General Cycling Discussion - So ya think your fit huh !

I guess most of us here are fairly/very "bike" fit !, I think I am..I do ride with the Oz 2001 female MTB champ and an "A" grade junior state champ ! but .....boy 'o' boy, this morning I played Aussie rules football for some fun and maaaan I can hardly walk now !!, I was using all these muscles that I don't "normally" use in a sporting sense ..I guess thats why people "crosstrain" to get an overall workout and a more complete fitness..so I guess what I'm tryin' to say is what is "fit" ? .......and are there any other sports we can participate in that will perpetuate our performance on the bike??...any ideas ??.....

Great thread, Buddy! In the winter I do some cross-country skiing, which to my mind is a perfect complement to cycling. It works the upper body as well as lower, and is a great aerobic workout. In the summer I don't do too much else, exept some walking, sometimes with the grandaughter in a carrier on my back, or maybe the odd run, but cycling doesn't leave much time for anything else. I try to get some weight workouts in though, especially in bad weather, or in winter. I think weights complement any sort of sport you aare into.

Oh, I forgot, I love to eat, too!:D

If the idea of cross training is to strengthen us in ways that our primary sport does not, then Tae Kwon Do is a good cross training method for bicycling.

Earlier in the week, I rode 160 miles (in two days, not one). Then, yesterday I trained in Tae Kwon Do. OOOOOH, that was a scream. Normally, I can kick above my head, but yesterday I could barely kick above my waist. Tae Kwon Do forced me to stretch and stay limber - a part of training I might skimp on if only bicycling.

Tae Kwon Do is also quite aerobic and works the upper body as well as the lower body.

Aieesh, the combination of almost any two sports are good physical training (except maybe darts, shuffleboard, golf, billiards, or baseball - no inslults intended to the static sportsters). The key is to enjoy the sports you do so that you are motivated to do them regularly,

I also play softball, but the season only lasts from mid-March to late September. My team has actually won a few games this year. Even though it only takes one day a week, I'm thinking about quitting so I can spend more time on the bike. Besides, I lost my only glove a few weeks ago, and I've spent too much money on bike stuff (my wife's new Schwinn Cruiser, Cannondale Jersey, etc.) to afford a new glove. :)

I don't have much first hand experience, since winters are pretty mild around here, but I've heard ice skating, and in particular speed skating, uses a lot of the same muscles as cycling.

My recovery time is such that I don't generally do work-out type rides two days in a row. On my off days, I like to jog a few miles.

You guys aughta try walking on stilts. :( sheesh

Snowshoeing is a great winter sport for cyclists, i purchased some snowshoes last fall, but havent been able to use them yet.