The value of exercise

I have seen the light!

And so have you it seems.

Breathless!

Mick

Wait until tomorrow morning when you get up. Your legs will hate you........

But certainly agree with you - off the gravy train and on your bike is so much more rewarding.

Congratulations.

Mick,
If I may be so bold, may I offer you a suggestion?
When you ride, try to keep your cadence high (ie pedal quickly in a small gear rather than push a big gear). 'Twiddling' as it is called, will excercise your heart every bit as much, yet place less stress on your leg muscles, thus less leg ache, and will indeed produce better muscle tone. It is no coincidence that pro cyclists appear to pedal fluidly.

Regards,

Reginald (former accredited cycling coach)

Reginald

Many thanks, good advice is always welcomed.

Regards

Mick

Dear Mick,

I have worn out a few push bikes! The crank is gone just now, so that is another 35 GBP. The point, I think is to ride, and pedal within your capacity. Neither of us I suspect is in the first flush, and thus we should go for it, but in a measured style. Better to get there a few minutes later than race to the first cardiac. That is pretty useles, given what it costs Joe public to sort it out after. Only an old git's 2 pence worth...

Fredrik

Walking, running and cycling use quite different muscle groups. Getting back on the bike after only walking for a while you can expect to ache in various places but this does not mean your fitness has dropped hugely. It works the other way too. I cycle hard around the hills and I'm pretty fit just now, but a days walk in the Lakes makes my legs ache because I'm doing less hill-walking and the muscles are different.

As far as your cardiovascular system can tell the key is sustained (30mins or more) of heart-rate raising exercise. A brisk walk that leaves you a bit sweaty and out of breath has the same 'value' as a ride that does the same.

The message I give patients is to do some exercise, any exercise; just do something! You do not need to join a gym or run a marathon. If walking the dog gets your heart rate up and circulation going then just do that.

Enjoy your exercise and you are far more likely to carry on doing it.

A bonus of cycling for me is that it is kinder on my rather creaky knees.

Bruce

Enjoyment is the key to repeated exercise. We tend to analyse, talk about and try to buy into everything we do these days. No wonder most of us are so stressed! We expect value for money even whe we try to relax.

I believe that being surrounded in quiet greenery, preferably in bright sunshine, is worth a few extra miles for the great psychological benifits it brings. I am incredibly fortunate to be surrounded in quiet narrow lanes with woods, hedges and fields as far as the eye can see in all directions. I can choose any of a number of routes to avoid getting stale and never be too far from home.

Trying to exercise between the grey slabs of a noisy city must make a sweaty gym seem almost attractive. But neither is ideal in comparison with refreshing the soul as well as exercising the body. Seeking out parks, footpaths, cycle paths, school playing fields and quiet leafy suburbs to take your exercise is well worth the effort if your own environment is not relaxing.

I have recently moved from the city out into the countryside, nearest gym is now a drive in the car away so to save on gym membership I have dusted the cobwebs off my MTB and taken to a few 2 hours jaunts a week onto ex MOD land.
Its so much more fun than walking on a treadmill for 40 mins watching MTV/News, the only thing I miss at the gym is the swimming pool and exercising next to nicely toned young ladies but hey we all have to make sacrifices.
Now all I need to do is work on my diet which is the hard part!!

John.

quote:

Enjoyment is the key to repeated exercise. We tend to analyse, talk about and try to buy into everything we do these days. No wonder most of us are so stressed! We expect value for money even whe we try to relax.

There is an element of truth in that.

Two years ago, we went on a cruise around the Med to relax and it cost me £4000.00 for the priveledge of doing so. We spent a day going around Sicily and we could not but help notice the hundreds of old people, well into their late eighties, just sitting around on a kitchen chair doing absolutely nothing at zero cost.

They looked happy and well, so who had it right, me or them ?

Regards

Mick

As my profile says, I live by the sea. About twice a week, I jump in, swim parallel to the beach in one direction for about 15 minutes, then turn around and swim back to my point of origin. I go reasonably slowly to make sure I don't peter out too quickly.

Only one problem: winter. There are some diehards around here who swim every day regardless of the weather, but not me. So I walk on the beach instead for the colder half of the year. Hang on, make that two problems - problem no. 2 is sharks! We've had two fatal attacks in the past year.

Swimming in a pool just doesn't do it for me. Swimming in the sea seems to deliver double the benefit, probably because of the closeness to nature.

Steve

Cycling is often pretty good, but PLEASE keep off the pavement.

