Training & Nutrition - Grounded, best use of a trainer !

Today,I must begin to realize that I am being cheated out of the best time of year for training outdoors. Spring.
I appear to be suffering from a rotor cuff- shoulder injury. Poor me. Surgery will likely result. Hopefully ASAP, so I can get on with my life and cycling addiction.
So tonight, my first night suffering from my cycling withdrawl- I tried to acclimate myself to a trainer.. I hope my wife lets me permamently park it in the middle of the den, so it beckons me.
I wore a coolmax t -shirt for my 40 minute 'ride.' It was soaked...I did have one pleasantry, I do not usually have out on the road. My music from my favorite station. It is hard to get into a cool down phase when they lighten up their broadcast with Ziggy and Bob Marley and Springstein's Pink Cadillac.
Anyway- what is the best use of a trainer. I still need be ready for a tour in August and September. Can't let myself go in spite of my condition. What is a good way to stay fit.
Work on cadence, heart rate, time. Did feel I had a better sense of cadence than I do out on the road.? I got to sweating pretty good. The newspapers below me were spattered pretty good with some kind of liquid.
Think I can come through this down time and immediately attack some of the nearby mountains? Think with a trainer, I can stay in condition as if I had no down time.?

Heya Zealot,

I started riding my trainer at Xmas time, and I will say that when I did my first decent size ride (which for me is up to a little over 40 miles with hills), I didn;t really have any problems.. now I know a tour is a different animal altogether, but base miles are base miles... I usually work on cadence... I also do small intervals.. with the radio on, pedal your normal cadence during the verse of a song, and when it gets to the chorus, crank it up, then bring is back to normal during the verse again... it seems to work for me... If you get into it... burn yourself a workout CD... start off with something mid-tempo, Bruce Springsteen, Skynrd, whatever you liek, then do a tempo section with maybe some Zeppelin, Foo Fighters (great for sprints.. might be my fave), and then a cool down section... some Bob Marley, or Jack Johnson... always good choices :-) You figure yer average CD holds about 70 minutes of music, so if you work it right, you can get a nice long workout, and hopefully won;t get too bored on the trainer :-)

Jeff

Hope the injury works out. Trainers are a good way to concentrate on cadence, pedal stoke, etc., because it's a completely controlled environment. But you gotta mix it up with some intervals and sprints, like Sipper says, otherwise you'll go nutz.
Also, very important! Get a fan! (Maybe 2.)

Try to do some one-legged sessions.

With just one foot clipped in, pedal in round circles for a minute or two. Then switch feet. As you get better go longer.

I did these for the first time this year. They will kick your butt, but they will make you pedal smoothly.

Sipper. I like the idea of cutting me a CD. Radio played wrong tunes to fit the needed cadence for that part of my 'ride.' I do sort of see the point about the controlled environment. I liked hearing my favorite tunes during my ride. I did get in 40 minutes for my first trainer ride. Thought that was pretty good for thinking I would hate this turn of events. Probably have no more than one month from time I expect to again start riding outside to my first planned tour.
Again, I was a little more aware of my cadence than I would be out on a real ride. Maybe that will be good. I can work on form.
Any ideas how you would log in your trainer rides for those of us who log our rides, since mileage is no longer a factor with trainer rides?
Since during my prime biking part of the year, I normally ride at least 150 miles a week minimum, I hope to ride my trainer at least 6 nights a week for a minimum of 30 minutes, if not 45.

Unless you switch your odometer to the back wheel... the only real stat logging you can do is time... it kinda sucks, since it is hard to judge your speed, and distance... I swear though 40 minutes on a trainer feels like 20 miles on the road... During the winter I was trying to get in about 3 hours a week on the trainer, and I did notice some pretty good improvements... just work on cadence... or mix it up... I was riding in a semi easy gear for one song, then clicking to the next hardest gear for the next song, and on and on until I ran out of gears, and was standing up on the pedals like I was going up a hill... just make sure to keep your body calm when you stand up... don;t wanna tweak your frame in the trainer.... and by the time you work thro all the gears... 45-60 minutes have gone by.. then drop it into some easy gears, and just cool down...

