Losing energy in my legs, before losing my breath - what to do?

[rowdin]

Pick a lower gear and up your rpm, it sounds like you are grinding a high gear. I spend most of my time in a gear ratio of 48/18 or 48/21, easy on the legs harder on the heart.

 

[fossyant]

It's only a month. Takes a fair while.

THIS - Ignore the idiots above ! You have to keep at it - progress will come. Oh and ditch the cigs !

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

It may not be pointless, leg strength might be the problem too? People aren't necessarily born with the thighs of Chris Hoy. I had exactly this problem when I started riding a bike, but I didn't realise it at the time. Agreed that it's not necessarily that likely to be the problem for everybody and endurance is definitely something new people have to work for, but once you achieve it the benefits are huge.

Leg strength is not the problem. Chris Hoy is a very very poor analogy.

 

[black'n'yellow]

THIS - Ignore the idiots above ! You have to keep at it - progress will come. Oh and ditch the cigs !

which 'idiots' are you referring to? I can't see any replies here which I would regard as 'idiotic'..??

 

[ColinJ]

As a non-powerlifter-cum-cyclist I would not recommend any weight training!

Learn to spin an easier gear. (Oops - beaten to it by rowdin!)

 

[Strathlubnaig]

Aye, quit smoking. It's for losers. It's stupid, expensive, stinks, kills you, anti-social etc. You will benefit.

 

[fossyant]

which 'idiots' are you referring to? I can't see any replies here which I would regard as 'idiotic'..??

You are far too serious some times.

The OP has only been riding a month, and about 3 times a week. Improvements take time. More carbs/weight training - not really necessary just yet - he just needs to stick at it, keep riding and slowly increase the miles.

 

[black'n'yellow]

You are far too serious some times.

The OP has only been riding a month, and about 3 times a week. Improvements take time. More carbs/weight training - not really necessary just yet - he just needs to stick at it, keep riding and slowly increase the miles.

so pretty much what everyone else has said then..?

 

[Boris Bike]

I've been riding for just over a year, but very off-and-on. I'd say until the Olympics started I was averaging less than one commute a week.

I'll have a think about the smoking too....

 

[lordloveaduck]

squats. It builds your legs.

PS also time and patience

 

[black'n'yellow]

squats. It builds your legs.

Squats may indeed 'build your legs' - but the point is that 'building your legs' is almost certainly not necessary..

 

[Peter Armstrong]

Is this not related to the bodies’ efficiency in removing the lactic acid from the legs, and the only way to do that, is once a week does a long cycle, increasing the distance by 10% per week?

 

[Rob3rt]

Unless you are a (track) sprinter and need awesome power to accelerate a big gear (from near stationary) then weight training on your legs is just not required. If you have to do some gym work, you would be far better off working on your core (it's a weak core that will have you slumping and rocking about on the bike when you get tired). If you must do something for your legs, then body weight jump squats will be sufficient.

Basic aerobic fitness is the problem here, it's beyond obvious! Once a good base of aerobic fitness is gained (by riding more) then one should start to train the lactate threshold (by riding at an effort just below the anaerobic threshold for sustained periods) if they want to go faster.

 

[lordloveaduck]

Helped me. Just a few a day and it worked wonders.

 

[black'n'yellow]

Helped me. Just a few a day and it worked wonders.

worked wonders how..?