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Young racer's guide to train like a pro...

BC VAN

Monkey
May 4, 2005
624
0
creatine makes your muscles get big, but doesn't increase your strength. If you're going to the beach, take creatine. If beating your friends in bicep comparisons gives you boners, take creatine. Otherwise, CREATINE IS GARBAGE.

Take some protein if you really want to gain muscle mass. Otherwise, eat a healthy, balanced diet. Take a multi-vite to keep yourself healthy and balance inadequacies in what you eat. Get lots of sleep. Men's fitness recommends your body weight in grams of protein daily if you're doing lots of muscle work, but you can probably get away with quite a bit less.



although test show that in efforts longer then a minute creatine has little benefit...
in high intensity efforts of 5 to 20 seconds creatine helps the ATP system which is the primary fuel source for those efforts. especially in repetitive efforts...
not unlike the first portion of DH race or the work load of DS or Mountaincross.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
creatine makes your muscles get big, but doesn't increase your strength. If you're going to the beach, take creatine. If beating your friends in bicep comparisons gives you boners, take creatine. Otherwise, CREATINE IS GARBAGE.

Take some protein if you really want to gain muscle mass. Otherwise, eat a healthy, balanced diet. Take a multi-vite to keep yourself healthy and balance inadequacies in what you eat. Get lots of sleep. Men's fitness recommends your body weight in grams of protein daily if you're doing lots of muscle work, but you can probably get away with quite a bit less.
1st. More muscle mass gives you less injuries.
2nd. It's easier to build strength with more mass. It all depends on what level are you.
3rd. It's not that it gives you nothing it's just more for mass than strength.
4. Man man's health is crap. New marvelous be a supermen workout every issue. Plus the number of proteins you need depends on many things. Mostly on genetics. That's why it's good to have a diet matched to your blood type. But you body mass in kg or in pounds? Cuz from what i remember the typical dumb diet (that didn't work for me as from what I know I need 30% of my cal intake to be proteins) was 2g/kg of your weight. Yet I still belive it's a bit unacurate as you should use some kind of updated multiplier for your LMB only.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
5,921
borcester rhymes
Muscle MASS and SIZE are different. Creatine increases water retension in your muscles. It does nothing for the actual muscle fibers and crud inside the muscles. You'll gain (water) weight and increase in size, but you won't increase in strength. I guess if that's good in your opinion, then it's good.

Their formula is lbs=grams of protein. So 180 lbs, 180g of protein a day. IMO this is extreme unless you are body building or doing serious weight training. USDA guidelines are different for every body size, but mine was like 100g (I weigh 190ish) for an active lifestyle. More or less depends on your level of activity.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
Well I won't argue on the fitness part of creatine as I'm no specialist in the area but still heavier and bigger muscles increase the risk of joint injury.

I will have to ask my dietician about it (and I need to start finally eat normally, ****ing exams kill healthy eating )
 

BC VAN

Monkey
May 4, 2005
624
0
Muscle MASS and SIZE are different. Creatine increases water retension in your muscles. It does nothing for the actual muscle fibers and crud inside the muscles. You'll gain (water) weight and increase in size, but you won't increase in strength. I guess if that's good in your opinion, then it's good.

Their formula is lbs=grams of protein. So 180 lbs, 180g of protein a day. IMO this is extreme unless you are body building or doing serious weight training. USDA guidelines are different for every body size, but mine was like 100g (I weigh 190ish) for an active lifestyle. More or less depends on your level of activity.


you should google creatine benefits.

creatine can enable you to work at a higher level based on the ATP system and it's aid in repetitious efforts....a higher level of work can = strength gains.

what is crud in your muscles?
 

bizutch

Delicate CUSTOM flower
Dec 11, 2001
15,928
24
Over your shoulder whispering
Sandwich,

you just broke out Creatine superstition from 2002. Creatine supplements used to have a tremendous sodium carrier component (my made up words) and people tried to say it caused cramping. It didn't. Creatine is just about the most legit training supplement you can use...bar none. It allows extra reps in a set thanks to the extra ATP it puts in the muscle, meaning extra stress you can inflict on muscles...tearing them down further...which means your muscle will compensate that much more and rebuild that much stronger. (run on sentence).

