Roadracer -- exercise question [Archive]

Aspigander

05-20-2009, 12:04 AM

So you reminded me in another thread about that stationary bike. Since I know it will be a while before I go through and decide what stuff in the bedroom to get rid of, I just went in to see if I could move stuff around, make a path and get the bike uncovered. I made a semi-path and got the bike uncovered. I also put a "Stationary bike (if at home)" reminder on my phone to start tomorrow.

So question: How long should I be on that thing, do you think? Should I just see how long I can do it before pooping out? How often do you recommend?

roadracer

05-20-2009, 12:43 AM

I would start out with 20 minutes or shorter if you cant go that long. Since you are just starting you want to keep it short like that for your first few workouts to see how you feel after, and the day after. Use that as a starting point, if you think you can add more time the next day then add another 10 minutes or so, but just dont add to much time to fast, you need some weeks for your body to adjust. Dont pedal to fast or pedal to hard/slow, as that will make your knees hurt, that part is sort of trial and error at first, you will get the hang of it.

So 20 min. to start, taking it real easy the first 5 min. to get your muscles warmed up
Next day see how you feel to determin if you should add more time
Next day do the same amount of time as the day before if you can
Forth day is a rest day, see how you feel and dont ride this day, take it easy
Then repeat the process, riding it two or three days in a row followed by a day off.
Let me know how it goes and how you feel after, if anything hurts or anything like that.

roadracer

05-20-2009, 12:46 AM

AND DRINK PLENTY OF WATER, well okay, not to much, but make sure you have water with you during your workout

Aspigander

05-20-2009, 12:54 AM

Forth day is a rest day, see how you feel and dont ride this day,

Oh my, this is going to create a complex with my daily reminders. I just tried to change it to "stationary bike (if at home and not on fourth day)" and couldn't get the whole word "and" in without exceeding character limit. Are you sure I shouldn't ride that day?

Fortunately, with start date being tomorrow, then Thursday, then Friday, I think I go to my parents' house sometime Friday so if I do it before, that's three days and the fourth day will be at their house so the stationary bike reminder won't apply anyway until I get back home. But it will be interesting when I'm home on the fourth day.

Aspigander

05-20-2009, 12:56 AM

AND DRINK PLENTY OF WATER, well okay, not to much, but make sure you have water with you during your workout

Water? What's that? Oh, yeah, the stuff that sometimes tends to make me want to gag.

Nikabee

05-20-2009, 01:00 AM

Instead of using the phone only, could you maybe make a chart of which days you ride and which days you rest? That way you can keep the reminder to signal you to go look at the chart. If it's a rest day, you do something relaxing instead. I know it's less concrete than you're used to, but the practice with flexibility in your schedule could be good too.

roadracer

05-20-2009, 01:22 AM

well you could ride everyday of the week on a continual basis if you really wanted to, but I can guarantee by the end of say, your first week you will not be able to move or get out of bed.
The days you dont exercise are for you body to recover and build the muscle required to keep on doing it.
So it could be two days or three days, or every other day, or however you want to do it, just as long as there is a day or two during the week that you dont ride it. Since you are just starting you dont want to push yourself to far.
Nikabee's idea of a chart is a great idea, that is how I do it, and if you ask me in person I would have made up a chart to guide you.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING is that you get the exercise, everything else can be changed to your liking.
If you dont like water (never heard of a person who didnt like water;)) then drink something else, just not something like soda or with a lot of suger or crap in it. The idea is that you will break a sweat and need to replace that fluid somehow

Aspigander

05-20-2009, 01:31 AM

roadracer

05-20-2009, 01:46 AM

I think I've figured out a solution. Charts never have been too successful for me, so here's what I did. I added another reminder, and I just made it within character limit with it. Every 4th day, I'll still get the stationary bike (if at home) reminder, but there will also be a reminder that says "Disregard stationary bike alert".

well then you really didnt get my point. This is not a strict 3 day then 4th day off. If you feel bad during one of those days dont force yourself to ride it just to stick to your schedule. Also after a few weeks, say if you are up to say 60 minutes a day, and it becomes to much, then you are going to want to take a couple days off.
Thank god I dont run a aspie cycling class, as I would be pulling my hair out about right now, lol. Dont make this to complicated, because if you dont get at least a little joy out of it you wont want to do it. Just put some GL on and turn it up and ride the thing, the next day if your body hurts take the day off from it... etc... etc... Do you get what I am saying? erase the message from your phone, it will not help you. Put the exercise bike somewhere where you will have to walk around it, or see it all the time, that will remind you, as I am sure you will also remember if you worked out already that week and what days.

