For cyclists, particularly those navigating the challenges of training over the age of 50, several common mistakes and misconceptions can hinder performance, reduce enjoyment, and even lead to injury.
Many of these stem from outdated beliefs about aging, combined with improper training, recovery, and lifestyle practices.
Here are the ten distinct mistakes cyclists make, along with practical workarounds for each, designed to help you optimize your cycling journey.
1. Relying on too much high-intensity training
Cyclists often hammer away every session, mistakenly believing that constant high intensity is the only path to progress.
This approach treats Zone 2 training as being “for beginners” and is often driven by ego, the desire for fast results, and the belief that if “I’m not suffering, I’m not improving”. More on zone 2 below
However, for those over 50, recovery takes significantly longer, and such an approach leads to increased tiredness, reduced motivation, rather than consistent improvement.
Workaround:
Reduce your high-intensity workouts to one session per week. At the end of this workout, incorporate short, full-gas efforts of 1 to 3 minutes to test and gradually increase your maximum aerobic power.
This allows for better recovery throughout the week and more consistent progress.
2. Skipping Zone 2 training
Many cyclists either ride too hard or too easy, holding the misconception that easy means lazy and hard means progress.
By skipping Zone 2, cyclists miss out on a huge long-term Fitness bonus and fail to make a great investment in their daily consistent efforts. This foundational training is crucial for endurance and longevity.
Workaround:
Understand and learn to control your Zone 2.
Reframe your perception of Zone 2 training from slow or lazy to a great investment that, through small consistent efforts every single day, will pay massive dividends in the long run.
3. Overemphasizing distance over “time in the saddle”
Some cyclists become overly focused on the distance covered in their rides, often driven by a competitive ego or the desire to compare themselves with other riders on platforms like Strava.
Workaround:
Shift your focus to “Time in the Saddle”.
This emphasizes the quality and duration of your training efforts, recognising that effective time spent on the bike is more important than simply covering vast distances.
4. Neglecting specific high-intensity training (e.g., sprints)
I know we talked about too much high intensity training earlier, but there’s a common myth is that older athletes can’t sprint.
This belief often leads to a loss of training specificity, where crucial elements like low-cadence, high-torque work, repeated high-intensity intervals, and leg speed drills are neglected in favour of more moderate endurance work.
Consequently, the body’s ability to produce explosive power diminishes, not due to age, but due to a lack of targeted training.
Workaround:
Reintroduce specific high-intensity drills into your routine.
By training for sprints and other power-focused efforts, your body will adapt and regain its capacity for these activities.
5. Ramping up training stress too quickly
When senior athletes return to training after a significant break (e.g., 2+ months), they frequently make the mistake of attempting to resume training at their previous fitness level.
This “too much too soon” approach can overwhelm the body, which now takes longer to adapt and recover with age.
Workaround:
Be smart and gradual when increasing your training stress, especially after a break. Focus on consistency and pay close attention to recovery.
Athletes who train consistently, even those in their 60s and beyond, can effectively maintain or even increase their training workloads over time by building up progressively.
6. Neglecting Strength Training (The Weak Link)
After the age of 50, muscle loss, known as sarcopenia, accelerates significantly.
Many cyclists make the mistake of skipping strength training, believing that cycling alone is sufficient.
This neglect weakens the “kinetic chain,” compromises posture, and makes cycling progressively harder.
Workaround:
Incorporate regular body resistance work, even if it’s just a small few minutes a day, and two sessions a week.
Focused strength training with adequate nutritional support (enough calories and protein) can help older athletes gain muscle, improve muscle fiber recruitment, boost testosterone, and maintain essential posture.
7. Neglecting Mobility and Flexibility “Tin Man” syndrome
Cyclists often overlook the importance of daily stretching and mobility drills, leading to common issues like tight hips, a stiff back, and shoulders creeping up near your ears.
This “Tin Man” syndrome not only causes discomfort but also kills power, wrecks your bike position, and drastically increases the risk of injuries.
Workaround:
Dedicate just 5 minutes a day of daily stretching to maintain flexibility and mobility. This small investment can prevent pain, improve bike position, and enhance power output.
Consider replacing unproductive social media scrolling time with these crucial drills.
💡 I stretch every day – usually after getting out of bed 9have a quick shower first).
I’d be doing this regardless of whether or not I’m a cyclist. I always feel good after
8. Suboptimal Recovery Habits
Many cyclists, especially as they age, fail to grasp that recovery encompasses everything you do off the bike.
Poor sleep, inadequate nutrition, and insufficient hydration are common oversights, with the belief that simply taking a day off cycling constitutes full recovery.
This neglect is like trying to ride with a flat, eventually halting progress.
Workaround:
Prioritise and enhance your recovery habits focusing on the pillars of sleep, nutrition, and hydration.
For improved sleep, try switching off from screens and intense workouts at least 90 minutes before bed to allow your body to transition into a rest and digest state. Treat your body with the same meticulous care you would your bike.
9. Limiting Beliefs about Aging
A primary misconception that holds cyclists back is the belief that getting older means growing frail and that the body inevitably wears out and breaks down.
This mindset often leads to the false conclusion that older athletes are fragile and should only engage in easy to moderate activities to avoid injury or accelerate degenerative effects.
This narrows their vision of what’s truly possible.
Workaround:
Challenge and change this primary misconception by adopting a high-performance mindset. Recognise that your body still adapts to training stress as you age.
You can improve your VO2 max, gain muscle through focused training and nutrition, and significantly enhance your power at lactate threshold.
Don’t let perceived age limits define your goals; senior athletes with experience can achieve more than commonly expected.
10. Neglecting Regular Medical Checkups
Cyclists, particularly as they age, might overlook the importance of consistent medical evaluations.
This can lead to them missing out on heart health and bone density assessments, which are crucial for maintaining long-term health and safe participation in strenuous activities like cycling.
Regular check-ups can help identify potential issues before they become serious problems.
Workaround:
Proactively schedule and attend regular medical checkups with your doctor.
Ensure these appointments include assessments for heart health and bone density, particularly as you age, to identify any potential issues early and ensure you can continue cycling safely and effectively.
This proactive approach allows for early detection and management of health concerns that could otherwise compromise your long-term health and participation in cycling.
Final Thoughts
Cyclists often hinder progress through various training, recovery, and health oversights.
Rectifying issues like mismanaged intensity, neglected medical checkups, and ignoring flexibility and mobility is crucial.
Proactive workarounds, challenging limiting beliefs, and a holistic approach ensure sustained performance, enjoyment, and longevity, fostering a more fulfilling cycling journey.
Did you get anything out of this article? Why not share with friends 👇
