Cycling Fitness Gains

willyum
willyum Posts: 3
edited August 2010 in Road beginners
Hello, I'm new to road cycling and long distance cycling and I was just wondering how cycling would affect my general fitness and body condition with respect to playing rugby. Cycling obviously seems like a great cardiovascular workout and would help my endurance fitness but I'm worried about losing the body mass required to play rugby. Anyone in a similar situation? Should I try to cycle in a particular way? Are there even ways to build up muscle through cycling? Any pointers would be greatly appreciated! :D
Thanks in advance!

Comments

  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    I used to play rugby and cycle. Cycling will benefit your all round fitness levels and potentially give you extra leg strength. You will lose bulk more if you are higher in body fat I would think but that's not necessarily a bad thing. If you are muscular the cycling shouldn't have too big an impact. I found my leg strength dropped off a lot when I stopped cycling and I became less effective when pumping my legs in the tackle.
  • willyum
    willyum Posts: 3
    That's good to know! :D As i am already on the lightish side for rugby, a touch under 15 stone my coach will kill me if I lose too much weight. Just gonna have to make sure I take in enough calories I guess so that the body doesn't eat away at muscle for energy.
    Thanks alot! Glad to know there are some rugby cyclists out there! :lol:
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    What position do you play? My heaviest when playing was about 14.5 stone but played mainly on the wing though some time at flanker towards the end (even played second row a few times!). I only played at very lowly second team level though. As you say, just keep well fuelled on rides.
  • Devon Lad
    Devon Lad Posts: 75
    I'm actually a second row would you believe?! :oops:
    Although I tend to get around the pitch like a flanker, but I've got decent enough core strength so I can hold my end up in scrums, my height and lightness though make me an ideal lineout jumper which is my main job :)
    Anyways back to cycling! :lol: I've been reading that hill work tends to increase muscle gain rather than long less intense rides?? Any truth in that?
    Oh and this is my other profile in case you hadn't already guessed :lol: the other email account is pretty much destroyed!

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