HOOKED of ZWIFT at over 230lbs

It took three goes, but I am hooked on ZWIFT!
I used the amazing advice I was given after my last video and tried again with much better results...or at least, much more fun!
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE: / @marklewisfitness
INSTAGRAM MARK (me): / marklewispics
INSTAGRAM NIXON (the dog): / nixonruns

[@abcdefgh1]

Your maths was wrong. 18th out of 38 in Cat C meant that you WERE in the top half!

[@keithbliss6680]

Mark, you are inspiration to many. I got back in to cycling just over a year ago, i went from 215 to 162 pounds, legs way stronger. I went from 3 miles riding and had to sit - to riding 145 miles in 11 hours moving time 14 hours total time. In this past year I have riden over 10,000 plus miles and 600,000 feet of climb. Thanks for the inspiration!

[@cyclingnerddelux698]

Future man here. Gkad you didn't give up on Zwift! The Zwift content you will post in the future is tge best. I've seen it.

[@PedroPrego]

"Eco play rocky soundtrack" "We got it now" made me crack laughing!!

[@kevinyang367]

Glad you're taking people's feedback seriously. Hope you keep enjoying Zwift! Also, don't forget to use your Power UPS! You've had that same feather for the longest time. It can help you up inclines and sprints if used wisely.

[@BassPlayerUnderGrace]

At 36 years old, I was 226 lbs at the beginning of December. Which is sad bc I'm in the military, so it's past time I got my butt in gear. Starting Zwifting a little over a week ago and I'm loving it! I'm not doing any races yet, just getting those route badges so far. I'm new to cycling altogether, so the first few days sucked; especially setting everything up so my butt and hands didn't hurt. However, Zwifting paired with better eating, I've already dropped to less than 220 lbs. Here's to this fitness journey.

[@skaramanga007]

Epic stuff ...next new lesson is the Power Ups , the only reason that guy beat you in the sprint is he had an AERO Power Up (this makes you more aero i.e. faster)...you had a feather Power Up , if you look at the green circle at the top of the screen , that Power Up makes you lighter going up hills , which you could have used up that incline....you get a new Power Up under the banner/finish line every lap as long as you have used it that is....with race being 12 laps its worth using every lap , but what i would suggest is saving an AERO Power Up if you get one towards the last few laps , as this can be used in the final sprint (as the guy who beat you did)...you should try a live stream in your races too

[@nimblybimbly4002]

Came to say exactly that.

[@SemajPark]

@@MarkLewisfitness that crit course is a good one ... I’m heavier than your average zwifter (and tall too) ... I try to drive into the hill so that I get up to the top with the group and then don’t have to burn it along the downhill ‘rolling’ bit. If you can get in to the front group at the start ... that would mean holding a bit of a higher wattage for 30-40 seconds out the gate - then hold in the pack. Somewhere between your 1000w megabomb and this one - and you’ll be able to sit in the front group I reckon. Will keep an eye out to join you in a gpC race while you’re still in it!

[@ThatThatcher]

Featherweight reduces your weight so your watt/kg increases when you activate which means it’s also not tragic for sprints, albeit second to aero

[@Reensification]

Recently went from spinning bike to trainer and Zwift. Only been doing training sessions for a week now on the trainer and I love it. Been watching you for the past week, and I really enjoy your content. Love from South Africa!

[@MarkLewisfitness]

HEy - check out my early motor bike vids! Been to SA a couple of times - LOVE IT!!!!!

[@Marc_Allen]

The biggest tip i could give is try doing some low cadence efforts to get used to being a bit more comfortable at low cad, during your sprint you ended up spinning out instead of accelerating forward 90-95rpm is really ideal. Really good to see you keeping at it.

[@leechesterton6506]

À

[@Tommy31416]

That video was so entertaining Mark, top class stuff as always 😄 Great info for the races too, must try those myself! Need to somehow integrate the Rocky soundtrack too by the looks of it. Thoroughly enjoyed watching!!