Aspigander

05-20-2009, 02:01 AM

Ah, okay, I think I see what you're saying. Just hard not to complicate things, since I tend to complicate almost anything.

Unfortunately, the reminder would probably be more helpful than just putting it where I have to walk around it. I'd just walk around it. If I didn't have something telling me to actually get on it and ride it, I probably wouldn't think of it (like, for example, my reminder to wash dishes -- I could walk into the kitchen, see a sink full of dirty dishes, and would not give it a second thought...now that I have the reminder for that I'm actually keeping dishes washed).

I'm not causing you to have a stroke, now am I? lol

roadracer

05-20-2009, 02:23 AM

I'm not causing you to have a stroke, now am I? lol
Not yet, lol

Aspigander

05-20-2009, 02:34 AM

Good. lol

Okay, I think I've solved the problem. I deleted the every 4th day disregard reminder, and in its place added a "Check self before exercising" reminder to go off at the same time as the stationary bike reminder.

roadracer

05-20-2009, 02:39 AM

what model of phone do you have? the exact make and model

I would highly recomend one of these, or something similar as this is 100 times better then what you curently have. It uses windows mobel, so your posiblity of software is endless. You would be able to set the reminders however you like, with as much text as you like, able to add pictures to the reminders, set different ones for certain days. I had a PDA, just like this but without the phone part, and all you had to do is go into the calandar and put in something for that day, and you can configure it endlesly. This type of phone is made for that, that is what it is designed for. The phone you are using now is great and all that you can add reminders, but it is way to limited in what you can do with it.
http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/product_detail.do?storeName=storefronts&landing=handheld&category=Messenger&lanAttr=Type&orderflow=1&product_code=FB068AA%23ABA&catLevel=2 (http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/product_detail.do?storeName=storefronts&landing=handheld&category=Messenger&lanAttr=Type&orderflow=1&product_code=FB068AA%23ABA&catLevel=2)

Aspigander

05-20-2009, 02:56 AM

what model of phone do you have? the exact make and model

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/controller?item=phoneFirst&action=viewPhoneDetail&selectedPhoneId=3725

I would highly recomend one of these, or something similar as this is 100 times better then what you curently have. It uses windows mobel, so your posiblity of software is endless. You would be able to set the reminders however you like, with as much text as you like, able to add pictures to the reminders, set different ones for certain days. I had a PDA, just like this but without the phone part, and all you had to do is go into the calandar and put in something for that day, and you can configure it endlesly. This type of phone is made for that, that is what it is designed for. The phone you are using now is great and all that you can add reminders, but it is way to limited in what you can do with it.
http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/product_detail.do?storeName=storefronts&landing=handheld&category=Messenger&lanAttr=Type&orderflow=1&product_code=FB068AA%23ABA&catLevel=2

Your link didn't take me to a specific phone.

When looking at technology, I don't necessarily look for the most features. I just look for enough features to be functional for my purposes. I may have to add more than one reminder to get one thing accomplished due to character limit, but it is functional.

roadracer

05-20-2009, 03:13 AM

yes it works, but OMG you would know what I am talking about it you ever used a smart phone, it is not about how many features it has, it is the fact that it is designed for this purpose and would work for you like a dream. Instead of putting in just a reminder, you would go to a calindar, click the day you want to add something, then add it and the time, with as much text as you like and then you could click for it to come up on certain days. Then when it is time for that reminder instead of just telling you, it will tell you in advance (how far in advance you set it) and then however many times you want it to keep reminding you till the time for the event, that way you have notice before or however you would want to set it up.
Here it is on another site, since the last link didnt work, they can be a bit pricy, but you would be buying it for a piece of assistive technology, and since it is top notch technology, those are never cheap
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4010229&SRCCODE=GOOGLEBASE&cm_mmc_o=VRqCjC7BBTkwCjCECjCE

roadracer

05-20-2009, 03:28 AM

This is a little example of what I am talking about, look at how much more funtion there is to it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3OL6P2vfMM&feature=related

