Muscular imbalances

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boydj

Legendary Member
Location
Paisley
I'm not worried about muscle imbalances - I can exercise my upper body in other ways, if I want. I think a bigger problem is loss of bone density through lack of weight-bearing exercise if you are a couch potato when not cycling. So walking, running, golf, racket sports etc should be allied to cycling to help maintain bone strength.
 

clid61

Veteran
Location
The North
Swim , even if it is just doggy paddle
 

Drago

Legendary Member
I run. I can't say that I enjoy it, but hey ho. I don't know about muscular balance, but I'm certain it's improved my cycling.
 
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screenman

Legendary Member
After being a sporting cyclist for 40 years I added swimming and a couple of gym sessions each week. I would say cycling made me fit for cycling and little else, at 62 I feel fitter than I did in my thirties when I was just cycling.
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
That's presently my problem. When I retire we will have a gym and we will be living in a place where walking will be a joy. Cycling has kept me fit and healthy for 30 years though.
 

KneesUp

Guru
I had a mate at school who was one of the natural sporty types. Always top 10 on cross country without much effort, on the school football team and so on. He bought a secondhand bike once and asked me as ‘the one who knows about bikes’ to come with him to look it over. We cycled back a few miles to his house and he was dying when we got there. Since then I’ve understood that running and cycling make very different demands. Further evidence is I cannot run for toffee.
 
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.


Keen cyclist myself, but the only walking I do is to and from the local pub/offy. Anything further requires wheels. However I have made exceptions for Snowdon and Ben Nevis in the past. My legs are knackered after such walks but I didn't suffer complications of any sort. I agree that walking uses different bits of muscles. I doubt I could out run a smoker, just completely not suited to it probably because I never do it. Not my thing.
 

viniga

Guru
Location
Glasgow
Interesting...

I am a v keen cyclist, cycle 6 days a weak including commutes, mix of long tempo rides and short hard efforts. Doing some amateur races. Starting late last year I incorporated some core work as part of circuit training, twice a week in the winter and once a week in summer, this includes squats. I do a short quick walk at lunchtimes 5 days a week I don't run... yet. I am faster and fitter this year than I ever have been... happy days.

NB I manage the work/life/cycle balance by working my exercise into my routine as best I can and heading out early at the weekend for the long ones so I am home for kid clubs etc. Turbo in winter.

BUT recently I have been having niggles with hamstrings and ILT tightness. I'm using a foam roller to counteract this but after doing a bit of digging I think I have imbalances. So I've just started adding some hamstring work into my circuit - Single Leg Romanian Dead Lift which I immediately overdid :sad:.

However, I have backed off and I am sticking with it, also planning on a weekly 4k run over the winter - reminder to self - that I will build up to. As I know I will find it tough. Hopefully it will help. I'll report back.
 
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