[@hrpzwift945]

Hi Mark, Great video, love the race analysis and well done. If you haven't already I suggest you sign up for the Everest challenge (Climb 50.000 meters) that will unlock the Tron bike. Any Climbing prior to signing up won't count - I learned that the hard way ;)

[@jbspillman]

I just found this channel, I am hooked! You are hilarious and about as real as it gets.

[@sanctuaryboy]

Thanks so much for this. Gave me the courage to do my first races this week and now I too am addicted! Followed all your hints and had a blast.

[@daafha]

This channel is nuts and I love it. Keep the awesome content coming!

[@platti1]

Brilliant vid as always ! Your follower numbers are continuing to move up as they should, maybe a Mark Lewis Zwift Group ride at some point !?!.......and some 'Above Average' t-shirts !

[@simonrobinson2252]

For the long Trainer Road sessions, it is possible to set the iPad up to control ERG on TR and also connect to Zwift on the MacBook/Apple TV and turn off the ‘controllable trainer’ option. This gives you the scenery of Zwift without just staring at the garage wall

[@ucdengboss]

@@MarkLewisfitness I run TrainerRoad controlling my trainer in ERG mode with Zwift in the background. Benefit is that you gain level ups, drops, etc in Zwift so you can get the faster bikes in game all while getting faster in real life with TR workouts.

[@ucdengboss]

Not sure of your set up. I am running on a Windows 10 Laptop and pair via ANT+. I start Zwift first, at the connections screen I unpair the Controllable trainer (bottom right). Keep the trainer paired (top left) but it simply is not controlling the trainer. Then start your Zwift ride as normal. Then I start TrainerRoad and pair via Bluetooth. I have done this on both the laptop and a mobile device successfully. If you onky have an iPad it may not be possible. You need either 2 Bluetooth connections or an ANT+ and Bluetooth connection. I have never done it with just one device. Now TrainerRoad should be in control running ERG mode for your intervals and your avatar just rides through Watopia at whatever power your TrainerRoad is prescribing and grabbing level ups, drops, etc in Zwift. Good luck and keep the videos coming.

[@Gixer750pilot]

Mark you can’t add . You were above average !! 18/ 38 is top half !!!! Well done

[@hilltop1972]

The even better news, pure wattage matters very much in the real world especially on a flat TT or criterium. Your absolute numbers are impressive for the time you've been training and considering all the other training you do that is not bike specific. Brilliant videos. So many of us with the same competitive affliction can relate.

[@airtime0007]

Another cracking video mate. Keep em coming

[@freburt2772]

Mark, After I watched the last video and you commented... I checked this one out. Glad I did. Happy to see you engaging with the community and are now hooked! I thought of another tip. There are 'clydesdale' races sometimes. Check out the companion app and zwiftpower. You enter the categories (a,b,c,d) like normal but based on weight and not w/kg. Usually at least 2-3 per week. Another tip not shown on this video is bike/wheel setup. As you get a higher level (to unlock them) and race more, you'll want every advantage possible. If you watch your avatar too, sitting up means in draft. Aero position, not in draft. Great push at the end! Try sprinting out of the saddle too to REALLY put it down.

[@Boothster084]

Great video. Glad you enjoyed the race. Your result is brilliant as well, those crits are so tough. Getting the knack for racing on Zwift is half the battle. And when it’s hurting you like hell, you can guarantee that it’s hurting everyone else as well. It’s just who can ‘suffer’ the most 😆.

[@TheKanigou]

Congratulations Mark! I'm not a fan of Zwift, but I really like the way you're taking it!

[@noelward4864]

Brilliant video! I can relate to a lot of that...I’m now addicted to Zwift and it’s helped me massively with weight loss....I too love that section of that track where you are up and down lol...nothing better than hunting riders down in that area!

[@JB-hq9yj]

Awesome I’m looking at Zwift too for off running season weight loss what bike do you use?