Aspigander

05-20-2009, 12:58 PM

Wow, I actually managed to pull off 20 minutes. I'm surprised. Last time I got on that thing (probably more than 2 years ago, as when I got back from the training center with more stuff than I went with, that bike quickly got buried...my bedroom still looks like I just got back from being gone lol), I think it was about 5 minutes in that I pooped out. So i'm surprised I was able to make 20 minutes.

And yes, I'm now forcing the water.

roadracer

05-20-2009, 10:08 PM

good job
how did you feel after?
let me know if you run into any problems or if you start hurting from it. If you get a pain in a certain area like say knees or something I can tell you how to fix it.

Aspigander

05-20-2009, 10:31 PM

After I was perhaps a bit, I don't know if weak is the right word, but the muscles were a bit tired. Not painful or anything, though.

Edited to add: Not sure if it's because I was on the bike and not used to it, or if it's because I endured a shopping trip with my mom, but I don't think I'll be ignoring my bed alert, at least not as much as I have of late.

Aspigander

05-21-2009, 04:02 PM

Okay, just did another 20. Feeling pretty much the same as yesterday.

One interesting thing I've found. First let me mention how this exercise bike works as I'm not sure if they're all the same way. My parents got me this thing probably about a decade ago, and the handles are connected to the pedals so move with the pedals (so arms and legs are moving). Just put that in as I'm not sure if they're all the same way or not. Anyway, I've noticed that while my legs were able to keep pedaling the full 20 minutes, the arms couldn't and I frequently just had to take my hands off and hold something next to the bike. No pain or anything, the arms just got tired more easily I guess. Not sure if that's significant.

roadracer

05-21-2009, 05:15 PM

Yep, your exercise bike having the arm thing is not a average type of exercise bike. Thinking it was probably pretty cheap and poorly designed, but that doesnt really matter as you can still get your exercise with it. Because your legs can do WAY more work then your arms can do (it is like this with everyone) your arms are holding you back from getting a good workout in because of the design of the bike. Can you undo the arm things where they hook up to the bike? So you can hold onto them but they are not moving?
Doing it the curent way, you are only going to be left with sore arms because they are not getting a workout because your legs are doing all the work. Your arms are just moving back and forth, so if you can figure out the way to away with that, by undo it or whatever, you will be getting a way better workout in.

For a arm workout (if you really want to do it) I would recomend doing pushups, as many as you can do at one time, and that is all. You can also do other workouts along with the bike, like say do 15-20 min of the bike, a 5 min rest, then jumping jacks, pushups, situps or whatever. Just add the 5 min rest between each workout and dont over do it with to much stuff.
Also it is another benifit of getting exercise is that it will be easy to go to bed when that bed alert goes off :D

Aspigander

05-21-2009, 06:10 PM

Can you undo the arm things where they hook up to the bike? So you can hold onto them but they are not moving?

I just went to check, and it does not appear possible (short of a screwdriver). But I've got something sturdy right next to the bike I can hold onto with one hand. So you're recommending I don't have the arms going as well?

I always thought the idea behind an exercise bike having the arms and legs both moving was so you could get a full cardiovascular workout. Do you get your heart pumping (my understanding is that's why you were recommending I exercise) just by pedaling?

roadracer

05-21-2009, 11:29 PM

Nope, the idea behind a exercise bike with those crazy arm things is a gimmick to sucker people into buying it thinking that they are getting a better workout and that causes people to injure there elbows easly. That is why any quality excercise bike does not have the gimmick arm thing on it, they are designed just like a normal bike, but does not move. But it is up to you, I dont want to make things to complicated, use the arm things if you want, I am saying they will hold you back and prevent progress. After so many times of doing the 20 min. your body wont even get a workout from it anymore unless you up the time, but if your arms are still tired after 20 you will be at the point you are not even getting the heart pumping enough.

So yes, you will be getting your heart pumping like you want if you just ditch the arm things, and if you want to work out your arms do one of the other exercises I recomended.

