Arms and Upper body

[User76022]

Cycling, whether done as training or as just for leisure, has a very rapid positive effect on the muscles of the legs, butt, and lower back. Not to mention everything cardio respiratory.

But what about arms and upper body? I guess the more extreme end of mountain biking does all that, I'd guess. But for those of us that spend most time on tarmac or easy to moderate trails, I don't think there's that much going on in the arms or upper body.

Do any folks here do anything to balance this up?

I really can't be bothered with the gym. I like riding my bike because it's fun and I don't see it as training. I'd love to find other activities that are also fun but that work other muscles.

 

[Freelanderuk]

I do barbell weights dumb bell weights and rows with weights to try and keep my upper body toned

 

[CXRAndy]

Cycling, whether done as training or as just for leisure, has a very rapid positive effect on the muscles of the legs, butt, and lower back. Not to mention everything cardio respiratory.

But what about arms and upper body? I guess the more extreme end of mountain biking does all that, I'd guess. But for those of us that spend most time on tarmac or easy to moderate trails, I don't think there's that much going on in the arms or upper body.

Do any folks here do anything to balance this up?

I really can't be bothered with the gym. I like riding my bike because it's fun and I don't see it as training. I'd love to find other activities that are also fun but that work other muscles.

If you're an older rider, its wise to do all over body workouts with weights or body weight. The reason being it keeps bone density levels high. Also muscle and tendon strength. Its not going to vastly improve your cycling speed but will make riding easier

 

[User76022]

If you're an older rider, its wise to do all over body workouts with weights or body weight. The reason being it keeps bone density levels high. Also muscle and tendon strength. Its not going to vastly improve your cycling speed but will make riding easier

Indeed. There are loads of good reasons to train every part. It's just a matter of finding ways to do so that one enjoys enough to keep doing it.

 

[screenman]

I swim 6 miles a week and weights in the gym twice a week, cut me in half and I have cyclist written through me. I am of course only 62 so may need to cut back a bit if I get old, whatever that is. I feel cycling may get you fit for cycling and little else.

 

[ColinJ]

My upper body is a bit weedy, especially for a man of my height (6' 1" tall) so I have bought a couple of 7.5 kg kettlebells which I have started to wave about in a vaguely strenuous fashion.

I also have a chin/dip station like this, which I used to enjoy using... Unfortunately, I damaged both shoulders in silly mishaps a few years ago (rotator cuff injuries) and it became too painful to use. The shoulders are not as bad now so I may be able to do some of the exercises but I'll have to be careful not to injure myself again.

 

[User76022]

I feel cycling may get you fit for cycling and little else.

I think that's probably true of any activity. I think that's why it's important to have a good mix of activities.

 

[Julia9054]

My upper body is a bit weedy, especially for a man of my height (6' 1" tall) so I have bought a couple of 7.5 kg kettlebells which I have started to wave about in a vaguely strenuous fashion.

I also have a chin/dip station like this, which I used to enjoy using... Unfortunately, I damaged both shoulders in silly mishaps a few years ago (rotator cuff injuries) and it became too painful to use. The shoulders are not as bad now so I may be able to do some of the exercises but I'll have to be careful not to injure myself again.

I too have an upper body made of marshmallows. I plank when I remember but that is no hardship as I have always had a naturally strong core. I worry that I don't do any arm exercises and have thought about kettle bells. I have one shoulder joint full of scar tissue from an old rotator cuff tear. Do you find swinging kettle bells ok with the knackered shoulders?

 

[ColinJ]

I too have an upper body made of marshmallows. I plank when I remember but that is no hardship as I have always had a naturally strong core. I worry that I don't do any arm exercises and have thought about kettle bells. I have one shoulder joint full of scar tissue from an old rotator cuff tear. Do you find swinging kettle bells ok with the knackered shoulders?

I'm not really swinging them about much! I mainly do a kind of bicep curl with mine.

Ha ha - I said I was weak ... I find my 7.5 kg kettlebells quite heavy but I was just searching for exercises and found one site suggesting that it was a good idea to start with 'light' kettlebells while getting used to them - maybe as low as 12 kgs!

 

[ColinJ]

Thinking about it - I am using one in each hand. One 12 kg kettlebell might be okay, but I wouldn't fancy using two at a time!

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I find lifting the bike over Sustrans barriers keeps the arms toned. That is why the barriers are there, is it not?

 

[ColinJ]

I find lifting the bike over Sustrans barriers keeps the arms toned. That is why the barriers are there, is it not?

That's a good example actually! I have struggled to get a fairly light bike onto a car roof-rack.

 

[Pumpkin the robot]

I had an accident a few years back and damaged my back and neck. I was told the damage would be permanent. But I thought I knew better and so when I got back on my bike I rode as I did before the accident and got lots of neck pain. It took me a few years to work out that when you climb hills, or try and ride fast, you unknowingly tense your upper body. As soon as I slowed down and did not ride as fast as I could up hills all the time, the pain was nowhere near as bad. So although you think you are not getting an upper body workout, you are doing more than you think.

 

[ColinJ]

I found 5 KB exercises here ... 4 of them look okay but I'm fairly sure that the 'power curl' would knacker my shoulders again so I wouldn't try that one!

 

[Drago]

I do a split routine. Arms and shoulders, back and chest, legs and midsection, hitting each twice a week. A lot of dead lifts and presses as well as drag curls (my favourite, can move big weight and it targets the outer bicep head which gives greater volume), preachers, barbell curls, skull crushers, dips, dumbbell kickbacks. Don't forget the back - imdomt, barbell rows, pyramid and occasional reverse pyramid sets up to 110kg. I used to body build then drifted a bit into powerlifting, then moved away from it. I quit running earlier in the year because i wasnt enjoying it, but then moved back onto the Brother iron and Sister steel, which I do enjoy.

I got a full weight set up at home, standard and Olympic bars, cable rowing machine, and cross trainer, so can hit the iron the moment I feel like getting a pump.