LittleBigMan

Today, I had to jog quickly across a large piece of property and back while my wife and kids walked to the car. When I met them at the car, I could feel my heart beating, but I only needed to take an occasional deep breath through my nose. It hardly phased me.

On the way home in the car, I got to thinking: most of the benefits of cycling are tied into my circulatory system. It's my heart and blood vessles that make it possible for me to endure.

I respect people who've got great outward muscle development, especially in their upper body. But what really counts is the part you can't see on the outside: the development of the "inward transportation system," the heart and blood vessels.

I am so grateful for what I've got. It just motivates me to keep riding.

DnvrFox

But, as you get older it is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT to maintain those outward muscles as 1) they truly tend to atrophy without heavy use; and 2) it is VITAL in the prevention of osteoporosis to do the kind of heavy, weight bearing exercises that cause those muscles. I don't lift weights just to look good. There are SOUND physiological reasons to do that. And, bicycling is NOT an exercise that prevents osteo.

For some reason, this is a most difficult message to get across to bicyclists, who think all they need to do is cardio.

The Rob

Best thing I've ever done for myself is break the couch-potato habit. I try to be disciplined about visiting the gym and paying attention to the cardio as well as the lifting. I used to do only weight training, and even then I'd skip the lower body in favor of trying to bulk up in the chest and arms. I wouldn't even attempt to get on the treadmill; boring, monotonous, my calves hurt -- who needs it?

A couple of years ago I began to notice the effort involved in simply climbing a flight of stairs. Well, that pretty much tore it for me. I was staring a debilitated middle-age in the face. I began to take work-outs seriously, and now I never leave the gym without trotting the treadmill unless I know I'm getting on the bike soon afterward. Ah yes, the bike! Even when I'd convinced myself that regular exercise was mandatory, a little impish voice would ask "Really, what is all this sweat for?" My first ride on my new bike answered that!

-Rob