Too Much Exercise ?

[OTHRider]

As I near the big 5-4, I have drastically changed from a poorly-skilled, wanna go fast MTB'r to more of a medium paced, longer range gravel grinder. Maybe it was the crashes, my bad knees or the inevitable "just getting older" that pushed the change. I do know that I love biking more than ever. It is my chance to fly and feel like a kid again. The bonus of course was the incredible improvement in fitness.

I just came across a post dealing with 50+ year old athletes who keep pushing the limits and what it can possibly do to our bodies. The 50+ is arbitrary, the level of "over" exercise is unique to each individual athlete, but the concern is growing as to what is a normal amount of exercise as we age.

I hope this doesn't come across as alarmist, just a PSA with lots of individual stories from people we may aspire to be like and train like. I promise to keep biking - my training will NEVER be considered extreme.

http://velonews.competitor.com/cycling-extremes

http://www.drjohnm.org/2014/05/exercise-over-indulgence-and-atrial-fibrillation-seeing-the-obvious/

 

[Varaxis]

Too much of a good thing being bad, eh? I don't know anyone here like that. Even J seems to be keeping it real. Interesting to read in detail about how the body will tell you that you're overtraining in ways besides burn out, in this case AF. I figure, the straighter you walk the ideal healthy path in life, the less you have to worry about these things. I feel like I should forward this article to Tinker though.

The best quote came from the second article, "always being on the gas", with the context that an overweight person is also constantly on the gas, working harder to carry all that weight throughout the day, needing to pump that much blood to support it all, yet it's not any better for a skinny person to be always on the gas in endurance sports. Likely also applies to being overworked at your job too.

Keep it up bro, and don't be afraid to mix things up and try your hand in other things besides those gravel grinders.

 

[scan]

Some good information. Something to think about for the 40-50 ish yr olds that are trying to ride like 20 somethings. Like lots of things in life moderation is a good general rule.