Do you feel any difference in your anxiety levels yet? Just wondering if it is working for that even a little?

If it seems like I am being to picky about this all I am not, just being a free personal trainer for you, helping you to avoid any posible complications so you will stick with it. Most people never stick with the exercise for a few key reasons, and I am trying to help you avoid those. :D

Aspigander

05-21-2009, 11:41 PM

Do you feel any difference in your anxiety levels yet? Just wondering if it is working for that even a little?

I don't know. Nothing really happened today to evoke my anxiety. Yesterday, no difference. My mom and I went shopping after I was on the bike and there were a few interesting moments. Then, after she left my apartment, and I realized that she hadn't taken something that belonged to her (I'd been meaning to give it to her for a while, last time she was here I pointed it out, she forgot to take it, then after helping me get my groceries in forgot to take it again), and it was like the umpteenth time I'd been meaning to give it to her, and when I realized it was still here, wow, anxiety, near meltdown. Not quite meltdown but I was hyperventilating to the point she could hardly understand what I was saying when I called until I calmed down a bit. Luckily, she never made it out of the apartment parking lot and I was able to run it out to her.

So yesterday I'd say no difference. Tomorrow I spend some time with my mom for my neurology appointment, and when I'm with her things tend to evoke my anxiety, so we'll see how that goes.

ETA: And so far it's not keeping me from jumping, for what that's worth.

roadracer

05-22-2009, 12:07 AM

well 20 min. is still pretty short and you have only started, so you will have to give it some time, see if it helps any of those
I think once you get to the point were you are going longer, say 40-60 min of exercise you will be feeling the endorphins working pretty good after

Aspigander

05-22-2009, 12:18 AM

I think tomorrow I might try to add a bit more time. I think I can do it if I'm just pedaling. It actually made things more complicated putting my hands on and off the handles, grabbing something to hang onto when not using the handles, etc., and I think I had to slow down each time. Since I didn't have problems with pedaling as of yet I may see if I can add some time on.

Is that (40-60 min) about when I should find it easier to go to bed when I get my bed alert (which just sounded 17 minutes ago), do you think?

roadracer

05-22-2009, 12:35 AM

Everyone is different, so add as much time as you need, you will know the next day if you did to much.
I cant really tell you how much you will need to feel like you will need to go to bed early. 80 miles and I have no problem falling asleep. You might feel pretty tired after 60 min., it all depends on how fit you are to begin with, and what it takes to get a good workout.

Aspigander

05-22-2009, 06:48 PM

Okay, just upped to 30 minutes today. Without the arms. That went okay. Actually made things easier not having to alternate between doing it with arms and without.

I kind of wasn't, for one because I was in my neuro appointment when I'm scheduled to exercise, and secondly because I had a slight headache, but I knew tomorrow would be an off day (won't be home), and possibly Sunday depending on when I get home, so I figured I'd better.

Aspigander

05-25-2009, 01:43 PM

roadracer

05-25-2009, 06:00 PM

Okay. Something strange. Probably not a bad thing, but something strange. I just got done with 30 minutes again. And for some reason, I'm feeling a bit less lethargic than usual. Of course that's a good thing, but any idea why? Do you think it's related to the exercise?

Yes, the multple days of workouts add up, when you work out one day you dont fully recover by the next workout and so on till the day you dont workout, your rest day is when you fully recover and your body builds muscle, and your heart and everything gets more healthy. So if you are feeling lethargic it is expected after some days of working out. Take a day off and you will feel like you got your energy back again. It is a good thing, shows that you are actually getting some quality exercise :D If you feel good after a workout and feel great, that is the endorphins (and the other stuff) working to make you feel good. Usually that first day of working out after a rest day your body is charged up and you feel much more endorphins and much better after that workout. :)

Aspigander

05-25-2009, 06:18 PM

So if you are feeling lethargic it is expected after some days of working out. Take a day off and you will feel like you got your energy back again.

I may have been a bit unclear in my post. The thing I noticed was I was not as lethargic as I think I usually am (I think I tend to be a bit chronically lethargic) after exercising today. Just slightly more energized. Is that the endorphin thing?

