More on intervals - can they keep you young?

Having just turned 65, it was quite a coincidence to receive 2 questions form my peer group (senior cyclists). Thee is little question that stressing your cardiovascular system will delay the inevitable decline one sees with aging. And it is not just the miles you put in. Athletes who maintain or increase workout  intensity tend to see their VO2 max decline at a lower rate than those who focus on higher  mileage but at a slower pace. Stay with those intervals - year round. Aim to keep the heart rate at 85 - 90 % of max. 2 days a week.

But don't overcompensate. That means take a day or two off a week and warm up before you do your intervals. I got the sense that the second reader was pushing too hard - and it is then only a matter of time till injury, burn out, or overtraining occur.

Other points to be remembered:

 

• There is a drop off in muscle volume near age 60. Keep lifting those weights.
• You will need a little more recovery time than when you were 25. So factor in a little off the bike rest time to let those muscles heal between workouts.
• Stay on that balanced diet with an emphasis on fruit, vegetables, more whole grains and enough protein to help main muscle volume. And, of course, enough carbs to replace what you will be using on those rides.
• Keep your life in emotional balance and enjoy family, friends and other activities. Don't just
• focus on the biking to the exclusion of all else.

You can read more at http://www.cptips.com/age.htm and  http://www.cptips.com/livelng.htm

CPTIPS - Website/Blog/Facebook --- How do they work together ?

Over the last few months, I've been expanding Cycling Perofrmance Tips presence in the social networking/online world. I was told the website alone was not enough, and there were better ways to get information to those that would benefit. The first step was the Blog, and now I have added a face book page.

My plan is to use:

• The website: www.cptips.com for facts and information. It's shortcoming is that it often feels fragmented and difficult to feel one has the whole picture.
• This blog Blog: http://wwwcptips.blogspot.com/ to focus on new information in the literature and discuss individual areas or topics in more detail
• A Facebook page www.facebook.com/pages/Mukilteo-WA/Cycling-Performance-Tips/108078485907369#!/pages/Mukilteo-WA/Cycling-Performance-Tips/108078485907369?v=wall&__a=161&ajaxpipe=1  to a) provide a forum for reader feedback and ideas in an interactive way and b) to highlight how biking fits into one's life, specifically talking about ride planning and trips.

We'll see how this works, and make changes as needed.