Not to mention, it's awesome for downhill because sprints that would torch your available ATP reserves and leave you cramped, aren't as harsh because creatine sneaks a little extra food to your muscles during the effort. Extra energy means extra effort.

Any creatine your body doesn't use...goes out in your pee.
 

Homey

Monkey
Oct 27, 2004
136
0
The O.C.
you should google creatine benefits.
You should ask a Doctor/Trainer. I have lost all confidence in the internet. Anyone can write an article on Creatine and put it on the internet.

On the other hand, if you are going to use Creatine, you better be training like a professional to get any results out of it. I used it back in High School when I played Football. I trained in the Gym twice a day for about 5 hours a day and I was still small. I ate a ton of food + weight gainers and I still did not see or notice a gain in strength. Hard work and dedication were the big factors there. Creatine is not for everyone and I really don't see the point in taking it.

If you're serious about training, then pay to get a personal trainer. There are a lot of guys out there that can help you get results at a reasonable price. You just need to find a trainer that understands that you are training for DH/DS/4X and also understands what is involved in that.

BTW - I'm not singling you out, EC. You obviously know what you are talking about and I'm sure you have access to Olympic Level testing for strength/endurance. You are super-human anyways, and at a level of fitness above 99% of the population. I'm just not sure Creatine is the way to go for a Beginner trying to get to Expert or even a Jr. X trying to get to Pro.
 

b1k3_r1d3r

Monkey
Jul 6, 2005
121
0
I read creatine wasn't bad, but since cyclists aren't out to get huge and increase muscle size that the dosage should be half of what is said on supplements. This was because the suggested amount on supplements was good for gaining size. So with taking half the amount you gain some benefits but not the whole getting super pumped up water filled muscles.
 

BC VAN

Monkey
May 4, 2005
624
0
You should ask a Doctor/Trainer. I have lost all confidence in the internet. Anyone can write an article on Creatine and put it on the internet.

On the other hand, if you are going to use Creatine, you better be training like a professional to get any results out of it. I used it back in High School when I played Football. I trained in the Gym twice a day for about 5 hours a day and I was still small. I ate a ton of food + weight gainers and I still did not see or notice a gain in strength. Hard work and dedication were the big factors there. Creatine is not for everyone and I really don't see the point in taking it.

If you're serious about training, then pay to get a personal trainer. There are a lot of guys out there that can help you get results at a reasonable price. You just need to find a trainer that understands that you are training for DH/DS/4X and also understands what is involved in that.

BTW - I'm not singling you out, EC. You obviously know what you are talking about and I'm sure you have access to Olympic Level testing for strength/endurance. You are super-human anyways, and at a level of fitness above 99% of the population. I'm just not sure Creatine is the way to go for a Beginner trying to get to Expert or even a Jr. X trying to get to Pro.

good points homey.

i am in no way advocating jr riders to use creatine.......or that internet info is the gospel but there are lots of case studies by collage and other credible laboratories available on line about creatine, most of which suggest that a person be 18 yrs of age.....

most studies also say different bodies respond differently as well.

that being said it is a natural chemical in your body and i have only heard of cramping or water retention being the negatives.

when i use creatine as a supplement it's not to gain size or strength....it's the ability for my ATP system to be ready for the next burst of energy that i demand. i have found it to work very well for me.

i agree completely that if your committed to being a top level racer getting a trainer is a very good idea....the info that you gain gain is invaluable...plus a trainer holds you accountable to getting your work done.

i never realized my true potential until i worked with a coach and really learned how to prepare and what my body was capable of.

i haven't posted any training info to this thread because it is impossible to give true training info to riders with out knowing more info about said rider.


I don't personally train with this guy as i have a set program I'm happy with, a lot of which is the same stuff he is doing with his programs but i would suggest checking out James at mtbstrengthcoach.com i know he has taken some flak in here.. but he understands the demands of the body ...he rides...and he's knowledgeable on newer strength training movements...
 

nh dude

Monkey
May 30, 2003
571
16
Vt
voodoo boards are fun. i do squats on it with light weight while making dinner and fighting with the dog
 

Homey

Monkey
Oct 27, 2004
136
0
The O.C.
when i use creatine as a supplement it's not to gain size or strength....it's the ability for my ATP system to be ready for the next burst of energy that i demand. i have found it to work very well for me.
Just curious - How do you know the Creatine is helping with the burst of energy? Were you able to test that on a machine at some point? I honestly couldn't tell you if training or suppliments were responsible for such a minute detail.