[@baronvonhoughton]

Wow what a difference from the last vid! Awesome job. You're a beast. I'm surprised you spin so fast, I echo what you mentioned others have said, to slow that cadence down, I bet you'll be able to smash huge watts in a bigger gear or 2! Most importantly the load on your cardiovascular system is much greater at higher rpm's for the same watts.

[@alanthew6490]

Nice video. Great to see someone as knackered as me in the race.

[@billforrester6247]

I saw another zwift video and immediately thought of the definition of madness quote 😂 great result love the vids 👍

[@Zestyyyyyy]

Big respect dude! Well done.

[@bdk2116]

Great job, and a huge improvement. The extra movement in your trunk is wasting a lot of energy over the course of the race, and is exacerbated at high RPM. May want to try some 8-12 minute intervals around 250-300W holding your core stable, which will greatly improve the power transfer to the pedals. Raw 15 second watts are not useless at all--if you can put out absolute power beyond the rest of your finishing group, you can break out of bunch sprints, particularly on flat finishes.

[@everythingdigitalchannel]

USE THE FEATHER!!!!

[@PedroPrego]

I kept thinking that! Use the feather up the kicker!

[@BEN32108]

Nice going, first video of yours I've seen but enjoyed that. I'm only 90kilos so not quite the zwift handicap but you'll learn to find events that suit you. I'm going to check out your previous videos but would be keen to learn how you balance the gym and cycling (particularly legs days, I gave up leg days this year to focus on cycling. I'm not expecting to get back to the 220kg DL but hoping to find a balance.)

[@matthewmacone4303]

Great work!!

[@mooxima]

Great job!

[@bjarnestrand-henriksen]

Just gold!!!

[@richardsimpson8137]

Boom 💪 strong finish. Could you have used your Feather boost on the top of the screen ? Love the vids. Keep them coming👍

[@chriscampana89]

You’re the goat bro

[@oliveriles9010]

enjoyed that, use your power ups each lap and at start get up to power 3 secs before start and hold for first 2 mins or so

[@lemoinexavier]

Well done Mark!

[@ptinkler]

Great entertainment ML!

[@BIGSNDAY]

Love it!

[@paulsmith9887]

Well done Mark . I've been Zwifting for about 12months training and racing ! You will get better at it. Try and do specific training for your chosen events Crit Racing always needs high intensity with short bursts of power and a fast sprint at the end . Get a training plan in place stick at it . You look very powerful learn how to sprint out of very saddle timing is what its about don't go to early , make sure you use your power ups on every lap that will help in getting micro rests . Keep at it and good luck 👍

[@MrUKCyclist]

Nice one. Did you use your power ups in the race? My my trainer arrives in a few days so will join you in the >100kg category on Zwift shortly. Look forward to hearing more about your progress.

[@martinandrews2860]

Brilliant post as usual. I’m the same weight height and power give or take so if you can somehow let us know which races (presume cat c) you are entering we could get it on. I’ll have to download the Rocky sound track to make it fair mind....hope the five hour ride wasn’t too awful given the weather we’ve had this weekend....another reason to Zwift 😊👍

[@rdl5477]

And don’t forget to use your power ups each lap where appropriate, especially in a 12 lap race. Use before going under lap banner and you get a shot at new one. Unless you get an aero helmet in last few laps, then it could be worth saving for final sprint.

[@Shuckerow]

I do beat the half target as well in tough races. You are learning the tactics of racing quickly, on flat courses you should be winning some C races shortly on your way up to B cat. Well done video too, short and entertaining. Keep em coming, I subscribed. And join the Herd Team, you'd fit right in.

