MENU: Biking + Fitness Jump to: Articles | Fitness | Templates | 220702 = 07/02/2022 Under Construction... ARTICLES: -- BSR Therapy: Ernie Gamble: 12/09/2020: How to Modify the Lunge if You Have a Knee Injury or Pain 08/19/2018: How to Squat without Knee Pain -- TEMPLATES: Free to download: Pilates10.xlsx | Weights22.xlsx -- John's fitness story in 2022: A brief recap of my back history: I've spent the last 2+ years of getting seriously fit; mostly biking and some running, sometimes 2x per day, and most recently back to weightlifting, especially for leg strength. This I've done after suffering about 4 yrs ago with knee pain going up and down stairs at work. I found myself about 50 pounds overweight. I then prayed, including not wanting to end up in a wheelchair. I now attribute my knee pain to atrophy (20 years of "couching") plus an atrophy-related injury over a decade ago. Now, I'm back to my weight and appetite from high school! As long as I stay active, my knee pain is nil to minimal. Learning: -Pacing self -Heart rate limits = 5 HR zones (H1 TO H5). -Cadence (rpm) drills, similar to intervals = wind sprints from the old days but on a bike. -Power meter installed on left crank, and 7 Power Zones (P1 to P7): Endurance vs Tempo vs Threshold vs VO2Max vs Anarobic vs Neuromuscular. -Running -Hill climbing -Time Trialing (informal) -Introduction to Mountain Biking -Training and more training (riding), to develop cardio and heart and leg strength. -Physiology of resource depletion in the body: foods, water and electrolytes, oxygen depletion at upper levels of effort. Nov 2021 = rode my first Tour de Tucson, 62 miles, ~1200 ft climbing, in 3h 48 min = avg 16.3 mph. Jan-Feb 2022 = prayer, resulted in large cutback of daily indoor biking, in favor of beginning strength training. Learning, from knowledgable friends and from the Internet: -Which exercises = various squats, lunges, presses. I bought extra weight plates for my leg rack (yet rack is harder on the back). -Proper squat form? To lift without pain, despite pain in my past. -Knee mechanics / physiology? More running. Apr 2022 = rode my first Tour de Mesa (east Phoenix), 42 miles, ~2000 ft climbing, in 2h 44 m = avg 15.4 mph. I bought a set of adjustable dumbbells for indoors. More learning and lifting. Jun 20, 2022 = solo ride from NW Tucson up to Oracle AZ and back = 63 miles, ~2100 ft climbing, in 3h 47m = avg 16.7 mph (notice: faster than Nov 2021, with nearly twice the climbing). So, as I may, Im going to keep lifting. Praise the Lord!! You may find me on Strava.com as: John Conant<>< 6/20/22: Oracle TT Biosphere ride, my best 63 miles so far. In contrast, 11/20/21: Tour de Tucson ride, my first TdT. This fitness work has been a major focus of mine since May 2020, yep, from smack in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic. Return to Biking Home page. Jump to: Articles | Fitness | Return to Home Page.