Also, a trainer and money out of your pocked hold you accountable!!!

I hope I have not derailed the thread - but I think it's still going in the intended direction!
 

Zutroy

Turbo Monkey
Dec 9, 2004
2,443
0
Ventura,CA
Just my 2 cents here on the subject, since I work in sports science and have an education in it.

Creatine is not the bad guy we thought it was a few years ago. It does not cause everyone to crap up and have issues. That being said some people do. it does lead to some increased water retention in the muscles which can cause cramping. So you may have this issue or you may not.

I personally think creatine is a waste unless you are trained up to your max. As EC mentioned it's not really going to help you in a DH run or 4x, as they are just to long. If your a power lifter, there is something to be said for it. One thing, is if you have a balanced diet that's high in red meat and fish, you're probably pretty loaded with it.

Sushi is best as the food isn't cooking does toast off some of it. Tuna, Salmon, mackrel, and Herring are all really high in it.

If your muscles are close to capacity and you take a supplement more than likely you're just making really expensive urine, as your kidneys are going to pull it out.

If your a vegetarian or someone who eats meat sparingly you might want to look into the supplement route.

As always, the best route is to eat healthy, put the work in on the bike and in the gym. There really is no magic bullet to getting faster.
 

haromtnbiker

Turbo Monkey
Oct 3, 2004
1,461
0
Cary, NC
My fitness plan: Wake up. Go to school. Play sports during Team Sports second period. Third Period = weight training. We do pretty much everything... weight room, running, jump rope, ladders, bleachers, all that good stuff.

Go home. Ride my bike in my backyard. Do wheelies, ride down driveways backwards, make ruts in my mom's gardens.

Weekends: Ride dirt jumps. I have nowhere to ride my downhill bike where I live. :disgust:
 

DsDhBxracer13

Monkey
Feb 18, 2004
179
0
Burlington, Vermont
I haven't read all of the posts on this topic but there seems to be a lot of debate about creatine. Since I stopped racing after the 2006 season because it is to damn expensive I've gotten really into weight training and powerlifting. I will say I've used creatine in a few different cycles in a few different forms and it has done little for me. The biggest attribute for me is that I didn't get as sore. As far as that when I went off it I didn't lose any strength and I didn't get any huge strength gains right when I went on it. On the other hand I have friends who after being on the stuff for 2 weeks put on 15-20 pounds and tons of strength. So I think it is definitely worth trying but it does a lot more for some then other. Also as far as it being dangerous, I think you are supposed to stay away from it if you have kidney problems as your kidneys process extra amino acids, but aside from that when used on a healthy person I don't think there is a single scientific study that shows it to be dangerous. Meanwhile there are thousands that show all the upsides to it, not just muscle strength related, joints, heart health, and other things. Just my two cents, from what I've gathered from reading numerous book and hundreds of magazines of the last couple years.
 

Alloy

Monkey
Aug 13, 2004
288
0
thousand oaks, ca
About creatine, I actually first read about it on this board… I researched a little more and some articles were claiming a 10 to 15% percent increase in anaerobic ability. Which when races are won by seconds… 10 to 15% is huge. So with that I thought it was worth a try. And for me it worked pretty well. I only took a half dose (Out of ignorance of not knowing how measure grams) …The results were great. I looked more muscular and felt a bit stronger. It also helped my mental game… as I figured if I’m taking supplements I better fcking work out!

If you guys are thinking about it, I say it’s definitely worth a shot. After all, despite what some people are saying on the board you’re not going to die after doing a creatine cycle.

Also I don’t recommend taking anything but plain creatine, no bicep explode, powder pssey magnet, or anything with a picture of a mutant on the label… that may kill you.
 

BC VAN

Monkey
May 4, 2005
624
0
Just curious - How do you know the Creatine is helping with the burst of energy? Were you able to test that on a machine at some point? I honestly couldn't tell you if training or suppliments were responsible for such a minute detail.

Also, a trainer and money out of your pocked hold you accountable!!!

