Help Needed: Book Recommendation on Endurance Training?

[geargrrl]

I've heard some loony stuff out of the personal trainers at 24 hour fitness years ago. They wanted me on a sub 1000 calorie diet, and to buy their brand of diet cookies (?) I was like no thanks.

You mean, the "took an 8 hour class and now I'm certified people? Yah, scary stuff. My "favorite" was that one should have the IT band surgically released if you had a hard time stretching it.I have a 24-type membership but honestly I haven't been in years. I maintain the $22/mo because that's a good rate to be grandfathered in at. I MUCH prefer the trainers who run my functional fitness class: they are all fully degreed, multi-nationally certified, specialties and all that. Why just today a guy from the UW football team joined our class as he's recovering from surgery.

That's a good idea. This is definitely harder with age. Rollerblading is my primary non-ski exercise, and I have a week-long ache each time I go. In my youth, that kind of ache meant that I had overdone things, but now it just seems to mean that I've done my exercise. If I rest enough for the ache to go away, my endurance actually drops, so I've been ignoring the ache and keeping up my routine. Same with asthma. Same with piano playing.

After about 30 minutes of rollerblading, I totally poop out, and I haven't been able to increase this at all. What I did notice is that I'm skating faster and faster in that same time frame, so I am building something, even though it's hard to feel that way. The real test came one day when I skied until I could barely walk, and I was sure I was going to be in bed all week; amazingly, I was achy but mostly fine the next day, which means I had become tougher without knowing it.

a week-long ache each time I go
?? This could mean you've got some other issues to address, as in muscle imbalances or technique issues. I used to have knee pain for weeks after hiking. 6 months of functional fitness training that focused on stabily and balance among many other things, and it's a non-issue. I'm 56, and I think it's really important to address these things and not to blow them off as issues of aging. For me, diet has become incredibly important. How I eat before, during and after a workout totally affects my performance and recovery. Electrolytes, protiens, carbs.... all that matters more as you age. IMO but it sure is working for me.

For you mountain bikers, here's me and my buddy, she's 58, doing lifts at Whitefish this weekend. That's me in the polka dots.

 

[Fluffy Kitty]

?? This could mean you've got some other issues to address, as in muscle imbalances or technique issues.

Yes, I'm actually a walking PT nightmare...

 

[Gloria]

You mean, the "took an 8 hour class and now I'm certified people? Yah, scary stuff. My "favorite" was that one should have the IT band surgically released if you had a hard time stretching it.I have a 24-type membership but honestly I haven't been in years. I maintain the $22/mo because that's a good rate to be grandfathered in at. I MUCH prefer the trainers who run my functional fitness class: they are all fully degreed, multi-nationally certified, specialties and all that. Why just today a guy from the UW football team joined our class as he's recovering from surgery.

View attachment 5711

Oh I like that, medical advice. Just have that thing snipped right off the femur. Top to bottom, you know just release it a little.
You are 56????? WHAT??!! You don't evens wrinkles.

But really the type of training you/she is doing is the new gold standard for the over 40 crowd. And isn't too shabby for those who are younger either.

 

[vanhoskier]

@SallyCat , I feel your pain. I hate to say this, but part of this is the aging process and you may be comparing your "younger fit self" to your current self. I'm turning 50 in July, and I have noticed that it IS harder to do intense workouts, and it takes me longer to recover.

I used to be a competitive cyclist and also enjoyed long bike trips...I did two 500-mile trips in CO and many on the East Coast. So, I have a high standard for myself in regards to fitness. After 2 knee injuries and surgery about 5 years ago, it's been harder to bounce back.

That said, I'm not making excuses. I think sometimes we have to find a "new normal" for ourselves. Our bodies are different than they were in our 20's and 30's. But I'm now running half marathons on a monthly basis with a respectable times, something I never thought I could do. Aerobic training is easier for me than anaerobic speedwork...that's my weakness. I also standup paddle board a few times a week, and cruise around on my mountain bike, and do kettlebell workouts. (I wish I had the skills to ride like @geargrrl, @altagirl and others on here! I need to do some kind of camp for middle-aged women)! What I eat is incredibly important, and I've found that just a balanced diet with a minimum of processed food and lots of fresh veggies works with ample protein for recovery.

I do have a muscle imbalance that I'm trying to correct. (weak left hip flexor). This definitely affects my running times. Additionally, a variety of activities for me is best to prevent injury.

