" when it comes to be exercising. I have checked my ego at the door a decade or more ago so don't have anything to prove to anyone but myself. If you are hurting while you exercise screw the no pain no gain mantra (unless you are under 25) and stop immediately. Last thing you want to do is get a new injury or aggravate an old injury from being over zealous.

Last thing is to not try to set the world on fire when you are on the track. If you just focus on the basics while cornering and hitting jumps I believe your speed will come to you along with your endurance. Mistake I used to make was going for it too hard in the opening laps and then pumping up.

During my recent REM excursion I didn't get arm pump either 20 minute moto as I was focused on riding the track not my competitors. My laid back approach was aided by a broken rib so I didn't have a lot of mojo to expend anyway but I also wasn't spent at the end of the motos and still had energy to spare.

Never have I seen so much misonformation in a single thread.

dont use alot of resistance on a stationary bike.
stretch before you workout.
carry weights while you walk.
dont drink alot of water.
watch t.v. or read while you workout.
lift weights really fast.
you will burn extra calories walking leisurely through the mall or doing some light cleaning.

More cardio.... Duh!?