Hi all!
I’ve just had a lower back surgery and my doctor has cleared me to slowly come back to cycling. I can only do indoor cycling for three more weeks before I can go out. I have been off the bike for almost three months. What SYSTM training plan do you recommend? I need to start slow.
Thank you
I’d say no plan for at least a few weeks, and certainly no tests (HM or FF). Go to the Library and use the filters to find workouts that you feel are appropriate and that you’d like to do. Choose among the channels, then duration (short at first), and find what looks good in terms of intensity. If you filter for Active Recovery, they’ll all be pretty low key and relatively easy. Go very easy on the rides to test out how it feels, then gradually build up duration and intensity as long as it’s still feeling good. When you feel ready it’s time to test. I suggest doing the 7 day Test Prep Plan with the HM on day three and FF on day 7. That provides a good lead-in to the FF and the HM results are used to generate suggested levels for the FF, which makes pacing much easier. I try to just beat the suggested levels.
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I agree with @Saddlesaur just take it easy and do recovery rides for a wee while and see how you feel. After thatz there is a fitness kickstarter plan (under cycling>general fitness) which from memory is a bit more of an easier plan
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Thank you so much Saddlesaur and DameLisa. I’ll do that for the next three weeks and hopefully by then I should be able to try the 7 day Test Prep you suggest.
I appreciate it very much!
Regards
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When you feel ready to test, you could also look at the “Ramp It Up” Transition Plan, which starts out with a Half Monty test, then gives you six weeks of build up, and a Full Frontal test at the end.
I hope your recovery goes well!
The Full Frontal 4DP test is such a beast, I’d really hesitate to recommend it very early in a start back from recovery. You can judge for yourself if you feel you want to subject yourself to that test early on.
As mentioned above, both “Ramp it Up” and “Fitness Kickstarter” are 6-week Training Plans that have Half Monty at the very beginning and then the Full Frontal 4DP test at the end of the six-week session. Both include some strength training, yoga is an optional add-on to “Fitness Kickstarter” but seems to be included in “Ramp it Up”.
Before you commit to either, you can preview the plan at the end of your selection to see what the schedule looks like. You can also end and restart any plan at anytime if you change your mind or want to stretch it out a bit.
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Thank you Jesawdy and way9e0,
Great advise! I will start slow and see how I feel! I really need to build my Aerobic base, I guess I’ll have to be patient!
Appreciate your advise!
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