Not Just a Man's World

Management consultants: not all bad

Thanks to my job, the language of management consultants has become second nature to me.  Some phrases, like ‘straw man’ and ‘thought shower’ leave me cold and I avoid them whenever possible.  However, I like the concept of ‘thinking outside the box’ and I think that it’s something that applies to all areas of life, including diet and exercise.

For example, this weekend I finally got back onto my bike.  For the first time in three years I had left the bicycle hibernating in the shed throughout the winter so I could concentrate on lifting weights.  I hadn’t been out for a ride since mid-December. 

Usually I have a big cycling training goal for the summer which needs me to keep cycling through the winter, but this year I haven’t defined a specific goal.  I know that I want to improve my hill climbs during 2010 but otherwise I’d just like to enjoy myself when I’m out with my bike.

So it was with some trepidation on Saturday morning that applied buttocks to saddle and set out on an early morning ride in a fasted state to tackle one of the hilliest local circuits.

At the peak of cycle fitness last summer, touring in France (and sporting an unattractive wheat-gut from a week of living off fresh French bread)

Survival of the fittest

I fully expected to burn out and crawl home at a slow pace, humbled by the experience and swearing to ride through the winter next year like every other cyclist.

I’d picked one of the hilliest circuits because I wanted to shock my body into submission and show it that I meant business this year.  I expected to just about make it round the first half with the bigger climbs and then spin home at a crawl, struggling on the last few short hills.

But there was no burn out.  No sobbing.  No crying with the pain.

Instead there was speed, strength and determination.  I pushed it hard up all except the very steepest climb.  I raced Chris up the two slow but long climbs and even came in at a record speed up one of the climbs.  I was even sprinting up those last few short hills.

Training outside the box

This was a perfect example of what I like to call “training outside the box”.  Training something completely different to get the benefits where you want them.  The only difference was that I hadn’t thought I was training outside the box this winter, so I hadn’t expected to see the benefits.

In one of my recent powerlifting posts I explained that last year I left my bench press completely untrained for six months.  This was an example of actively training outside the box.  By working on exercises that continued to strengthen the right muscles during the six months off I came back to my bench press fresh and with a 10kg increase.  In the process I hadn’t got tired of doing bench press and there were no overuse injuries from doing the same exercise all the time. 

There were just the gains.

Making the most of the winter

I have spent this winter in the gym building glute strength, improving my hip mobility so that I am better able to engage my glutes when I need them, and increasing my work capacity. 

What I hadn’t thought about was that all these elements are crucial for hill cycling as well as deadlifting and squatting.  In fact, this weekend is the first time I’ve truly felt my glutes engage for a hill climb.

The benefits of taking a break

One of the biggest benefits from taking a break from cycling, or any specific exercise, in addition to avoiding overuse injuries, is the freshness you bring with you when you return to the exercise.

It was pure joy to be racing through the country lanes again with the tarmac whisking under the wheels and the wind in my hair.  I felt free as a bird.  In comparison, when I have spent the whole winter cycling, I loose my enjoyment and don’t start to find it again until the weather is warm enough to be cycling in summer gear with warm sun on my face.

Applying the theory

Next time you’re getting tired or bored of an exercise, or you don’t feel you’re seeing the improvement you want, try doing something else.  Work out the weaknesses and find other exercises you can do which will continue to work on those weaknesses.  Most importantly, completely leave out the exercise that is causing the problem.

Give it a month or two and then come back to it.  You may just be pleasantly surprised.

Related posts:

1. Lessons learned: keeping training records
2. Lessons learned: the benefits of variety
3. Lessons learned this week: stress and lifting
4. Lessons learned: dehydration