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| *Vultures Knob>>>Road Bike |
Do you ride a bike/cycle regularly (road/off-road)? |
I really am itching to buy a bike because i love the outdoors and think it's fun. but exercise wise, is it effective? how much or fast do you need to ride for it to be an effective total body workout? my trouble spots are upper body, so I am nervous that although i will be having fun, i will thin out areas that DON'T need thinning! Any insight you have would be great... Cycling may or may not help you achieve your overall goals but it could be an important part of a total exercise plan. Weight loss attributed to a reduction in body fat is a complete body experience. Meaning you do not "shrink" or reduce one area over another. So when you exercise be it on a bicycle for an hour or more - recommended minimum times for aerobic impact - or do upper body workouts in the gym, you will see a reduction in stored body fat all over your body. Now the muscle development portion of cycling will indeed improve the tone of your legs, glutes, etc. Here a MTB will help with the upper body far more than a road bike provided you actually ride it on trails as in off-road. This because you need to use your entier upper body from lats to delts, tris, and pecs to help you control and balance the bike as you learn to blast your way down the "fun stuff." A great many of my cycling lady friends are with the Trail Angels. Feel free to check out their website and ask a few of them about riding. They are great promoters of MTB riding. http://www.trailangels.com/ Personally, as a long time road cyclist I'd like to see more people riding on the road but for a person just entering the sport and given your specific training desires I'd recommend a mountain bike. As to speed - forget about it. Everyone climbs up the hills slowly. Some more than others. Just find a nice group to hang out with and have a blast. The fitness will come. JP the bike wont help the upper body much but sit-ups and a little weight training will do the upper body nicely. cycling is more of a leg thing. it doesnt do much for the upper body. but off road riding does a lot for the cardiovascular system and endurance. you get the best workout going off road. personally, i think trails are much more fun than riding on a road with cars that could kill you. In my experience cycling in and of itself hasn't made a big dent in my weight loss. It's helped a lot with endurance, leg strength and overall health. But I found that a combination of exercise, through gym workouts, eliptical, weights etc. have worked much better. Plus watching what I eat to a degree. I don't starve as many of my riding friends know :). I suggest contacting a personal trainer, and I can refer you to one if you're interested. A mountain bike will allow for a more rigorous upper body workout. Don't worry about speed, just maintain an increased heart rate throughout your ride. To really improve, enjoy your time and ride lots. |
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