Commuting - Do you consider your commute to be exercise?

If someone asked you if you exercise, would you include commuting as an answer? I'm not sure if I do...

If someone asked you if you exercise, would you include commuting as an answer? I'm not sure if I do...

Why not? The lowest intensity at which I commute still classifies as 'recovery riding'. And that is an essential part of every training--i.e. work-out, excercise--schedule.

In general, yes, insamuch as even short bursts of physical activity provides a bit of exercise. My own commute provides me with more anaerobic exercise than aerobic (a hilly fast 3.5 mile ride to downtown Atlanta). But the stop and go nature means it isn't giving me a sustained aerobic workout, so I schedule my weekend recreational rides and long brisk walks during lunch on weekdays to take care of that need.

My commute involves some pretty good climbs..That alone should constitute exercise...Plus for most part traffic is not that bad..It is pretty much go.. When taken my HRM seems beats get pretty fast.. Beats eating twinkies in the car while driving to work...

YES!!
When I started commuting (14+ miles each way) I managed to drop 20 pounds in 4 months.
Once on a ride home I even passed a guy (who was wearing postal jersey and shorts) who was doing his afternoon training ride. And I had a rear rack, panniers, and lights on my road bike.

I guess commuting does count as exercise. :D

Well, it's the only excercise I get, so it better be!
:)
I think it particularly qualifies on the days I pick up my daughter from school.

There is no other way I could imagine getting any excercise.

Paul

If someone asked you if you exercise, would you include commuting as an answer? I'm not sure if I do...

You bet! Since when is riding a bike not considered exercise?

This year I rode about 8000 miles preparing for Paris-Brest-Paris and about 3000 of those were commuting. I know I would have been in much worse shape had I not ridden those commuting miles.

At 18.5 miles each way with hills on a 65 pound loaded bike I would say so.

Yes, at least when I told my Doctor what I do, he accepted it and did not suggest any lifestyle changes in that area. It certainly raises my heart rate more than even a brisk walk, which is one of the most widely recommended excersize methods.

My commute is really the only chance I get to exercise and if I'm being honest, it's the main reason I commute. I like saving money, being environmentally friendly, etc., but the main reason I commute is for the exercise.

If someone asked you if you exercise, would you include commuting as an answer? I'm not sure if I do...
Absolutely.

A study I read indicated that even bicycling only 2 miles per day produced measurable physical improvements and health benefits.

From a more personal standpoint, bicycle commuting has changed me greatly from the person I once was. I am leaner, stronger, and can climb a tall set of stairs or run a few blocks without any problems. Just by cycling to work, I achieved a level of fitness I never knew when I was just walking for exercise.

I became a new man!

It is my ONLY exercise. I "exercise" during the time I would otherwise spend in that long commute by bus or car, then have evenings (and mornings) to spend w/ family. 25-30 minutes each way, working as hard as I can (no stop and go).

Huh? Of course it is.

I use my three-day-per-week commute as my base cardiovascular training for marathoning and ultrarunning. I run ultradistance races (30, 50, and 100 miles) while training half as much as my ultrarunning friends who do not bike.

I could not do it without the exercise I get from commuting.

If someone asked you if you exercise, would you include commuting as an answer? I'm not sure if I do...

Is a bear Catholic? Wait...I think I'm mixing things up here. Still, yeah, I include commuting as excercise...I ride every day (almost) about 22 miles at an average speed of 30 kmh in, and 35-40 kmh out. Considering I've beat my wife home on the bike (she was in a car) I'd consider that excercise... :)

speaking of which, it is time to hop on the bike! yea!
Tom

P.S. I also got asked to lead an indoor cycling class due to the commute. Beats being in the gym and having to pay!

I just pootle along the 4 miles to work, pacing myself so I never break into a sweat. Its pretty gentle excercise, but still, much better than none at all.
I do a pool session once a week, to remind my upper body muscle that they have not been abandoned completely.

