All right folks — we are just over the halfway point and we know the quads are starting to burn. You’ve started to find that taking the stairs is a challenge. Lunges on the Megaformer are excruciating. And even walking up a small incline provides a new type of horror.
And yet we are LOVING your enthusiasm. From the front row to the sides, we see you working and feel your energy. We also hear your questions:
"Can I do two rides in a day?"
"Can I do Mega and Ride in a day?"
“Is this pain normal/can I workout through this pain?”
We know these questions come from the fire in your belly that wants to push you further, faster, and harder, and we admire that. We’ve got some honest answers for you here:
"Can I do two rides in a day?"
After polling the Ride instructors, we all agree that it’s not the best idea to do two rides in one day (or two hard cardio sessions,, for that matter) because it’s very hard on your body. Yes, you’ll see some of us doing it several times a week but it comes with proper fuel, taking it easy when we can, effective stretching, and not much of a social life.
“To get through this month, basically all I am doing is eating, sleeping and riding. I am also seeing my chiro every week to make sure my body keeps doing what I need to do. A lot of my life has been put on hold. I would hope my clients can have a more balanced start to spring. Enjoy the sunshine, take a great class, and get out and do something fun with that awesome LA Fit body.”
— Zac
We also try to take off some of our workload during class if we can — the session is not about us, it’s about you. We are there to teach, not to train so we might ease off tension or get off our bike because our main goal isn’t to get our workout in, it’s ensuring you make it to the end while giving it everything you have.
Another thing to remember is quality of work over quantity.
“If you put 100% into your full Ride class, you shouldn't feel like you need to do another workout that day. Overtraining can be just as bad for your body as not training at all. When you start doing two workouts a day you really need to also know how and when to refuel your body with the correct nutrients. I say go hard on one class”
— Morgan
So, in short, no — you shouldn’t do two rides in one day. But a Ride and a Mega is ok, as long as you fuel for it.
"Can I do Megaformer and Ride in a day?"
“I personally don't think there is a problem with doing a Ride and a Megaformer in the same day — they are working different muscles and are completely different ways of working – aerobically and anaerobically. Again, it's more about making sure the body is fuelled enough to cope with the extra exercise. The other thing to consider is the context within which Kelley has designed the nutrition plan — the meals/quantities may have been designed with people only doing one ride per day. If they are doing more, either more Rides, a Mega/combo or exercise outside the studio, they will need to increase their food intake.”
— Jacinta
To clarify: Kelley has designed the nutrition plan with 20 rides in mind. If you are peckish outside of the meal plan and strictly sticking to Ride, check out the Snack List. If you’re throwing in some Megaformers/any other workouts, you should definitely be increasing your food intake.
“Is this pain normal?”
Quads. Hammies. Back. Hips. Shins. Toes. These are some of the problem areas we’ve been hearing about, and here’s what is “normal”:
Quads — absolutely. These large leg muscles take the brunt of it during class and will definitely be burning (hello hover and no-bounce). Make sure to stretch this area often and use a foam roller if you can get your hands on one.
Hamstrings — yes! These guys will be feeling tight. Again, stretch and foam roll.
Hips — is there anyway to be more clear than: HELL YES. Hips get tiiiiiiight as. In addition to stretching and rolling, something simple you may find that helps is sitting cross-legged which will open them up.
Back — Normal, no. Keeping your core engaged should help keep your spine in line and avoid the Hunchback look whilst on the bike. You can also check your handlebar height — if you’re having major back issues you can try raising them up a peg or two.
Shins — Also not normal. Ride is low impact and you shouldn’t be feeling it through your shins because there is no impact point as there is with running (think foot connecting with concrete road). The problem here could be in how you strike the pedal — are you ballerina-toeing it? If so, STOP RIGHT NOW. Your foot should almost be flat, striking through the palm.
Toes — Nooooo. If your toes are going numb, it’s likely the same problem as above: you are pointing your toes down when you strike so you know what to do here — stop immediately. Of course, it’s also possible that your shoes are too small.
A couple more things:
Does one side of your body hurt more than the other? Think of which foot you lead with, there’s usually one that strikes down harder than the other. Try to be conscious of this and switch up your lead foot.
Some pain could also be related to your bike set up. See our how-to guide on setting up your bike here and never be shy to ask your instructor to give you a once over.
Lastly, you could find that Ride shoes improve your form which would relieve some of the discomfort you are experiencing. Ride shoes help you push and pull through properly which helps bring everything else inline.
Final thoughts: check in with body. Regardless of what we say, how do you feel? Maybe you’re eating great, sleeping well, and feeling energized enough to do something outside of Ride. Great! Go for it! But if your body is saying, “This is enough for today.” then be sure to listen. And don’t underestimate the power of a good stretch. The few minutes we spend at the end of each Ride class is just a starting point. Google stretches you can do at home, check out a yoga class, and stay tuned for the next Ride and Release session. Do right by your body and it will do right by you, your enthusiasm, and the rhythm.
