Training
Tips and thoughts and how hard it is to pickup a new sport in your 40’s
Jelly legs, back in training.
Christmas and the New Year are now behind us and after two weeks off I was back in training with the secret trainer, when I get there I saw all manner of contraptions that were not there when I last trained and it had me a little worried right from the start. With a grin and a slight chuckle my secret trainer tells me you are going to hate me, not so much today, not so much tomorrow, but come Thursday, you will be in agony, I am interested to know what exactly this agony is going to feel like, because I don’t mind telling you I am feeling it now. Due to the fact that I have a dodgy right knee, it is fair to say that over the last few years I have done very little with it, as it becomes inflamed and painful after very little exercise,
Drawing the line in the sand
Yesterday saw me doing another training session with the secret trainer, this time it was sprint training, I borrowed my garmin from my road bike and strapped on my heart rate monitor so that I would be able to see some of the stats from the session. Let me start by saying that this is the first sprint training session I have done since starting retro BMX racing a couple of years ago and it is fair to say that my legs are feeling it today, but the pain is temporary and I know that within a few weeks of keeping up the training my body will adapt and my recovery will be quicker and this lactic acid build up in my legs will dissipate a lot quicker. For those that are interested in stats, here are a few to ponder, from a 1 hour training session there was 47
Secret training with the secret trainer
Recently I was sent a message asking if I would like to participate in some training sessions, on the proviso that for now I was to keep it quiet and not mention any names. The aim of the training sessions is 2 fold, to increase my over all fitness and mobility, but it was also to allow the trainer to test if the training plan can make a middle-aged, over weight man who is relatively new to the sport of BMX, improve enough to become competitive and in amongst the pack within a relatively short time frame. I was very appreciative of the offer and accepted the training offer, yesterday started day 1 of my secret training with the secret trainer, I really did want to write this yesterday, but I was in all sorts of pain and could not muster up enough energy to focus my thoughts and get
BMX training for an old guy
I don’t know why, but after last weeks James Tait led torture session, I decided to go back to Knox tonight for another crack at it and try to get this old guys body BMX fit for the 2017 season ahead. Whilst last weeks session was very physical in regards to endurance, this weeks session was more skills based and getting my body moving the right way whilst riding. Sounds pretty easy, but my goodness I am feeling muscles that I didn’t know I had, I am sitting here with my legs screaming at me, “what the hell have you done to us” what torture did the evil one devise this week you may ask, pump drills. We start off from the start gate, pedal to the first jump and pump the rest of the track, which probably wouldn’t be so bad if I would actually commit to the Knox
Brutal punishment by the evil one, James Tait
In a flash of inspiration earlier this afternoon, I decided to head down to Knox BMX track and do a training session under the tutelage of AA Pro rider and coach James Tait, oh how I wish I stayed home or maybe I should have taken up lawn bowls. The session started off well, with the request from James to do a couple of warmup laps, after 2 laps I was gassed, I knew I was in trouble and it was going to be a long hour, the training session starts and we are divided into two teams, two relay teams that is, which involved relays of running, side ways running, kicking in yourself in the butt with your heels running and high knees running. Immediately I felt bad for my team as I was quite obviously going to be the weakest link and I apologise to tall the 8
Nutrition and Training go hand in hand
It is fair to say that a big part of BMX training is getting the nutrition right, it is also fair to say that over the last few years, that I have not been spot on with my nutrition. To be perfectly honest the photo that was taken of me after the BMX Victoria state titles is a little embarrassing, I have really packed on some weight over the last few years, not that it is an excuse but I have had thyroid problems over the last couple of years, my thyroid has now been destroyed with radiation treatment and I am now on medication for the rest of my life, getting the medication doses right has taken a long time. The thyroid gland for those that don’t know, produces hormones which regulate the body’s metabolic rate as well as heart and digestive function, muscle control, brain development and bone