Mort Canard

I tried something new this evening. I stopped by my local gymnasium part way through a ride and spent about 40 min. working out on weights and then finished off the ride. It is an interesting combination and seems to have some possibilities. My heart rate was already up and blood flowing when I got there so I didn't need as much warm up as I usually do. I spent most of the time working out my upper body and trunk as the biking would provide a good workout for the legs.

I still have to work out transportation issues for my gym shoes but that is a solvable problem.

I was wondering if anyone else has tried this combination. Do you find that the workout at the gym goes better toward the start or end of a ride? How does the mix of weight training and aerobic cycling in one workout work for you?

I have to admit that I looked upon a couple of young ladies on the exercycles with some pity as I was leaving. Here they were vigorously pedaling indoors in front of some muted televisions while I was leaving to put in some real miles on a real bicycle in the great out of doors.

sjordan1959

I do this all the time. I ride my bike to my trainer's studio, work out, and ride home. Sometimes the ride home is less fun than the ride to the workout, but that's life.

DnvrFox

I ride and swim and ride. I generally do my resistance exercises in my basement gym prior to riding about 3 times per week. I stretch daily, and do my specific PT daily. I used to ride to the gym and do my resistance training, but I found a clique of folks who all they wanted to talk about was their opposite-to-mine political views and their money - quite loudly. I see my training as almost a "zen" like experience, and they ruined that for me, so I stopped going there.

Mr. Beanz

Funny, in 2005 I went to the gym all year with my daughter who was trying to lose weight after delivering a baby. After we pumped iron, she'd jump rope like Ali, then we'd sit on the exerbike and I'd coach her into some fat burning exercise and a cool down. I wonder if anybody made the same silly "assumption" about me eventhough I did 7,300 outdoor miles and 23 centuries that year.

Velo Dog

Not so much lately, but for years before I retired, I worked for a company with an office on a 12-mile riverside MUT and a nice gym upstairs. I often did both in the same workout.
FWIW, I never have understood why people run on treadmills or ride exercise bikes when the whole world is out there. I do go to the gym for resistance work, but it baffles me that I see people running in front of the TV when I get there and still running when I leave an hour later.

rumrunn6

I've done this, a couple times after work, having bike commuted in and then on the way home (actually out of my way). I've also biked from home to the gym. yeah, it's good.

nmichell

Same here. My wife and I bike over to a local trainer that has his own gym, sometimes bike to breakfast afterwards. [No pie, although I've been know to have bread pudding for breakfast -- does that count?]

nmichell

Hmm, I might be one of those people. I do most of my riding outside, but a good deal of my running on a treadmill. If I'm going to be really slow, I might as well be in front of a TV At least with biking, I have the illusion of speed.

rumrunn6

arguments for treadmils? I like them. they absorb shock. don't have unpredictable curbs, uneven sidewalks or traffic. I like a 20 minute 2 mile run. clean and easy with an immediate shower. yes, it is sterile but it's also very consistant. I do like running on our HS track in the sun, feels great but it doesn't fit into my schedule. right now I'm running at lunchtime break from work. quick drive, quick run, quick shower, then quick drive back. I eat in the car on the way back and I'm only gone 45 min. right now this works for me.

work4bike

I always incorporate weightlifting with riding, since my bike is my primary form of transportation. I do all kinds of weight training and I do include lower body, despite being a daily rider. However, I've found that on days I do a lot of reps in the upper body workouts, I have a much harder time getting back my cycling legs as when I do lower body workouts. It's as if it takes a few miles to get all my blood from my arms/chest, back to my legs.

NOS88

I've been mixing resistance training and riding for about four years now. I don't have a set routine, however, the riding tends to get done first. We purchased a resistance workout machine for our 25th wedding anniversary (got to love 'em when they're willing to do this!). It saves having to go to the gym and countless dollars. Additionally, it means if I'm beat after a ride, I can put off the resistance training until later in the day or evening. Keep in mind, that I only do the resistance training every other day.

Mort Canard

John,
Interesting! I will have to pay attention to how upper vrs. lower body workouts affect riding afterwards.

I will also have to ask someone at the park board if they can add a bicycle rack to the facility. Right now I am chaining my bike to a gas meter.

work4bike

You just gotta do it to the point of feeling the "pumped up" feeling, i.e. a very good workout.