Sometimes a co-worker will spot me in the elevator and say, "Oh, getting your exercise before work?"

If I'm feeling snotty, I'll say something like "Nah, just getting to work. You don't consider driving to work exercise, do you?"

But actually, I do consider it exercise. I've got a route that can be a 5 mile or 10 mile TT or I can go directly home and spin easy for a 20 minute recovery workout. It's all good!

If someone asked you if you exercise, would you include commuting as an answer? I'm not sure if I do...

I spend about 8 hours of my commuting week in my HR "training zone" -- 70-80%. If that's not exercise, I don't know what the word means.

RichC

9 miles to work + 13 to 20 home every day. I'm pretty sure it qualifies as exercise.

That is sort of like asking if George Dubya Bush is a Texan. :p

Of Course It is Exercise. (http://lowfatlifestyle.com/calories.htm)

Exercise is any activity beyond the norm that results in burning calories. Click the link to learn more.

IMO: The Norm is what the average normal human is doing in a given day. (esp. American)

45 min there (school) and 45 min home - 90 min. for the day - its all the time I have for exercise. Yes I consider it exercise

I turned to commuting as a means to get in "soft miles".

Often I find myself and other riders not taking those "easy" or "recover" rides.

I find that my commute provides this for me as I don't try to RACE to work because I don't want to be too trashed to need a full shower and change of clothes.

Sometimes I meet my wife on the commute home and occasioanlly we kick it up, esp when we get to our street... Sprint for the drive way babe!... Zooooommmmm....

Oh... So the answer is yes ... it is exercise or training or both... but not the rigorous type...

I also consider commuting to be my "soft" miles - mind you, that's probably only because my commute is a totally flat 26km round trip. Having said that, I think there are quite a few people in this office who would struggle to complete it.

Well, duh, or would you rather drive to the gym to work out on a stationary bicycle? Why ISN'T commuting by bike exercise? I can't think of a better way to get your exercise as part of your daily routine.

Yes.

:beer:

--J

Thanks for the responses everyone. I realise the question may have seemed a bit silly to some of you, but thing is I don't "race" on my ride (I often stop for a quick breather... it is a hilly route though), and I'm not pushing near as much extra weight as some of you (65lb load?! yikes!), but I guess even a gentle ride would count.

Thanks for the responses everyone. I realise the question may have seemed a bit silly to some of you, but thing is I don't "race" on my ride...
Swoop,

I'm positive that if you keep riding, you will see changes in your fitness more and more.

:beer:

(I often stop for a quick breather... it is a hilly route though),

If you keep doing it, I think you'll find you're stopping less too.

Mine is definitely exercise. And I really notice it when I don't do it too.

Ellie

Mine is definitely exercise. And I really notice it when I don't do it too.

Hehe! Yep, me too! I start to get a little more, "character" around my waistline!

:D

It better be...after all that effort!

Of course, it is.
Corsaire

45km with 480m of climbing @+27kph, 3 days per week, sounds like exercise to me. 28miles, 1575feet @16.8 for non metric folk.:D

CHEERS.

Mark

I was treated for Lymphoma earlier this year. Started commuting 5 fairly flat miles to work a few weeks back. First day was gaspy sweaty, got off and walked twice. Took 40 mins. Last night I screamed home (ok maybe not screamed but it. only took 20 mins). So heck yes it's great exercise.

and OBTW, I love the way Lance rides, huge inspiration to me, but I think he's cluto in the sigificant other dept....not that you asked... :D

I guess I am in the minority. I don't count cycling time as exercise. Technically it is I suppose but I don't log it, no particular planning takes place for it, rides are not structured into workouts, rides don't generally have a goal (other than moving from place to place). For example I don't do intervals, LT rides, sprints. If I look for a hill it is generally to zoom down it rather than to mash or spin up it. I do have some drills I use to improve pedal stroke, but I don't use them consistently. I am careful not to hammer too much on a rest day from another workout.

