As Easy as Getting Back on Bike
Getting back into cycling can feel like an uncertain process with no clear steps forward. But whether your break was a few weeks or years, you can get back to cycling, and these cycling tips will show you how.
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HOW TO GET BACK INTO CYCLING AFTER A LONG BREAK
How long will it take for you to regain your fitness?
If you're getting back into cycling after a long break, here's some good news…
You're not starting from scratch.
Some studies 1 2 suggest that your muscles retain their adaptations to training for quite some time, which can mean a faster return to cycling.
You'll still need to be conservative with increasing your cycling workload so you don't get injured, but you can expect to regain your fitness faster than someone who's never been on a bike before.
Return to Cycling Plan
Returning to cycling after a long break? Ease back to cycling
Before you get impatient and frustrated with your current cycling fitness, remember, your mind may be ready to pick up where you left off, but your body is probably not on the same page.
Getting back to cycling requires time—time to rebuild your cycling fitness and strength.
Start with short 20-minute easy rides two to three times a week before extending your time on your bike.
You could handle more or less, depending on how long your break was and your overall experience as a cyclist—it's all up to you.
But ultimately, your cycling routine depends on 3 things: your cycling goal, your schedule, and whether you're injury-prone.
- What's your cycling goal? Do you want to ride your bike three times a week? Or do you have a goal ride you've got your eye on, such as a century ride?
- What's your schedule? How much time do you have to ride every week?
- Do you get injured easily? If you do, you may have to adjust your cycling workload to avoid an injury. You're your own best resource on what's working and what's not.
Use group rides for support and cycling motivation
Joining a group ride can inspire you to keep cycling because most often, you'll find support and encouragement from fellow riders.
And, you'll reacquaint yourself with vital group riding skills—such as bike handling, riding close to others, climbing, descending, and cornering.
The three best ways to find a group ride near you:
- Your local bike shop will have the inside scoop on the best group rides for your experience level.
- Your country's national governing body for cycling, such as AusCycling, British Cycling, or USA Cycling.
And if you want to find a virtual group ride, Zwift may be for you. (Dig into more indoor cycling apps here.)
Know that you'll face ups and downs on your return to cycling, but these tips can help bolster your cycling motivation
You'll have days when getting on the bike is a monumental task, and that's normal.
Sometimes that lack of motivation can come from a lack of sleep, life stress, or feeling under the weather. And you should adjust your cycling schedule and workouts when this happens. That means you'll either take a day off or do an easy spin when you don't have energy.
But if you simply don't want to ride your bike, try these two tips to boost your cycling motivation.
1| Gather your gear as slowly as you can.
You don't even have to corral all your gear at once. Start with filling one bottle. Then, do the next. After that, check one tire. And so on.
You may feel some resistance, but doing these tasks at a relaxed pace may feel like a game. Plus, you're moving forward even at a snail's pace.
The result after finally gathering your gear? It's a good bet you'll want to ride because you won't want your efforts to go to waste.
2| Ask yourself, 'what am I capable of today?'
Any time you're low on cycling motivation, it can be effective to pose a question to yourself.
What are you capable of today?
Can you do a 10-minute bike ride? A 20-minute bike ride?
Asking yourself a question can flip an internal switch—from dread to curiosity—to motivate and challenge yourself to get on the bike.
Keep track of your accomplishments to help you stick with it
It is never easy returning to cycling—you'll move forward only to move backward—and it can seem like you're not making progress.
And this can make your return to cycling massively frustrating. So to avoid this frustration, consider using a 'win's' list.
A 'wins' or cycling accomplishment list helps you keep track of all the things that have gone well so far with your return to cycling.
Set aside a minute at the end of every bike ride to note one good thing about getting on your bike that day. One minute, one good thing.
Anytime you think you aren't making progress, or need a dose of motivation, flip through your 'wins' journal to review the good things that have happened since your return to cycling.
Getting back into cycling after a long break can feel like slow progress with more detours than you'd like. But with time, and if you keep at it, your cycling fitness will return.
The return to cycling tips don't end here. If you'd like more advice on how to return to cycling after a long break, this return to cycling training plan will guide you through 12 weeks of cycling.
Return to Cycling Plan
Sources
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