Apart from walking, establishing a daily regime of e.g. doing 50 + pressups one day/50 + pullups (on door which still hasn't collapsed after 20 years) probably is beneficial.

Smoke less/drink less alcohol/eat less/listen to Kaiser Chiefs might help.

PLEASE unless you're 3 keep your bicycles off the pavement, as illegal cycling terrifies pedestrians/gives reasonable-cyclists a bad name.

Lifting safely Isobariks etc/big-screen CRTs around house is good exercise too.

quote:

Originally posted by Mick Parry:

They looked happy and well, so who had it right, me or them ?

They probably do. They relax naturally into alpha waves, eat a fish and oil-based diet and avoid stress thanks to their static surroundings. With their limited incomes they have no shopping list of luxury products that they cannot afford.

The downside is they don't see much of the world beyond their TVs or earn enough for a high-end hifi system.

You have the luxury of choice Mick. I would guess that most of them have very little choice at all. But they have succssfully adapted to their suituation.

I have taken up cycling recently now that my two little ones are confident on their bikes. It's very enjoyable riding along the North Downs (great views south) and it is actually doing me some good.

.

quote:

Originally posted by Reginald Halliday:
Mick,
If I may be so bold, may I offer you a suggestion?
When you ride, try to keep your cadence high (ie pedal quickly in a small gear rather than push a big gear). 'Twiddling' as it is called, will excercise your heart every bit as much, yet place less stress on your leg muscles, thus less leg ache, and will indeed produce better muscle tone. It is no coincidence that pro cyclists appear to pedal fluidly.

Regards,

Reginald (former accredited cycling coach)

Coincidentally, I just bought a bike at the end of August and have been riding usually at least five days a week, 30 to 60 minutes per ride, doing 6-7 minute laps in a park near my home.

I had a bike as a kid and rode it all the time, even took a bike trip across the state of Wisconsin with my dad and a couple of friends. Then rode throughout college as my main transportation, even in ice and snow. When I graduated I got a car, and the bike was lost in the shuffle.

I hate any form of exercise I've tried, quickly become deathly bored, can't even stand to watch TV in front of a stationery bike. Tried running, cross country ski machine, rowing machine ... hated all of it. But now I'm over 50, and I know I need to do something if I want to be around when my daughter is my age. In an epiphany, it suddenly occurred to me: Hey! I used to love riding my bike, why not get a bike and ride it?! Doh!

And so I did. I was a bit concerned at first about not giving my upper body a proper workout, but mostly I'm doing it for the cardiovascular benefits. Also, a very wise friend said something that really hit me: the best form of exercise is the one you actually do.

I loved it right away, and even though it had been decades, riding was as easy as ... well, it was just like riding a bicycle. I felt 12 years old, although my body felt like it was 70. It was rough at first, but I've stuck with it now and measured my progress in terms of how what gears I spend the most time in. Of the three main gears on the left grip I'm solidly in 2nd, but whereas I started my right hand grip in mostly 3,4 and 5, now it's mostly 6, 7, and occasionally 8, which means that soon I might move the left hand grip up to 3.

But not having been properly advised, it surprises me to learn that I shouldn't necessarily be progressing to ever higher gears. I do pedal almost constantly, and hardly ever coast. And although my legs feel a little watery when I get off, especially climbing up the basement stairs, they don't ache and there are no residual ill effects. (And, of course, I always wear a helmet, because, as a cycling friend says: Better dead than brain dead.)

So my question, Reginald, if you wouldn't mind lending a bit more of your expertise (I'm afraid all I can offer in return is some kind of music consultation), am I pursuing the wrong goal here?

All the best,
Fred


.

quote:

Originally posted by Reginald Halliday:
Mick,
If I may be so bold, may I offer you a suggestion?
When you ride, try to keep your cadence high (ie pedal quickly in a small gear rather than push a big gear). 'Twiddling' as it is called, will excercise your heart every bit as much, yet place less stress on your leg muscles, thus less leg ache, and will indeed produce better muscle tone. It is no coincidence that pro cyclists appear to pedal fluidly.

Regards,

Reginald (former accredited cycling coach)

Reginald - I don't mean to hijack Mick's thread, but as a former coach, what's your view on fixed/single speed bikes as a method of enforcing high cadence riding? I had a go on one and found it pretty intimidating, but it's not stopped me planning a build - seems like a good training method, as long as your typical route isn't too hilly.