[@jamietardi-zp8zd]

shout out to Newbury! Come up here and we can have a proper smack up! (running or cycling)

[@benbos1925]

Dude I felt exactly the same on my second Zwift race :-). Also always looking for small mini goals like the maths you did. Really enjoyed watching a like-minded focused individual :-) keep it going. But shit did you win the lottery? I mean Inlike my gear and gadgets but you broke the bank! 😅🎄

[@michaelbell487]

Another great video Mark, congratulations on the 1st place! 😜👍

[@RogerByrne]

not sure if already mentioned but Zwift takes your 3 second power so don't wait until 0 to start pedalling, start winding up from 3 in the countdown

[@rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr0]

@@MarkLewisfitness By the way I'm fairly certain it doesn't matter about the 3 seconds. even if you have your power to display the average of every 3 seconds zwift will still be seeing and using the instantaneous power, pretty sure, otherwise the delay would make racing almost impossible. I think his comment may be due him just using the 3 second average power setting, its just purely visual to smooth out the displayed numbers which some people prefer

[@My78channel]

Above average 😂 my wife has now labelled me that in every category of our relationship.

[@ams914]

Super random. I like the style of your tattoo. Is there a name for it? Is it a type of sleeve, almost?

[@1980TheVortex]

I understand how it feels to ride with 60 kilo Guys- great effort Mark !

[@alexneid3644]

🤪😆 you are a strong dude!

[@saintuk70]

Amazing how people do differ - a constant cadence of 90+ and I feel as if my legs are about to fly off, I'm a 75-80 but probably in top two gears. I'm interested in any diet tips if you're willing to share.

[@ucdengboss]

OK, here goes. 1. Better race and better result so well done. Keep it up, don't stop. 2. Much better start. If you plan to win the C Group you will need to make sure that you get into the lead C Group at the start. Keep an eye on the mini map and see if you can stay with the lead blue C group dots and not let them slip away. Then sit in and make them work harder than you at every possible point in time. 3. Conserve energy at every possible point in time relative to your opponents... stay in the draft and keep your nose off the front. At 10:20 of your video with 1.6km to go you are right in the most critical point of the race. In a big bunch the winner of the race in real life is never leading out here and you should not either in Zwift. You are doing more work at 400W+ relative to your opponents only a minute away form your final sprint effort (200-300m from the finish). 4. You skipped forward but in the section of video from 10:35 to 10:43 you lose the group with 1.0km to go. You must stay with them here. Stay in the draft. It is much much more work to drop and re-catch (which you did) so I know you have the energy to stay with them in the first place. Must keep your focus here. So once again you are doing a ton of work right before you need to sprint. This can be seen at 10:48 where you are doing 776W or so to re-catch. If you were in the draft this would be like 400-450W. 5. Following #3 and #4 above should put you in a better position with more energy to be able to sprint. The end of the race may just kill you. The last 2km typically ramp up the effort. So it is like doing lots of hard work for 30-60 minutes, then putting in 2-3 minutes of VO2 max followed by a 15-30 second sprint. Proceed to lay on the floor as needed. No need to make it harder than it needs to be. 6. I have no idea how that first and second place C Cat was not DQ'd. They are way over power for C Cat. Ignore those by all means. 7. Next mission is to score some points. See of you can make the top 1,000 on ZPower C Cat or even top 100. See rankings section and I believe the FAQ section describes how ranking points are awarded. You have 600 right now, which is to say no points at all. Lower points are better. Top A group guys get down to below 100. Good luck and keep it coming.

[@tompster]

This race looked like fun

[@StellasVegetablegardens]

brillant

[@Meat4389]

6:54 is so damn true!

[@danmckenzie925]

Great video Mark. Learn about power ups and you’d be in the top 1/3.

[@TheNCap]

Mate, your math is of the hook ! 18th is the top half of 39

[@skaramanga007]

@@MarkLewisfitness another point , its down to the race organiser to filter out the sandbaggers (there are 3 cat Bs still in the results)...in most other races these 3 people would have been omitted from the results (not zwift powers fault its down to Newbury Velo)

[@emilybemily4397]

Commenting even though this video is a year old and I know nothing about cycling (to be fair I just came to see if you would have the cute puppy on your back again...) Anyway, as always, get something from your videos (often quite a lot). I can totally relate to the comment about being encouraged to see people your age taking their health and fitness seriously. I belong to a FB group for runners over 50, and every day I'm encouraged to see the ladies my age and older killing it out on the roads and trails and looking epic while they are doing it.

