If you could only do one training session a week...

DogSlySmile

... what would it be? I'm trying to improve my cycling but I cant get out for many spins these days as I'm studying for my exams, so I can only really get out on a Sunday, if at all.

So if you were in my position, what type of training would you do?? Should I go for a long cycle or do intervals or a mix of the two?????

What do people recommend??

Cheers for any advice!

mo_bhicycle

What are you training for?

Lumen

Buy a turbo trainer.

12 sprocket

surely you can not study for every hour of the day? and it would seem to make sense to do some physical activity to relax and get away from the books on at least three days of the week. Even an hour 3 times per week would maintain some of your fitness.. 3 hours from 168 hours... not a lot?

go for whatever exercise and sessions that you find most relaxing. some of the session should be challenging.

DogSlySmile

mo_bhicycle wrote: »

What are you training for?

Adventure races mostly - distances up to 35k.

Lumen wrote: »

Buy a turbo trainer.

Ive thought about that but my problem is only temporary, I'll be finished my exams in 4 weeks time so shelling out for a turbo trainer might be something I save for winter! Cheers though.

12 sprocket wrote: »

surely you can not study for every hour of the day? and it would seem to make sense to do some physical activity to relax and get away from the books on at least three days of the week. Even an hour 3 times per week would maintain some of your fitness.. 3 hours from 168 hours... not a lot?

go for whatever exercise and sessions that you find most relaxing. some of the session should be challenging.

No I dont study every hour of the day but I'm physically and mentally drained after a 9 hour study session so I'm pretty much set for bed when I'm done!

DirkVoodoo

Do some TT efforts I guess, you could do some 30-40 minute TT efforts, once a week, should sort you out for the demands of a 35km race.

Again, what "I would do" would depend on my current level of fitness and what I was aiming for, so asking a general question will get you a whole host of different answers.

mloc123

One session a week?

You will find it hard to maintain fitness with one session a week, let alone try to improve it.

ROK ON

12 sprocket wrote: »

surely you can not study for every hour of the day? and it would seem to make sense to do some physical activity to relax and get away from the books on at least three days of the week. Even an hour 3 times per week would maintain some of your fitness.. 3 hours from 168 hours... not a lot?

go for whatever exercise and sessions that you find most relaxing. some of the session should be challenging.

Very big +1. Many people find studying to be an individual discipline, so YMMV. However, I spent a fair bit of my life in school and college finally finishin formal education atthe age of 24.
My study plan involved the following
8.30-11.00: Study
Break - lunch & get out in fresh air for walk etc
2.00-4.30: Study
Break - dinner and get out again (training, walk the dog etc)
6.30-9.00: Study
Break, TV, cinema and eventually sleep.

Studying properly is some of the hardest work you will ever do. SO you need to do everything you can to stay fresh and alert. Otherwise you are reading, but not actually retaining/analysing etc. GIGO.

1 hour of cycling each day for your break could very well help you to relax and unwind, thus being beneficial to your study. The human mind is really only capable of operating efficiently for short bursts interspersed with breaks.

IMHO you are studying too much. I know guys working on PhD papers who are not doing that type of milage so to speak.

My tuppence worth.

dave.obrien

My college routine would be about 12hrs a day 4 days a week, 9hrs Wednesday, and a few hours over the weekend as needed. I live a 40min commute to college. Guess how I get there?! Add on one TT session a week, and I'm not losing ground on fitness, but definitely not progressing...

I'd also echo what ROK_ON says; cycling in and out helps make sure I'm switched on and effective during the day, and helps me relax after. This past fortnight I've been working from home (easter break) and while putting in 8-9hr days, they've definitely been less effective and more distraction prone than usual... The three days I went for a run/cycle before heading to my studio were by far the best days.

MungoMan

DogSlySmile wrote: »

I'm physically and mentally drained after a 9 hour study session so I'm pretty much set for bed when I'm done!

How can you be physically drained after a 9 hour study session ?
The only physical aspect to studying is turning the pages in a book or pusing a pen or hitting the keys on a keyboard.

I know when people are studying for exams, every hour is precious.

I find that when I'm really stuck for time, I decide to do a 1 hour run instead of a 3 hour cycle (that's what I did today in fact).....my logic is that a 12km run is probably as good a workout as an 80km cycle (although I'd much prefer the cycle).

DogSlySmile

Thanks for the responses. I'll try and work some spins into the study based on some of the comments above.

MungoMan wrote: »

How can you be physically drained after a 9 hour study session ?
The only physical aspect to studying is turning the pages in a book or pusing a pen or hitting the keys on a keyboard.

Try it some time and let me know how you feel after..

morana

The running is great!

For an on bike session I guess I would do a heap of 5 mins with minimal rest between and then just cycle steady or try do an all in one session a bit of threshold, some VO2 and a few flat out short efforts....


I dont get why you would need to train for 35k?

The study is hard and I can understand being drained....I remember those days

DogSlySmile

morana wrote: »

The running is great!

For an on bike session I guess I would do a heap of 5 mins with minimal rest between and then just cycle steady or try do an all in one session a bit of threshold, some VO2 and a few flat out short efforts....


I dont get why you would need to train for 35k?

The study is hard and I can understand being drained....I remember those days

Thanks for that, this is the kind of thing I was looking for!

I dont need to train for 35k it just the races I will be doing are in and around 35k.

Cheers