I would humbly suggest that anyone who uses a low fixed gear to achieve a high cadence lacks the self-discipline to learn to pedal quickly. All it takes is a lower gear, practice and a little determination. I was once a happy twiddler and loved outclimbing anybody on long hills by just going up to 150rpm in low gears and staying there. It all seemed so effortless back then.

I also used to ride fixed gear a lot when I was younger. Usually 72 inches but occasionally down to a 55 inch gear despite the long and steep hills where I lived. (I quickly discovered that some hills actually went downhill, as well as up!)
But it is so limiting since the human legs can only reciprocate within certain limits even when the feet are locked firmly into the pedals. The mass of the legs and inertia place a strict limit on how fast the legs can move before bits start flying off!

Sort of second that. GEt a decent bicycle computer, oops it will cost. Use a low gear and pedal at 90-100 pedalstrokes per minute, that will do the trick.

Cycling can be a really awarding experience, especially at 35-40mph, or in a steep climb and you just keep going (but your opponents dosn't)
Just remember, do wear helmet and easily seen clothes, there are accidents happening

Some say there are to types of bicyclists, those who has fallen/crashed and those that will (eventually).

Fred,
Fear not, using gear progression à la car-driving to measure performance is very common, though unfortunately inaccurate. Aim to pedal constantly at 80-90 rpm in whichever gear is approppriate for the terrain and how fast you wish to go. You should 'stroke' the pedals around rather than 'push'. This should result in less leg-ache and is a better CV workout. Keep it up!


Chiba,
Riding fixed (rather than single-free) is wonderful for suppleness and developing leg-speed, and at lower speeds (eg in town) can really improve bike-handling skills. Doing a track-stand at the lights is great for show-offs (like me ) I ride 47x21, which is fairly low - 60", but then I'm a natural twiddler, as I used to ride track. Go for it.

PS - a tip: Use a 1/8th (track) chain rather than a 3/32, as it is more tolerant of variable tension. (3/32 chains are designed to derail. 3/32 rings and sprockets are perfectly OK

Regards,

Reginald.

I'm overweight.

Not by much though - but I'm still overweight.

Walking is good but you need to plan it and build it in as part your exercise programme - it is not an end itself.

Chris

PS I am using a pedometer and 15000 steps is doable (horrible word)

.

quote:

Originally posted by Reginald Halliday:
Fred,
Fear not, using gear progression à la car-driving to measure performance is very common, though unfortunately inaccurate. Aim to pedal constantly at 80-90 rpm in whichever gear is approppriate for the terrain and how fast you wish to go. You should 'stroke' the pedals around rather than 'push'. This should result in less leg-ache and is a better CV workout. Keep it up!

Thanks for the reply, Reginald.

Actually, my legs don't ache, just a bit "watery" for a few minutes after I stop and walk up the basement stairs.

Not sure I understand the difference between "stroke" and "push." Also, how do I measure 80-90 rpm?

But you're basically advising to use stay in a lower "easier" gear and pedal a lot faster?

I guess this would be a lot easier to explain in person.

Thanks,
Fred


.

quote:

Doing a track-stand at the lights is great for show-offs (like me )

That's nothing compared to the guy I saw last week riding a unicycle while talking on his mobile phone.

I always did a track stand at the lights with my plated shoes strapped hard into the pedals... until my front wheel dropped into the slots of a badly placed drain and I fell slowly over sideways while deperately reaching (unsuccessfully) for the toe strap buckle.

The easiest way to measure rpm without a cadence reading cycle computer is to have your watch (with a seconds hand) easily visible and count how many times one foot goes down in 15 seconds then mutiply by 4. Not recommended in traffic though!

If you can't safely do the watch trick: If you can say one thousand.. two thousand.. three thousand etc each time your right foot goes down then that's about 60rpm. Try and pedal faster than that.

quote:

Not sure I understand the difference between "stroke" and "push." Also, how do I measure 80-90 rpm?

The idea is that you are pedalling with a smooth and even stroke, not lunging down with one leg then the other. You should feel like a turbine spinning rather than you that are climbing stairs with first one leg than the other-at least that is what a mate of mine described it as.

Faster cadence, and pedalling smoothness generally, is helped a great deal by having clipless pedals. This allows you to pull as well as push if you see what I mean. More kit to buy, but once you are used to them you will never go back.

Bruce

quote:

Faster cadence, and pedalling smoothness generally, is helped a great deal by having clipless pedals. This allows you to pull as well as push if you see what I mean. More kit to buy, but once you are used to them you will never go back.

Amen

Why do you think clipless pedals work better than shoe plates, toe clips and straps?