Key Strategies to Overcome Cycling Burnout

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In this video we will discuss strategics to overcome burnout from cycling. This is all too common and often not discussed. Why? It's confusing when it happens to you, becase cycling is something you love. But when life gets in the way, sometimes cycling becomes a burden or something we've fallen out of love with. The key is to not throw away the keys, bit take some rest and use some tools to reignite the passion.
Referenced: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23776...
#cycling #burnout

[@adamcoppock5018]

I haven't been burned out from cycling but I have from work. I would recommend keeping riding for mental health but don't be frightened to turn your goals away from getting faster and to clearing your head and time out from stress. Riding should be fun also not necessarily another pressure. Nice one on this topic

[@87togabito]

I can’t say I agree. Riding is purely for fitness, with performance as the only metric that I can go by. Honestly, if you wanted mental health, isn’t it better to just be lazy in the sofa and watch TV while doing nothing? Riding is physical stress, which is the exact thing that you should be avoiding if relaxation and less pressure is what you’re after. Frankly, I think that anyone who things that cycling is relaxing and fun, is either slightly touched in the head or doesn’t understand what those mean lol.

[@tpawlicki]

Randonneuring fixed my burnout last year. It was refreshing to just bike to enjoy the scenery and have a real adventure.

[@nerigarcia7116]

When I got burned out with riding road, I went to gravel, and it renewed my love for cycling. I got burned out on group rides, so I started going solo again, and I loved the freedom and not having to worry about what others are doing around you. Now, in my older age (54), I don't get to get out as much as I used to but when I do, I'm no longer concerned with speed and the numbers, and I'm not just enjoying the ride, much like when I started riding bikes as a kid. It was freedom and just enjoyable to be on a bike, and I'm rediscovering that again.

[@presentmomentnow]

Great comment! Should have been in in the video. Cycling burn out to amateurs is more than taking “four days off the bike“ or doing multiple 30 minute rides a week either. It’s changing things up completely as you suggest. TY!

[@daviddjerassi]

Thanks Cam & RCA every cyclist goes through this at some time love the common sense discussion keep safe guys.

[@AndyRides]

This happened to me. I'm not far off sixty and much of what I see and read is about the decline I should expect. I reacted by working more, doing more. It was okay for a while but I quickly found myself demotivated and tired. I would become ill more often. I had to stop but couldn't. Eventually I was able to back off. I now take some days not completely off but do much less. I'll replace a run or ride with a walk. This isn't talked about enough. Watching this video has helped me to understand what was going on. Thanks.

[@andrewhighfield3338]

Spot on with no alarm, extra sleep worth more than extra training session

[@Phil-dx8rw]

This has definitely happened to me. For me it starts with losing that desire to ride and training begins to feel like work rather than something I look forward to and that lose of desire makes it next to impossible to push when needed. For me it is usually a combination of life stress and training stress. I learned a very valuable lesson from when this happened to me last year because I was in very good condition and putting out good power and all of a sudden boom the thought of training was dreadful. Now I make sure that every 3rd or 4th week is a down week interms of volume and intensity and during that week I do some more fun stuff for the mental break and it leads to me keeping that desire to train. At the end of the day while we all love cycling we are not professionals and riding should be enjoyable above all else

[@JulAlxAU]

Burnout means pushing the boundaries too far and a lot of it has a direct correlation with your caloric intake and too much stress.

[@darionigro]

Like everything, too much is no good, not enough is not good either. Moderation is the key. Balance and find balance for you. Stop comparing or trying to keep up with everyone. We are all different, it makes us whole are. Listen to your body. Great vid Cam as always.

[@ssenssel]

I converted and old Paratrooper Montague 26" into an ebike as my commuter. It's impossible to ride that thing without a sheet eating grin on my face. Sometimes I just want to enjoy riding without the burden of training. I highly recommend an ebike as a burnout antidote.

