Commute AND exercise on same day?
 

I am lucky enough to have a gym near the office, and work out with weights fairly frequently. However, on days I commute, I find I just don't go to the gym.

What do other people experience?

Yes, the commuting is just a bonus to the normal workout that includes soccer, icehockey, running and weight lifting.

Needless to say the legpower from the commuting has worked wonders for my soccer and hockey playing.

running two days a week (soon to be three) plus riding everyday.

didn't start like that though... my commute used to wear me out, now it ain't so bad.

running, that hurts just as bad (if not worse) as commuting used to... ;)

I would like to do some weight work, and we have a weight room here at work, but the only time it's not too crowded is within the first hour after I get in from commuting, and I am too tired then. I'm not willing to skip a day commuting to do weight work.
I'm really only shooting for cardiovascular fitness anyway, my upper body is perfectly suited for what it does, which is pretty much nothing.

I'm starting to increase my base, so it's commute to and from work and then ride after work. Usually, my ride back home becomes a TT. Not really, but I do use it as a lactate threshold ride, keeping the intensity "comfortably hard".

Once home, I'll drop off the backpack, change into better riding clothes, and head out for few more miles, or strip down and do some cycle trainer riding, or change into my running kit and jump on to the treadmill.

I go the climbing gym 2days a week. I bike commute everyday. On days I climb I drive my car to the train(I need it for the gym) but still bike from the train to work(6miles 1 way). So I ride 12 miles on climbing day and 22-30 miles on non climbing days. I like the 2 types of exercising. They really compliment each other.

I am training for a triathlon. My commutes are my bike days and I do other exercises on other days.

2nd option. I've been extending my commute and increasing my cadence\speed. I'm a wee bit tired as the week progresses.
I am looking at getting a family membership to our local rec center. So, my answer will change soon. Weights, 3 pools, indoor running track, workout classes, etc

I wonder if a spinning class would help my cycling?

You don't have my answer in the poll. I usually don't commute and exercise the same day, but it isn't due to being tired. It's the time. My exercise is almost always playing tennis after work. I don't have time to get to the tennis club and commute by bike. There is also the issue of carying all my tennis gear.

My primary exercise is cycling which is why I look like Homer Simpson above the belt. I really should take advantage of the employee fitness center here, but it's just too tempting to go for a ride.

I'll be honest and admit I haven't been doing enough of either, but there is a gym on the top floor of the building I work in, which I hit before riding home. Since the ride is slightly less than 2 miles the biggest hurdle is climbing the 4 floors to my apartment carrying my Trek 930 tank as opposed to being to whooped to ride home.

I train for footraces ranging from 3-milers to marathons and I commute most days. Usually I will take a day or two off from cycling before a big race. The cycling does wonders for my cardiovascular system.

3 days a week, I bike to the gym in the a.m. (about 15 min ride), then lift for 45-60 min, then bike to work (about 20-25 min ride). I take the direct route home for a ride of 30-35 min.

On the other days, I'll either extend my ride a bit usually only 3-10 miles on the way to or from work depending on my schedule, but on some days, I'll head right to the gym and shoot around or do some other low intensity cardio.

Bike commuting has really freed up my exercise time, because I don't have to worry about adding extra cardio time while at the gym because I've replaced the driving time to/from gym and work.

I also don't take it easy on my commutes aside from the first 3 miles to the gym in the a.m. I usually ride at about lactate threshold - I have a hard time taking it easy and riding slow.

I always get lazy about it if I try to consistently get any non-cycling exercise. But when I have to go somewhere anyway, I try to ride my bike as fast as I possibly can.

BTW, I answered with the top option, but would have liked to have something like "I commute like gangbusters, but still find the time/energy to lift also"

+1

I'll also add that after my Sunday long run, and the accompanying rest day, my cycling improves drastically. I've seen so many gains lately in both disciplines that I'm just amazed at the benefits I'm reaping from multi-sport training. Next comes swimming...

I do weights and commute on the same day, but I have a short commute. I really have little choice. Since the bike is my primary transportation, I have to ride very day. A rest day for me would still entail at least 40 minutes of easy riding.

Even so, I think crosstraining is vey important. In addition to weights, I walk or hike at least once a week and I row in the summer (in a real boat).

Cycling doesn't do any good for the skeletal system or even for any muscles above the hips. It also overtrains the quadriceps relative to the hamstrings.

Yes! I have a colleague at work who is a cyclist & triathlete. We frequently take some time over lunch to squeeze in a training ride. Then there is the work football night on Thursdays + commute home immediately afterward. (association, not American football ;))

Cheers,

Ed

In addition to cycling I do yoga and assorted other exercise. On my way home I stop at a local park and do a few of the par course things-- crunches on an inclined plane, pullups, and pushups.

Yoga has really helped my balance for technical mountain biking, while increasing hip flexability and shoulder strength.

I voted on 1, but sometimes I have to go like gangbusters to make it to my soccer games before start time. I'm usually pretty whipped by the time I get home on those days.

yes, I go like gangbusters and crawl home after the gym - by the end of the week your legs and body are toast but that's what rest days are for

I voted "no", but only for the moment. I've got tons of work and evening commitments and find myself too tired to function if I throw in any extra exercise. Once my schedule calms down a bit, I'll be back to everyday commuting, three running days, and some team sport game each week.

me too. Use the trip to and from work to do as serious cardio as I can make time for (vary route length), then when I get home, do free weights for arms and upper body, then do lots of different types of crunches for abs.

/s

I use the cycling for my cardio, and sometimes, I get extra time in the day to do some cardio. Three days a week, I also do weight training. This year is probably the first year I'm using multi-joint exercises for weight training to bolster up my cardio training.

Koffee

I've pretty much cut out all gym cardio since it's been a struggle just to retain muscle mass on my puny frame. I bike to the gym and do weights a couple mornings during the week, then bike from there to the office for a brief 2.5 mile commute, which I use as an opportunity to do one long sprint.

I definitely feel a significant energy sap when I bike after lifting, even if I'm just doing upper body stuff.