muscle atrophy

So how long does it take for muscles to atrophy given a decide lack
of cycling through the dark winter season?

How much 'maintenance' work would be enough to keep the bicycle propulsion
system in tune?

Opinions?

--
'And then one day you find,
Ten years have got behind you.
No one told you when to run
You missed the starting gun' -pink floyd

In article s.com,
says...
So how long does it take for muscles to atrophy given a decide lack
of cycling through the dark winter season?

How much 'maintenance' work would be enough to keep the bicycle propulsion
system in tune?

Opinions?

JMO, but I think two or three 30 to 60 minute sessions on a trainer
would keep you in decent shape until you can back out on the roads.
Obviously not race shape, but enough to give you a good base to build
from when the weather improves.

--
Dave Kerber
Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.

loki wrote:

So how long does it take for muscles to atrophy given a decide lack
of cycling through the dark winter season?

I don't know the scientific answer, but my legs have been pretty
tired lately, after January's lack of riding. They're getting
better, though.

Here's an overview of the effects of detraining:

http://www.cptips.com/detrain.htm

--
terry morse Palo Alto, CA http://www.terrymorse.com/bike/

"loki"
So how long does it take for muscles to atrophy given a decide
lack
of cycling through the dark winter season?

After a six to eight week layoff it takes me about 120 miles, 4 or 5 rides
just to get my legs somewhat back. Then considerable more time to get back
to the condition "pre" dark winter season.

hth

On Sat, 07 Feb 2004 23:54:03 GMT, "loki" wrote
in message s.com:

So how long does it take for muscles to atrophy given a decide lack
of cycling through the dark winter season?

About a week ;-)

How much 'maintenance' work would be enough to keep the bicycle propulsion
system in tune?

Het, don't ask me - winter is just the part of the year when I need
lights.

Guy
===
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://chapmancentral.demon.co.uk

"Just zis Guy, you know?" wrote in message
...

Het, don't ask me - winter is just the part of the year when I need
lights.

very good. But we're relatively lucky aren't we?

Prepare yourself though, it might be a bit colder tommorow ... only 37F

"Kevan Smith" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 07 Feb 2004 23:54:03 GMT, "loki" from
wrote:

So how long does it take for muscles to atrophy given a decide
lack
of cycling through the dark winter season?

I think you start losing muscle and cardio gains within two to three
weeks. From
what I've gathered, the cardio is easier to get back.

How much 'maintenance' work would be enough to keep the bicycle
propulsion
system in tune?

Exercise vigorously at least three times per week for at least 60 minutes
per
session. I'd do leg and core work and some sort of indoor cardio.

I swim through the winter [summer as well actually] so that covers my
cardio I guess. I do 1 hour sets once or twice a day mebbe every other day
on average. I was thinking more about my cycle specific muscles. In swimming
I consciously do not use my lower body much but concentrate my effort on
upper body to balance the cycling. I still cycle in winter. It is my method
of transport. But that is basically the ~20 - in winter at least - minute
each way commute to/from work 3-4 times a week. I might get out for the odd
winter ride but nothing like summer time.

What brought this thought on was that for Jan. I didn't even do much
swimming. I pulled a muslce in muscle in my bicep. I havent a freakin' clue
as to how I did it. It was just sore as hell. But Jan was pretty much a
writeoff for exercise in general.

--
'And then one day you find,
Ten years have got behind you.
No one told you when to run
You missed the starting gun' -pink floyd

On Sun, 8 Feb 2004 16:06:52 +0000 (UTC), "W K"
wrote:
Het, don't ask me - winter is just the part of the year when I need
lights.

very good. But we're relatively lucky aren't we?

Prepare yourself though, it might be a bit colder tommorow ... only 37F

Hell, we're just recently up to that sort of temperature. It's a
heat wave for us here in the northeast US. Some of the ice is
melting, even.
--
Rick Onanian

"Rick Onanian" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 8 Feb 2004 16:06:52 +0000 (UTC), "W K"
wrote:
Het, don't ask me - winter is just the part of the year when I need
lights.

very good. But we're relatively lucky aren't we?

Prepare yourself though, it might be a bit colder tommorow ... only 37F

Hell, we're just recently up to that sort of temperature. It's a
heat wave for us here in the northeast US. Some of the ice is
melting, even.

Yes. We are blessed with winters where a daytime temperature of 60F is
possible.
But plagued with summers where daytime temperatures of 60F are probable.

On Tue, 10 Feb 2004 09:23:43 +0000 (UTC), "W K"
wrote:
Yes. We are blessed with winters where a daytime temperature of 60F is
possible.
But plagued with summers where daytime temperatures of 60F are probable.

"Plagued"???

Where is this alleged weather-paradise? While 70F would be optimal,
I'd settle for 60F days all year...
--
Rick Onanian