[@MrBoggins1234]

Like sifting for gold in the Yukon. KZbin comments, trying to find nuggets of helpful ideas and genuine expertise. Great to see here that your YT followers were able to return the favour 💪👍👌

[@martinmortensen6312]

Hello. Can you give us these info: Height? Inseam measurement? Saddle height? Cleat position?

[@AudunGrun]

Arrested Development is awesome. What I watch during Zwifting.

[@lastpme]

She funny but nuts 😂could not stop laughing 😂

[@SAMGB4H]

+ Get a small towel for your bars mate, BANG! and the rust is gone 😉 + Also, you had a lightweight feather power up at the end that you could've activated, plenty of videos on what the power ups do and when to use them 👍🏻

[@SAMGB4H]

@@MarkLewisfitness Haha I'm pretty sure you can activate the power up on the companion app

[@SAMGB4H]

@@MarkLewisfitness kzbin.info/www/bejne/fn7FaX-An82gi7c

[@skaramanga007]

@@SAMGB4H or just smash the space bar if you have a laptop

[@budoray]

Aye. I swear I'm riding the heaviest bike, tikes, shoes, etc. and I'm over 200 lbs. Nothing like having a runner pass you on a climb.

[@vincentbeaurivage]

Love your energy and your vidéos! Feel free to join my tiny team Bouge in ZP... we could use a heavy guy like you!

[@AllMyHobbies]

what happened on date 3 ;)

[@grahamcousins6259]

If you used your feather weight,you would become as light as a feather,therefore,you w/kg would of gone to like 13w/kg. You would have won the sprint. It also helps with accelerating

[@EndUser-yu7gg]

I must be doing it wrong because I am never at that high an RPM for the duration 70 - 80RPM WITH that RPM for sprints even when I was in rank C ... I am downgraded to D because I got lazy 🤷‍♂️ ... But what do I know my Sprint is only 800 ish ... But I still manage to finish in top 50% unless I am just totally wiped out yet stupidly decide to race anyway

[@Stuey001]

Now you need to get in the drop shop and buy a faster frame and wheels. Check out zwiftinsider.com for info on which are fastest. I’d recommend the enve 3.4 wheels (available early, reasonably aero and one of the best climbing wheel sets) and then when you get to level 13 grab the zipp 808s. Frame, the specialised allez sprint is available quite early in the game and has good stats, or the zwift aero frame is decent at level 6. Cannondale evo is the best climbing bike in the game and is quite cheap and available early on too.

[@RoyImahara]

The Canyon Aeroad is the frame to get at level 10. One of the best aero frames

[@naikshibabrat]

I asked and Maths said 18/38 is above average unless average has a non-standard definition. So congrats!

[@FoobsTon]

Imagine how many watts he could have put down if he'd got his arse out of the saddle.

[@YeNZeC]

230LB ? You like 7 foot ? LMFAO Upper body looks the same size as mine at 170LB 5'6. You're rocking a dream setup in your garage.

[@YeNZeC]

@@MarkLewisfitness you'd defo look like a POW. I evny the taller lads in terms of martial arts, most notably Thai boxing, the reach would be insane. Been subbed a while now, your review of the fenix 6 made me get the 6X sapphire, loving it. GLad to see consistent uploads, will certianly be following your journey. tah.

[@iulicush86]

18 is the top half of 38. So you actually finished above average

[@yuvrajgill8427]

you are spinning too much. I don't know your preferred cadence but going at 130 is certainly not efficient. You can also stand occasionally at around 60 rpm.

[@MrShishaSeb]

I hate the rider with 4.4 in Group C , my max is 3.5 320w I think this is the right limit for C and not 4.4 . That people had to go to B or A

[@VisualRituals]

NO Seb if you are a 3.5 average rider in Cat C you are a sandbagging cheater - it's weird that you'd try to rationalize that while calling out a more egregious example of that same lie with the 4.4 example.