I hope I have not derailed the thread - but I think it's still going in the intended direction!
my ability to work harder on repetitious interval training showed a big increase as well as the recovery time in between efforts.....


you can argue that it was my body's natural adaptation to the training....but prior to the creatine use it took longer for me to get to the same level.
 

BC VAN

Monkey
May 4, 2005
624
0
Just my 2 cents here on the subject, since I work in sports science and have an education in it.

Creatine is not the bad guy we thought it was a few years ago. It does not cause everyone to crap up and have issues. That being said some people do. it does lead to some increased water retention in the muscles which can cause cramping. So you may have this issue or you may not.

I personally think creatine is a waste unless you are trained up to your max. As EC mentioned it's not really going to help you in a DH run or 4x, as they are just to long. If your a power lifter, there is something to be said for it. One thing, is if you have a balanced diet that's high in red meat and fish, you're probably pretty loaded with it.

Sushi is best as the food isn't cooking does toast off some of it. Tuna, Salmon, mackrel, and Herring are all really high in it.

If your muscles are close to capacity and you take a supplement more than likely you're just making really expensive urine, as your kidneys are going to pull it out.

If your a vegetarian or someone who eats meat sparingly you might want to look into the supplement route.

As always, the best route is to eat healthy, put the work in on the bike and in the gym. There really is no magic bullet to getting faster.

zutroy...you always do your homework. good stuff.

but i personally felt my biggest competition benefit in the start of the dh...i could attack harder sooner and in the 4x.....quick burst of energy for my start to the first turn....then another quick burst out of the corner's...fits right into the benefits.....you just stop seeing benefits after 30 sec's.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
5,921
borcester rhymes
what is crud in your muscles?
I'm referring to the muscular sheath or tendons...it was meant to be a catch-all for everything besides the actual muscle fibers...vascular structure etc....sorry for not being more official.

I went back and reread what I could on creatine...and while I'll admit that I was wrong, creatine does function in the ATP transfer chain, making ATP more rapidly available, I don't believe it helps your muscles store nor produce MORE ATP....just makes it more readily available. Also, just because it's natural doesn't mean it's healthy or good to put in your body. There are plenty of naturally occurring substances created by your body that you should almost always allow your body to regulate...testosterone (outside of diet), seratonin, melatonin, etc.

So...while creatine may have some place in a higher level athlete's cabinet, I don't believe a junior rider needs to invest the money or risk in those kinds of supplements. They're far better off hiring a personal trainer or buying material that will teach them what to do and how to perform it correctly.

Sorry, I didn't mean for this to become a creatine debate. My personal theology is to avoid putting unnatural or processed things in your body, so synthesized creatine is out for me. If it works for you, more power.
 

Homey

Monkey
Oct 27, 2004
136
0
The O.C.
my ability to work harder on repetitious interval training showed a big increase as well as the recovery time in between efforts.....


you can argue that it was my body's natural adaptation to the training....but prior to the creatine use it took longer for me to get to the same level.
That's cool. I was just curious if you had access to machines/studies that the average Joe does not have. I know a lot of the motocross guys (Jessiman, Hepler) do ongoing studies at a hospital back east.

For the other guys...I don't think Creatine will kill you! I just don't think you should try suppliments unless you are truly driven and dedicated to your training. Some people reading this board may be a little immature for suppliments. I know when I started training for Football, weight training was a big step and it took a while for my body to adapt to it. I couldn't imagine taking Creatine at that point, but if someone told me to, I probably would wether it was god or bad for me.
 

BC VAN

Monkey
May 4, 2005
624
0
That's cool. I was just curious if you had access to machines/studies that the average Joe does not have. I know a lot of the motocross guys (Jessiman, Hepler) do ongoing studies at a hospital back east.

For the other guys...I don't think Creatine will kill you! I just don't think you should try suppliments unless you are truly driven and dedicated to your training. Some people reading this board may be a little immature for suppliments. I know when I started training for Football, weight training was a big step and it took a while for my body to adapt to it. I couldn't imagine taking Creatine at that point, but if someone told me to, I probably would wether it was god or bad for me.
i have access to equipment at a so cal collage but i never tested with the target of the benefit of creatine.

to add to the thread.....not very many riders have hours on hand to train, i think the best way to spend the time for any rider is on his/her bike.... there are strength benefits to weight and resistance training no doubt.....but unless your at a very high level already or feel you have plateaued skill wise..... the biggest gain in performance is going to be through time on the bike.
 

