Yes you read the title correctly, being overweight is good for training. How? Well son, let me tell ya.
It’s as easy as eating a nice piece of pumpkin pie. I figure when you’re overweight and you ride, your muscles start to acclimate to the amount of work it needs to do in order for you to move.
Here’s an example, after getting my winter fat on, I currently weigh mmmm about 190lbs. I’m only 5’7 so I look pretty pudgy. Anyhow, with my muscles working hard to get all 190lbs of Filipino Love moving on the trail. Eventually my muscles start to get stronger.
Its kinda like how you see some runners put ankle or wrist weights when they run. They use the added weight to increase their strength and stamina. You could also compare it to a baseball player putting a weight at the end of his bat. He swings it and swings it then with its his turn to bat, he takes it off so he can easily hit the ball with less resistance. Are you following me here?
Ok so with the idea that being overweight may contribute to your training engrained in your mind. Let’s shift focus here. Now you’re about 10-25lbs over weight right? Why don’t we lose some of that weight and see how well you ride. Since you’re dropping the weight, you’ll immediately start seeing that you’re ability to climb hills, sprint, and all out endurance is at a higher level than you were when you were heavier.
Ok some might say…”it’s because you were FAT!” Well yeah that’s true, but it’s also because your FAT acted as your free weights, sorta speak. WITHOUT the extra poundage, you’re alot faster and you even look better in your biking clothes. God knows how tight those things can be!
Anyhow, I am not saying get fat for the sake of training. But take what you have (that extra 20lbs) and work with it, then see the results. You’ll be a better rider because of it.