What causes poor stamina?

Question

I would like to become stronger so that I can ride my bike further. But I seem to run out of stamina really quickly. It's really irritating; I get out of breath and develop stitch really quickly. It's only a problem when going up hills, but still - I want to be able to cycle from South Hampsted to Finchley.

Just so you know, it's no problem on flat ground. I can cycle for miles then. But I want to be able to climb up hills on my bicycle.

It's not that I don't excerise enough. I walk a lot, and often for long distances compared to most people. It's just when I go at speed that I run out of puff.

Answer 1

You say you walk a lot. My father trains every year for annual marches in which he walks 200 kilometres in four days, but apart from that tries cycling on club competitive level and commuting too. He has noticed that the two are difficult to combine. Unlike a combination of cycling, skating and/or swimming - exercises which address similar muscle groups, it seems hiking and running actually make a cyclist worse and vice versa. He complains of all sorts of aches when cycling a few days after the marches.

Cycling uphill is something I find difficult too. As a Dutchman I find it easy to maintain a high speed over flat lands and against the wind, but an incline presents a different challenge - it's about getting into a rhythm and maintaining it nevermind changes in gradients or the odd extremely annoying bump. Whether it's more your style to stand in the pedals, or to remain seated - keep a check on your breathing. Like you might do in running, just get into a steady rhythm of breathing out and in. Focus on that, rather than keeping a same speed or cadence.

If you're doing other sports beside it, swim or skate more often than you hike at the times where you want to perform in uphill cycling. Hiking strengthens the wrong muscle group. I don't know what they're called, but you do not want a bulge at the front of your calf - rather the sides and of course the thighs. This is why swimming is good (it's most compatible with any other sport, as it exercises everything) and skating is excellent (it focuses on exactly the same muscles).

Come to think of it, Nordic walking might be an idea too.

Answer 2

More effort is required to climb a hill than is required for riding on flat ground. This is because you're fighting gravity, in addition to other common effects (like wind and friction).

So ... if you have no problem with wind and friction (on the flats), that's not likely the issue for climbing, is it? It has to be gravity, basically.

And that means doing a couple of things, as listed below.
- - Lose some weight (unless you're one of those whip-thin lads like the pro racers), but maintain your strength by eating right and staying hydrated
- - Examine your bike setup ... being a little more hunched over the handlebars (rather than sitting up straight) will help enormously. Make sure you're got the right pedal-to-seat distance, so that you're making the most of the effort you're putting out.
- - You could try clipless (cleated) pedals and cycling shoes. The standard "flat" pedal only allows you to apply effort for about 30-40 percent of the revolution, whereas the clipless pedal allows you to pull upward as well, increasing your effective zone by 2X to 60-80 percent of the time. Doesn't sound like much, but it makes a HUGE difference in climbing capability!
- - Train for the hills. You're running into oxygen debt (getting the stitch and feeling winded), so try doing short bursts of 20-30 seconds as hard as you can go (on the flats), followed by about 60 seconds of recovery. Repeat the sprints 8 or 10 times on any given ride (alternating between sprint and recovery). Then start doing hills that are less steep ... put your bike in a gear that is easier to peddle and spin up the slope, staying seated as long as possible. Keep moving your feet at a high rpm (cadence) ... and remember, momentum is your friend!
- - Try cross-training. The two best sports to help with your breathing are swimming and running. Working against the water strengthens the upper body and abdomen, which helps you breath easier. Running helps with the core strengthening as well, to a lesser extent. But it also works other muscles in your legs that make cycling easier in the long run.

I think you're trying to "mash" your way up the hills, instead of useing the "spin" technique. Trust me ... go to smaller chainrings in front and larger cogs in the rear for hill climbing. It works like a charm! Much more energy efficient ... which in turn makes your breathing easier.

Oh yes ... one last thing. Visit a physician and get your blood pressure checked. You might not know it, but if you're feeling that stitch in the wrong place when climbing, it may be because you're spiking your blood pressure (and heart rate) through the roof due to the increased effort.

Answer 3

Yes, it causes poor stamina when it restricts the oxygen flow through the lungs and into the veins and arteries where it can do the muscles some good. Sit and take breaths till your oxygen level returns to normal (90% for most people)

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Answer 4

If you're a healthy individual, poor stamina is directly related to your conditioning. Your symptoms are indicative of not being in good enough shape for the work your trying to do.

EDIT: walking is no training for riding hills. As I said you're not is good enough shape. You may want to think otherwise but the proof is in your lack of stamina.

Answer 5

This is a common situation, so worry not, nothing wrong with you.

Cycling is a very demanding sport, specially when hills come in sight!
Other sports can help you in your cycling, but some motions and muscles are exclusive to cycling (as with any other sport), and they need to get fit to be able to do the job.

It seems you are cardio fit. But hill climbing can rise your heart rate quickly and high. A more than average hill, but not very steep or long can get you in your mid 80% of your max heart beat! So, training is the key factor here.

We all get better at hills as we do them more, so do your hills, but be smart. PACE YOURSELF!!!!!
Choose the proper gearing and speed to ge the most out of your cardio and muscles strenght. To high a gear and you will get winded and out of breath soon. To high a gear and muscle fatigue and pain will appear fast.

Just train hill climbing a in moderate step by step fashion and you will get better at it, no doubt.

Here are to good sites to get more hill climbing knowledge and technique, just search in them for what you want to know:


http://www.timeoutdoors.com/sitetools/Article_List.asp?acd=bike

http://www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/index.htm


Good luck!

Answer 6

Hills need to be practiced. It could be that you need to work on your bike set up to help with hills (Lower bars, or put bar ends on. Get clip in peddles.). You might also be trying to pull too big a gear. Go for a lower gear, but peddle faster.

The other advice is to keep fueled. Drink a high carb drink (Go, etc), also eat jelly babies as you ride.)

Luck

Answer 7

I would start by trying to ride smaller hills at first and gradually increase the degree of the hills. Be sure to hydrate, stretch and rest before and after each ride. Make sure your potassium intake (bananas for instance) is adequate also. Weight training will also help as will cross-training.

Answer 8

you need to do interval workouts that will build your VO2 which then in turn will make you be able to go up hills with a lot of stamina

Answer 9

keep riding.. you have to develop your slow twitch muscles and achieve neuromuscular repetition and maturity. ive been riding for 17 years. my average ride is 60 miles (under 3 hours in all terrain)
it took me a long time to get there where it became comfortable and able to recover to do it again under 24 hours, six days a week. ride. ride. and ride. each week increase your distance by 2-10 percent. you should ride 5-6 days a week with one off day swithc between distance and time trails and hills.

Answer 10

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