Do you train after your daily commute?

Ibis2k14

Disclaimer: I've spent a bit of time wondering which subforum would have been the best place to post this thread, whether this one or the Commuting one...tough choice!

I have a 10kms commute that I ride at roughly 19/20kms per hour through a nice, large road with a cycling path.
Recently my weight has met a stable point, which is not ideal for me. I'm 180cm x 78kg with quite a bit of belly, so even though I'm in a much better shape than 2 years ago (180cm x 90kg) I'm still looking forward to drop a few extra layers of fat here and there.
Last time that I got stuck at the same weight for a bit of time I started doing HIIT in the afternoon. It worked well but back then I had a different job and little to no commuting time.

Basically my options would be:

a) Commute my way back home slowly, using it as a warm up and then HIIT on the trainer at home 3 times a week
b) Push hard on my commute back home (it's a safe road for that) using the traffic lights as intervals

What do you other guys prefer to do? Any suggestion?

twotyred

I doubt whether HIIT burns many cals

I'd rather extend my commute and include some intervals both short and long or find some hills to include.

BrandonA

twotyred wrote:

I doubt whether HIIT burns many cals

I'd rather extend my commute and include some intervals both short and long or find some hills to include.

We can debate how accurate the Garmin Edge is at calculating calorie burn but when I do an indoor session (which are usually quite intense) the Edge states that I burn 600-650 calories an hour depending on my heart rate.

In regards to the original poster: what do you prefer? Indoor riding or outdoor? Is your only goal to get fit(ter)?

I like to get outside when I can and use the turbo when the weather is bad. If I were you, I'd extend the evening commute (non-direct route) and ride it at a higher intensity.

slowbike

Problem with the road riding is keeping the intensity.

I have a few options for the route to/from work, all of them have at least 500' of assent and descent ... It's ok on the climbing - but all the little dips make for soft pedalling and the significant hill means no pedalling for periods.
Then there's the country lane where you have to be careful with all the debris in the road and the potential for oncoming traffic.
These obstacles make structured interval training just about impossible - and I've started on TTs this year, trying to put in constant effort on the commute is impossible - that's where a turbo or rollers would provide greater training benefit - except that it'd do my head in

term1te

Take the long way home from work, or just add in a big detour and ride 20 or 30km. Then try to eat your evening meal fairly soon after you get back. I have quite a long commute home and found that I was snacking on anything I could find when I first got in, then had a proper meal a couple of hours later (we tend to eat late). Bringing the meal forward reduced the snacking.

wannabecyclist

Run home every so often as well? I have a 12k commute and get the train in once a week and run home. Making a big difference.

twotyred

We can debate how accurate the Garmin Edge is at calculating calorie burn but when I do an indoor session (which are usually quite intense) the Edge states that I burn 600-650 calories an hour depending on my heart rate.

I'm sure that you do burn around 600 cals per hour but I think you'll find HIIT sessions are a lot shorter than an hour.

LegendLust

Look at your nutrition if you want to lose your belly

Ibis2k14

Thanks for the replies!
I work next to the seaside and live 9kms from there on completely flat land.
To find some hills I'd have to transform my commute back home into a 35/40kms ride...that sounds like a very big jump to me, I'll probably need something more gradual.
I have no other means to go to work, no buses or train, so running would be hard to plan.

My only goal, at least referring to the commute, is to use it as a way to burn more calories. Like most people, after my 10kms ride in the morning I sit on a chair until 5pm!

I'll try to see if I can modify the way back to make it a 20kms ride without having to cross the giant highway or the truck's route.

daxplusplus

LegendLust wrote:

Look at your nutrition if you want to lose your belly

+1

dilatory

A straight cycle would probably be about 3 miles for me. Since I started I've ramped it up from 9 miles to 15 miles to 20 miles and now 30/35 miles a day. Short of wind that will blow me off the bike or just plain old feeling pooped I try not to miss a day. Some days are done hard and fast and some days I feel like I'm chugging but over time it's been progress. Gone from a fatty to a less fatty who has some top 10 Strava times.

I'm lucky in that I can leave shit at work though. I drop off a bunch of clothes on a Sunday (have the keys) and pick it up again Friday afternoon.

Newlife

twotyred wrote:

I doubt whether HIIT burns many cals

Studies have shown that HIIT training burns more calories than longer steady rides so the opposite is true. Basically HIIT causes your metobolism to stay elevated long after the session has finished meaning more calories are being burnt than you think. It is generally accepted amongst coaches that for fat burning HIIT is the way to go.

Ibis2k14

HIIT have had a great impact on my training and weight loss, definitely much better than 30/40 minutes rides.
I follow a low carb diet, based mostly on fish, meat, veggies and fruit, with a very small amount of white rice each day at lunch.

I've not had the chance to study a longer route yet, it rains almost daily -_- I'm trying to do a HIIT-wanna-be using the several crossroads as intervals, this way I arrive at home a bit earlier and pretty tired xD But I'll definitely try to go for a slightly longer route in the near future.

meanredspider

Newlife wrote:

[ It is generally accepted amongst coaches that for fat burning HIIT is the way to go.

Have you got some references for that? I can readily see the HIIT burns lots of glycogen but I struggle to see that it "burns" fat (your body can't process fat fast enough). So the logic must be that it burns calories rather than fat specifically. That, of course, will mean that you lay down less fat.

My point though is this: long slow rides help fat burning adaptation which will help your body use fat on regular rides. They also minimise your glycogen burn which means you can do fast rides too (if all you do is exercise that burns glycogen you simply can't keep up with replacing the glycogen you've burned).

To the OP, I suggest you mix it up - alternate short, fast rides (HIIT if you like) with long slow rides for best overall impact.

Newlife

Found this quickly but there are many others.

http://experiencelife.com/article/stead ... -training/

Mixing it up is best though it seems.

DavidJB

My 'commute' is a 45 minute walk each way...so yes