Preparing to ride again after a few years off - tips on a workout plan

[Older then dirt]

To be fair they don’t generally do it on MTBs! Keep going, it does get easier with practice :-)

I'm using my bike to get fit and as a workhorse, still struggling to get to grips with grip shift lol. I've started to look at other bikes, I'm 52 an have few health issues but those are mobility. I can't walk far due to operations that went bad on my foot, so my good leg acts as my main drive and bad foot /leg is along for the ride. Slight inclines are ok but hills I walk the bike up, the bikes I've had look at are more simple beasts.....Dutch bikes, 6speed an no bells an whistles. Those bikes look more like sit up an beg, at end the day if I can get 15/20 mile a trip eventually, that suit my needs. As cycling mate said, least you're getting freedom an that's what it's all abt, can't walk half mile but on Betty doing 5 miles an loving the bit freedom it gives. Priceless

 

[steve292]

To start off I would just ride with no program in mind. Just ride somewhere have an ice cream or whatever, and ride back. As fitness builds ride further and have a bigger ice cream.
Having said that, I find I stick to training better when I have a plan. When the time comes, if it does, for most modern training platforms you will need to do the FTP test first as that give the basis to build the plan around. FWIW I use Trainerroad.

 

[ianjmcd]

to begin with just ride every other day 10 miles or less build up the fitness until you find you are able to complete a 10 mile easy then build up to longer rides
Im in similar position still smoking but have managed a couple of rides of 10 miles then built up to a 36 mile last weekend and allthough i was blowing out my arse towards the end of it i managed it