I guess I just ride for the fun of it and get my exercise elsewhere.

Dan

Do I consider my commute as exercise? Actually I don't give it much thought but I hope it is, because other then a little cross country skiing in the winter I don't get much of any other excersize.

As with everyone else,the answer is "Yes" would you expect anything else?.

by the way my legs feel right now, yes..

:)

I guess I just ride for the fun of it and get my exercise elsewhere.

Dan

Def:To use repeatedly in order to strengthen or develop."

Maybe the question was whether you consider your commute to be exercise. While some may not consider it to be exercise I certainly think that it is.

My favorite thing about my commute is a friend also commutes and every Friday we go out for lunch and do a 10 mile ride, stopping at a deli for a sandwitch and then stopping in a park...

It is a plesant break and a way to get the proper mindset for the weekend...

Oh yea, we usually kick it up a notch on a few streets :)

I do find that the commute, albeit slower than my weekend ride, does help keep the fat off...

considering I lost 20 pounds from the beginning of august just from commuting with my bike to school, while still eating like a pig. YES my commute is an exercise. but i don't consider it as an exercise, just a way of my new life.

Definitely yes. I'm 63 & commute almost daily. My doctor (who is about my age) agrees & says I'm in better shape than he is. I had a abdominal surgery in February & was able to do some slow riding around my neighborhood beginning on day four. For about 3 weeks I rode my wife's mixte frame 10 speed with a Schwinn "pillow" type saddle on it. (Springs are your friend when on the mend) My surgeon said I made a really fast recovery & he was going to recommend cycling to anyone who had the guts to try it. Don

Definitely yes. I'm 63 & commute almost daily. My doctor (who is about my age) agrees & says I'm in better shape than he is. I had a abdominal surgery in February & was able to do some slow riding around my neighborhood beginning on day four. For about 3 weeks I rode my wife's mixte frame 10 speed with a Schwinn "pillow" type saddle on it. (Springs are your friend when on the mend) My surgeon said I made a really fast recovery & he was going to recommend cycling to anyone who had the guts to try it. Don

Very impressive. I think it is remarkable that you are so active and have such a great attitude. It is unfortunate the way that most people perceive age in this country. You are doing more physical activity than most 8th graders. This country is getting fatter and lazier by the day. Obviously that applies to hardly anyone in this forum, but people here are the exception to the rule.

Most people lay around and complain after surgery, while you seek the bike. That is awesome. My theory on exercise is that if you do something you are better than someone that does nothing. Most people in the USA do NOTHING . Statistics and the clientel at your local buffet will prove that.

I have never had a problem with weight but I have alway had a problem with physical laziness. I am 34 yrs old, 6'2" and 158 lbs. Last Christmas I was pushing 200lbs. I was just sitting in front of a computer all day and doing nothing. While some may look at my current measures as dangerously light, it is my natural weight. I weighed less than that when I graduated from high school.

I have eaten nothing but low fat since Feb. 2003 and have biked nearly every day since Aug '03. I hit my ideal weight strictly through diet but the 1000+ miles I have logged on the bike has helped me when looking in the mirror. :D

I'm not here to blow my horn. I am here to blow the horn of physical activity. Commuting to Work is physical activity and should be applauded. It doesn't matter if you consider it exercise or not. The fact is that you are better off for it.

<snip>.... just a way of my new life.

Well said!

I do.. Sometimes I'll even time it and consider it a 10 mile time trial.

There's no difference from biking to work than spending 30-40 minutes in a spin class in a gym. (Except that it is 100 times more fun to be actually biking than spinning in place :) )

Jay

I don't consider it exercise, but my body does.

You better believe it's exercise! It's 40 minutes out of my day, and probably the fastest ride I do all day.

If others can consider 10 minutes of gardening to be exercise anything more than that on my bicycle can also be considered exercise.

Of course, that's not usually all I do . . . .