Actually, since I was at my parents' house and didn't get home until after 10pm last night, I didn't do anything Saturday or yesterday.

By the way, is there a way of making it seem less...what's the word I'm looking for...boring? I find myself looking at the timer a fair bit to see how much time is left. I'd try listening to GL while doing it, but no CD player in the bedroom, so I just set the timer and go. Not quite looking forward to when I up the time again.

Aspigander

05-30-2009, 02:56 PM

Let me know if I'm asking way too many questions. But I just got off the exercise bike and something weird occurred. Yesterday was an off day, BTW.

I'd been up to 30 min. before the off day, so decided to see if I could do 40 today. While not exactly painful, my right knee didn't exactly like what I was doing, evidently. It kept feeling like...I don't know. Just something weird. I kept stopping the pedaling to stretch it out and that would seem to fix it from usually anywhere from 5-8 minutes. I finally stopped 23 minutes in after I had to do this twice in like 1 or 2 minutes. Finally got a little tired of the start/stop/start/stop thing I was having to do.

Any ideas on what happened?

(Let me know if I'm being a pest.)

roadracer

05-30-2009, 05:05 PM

Sorry I missed your last post, I will start with it (no your not a pest), yes it can be very boring, that is why I said to put on some music, put on some GL, it also has the benifit of motivating you, besides taking away some of the boring. When I ride the exercise bike it is usually 3 hours or more, so I usually put on a movie, or make a long playlist, or read a book, sometimes I will tape a sudoku puzzle to my handle bars. Music will probably work for you, so move the cd player to your room, or move the bike to the cd player, whatever you got to do. My mom just turns on the TV while she is on the exercise bike, she does 40 min., cause thats all she can do.

Okay, the knee pain, is it under the knee cap, or middle of the knee, or back of the knee? Important if you know where the pain is. Knee pain could mean a few different things, could be the seat is to high, or is to low, or you are pedaling to fast or to slow, or (if you are using those gimmick arm things) your hips are rocking back and forth, meaning your twisting out of alignment, putting stress on the knee.
Most likely it is one of the first things, seat is to high or low, or pedaling to fast or slow. (there are actually more things it could be, but since you are only doing 30-40 min. I really dont think it is one of those)
your leg should be slightly bent when you are sitting on it with the pedal at the bottom. Look at this site, photo B
http://www.jimlangley.net/crank/bikefit.html
Chances are that your seat is to low and your knees stick out all funny ;) If your seat is adjusted correct like the picture and that is not the problem, let me know and I will try to explain the speed you should pedal

Aspigander

05-30-2009, 05:26 PM

Well, it's not exactly pain -- just something not quite right that I'm not sure how to describe. Kind of under and to the front but somewhat on the inside.

I'm not using the arm things. It's in the corner of the bedroom, and I have a nice sturdy dresser next to it that I put a hand on as well as the timer that I use.

Unfortunately I can't check the seat or figure out if I can/how to adjust it if that's the problem until tomorrow or Monday, as I'm not at the apartment (my mom figured 10:30pm last night was a great time to call and ask if I'd come take care of dogs today and tomorrow :eek:). So it will be tate tomorrow evening or Monday before I can figure that out, if that's the problem. I haven't paid too much attention to how bent the leg is with the pedal down, but the picture looks about right for what I think it is.

Aspigander

06-12-2009, 02:55 PM

Okay, a little update:

No strange knee episodes since I posted about it. Not sure what happened that day. Must have been an isolated incident.

I now have an mp3 player, so this morning I used it while on the stationary bike. I hadn't increased from 40 minutes to this point (the boredom aspect), so decided to see just how long I could go while listening to GL. I set the timer for 40 minutes, and didn't even look at the timer at all before it went off to see how much time remained, like I'd been doing without the music. I guess it's hard to get bored listening to GL. When the timer went off I reset it to see how much further into another 40 minute round I could go. Made it all the way through another 40 minutes (didn't think I was going to) and looked at the timer with less than 3 minutes remaining, not from boredom but because I was getting tired and needed to decide if I could go until the timer went off or if I should just stop. Since I had less than 3min remaining I just went until the timer went off.

So I would say listening to GL was helpful.