How can I increase my cycling stamina?

Question

Will you please tell me how can i increase my cycling stamina?

Tell me what should be done before and after cycling. Tell about the food that should be consumed before and after cycling?

Answer 1

do you hear about stamina pills

Answer 2

eat pasta( or other carbohydrates) before it gives a energy that keeps on being released for 2 hours into sport then you 'hit the wall' this is when you run out of energy

don't eat on the day eat it the night before you will get stomach ache

lucozade gives a sharp boost of energy and then it stops so not advised.

Answer 3

Stamina. There is a female athlete from Québec going to China for the Olympics who prepared by cycling on a stationary bike in her SHED. A matter of getting used to the heat and humidity and what not. Another female athlete (mountain bike) went to Greece a few years back and prepared for that sort of heat by cycling  in her sports' centre steam bath. Amazing, isn't it? You may not want to go that far, but you get the idea: determination

Answer 4

eating and drinking during a long ride is vital.  first and formost is to stay hydrated.  you should be going through 2 small water bottles every 25miles or so.  if you lose 5lbs of fluid weight, it reduces your body's effeciency by as much as 20%.  i remember before i learned to drink a lot, i would finish a century as much as 7lbs lighter, adn then i wondered why i felt so bad.  drink all the time.  even if you dont feel yourself sweating a lot, your body still needs fluids to work correctly.

the best bet is to get a steady flow of calories thru a ride.  i use a replacement drink in one bottle and water in the other.  i also like the new gel paks, as they are quick and easy.  i mix things up with other foods as well.

when not riding, if you are eating correctly, you shouldnt need anything special.  i believe in eating right all the time versus loading up before or after rides and not eating right the rest of the time.  fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean protiens, you know the stuff you should eat.

there comes a point where your body fills with toxins like latic acid from working hard.  during hard work, your liver cannot break down those things faster than your muscles give it off, and it builds up in your body.  taking a break will allow your liver to catch up and you can then go again.  this is why tours have breaks about every 25miles.

the final piece is teachng your body to adapt.  by slowly increasing your milage, you teach your body to cope with all of this stuff.  it will learn to metabolize fats and protiens better, and it becomes more effective at scrubbing your blood.  doing a century or other event doesnt take anything magic.  it is a matter of training and building up to it.

Answer 5

There are so many things that could be done!

Mostly to take it in stride. As with any sport practise, training and proper nutrition and rest are the key elements.

Try training like you would for any other sport. Be intense, but never over do it. Have some intense days on the bike and then easy soft pedalling recuperation days.

For intensity do a series of short sprint (10 seconds) and rest for 1 minute, repeat 6 to 8 times, as you improve, shorten your rest times to 45 and then 30 seconds.

.  Find challenging hills and learn to climb them. Do some stretching, specially after your rides.Take your time too. But mostly, enjoy.

Here are some sites that could be of help:

http://www.timeoutdoors.com

http://www.ctc.org.uk