Lemme know what you come up with for a plan, and which songs you put on a CD.. i'm always curious as to what people listen to when they ride

Jeff

Sipper, gotta work on form... I ride like 8,000 plus miles a year. not this year. Go to doctor later today.. Still don't know precisely whats wrong until HMO approves MRI... If torn liagment, maybe less severe..
But the point riding for approx. 9,000 miles- on the trainer; I almost immediately go to the highest gear ratios.
My group goes out tomorrow. Thought I might take it (hybrid) since it has higher handlebars, and ride with my group.... They discourage me. Think that is nuts. Guess it is, until I know what is wrong. .......Sunny out, I will loose the cyclists trademark with the weird tan lines about the gloves....... Looking out the windows, such an incentive to hit the road, but not literally..
Think I will train today with Bob Marley and Don Henley.. Been working last 3 days- have not had time to cut my own cd..Tough when the higher pace songs come after 30 minutes on the trainer.... No cooldown.. We have such a great alternative FM rock station here in San Diego, I am hooked on their programming.
The one legged pedaling might be what I need. Probably use the wrong bike for my trainer. Hybrid has 'power grips' on. I should put on the road bike, can work harder with clipless- with the pedalling variations. thanks. cz.
ps- some weird thing I have about stationary trainers being hard on a bikes' frame?

I would like to know what a decent trainer to buy is. I don't like the idea of missing a ride because of the rain. That is what I am up against today. Thanks - Ted

Saw my Physical therapist today. Not my doctor.. Hope I will have my MRI within two weeks.. Therapists see it all. He said he is sure the muscle or ligiament running atop the arm is damaged.. Probably at the rotor cuff.. Can't pull my arm over my head. Said do not allow the muscles to freeze up or I will have a worse problem.....Probably tear or partial tear.. If by some miracle the damage is slight tear with severe sprain, it could miracleously come back quickly... My luck?
Anyway, so maybe two months before I can get outdoors.. Therapist said to ride outdoors might not in itself cause damage, but if a fall should occur, the damage could be irreversible.
So before the therapy I spent 40 minutes on the trainer. I found if I listened to the music closed my eyes and not watch the clock, the time went fast, while I paced myself to the music. Had a good work out. Wonder if at that pace- 40 minutes would normally equal about 15 miles. Fair assessment?
Do that 6 times a week that is 90 miles? I usually ride about 175 miles a week in the summer. Enough to keep me going for my September tour, I hope.
With fast cadence, hope this will not hurt too much, my bicycle strength.
Music I listened to - Annie Lennox and Bob Marley.
As to trainers- I have a Minoura Rim driven unit. I would recommend it.. Does not put wear on your tires.. At its highest resistance, felt like a pretty step hill to me..Now to do this 6 days a week.. Best indicator of exercise. Will put on my heart rate monitor soon.. On long rides, I often keep the beats at 110 range for 5 hours. See what one hour will do..

I have Arnie Baker's book "Smart Cycling" and there are a lot of trainer workouts in there. I've found that if I pay attention to the workout more, I pay attention to the clock less and an hour on the trainer goes by relatively fast. It's also more targeted than semi-mindless spinning for a period of time.

Lots of people seem to like Spinervals videos for being on the trainer too, but I've never used them... if you have the money, you might want to try one of those?

Sistinas.. Thanks..None of my training books but brush over trainers.. Will look into Baker's book.. Have to concentrate on not looking at the clock..Not been sunny past two days, so have not taken my trainer out on the patio, where I can get some sun. As long as I have music, the patio is ok..

