Muscular imbalances

[Milzy]

So somebody I know has been seriously into cycling for the past 30 years. Training hard and often. He says he should have cross trained like done some running as well. He thinks he’s knackered his legs by cycling alone. We have said running & cycling can compliment each other before. Question is do you really need to do running to prevent imbalances or is he talking nonsense?

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Quite possibly nonsense. How does he quantify knackering his legs?

 

[Milzy]

Quite possibly nonsense. How does he quantify knackering his legs?

I think he’s over done it for so long over the years he’s now got bad legs. Could be looking for an excuse to blame it on instead of admitting to over training?

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

I don't think it's an excuse as such, take 30 years of hard training and the millions upon millions of repetitive pedal strokes, it's going to be hard getting your musclature to do anything else.

 

[Julia9054]

I ran half a mile to catch a train on Saturday. The next day my calves were killing me. I wouldn't say I train hard but i ride a bike every day and would consider my legs to be pretty strong.

 

[I like Skol]

Training? Never trained for anything in my life. If I want to do something I go out and do it. It might not be easy but I don't give up and eventually the body adapts. IMO the human body is very good at being 'fit for purpose', i.e if your job requires you to run up and down stairs with a big box all day then after a few weeks you will develop the muscle and technique to do it. If you need to ride to work 4 or 5 days a week, then go and do it and after a couple of months it should all fall in to place. Training is for the weak that don't believe. JFDI!

 

[Lavender Rose]

I believe everyone is different, what works for one person may not work for another.

Plus, our bodies are all made up differently, as you all well know everyone has different genetics than others, making some people better at losing weight/gaining muscle etc.

I don't think there is an easy answer for everyone - annoyingly!

 

[Milkfloat]

If you only cycle then you are building up some muscles very well, but totally ignoring others. Cycling has a very limited range of motion, so you don't build up the muscles required to really stabilize the rest of your legs. If you are a fit cyclist, but don't run, try going for a 5 or 10km run, your lungs will be fine but your legs wills be screaming and you are likely to injure yourself or at a minimum be in a lot of pain for a few days.

 

[Globalti]

This. But the human body adapts very fast to new stresses so it would only take a few days of mountain walking to build tone and bulk in the other leg muscles that control posture and the braking required for going down hills. So yes, cyclists can generally romp up hills hardly getting out of breath but finish the downhill hot, tired and sore for a couple of days. The stuff about muscular imbalance and over-tight muscles is just bollocks trotted out by health and fitness sales professionals.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

The stuff about muscular imbalance and over-tight muscles is just bollocks trotted out by health and fitness sales professionals.

I must be imagining the difference in ROM in my shoulders then, my frequent issues with illio-tibial band.

Both results of sporting incidents and both in the process of being ironed out.

 

[Gravity Aided]

I used to run, and running was a lot harder on my knees than cycling was.
My GP said"Well, you'd better stick with just cycling, then."
Best advice ever, in my case.
Your results may vary.

 

[Milzy]

If you only cycle then you are building up some muscles very well, but totally ignoring others. Cycling has a very limited range of motion, so you don't build up the muscles required to really stabilize the rest of your legs. If you are a fit cyclist, but don't run, try going for a 5 or 10km run, your lungs will be fine but your legs wills be screaming and you are likely to injure yourself or at a minimum be in a lot of pain for a few days.

Did that last night. Heart and lungs felt great. Legs died.

 

[Globalti]

My cycling buddy is a former runner who has now gone over 100% to cycling for his fitness. Occasionally he goes out for a brief nostalgic run and every time he comes back complaining that although he hardly broke breath his leg muscles and knee joints are giving him hell.

For me. road cycling is an enjoyable means of keeping extremely fit and slim until retirement within the next two years, following which I shall be living in a house in a place, which will enable me to undertake a much broader range of activities.

 

[fatjel]

Last year I cycled everywhere in preparation for LEL and didn’t walk at all
Previously I’d walk a mile or two most days
Come October I walked the half mile to my local shop and it really hurt
It took a month or two to get back to being able to walk any distance

I certainly will be varying my exercise more in future.

 

[Milzy]

It’s a lot of work to fit in both running/walking and cycling with a full time job plus young family. Not to mention completely exhausting. I wonder if the Brownlees ever struggle to run after bike training?