I recently learned to fly-fish (not a high-energy activity, ha). But I've found that this provides a means of getting out into the natural world that I love without expending a ton of energy, and having an activity like this is an important way to balance my life with my running, paddling, skiing, etc. It's something I can do for the rest of my life.

It sounds like you are doing a lot of the right things. I'm also a teacher, and I've found that the first 2 weeks of summer I am decompressing from the school year and I need more rest than usual. Remember to be gentle on yourself.

 

[altagirl]

I concur that unless you're doing activities you haven't done in months/years, you shouldn't be sore for a week. I'd definitely work on that with physical therapy, and personally I find cross training to be extremely helpful. I know my massage therapist comments that my body feels best when I've spent the previous week doing a whole variety of activities. If I just do a lot of one single thing, the imbalances show up pretty quickly. And when I have that and overdo the exercise, then I wind up with joint pain, vs. muscle soreness and that will last a week.

I'm a little frustrated with myself at the moment - I had a solid MTB crash on Sunday. I rode all kinds of challenging stuff - hit big jumps, flowed through the tech stuff and had a really excellent rider behind me commenting on how smooth I ride through technical stuff... and then crashed my guts out while riding in a straight line on single track. I bruised up my elbow, shoulder and hip and my neck is really sore. We x-rayed my elbow because it was so deformed looking from the bruising, but it's nothing. And at the chiropractor this morning he was asking about range of motion and honestly, despite looking like a swollen mess, I can't find any reduction in range of motion anywhere. I pointed out that handstands hurt a tiny bit and reverse planks hurt in yoga last night - but I think both are kind of squishing the bruise on my shoulder. But everything else feels totally normal, short of pushing on a bruise. He rolled his eyes and said handstands and such weren't exactly what he meant when asking if it hurt moving my arm in any particular direction. Yeah, yeah. But he did say that he thinks the flexibility I maintain serves me well in recovering from things like this and preventing more severe injuries when I do fall. Which I think is true.

I also totally agree with the comments a page or so ago where it's important to remember to factor in both endurance and speed, and know what you're working on. I have a friend who was a sprinter and an incredibly talented athlete, but a mellow road bike ride was incredibly challenging for her. She's changed what she does now and is into different sports and now she's got endurance. I think there is something to be said for working on both, BUT - don't get frustrated with yourself if you're not improving in one or the other from just doing your sport the same way you always do. You can run or ride all the miles you want, but if they're all long slow distance, you're not learning speed. If you're not racing, I think there's nothing wrong with focusing on the things you enjoy though!

 

[geargrrl]

You can't see the wrinkles because of all the body armor lol.

 

[Gloria]

I concur that unless you're doing activities you haven't done in months/years, you shouldn't be sore for a week. I'd definitely work on that with physical therapy, and personally I find cross training to be extremely helpful. I know my massage therapist comments that my body feels best when I've spent the previous week doing a whole variety of activities. If I just do a lot of one single thing, the imbalances show up pretty quickly. And when I have that and overdo the exercise, then I wind up with joint pain, vs. muscle soreness and that will last a week.

I'm a little frustrated with myself at the moment - I had a solid MTB crash on Sunday. I rode all kinds of challenging stuff - hit big jumps, flowed through the tech stuff and had a really excellent rider behind me commenting on how smooth I ride through technical stuff... and then crashed my guts out while riding in a straight line on single track. I bruised up my elbow, shoulder and hip and my neck is really sore. We x-rayed my elbow because it was so deformed looking from the bruising, but it's nothing. And at the chiropractor this morning he was asking about range of motion and honestly, despite looking like a swollen mess, I can't find any reduction in range of motion anywhere. I pointed out that handstands hurt a tiny bit and reverse planks hurt in yoga last night - but I think both are kind of squishing the bruise on my shoulder. But everything else feels totally normal, short of pushing on a bruise. He rolled his eyes and said handstands and such weren't exactly what he meant when asking if it hurt moving my arm in any particular direction. Yeah, yeah. But he did say that he thinks the flexibility I maintain serves me well in recovering from things like this and preventing more severe injuries when I do fall. Which I think is true.

