Originally Posted by
awsimons
I've been reading some of these articles about cyclists having low bone density. My dad and his mother have both dealt with osteoporosis so I worry about it for myself. I realize most of those articles looked at cyclist who put in gobs of miles, but I'm wondering if any of you take any steps to try and avert loosing bone mass. I like that by commuting I can get exercise without going to the gym, but some people say to lift weights to build bone mass.
Do you do anything in this regard?
Bicycling isn't usually a weight-bearing activity, so if you want to keep bones healthy and be all-round fit, you need to get off the bike and do other things. (We've all seen our share of pot-bellied "serious" cyclists.) I go to a rock climbing gym twice a week, do some stretching and strength training every day, and try to go on a 7-10 mile walk at least once a week or so. (I tried running, but running along with daily bicycle commuting turned out to be a good way to injure myself...)