Building general fitness / cycling stamina

[boydj]

Push it hard effort and incorporate intervals. Mix that with long steady rides - imho that will see a good improvement, come the Spring.

Do this on a couple of rides each week and you'll see the benefit quite quickly. Simple things like pushing hard away from traffic lights for a hundred metres or so, sprinting for two or three lampposts at a time, or attacking any shortish hills are easy to incorporate into a commute.

 

[screenman]

I thought I was fit from years of racing bikes, then I took up swimming.

 

[Citius]

I thought I was fit from years of racing bikes, then I took up swimming.

What - and you realised that cycling fitness is not transferable?

 

[screenman]

What - and you realised that cycling fitness is not transferable?

It certainly did not seem to carry across well.

 

[Citius]

It certainly did not seem to carry across well.

Probably something to do with the focus on upper limb work for swimming and lower limb work for cycling, is my guess...

 

[screenman]

So is cycling good for general fitness as in the title.

 

[Citius]

So is cycling good for general fitness as in the title.

I never really know what people mean by general fitness. In my mind, as long as you are not suffering from any functionally-debilitating conditions, or long term illnesses then you are generally fit. Specific fitness might be fitness for football, swimming, basketball, running or rock climbing, etc. But building cycling stamina is best achieved through riding a bike regularly. The rest depends on specifics.

 

[screenman]

I agree.

 

[Dayvo]

Yep, another in the just cycle as often as you can camp.

And a sensible diet will help.

 

[boydj]

What - and you realised that cycling fitness is not transferable?

Cycling is good for your heart/lung fitness, stamina, leg muscles and core. However, cycling is not weight-bearing exercise like, for instance running. If cycling is your only form of exercise, then it can leave you vulnerable to a mild form of osteoporesis - osteopenia. This is easily avoided by walking, using stairs instead of lifts, golf etc.

 

[Citius]

This is easily avoided by walking, using stairs instead of lifts, golf etc.

So in other words, "Easily avoided by living a normal life off the bike." Apart from the golf bit, obviously.