LMC

Monkey
Dec 10, 2006
683
1
creatine supplements have advanced to the point that an athlete no longer has to worry about water retention. older style creatine monohydrate will undoubtedly lead to a gain in size due to water retention (5lbs perhaps).

Creatine Ethyl Ester eliminates this problem by having a better transport system directly to your muscles, with Monohydrate alot of the creatine was lost in transit, hence the high dosages and resulting waste products. There is also no need for the tedious loading cycle and reloading cycle every few weeks, just take 3-4 grams a day and you're sorted

my experience with CEE is that no addtional strength is gained, but the recovery time was greatly improved. If using it id reccomend that it be cycled as your body will get used to it
after a while (about 4 weeks on, 2 off is what i do)

^^^ awesome 'fro by the way brendogg.
 

Zutroy

Turbo Monkey
Dec 9, 2004
2,443
0
Ventura,CA
creatine supplements have advanced to the point that an athlete no longer has to worry about water retention. older style creatine monohydrate will undoubtedly lead to a gain in size due to water retention (5lbs perhaps).

Creatine Ethyl Ester eliminates this problem by having a better transport system directly to your muscles, with Monohydrate alot of the creatine was lost in transit, hence the high dosages and resulting waste products. There is also no need for the tedious loading cycle and reloading cycle every few weeks, just take 3-4 grams a day and you're sorted

my experience with CEE is that no addtional strength is gained, but the recovery time was greatly improved. If using it id reccomend that it be cycled as your body will get used to it
after a while (about 4 weeks on, 2 off is what i do)

^^^ awesome 'fro by the way brendogg.
Actually that's not quit true, while CEE is better from the water retention side. It's much harder for you body to deal with it and get it into straight creatine that the muscles can use.

One of the problems like in all areas of supplements is most of the "research" is being done by the companies as marketing material, they use poorly designed studies that are biased to get the results they want.

So you have to take everything with a large grain of salt. Particularly when they make claims of very large improvments in performance, like the stuff Alloy saw.

Back to the topic at hand, the best thing you can do as EC said is ride your bike. If you have more time then that, hit the gym.
 

Transcend

My Nuts Are Flat
Apr 18, 2002
18,040
3
Towing the party line.
yeah...after seeing pics of Fairclough with his shirt off in Chile, I think it is safe to say that riding apparently outweighs having a chiseled physique...:nope:
I'm sure training helps at the very top end, but to get to that level, you just have to have the skills to pay the bills. Once you are fighting for parts of a second, the training will come into play for sure. Most of us will never have to worry about that, because self preservation kicks in a long time before an extra pedal stroke will help.
 

ryebread

Monkey
Jun 20, 2007
138
0
Central Oregon
I'm basically doing a 2 day on 1 day off rotation.

Day 1 with weights deadlift, single-leg squats, curls, military presses, dips, bench press, pullups and crunches. Heavy weights, 3 sets of 5. When I get to 3 sets of 7 I add more weight.

Day 2 is intervals on an indoor trainer. Usually with one of the Chris Carmichael (sp?) DVDs. Climbing focused earlier in the season and a mtb specific one as the season approaches.

Day 3 is a rest day.

throw in snowboarding and/or shuttle runs on the weekends.

I did a very similar regiment last off season with good results but would love to get some input from someone that knows what they're talking about.
 

Rover Nick

Monkey
Oct 17, 2006
280
0
there are strength benefits to weight and resistance training no doubt.....but unless your at a very high level already or feel you have plateaued skill wise..... the biggest gain in performance is going to be through time on the bike.

Amen to that
 

LMC

Monkey
Dec 10, 2006
683
1
Actually that's not quit true, while CEE is better from the water retention side. It's much harder for you body to deal with it and get it into straight creatine that the muscles can use.

One of the problems like in all areas of supplements is most of the "research" is being done by the companies as marketing material, they use poorly designed studies that are biased to get the results they want.

So you have to take everything with a large grain of salt. Particularly when they make claims of very large improvments in performance, like the stuff Alloy saw.

