XC mountain biking but don't want to lose muscle

[Spectre]

Over the past few months I've (hopefully) added some muscle mass by going to the gym. I've also added some fat which I wouldn't miss, seems to be more on my sides than I remember in the past. Maybe that's my fat deposition pattern changing as I get older.

How can I minimise muscle loss whilst improving my cardiovascular fitness on the bike? I'll be continuing the gym but adding a ride or maybe two in per week.

Anyone know much about energy substrates?

 

[MH]

The easiest way is not to spin.

Dont use the granny ring and use the highest gear possible, keep your arse on the seat but if it gets too hard you can stand up.

That way you will build the muscle and if you do it over a good distance you will get the heart rate upto about 190BPM!! You will feel it, you will then want to barf but its worth it

Every Sunday I do that, I have the legs but unfortunately I have the beer keg gut also. So on the very steep climbs I will granny ring it, just to burn the fat otherwise its pump those legs.
Another good option is to get SPD Clipless shoes and pedals, you can push and pull on each reveolution, that way you will build your shin's up

 

[Spectre]

I use SPDs .

What I was concerned about was going catabolic and using muscle for energy.

I've read that as it's not really possible to put muscle on without fat it is also not possible to lose fat without some muscle (without drugs anyway...).

Seems a high protein diet and continuing weights might be the way.

 

[Utopie]

I know I do HIT on the bike, warm up, then go flat out for a minute, then medium pace for 2 minutes and do that 3 or 4 times... Wrecks you but only takes about 30 mins instead of an hour.

Supposed to be scientifly proven that it is as beneficial as doing an hour at medium to high pace all the way though.

Also best not to do it over an hour, that's when you start to burn muscle, and 2 to 3 times a week whouldn't effect muscle mass too much.

I think you just need to try these things for a month or so, monitor your results and tweak and tune the regeime if needed, everyone is different...

 

[Spectre]

The hour thing is something I've started taking more seriously now, I'm going to change my three-day to four in the gym as Friday afternoons are too long and need splitting.

When we get back out on the bikes if the ride is going to go over an hour (they mostly do) I'll try a basic carb drink to cause an insulin spike and stop cortisol.

 

[MH]

I find the High Carb Gels are better, the High 5 are the best IMO and they have brought a new new one out that I think is called 4:1

 

[Spectre]

I find the High Carb Gels are better, the High 5 are the best IMO and they have brought a new new one out that I think is called 4:1

I've seen the gel things.

Just I have a couple of tubs of Creatine I bought from Holland & Barrett and it's full of sugar so this might be a good use for it .

 

[MH]

Creatine, give me a bad arse lol!!