Saw my Physical therapist today. Not my doctor.. Hope I will have my MRI within two weeks.. Therapists see it all. He said he is sure the muscle or ligiament running atop the arm is damaged.. Probably at the rotor cuff..

i did this in high school, when i played baseball. i had an accident with the ground... i dove for a catch, and stiffarmed the outfield grass. i didnt tear my rotator cuff, but i tore the laborum (probably what you tore) - a ligament that helps hold the ball (as in ball-and-socket joint) in the cuff. the docs wanted to bolt it back down, but the phis. therapist wanted me to do therapy, so i chose therapy. then after all was done, had more tests, docs said that if i were to fall again that it WOULD tear my rotator cuff. so, i never played baseball again, and i probably shouldnt even be biking, cause if i fall i could tear my arm up pretty bad.


Can't pull my arm over my head. Said do not allow the muscles to freeze up or I will have a worse problem.....

yeah, before i finally went to the doc, my arm would just stick where it was. hurts very much bad. keep it loose.

my shoulder still hurts from time to time (been 4 years) and my entire arm shakes when i decide to throw a baseball, or lift too heavy a load...but when i injured my arm i damaged some nerves too.

sorry for the long post.

later

Aemon.. My therapist tells me they stitch the liagment or whatever to the bone( I guess). And recovery is 85 %.. To not have cycling or scuba diving is not acceptable to me.. I hope for the spontaneous comeback..or else it is the knife... SO Aemon, You never had the surgery?
Take away diving and the quest to cross a continent on bike, all I have left is music as an obsession or hobby.. Might as well tour the world and go to Amsterdam, Holland and have one of their famous brownies and get one of their famous injections, as did Edward G. Robinson in 'Solyent Green'.... Well, not for a couple years, after I see a couple more segments of the world, I have yet to visit..Of course by then I will be 265 pounds and need a valet..
I get livid just to see a pack of cyclists on favorite routes, yet alone take that away for all time.

yeah, the docs said they would use like teflon bolts to bolt the ligament down. but at the time, i wanted to join the air force, but as a pilot...but you cant fly with implants, and i couldnt make it through boot camp with my shoulder the way it was.

no, i never had surgery, if i happen to crash and hurt it again, i might opt for it. but until then, i'm fine.

yeah, i'm an audiophile as well.


I get livid just to see a pack of cyclists on favorite routes, yet alone take that away for all time.

yeah, i still love me some baseball (wonderful grammar huh?). when it comes time for season, i can smell the clay, and just feel my glove on my hand. i've thought about going out for some of the adult leagues here in town, or even softball, but i can barley throw. due to the nerve damage, if i throw from the outfield to the plate my arm just quivers and wants to quit working. so, i go to the batting cage everyonce in a while, and play alittle light catch with my bro in law (he played at the same high school as me).

hope everything goes well for you!

later

Aemon.. Sounds like you are not going into the air Force..Deprived of baseball.. The web sites say 85 percent recovery. You do not consider the surgery..? It is administered as outpatient and takes about one hour..
Right now, I am semi- argueing with my wife. She thinks this will stop me from considering my planned September Nevada tour.
Amazing.!

not that big of a deal anymore. i'm already in a career i love, and i'm not too worried about baseball anymore. i've pretty much gotten over it. it happend my senior year in high school in october (fall ball), but didnt go to the doc until february of the next year, like 3 weeks before tryouts for my senior year. i told my coach what happend, and he was pretty mad...he told me that i was to be the starter in left field that season. i was pretty upset then, but again, i'm over it. i was never really that good anyway, i might have been able to play in college some, but not anywhere big.