[@mikek3614]

I've basically spent the last 18 months in mostly Z2 on the bike. The last 3 months I've cut back to 2-3 rides per week, 100-150-ish kms. But I've put in 3-4 x 45 min supervised gym sessions per fortnight, and I have always done a fair bit of walking. So now I'm stronger, less fatigued from chasing kms, more relaxed, sleeping better. And when I do ride I'm comfortably covering the 1-3 hour rides and never feel smashed at the end despite posting higher power figures and average speeds. The main difference with rides is I used to always head for the hills a couple of times per week, but now I don't bother. Most rides are about 50-60km with 5-600m ascent. I get plenty of Z2 and a few short (

[@starlitshadows]

Just had an issue with burnout actually. I was doing all my Z2 at %75-80, hard intensity days then recovery week %50-60 volume and similar reduction in intensity. Had tough training week and took a recovery week half intensity but almost full volume. Just dug me deeper. Took me a few days of %60-65 Z2 and a rest day to start feeling motivated to train again and realize just how bad I was feeling. Going to utilize more Z1 low Z2 in general and listen to my body more. Recovery weeks focused on recovery. Sometimes you just need a physical or mental break. The latter I'd just switch to some hiking, running or other form of exercise short term. Or there is always taking a full week or two off .

[@albandb9366]

Happen to A Démarre recently, french pro world tour.

[@troycollett8540]

A lot get burnout from chasing a weekly or yearly mileage so they end up just grinding out kms

[@troycollett8540]

Recovery weeks help and sometimes I do an extra couple of days off every few weeks

[@jamesmckenzie3532]

It's easy to get overloaded and finding yourself not wanting to ride. Variety cAn make riding way more fun.

[@bee_whisper]

I find that not so much from purely cycling but when I'm burnt out if I feel like I'm pedalling squares I know it's time to take it easy for a day or two

[@robtt27]

When I start to feel burnt out on the bike I get on my roller skis and do some cross country skiing in the summer. That way I stay fit but don't need to put in the hours. I find about 2 hours on the skis is the same as 3.5 - 4 hours on the bike.

[@songofyesterday]

My front derailleur heads to the LBS every 100 miles because it’s old and fails often, so the risk of bike burn out is self regulated😂. I then fallback from the Emonda SLR to a Priority bike which my four year old can keep up with on his fixie because no clipless. Maybe I should just keep that annoying old 105 groupset because it’s forcing me to spend time with family and get in recovery rides.

[@JanKowalski-ux6nt]

Hi! Can you post a video with screen divided in three: on the left cyclist riding bike/turbo trainer with saddle too low, in the middle correct saddle height, right - saddle too high? Duration e.g. 2 minutes so it can be looped. I want to observe differences in leg movement. Please🙏 Thanks

[@glennicol1361]

I am a big believer that you can maintain a good level by doing short but intense rides...

[@nationsnumber1chump]

Any tips for horrible hip flexibility? I want to get by back flat after recently learning I was wasting nearly 100 watts to someone who is completely more aero. Now I am worried by bike geo is out of whack and too old to get that low

[@aaalllmmmn]

Ended too soon.

[@HarryTzianakisTheGodOfSpeed]

They will upload part 2 on recovery stay tuned!. They have learned so much from me it took many years of me yelling at them but what can you do , kids must learn on their own how right I always am .

[@alexanderdoyley5816]

Like that ❤

[@Omnis2]

This why I like indoor cycling with my instructor friends who are basically DJs/LightshowVFX artists with what they build around their bike workouts for the group. The anxiety of trying to be safe on the roads with cars that can kill you, and other cyclists that can cause you to become seriously injured is what causes my burnout.

[@chrism5433]

Take a week off Some weight training. I'm a full time motor mechanic. Plus cycling 200 km ish a week and family. Train efficiently .cheers .great to be 55 fit and fast 😝😝🍺🚲🍺

[@HarryTzianakisTheGodOfSpeed]

Our body can take a lot of abuse. But draining it and depleting it of nutrients every single day. Every week. Every month for years takes a toll on you physically and mentally. This is why i workout on a bike and dont ride. Short more intense efforts throughout the week is a better way to maintain your fitness and mental health. A big problem is muscle loss and bone density. Trying to maintain some fitness off the bike in the gym is much healthier in the long run and you don't get burnt out so quickly or maybe you just won't get burnt out. By going to the gym you're maintaining a healthier muscle and bone density. Our bodies starts burn out because we're not healthy as cyclists. Cyclists think they're healthy but they're really not. I was talking about this with someone the other day. An equal balance between low impact sports and high impact sports is what helps maintain a healthy overall body and mind. And taking a break is definitely necessary

[@davezor21]

You're also getting older... keep in mind. Not a dig but over time, things just start to sloowwww down.