I also totally agree with the comments a page or so ago where it's important to remember to factor in both endurance and speed, and know what you're working on. I have a friend who was a sprinter and an incredibly talented athlete, but a mellow road bike ride was incredibly challenging for her. She's changed what she does now and is into different sports and now she's got endurance. I think there is something to be said for working on both, BUT - don't get frustrated with yourself if you're not improving in one or the other from just doing your sport the same way you always do. You can run or ride all the miles you want, but if they're all long slow distance, you're not learning speed. If you're not racing, I think there's nothing wrong with focusing on the things you enjoy though!

Here is a great article posted today somewhat along the same lines. Although this one is geared towards weightloss, staying in the comfort zone of what you have always done is pretty applicable to why some of you are feeling the ways you do. Whether you have been running or whatever for years you may be experiencing not only muscle imbalances but overuse injuries and may be feeling older than you really need to because it's just not doing what it use to do for you and it's time to mix it up.
https://www.t-nation.com/training/how-to-train-for-non-stop-fat-loss

 

[VickiK]

Thanks, @Gloria , you always have such deep knowledge to share with us, I appreciate it.

 

[geargrrl]

(I wish I had the skills to ride like @geargrrl, @altagirl and others on here! I need to do some kind of camp for middle-aged women)!

Just do it, age is irrelevant for skills learning. Just find a good clinic.

 

[SallyCat]

Just do it, age is irrelevant for skills learning. Just find a good clinic.

So true! I always hated road cycling and so stayed away from mountain biking thinking I wouldn't like that either. So wrong! Mountain biking is a thrilling, exhausting, fun, almost full-body workout in that you're moving around the bike all the time as opposed to just sitting in one position. Your bike shop or MTB club can point you to clinics, and any mountain that has lift-served riding should offer lessons. I'm planning to check out Mt. Snow next chance I get, based on Diva recommendations.

MTB has also been good for forcing me to be more aggressive and less timid, and trusting my skills as they develop and I'm able to go faster. I can't imagine that that wouldn't have a carryover effect onto my skiing, but we'll see next winter. I should have rock-star quads, at any rate.

Plus, holy cow, I'm in VT right now helping with a family matter, and the local trails are just spectacularly gorgeous. It's just such a joy to be able to be here enjoying this beauty. What can I say, I've seen the light and now I understand why so many skiers are mountain bikers in the summer!

 

[Gloria]

@VickiK Thank you.
I got a message yesterday from a friend who is travelling and won't have access to a gym for awhile asking me if this workout would be good. It is a training workout for a race but actually it would be super beneficial for anyone really. I thought it would be fun to share it as I thought it might be fun for you guys to figure out a way to coordinate and work together for support. Some of it is a little hardcore, but all of it is scaleable. Like a 30 minute AMRAP is too brutal to start of with but it could be scaled to like 2 10's or a 12 or 15 or so forth, plus there are individual metcons listed that you simply replace it with. Some of the rep ranges on the metcons could/should be scaled too. Burpees etc can be scaled as well. The first week has a tabata with burpees followed by push ups, I would replace one of these with a lower body like lunge or squat. The other thing I see is there are 2 metcon days and 1 day of speed work which is compiled of sprints. All three of these days utilize the same energy system and sprinting can be a GREAT source of injury if you haven't done it for awhile. Since strength work is most important for our age group, I would forgo the speedwork initially and do 2 days of strength training instead. So it's not 100% perfect but very workable or at least an idea to base something off of.
https://battlefrogseries.com/blog/training/training-guide

 

[VickiK]

On @marzNC 's tip earlier up, I started reading Younger Next Year: The Exercise Program, am on Chapter 4. It's interesting in that the authors distinguish exercising for building health vs. for building fitness. They do advocate mixing it up and functional fitness. The book includes a section on exercises put together by Bill Fabrocini, the PT/sports medicine guru from Aspen & bumpsforboomers. Anyway, the authors recommended Serious Training for Endurance Athletes by Rob Sleamaker, which brought me back 'round to the original question of this thread. Just fyi.

 

[marzNC]

On @marzNC 's tip earlier up, I started reading Younger Next Year: The Exercise Program, am on Chapter 4. It's interesting in that the authors distinguish exercising for building health vs. for building fitness. They do advocate mixing it up and functional fitness. The book includes a section on exercises put together by Bill Fabrocini, the PT/sports medicine guru from Aspen & bumpsforboomers. Anyway, the authors recommended Serious Training for Endurance Athletes by Rob Sleamaker, which brought me back 'round to the original question of this thread. Just fyi.

Hadn't heard about the new book. Sounds really interesting.