later

Siper Asked what tunes keeps a cyclists cranking on a trainer, when we are not out cyling amongst nature..
Today, I went over my 40 minute goal, and I credit one of the nations' best alternative stations, right here in San Diego.. I avoid shameless promotions, but not today.. Without my music, and an unexpected loss of cycling and diving, then that Amsterdam brownie would be all the more attractive, after visiting probably Australia and Peru..Maybe Anarctic.
Anyway, why I like my favorite cds' it is difficult to pass up San Diego's alternative independent station- KPRI.. can really use their inspiration while cranking on my trainer. So Siper, I heard all the following.. Rare to find such variety in probably any more than 10 other stations in all of the US.... I did not expect to pass up 40 minutes, but when KPRI played Lucinda Williams- I had to get back on. Lucinda is so subductive, I felt inclinded to call my wife and tell her to come home sick or I will be at the bar. Lucinda is also a poet. It shows..
So with Lucinda's muse I spend 58 minutes on the trainer. Eighteen more than expected..... I know why not 60....Almost all this music kept me happy on my traiiner.. This was my list while cranking away on my Minoura.. Rainman, you get to town and you like great music, you might listen up and go to some of thier sponsored concerts.. San Diego has great music talent..Got off the bike during C. Issak, back on for Williams..

I had expected to get off after Coldplay..Well,didn't .

Last 6 Hours Playlist

Time Artist Song CD

1:41 pm LUCINDA WILLIAMS RIGHTEOUSLY WORLD WITHOUT TEARS
1:38 pm CHRIS ISAAK SOMEBODY'S CRYING FOREVER BLUE
1:34 pm THIRD EYE BLIND SEMI-CHARMED LIFE THIRD EYE BLIND
1:30 pm LOU REED WALK ON THE WILD SIDE TRANSFORMER
1:26 pm COLDPLAY CLOCKS A RUSH OF BLOOD TO THE HEAD
1:22 pm PEARL JAM DAUGHTER VS.
1:09 pm THE CORRS/BONO WHEN THE STARS GO BLUE VH1 PRESENTS THE CORRS LIVE IN DU
1:06 pm POLICE SPIRITS IN THE MATERIAL WORLD GHOST IN THE MACHINE
1:02 pm STEVE POLTZ EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU KPRI LIVE TRACKS VOLUME 1
1:00 pm BOB DYLAN KNOCKIN' ON HEAVEN'S DOOR PAT GARRETT & BILLY THE KID
12:56 pm DAVE MATTHEWS BAND WHAT WOULD YOU SAY UNDER THE TABLE & DREAMING
12:43 pm JOHN MAYER WHY GEORGIA ROOM FOR SQUARES
12:40 pm ROLLING STONES RUBY TUESDAY BETWEEN THE BUTTONS

Great stuff... Almost as good as nature.

Gaul, now, before logging off BF, they are playing a medely of Norah Jones. Better turn off the radio. 58 minutes is enough, right.?

What is the station numbers on KPRI ? is it 94.9 ? I work in Capistrano, and can get most SD stations pretty good in my cave of a photo studio

Jeff

Jeff. it is 102.1; only independent FM music station in Southern California, that is not a PBS station... Shows that floor me... Meg Banta on Sunday morning, 7-11 am.. Accoustic music. Jodina the night person Monday Thru Saturday is great. She put on a 2000 Rockin New Years Eve party. for the station. Puts on a great party..
ps like it if music would keep me, often going 60 minutes over 40.

For those who live in NOrthern climates and cycle on a trainer all winter.. To keep up your cycling legs- how much time do you average on your trainer per week, and come Spring, are you happy with the result.?
I am trying for 40 minutes a day.. Would that be enough to keep you in shape.?

Aemom.. From what I gather from my doctor, they have to get in there with a completely torn ligament to the rotor cuff, they will use stitches, not the bolt like you mention.
But, using the trainer found out my cadence is higher than I had expected. Since my speedometer does not register cadence, I find the few times I tried to count cadence, I undercounted.
Without worrying about traffic I get a better count. I do more like 79-80 range. So know to get the speed up and spin better.
( If I decide I like speed after that crash)
Also, Will religiously be using a Heart rate monitor. Fear on the trainer a cyclist sluffs off and goes under the targeted pulse rate.
Also concentrating on form.. When cyclist pass me, they say an immediate give away to fact my 'spinning' is poor is the fact that upon the up stroke the back of the foot dips..
To complete the spin effect you have to keep the feet horizontal to the pavement, most of the time.