Back to the topic at hand, the best thing you can do as EC said is ride your bike. If you have more time then that, hit the gym.
we may have to agree to disagree here, every piece of research i have seen (most of which is not related to any company selling either product) states increaced ease of transport to the muscles with CEE. This is backed up by my own experience of taking both products and also explains the lower required dosages and not having to have loading phases and use sugary drinks as a transport mechanism as monohydrate does... anywho..

my own training routine is basically a modified powerlifting routine


monday, heavy bench presses, dips, pullups.

tuesday, interval training

wednesday, heavy squats and deadlifts

friday, upper body speed work eg bench press using 50% max weight. followed by some higher rep work for endurance

saturday, out on the bike (including intervals)

sunday, lower body speed work, followed by some high rep lunges.


for my core i do more stability based excersises as opposed to situps and crunches as this is the primary function of the abs..

its quite alot of work and i agree that time on the bike is the best training but when its dark when you arrive home from work in the winter what else are u gona do?
 

John P.

Turbo Monkey
Sep 24, 2001
1,170
0
Golden, CO
ito add to the thread.....not very many riders have hours on hand to train, i think the best way to spend the time for any rider is on his/her bike.... there are strength benefits to weight and resistance training no doubt.....but unless your at a very high level already or feel you have plateaued skill wise..... the biggest gain in performance is going to be through time on the bike.
I'm with you on that, Eric, but with a little twist. I look at it this way: I have a very finite amount of days I can go to the mountains and work on DH-specific skills, so I workout hard in the offseason to make sure that I maximize my riding on those days. It used to be that I'd go for a day of DH training and be gassed after 6-8 fast runs, but since I started training with weights and cardio, I can usually double that, provided the lifts don't shut down first. The result has been a pretty big improvement in my skill level and confidence on the bike.

Of course, there's always the side benefit that you become healthier and look less chunktastic, and that seems to help with the few chicks that come my way. 8-)
 

LMC

Monkey
Dec 10, 2006
683
1
I'm with you on that, Eric, but with a little twist. I look at it this way: I have a very finite amount of days I can go to the mountains and work on DH-specific skills, so I workout hard in the offseason to make sure that I maximize my riding on those days. It used to be that I'd go for a day of DH training and be gassed after 6-8 fast runs, but since I started training with weights and cardio, I can usually double that, provided the lifts don't shut down first. The result has been a pretty big improvement in my skill level and confidence on the bike.

Of course, there's always the side benefit that you become healthier and look less chunktastic, and that seems to help with the few chicks that come my way. 8-)
im with you on this one, especially the bit about the chicks ;-) although i have the opposite problem as i used to be skinny and weak.

im in a similar situation too so in the winter i tend to focus on strength and fitness more, besides i feel thats what is holding me back the most in my riding, used to be my second run of the day was the best, but instead of building on that i began to tire..make mistakes and generally be hanging on, instead of piloting the bike
 

BC VAN

Monkey
May 4, 2005
624
0
I'm with you on that, Eric, but with a little twist. I look at it this way: I have a very finite amount of days I can go to the mountains and work on DH-specific skills, so I workout hard in the offseason to make sure that I maximize my riding on those days. It used to be that I'd go for a day of DH training and be gassed after 6-8 fast runs, but since I started training with weights and cardio, I can usually double that, provided the lifts don't shut down first. The result has been a pretty big improvement in my skill level and confidence on the bike.

Of course, there's always the side benefit that you become healthier and look less chunktastic, and that seems to help with the few chicks that come my way. 8-)

nice....you touch on another subject for riders...confidence! if your workouts give you more confidence your winning half the battle, your mind is the strongest muscle.....i watched Palmer one time get to the top of the big bear start with 5 minutes to spare....did no warm up and still killed us....he was purple at the finish! but he believed he was gonna win.


on topic:

i have been doing a lot of travel and work lately and have had less time on the bike....over winter vacation a friend took me to a crossfit location to work out (it's a chain of gyms that have non traditional all body work outs)


i have adapted it to my training...when I'm home i do 30 minute non stop work outs at a local park...it includes push ups/ pull ups/ crunches and picnic table plyo's tied in with hill and stair runs.... when i'm on the road i go to the hotel stairwell and do the same.....

i have found a big improvement in overall fitness.