Gym circuit to complement cycling
Comments
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They are called TRX ropes..
That work-out sounds pretty good for your goals, though I am a little dismissive/skeptical of some of these new fangled machines
. Unfortunately in the fitness industry, the mantra seems to be never let over complicating it get in the way of a patent and trade mark opportunity. 0 -
I do high rep (30-50)/low weight (3-5kg or bodyweight) with 10 different upper body exercises, with little to no rest between sets ... Can be done in 15 minutes and by the end it feels more like a cardio workout ...
No science behind this, just my gf had 3kg dumbells lying around and I was able to do >30 reps before I fatigued when I started (now up to 50) ... At the gym I use 5kg and do 30 reps so same overall weight moved ... On stuff like row and arm curls I just cross them over left both dumbells with one hand to increase the weight ...Life is unfair, kill yourself or get over it.0 -
high rep low weight, is great for developing lean toned muscles,but it has draw backs. Repetitive strain injuries are common. rather than doing 50 reps to fatigue, you want to try combos of 3 to 8 reps repeated. for example: bicep curls. 8 full range, 8 mid range 8 top, 8 bicep rows repeat etc. less chance of injuring tendons.0
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The PT wasn't overly keen for me to do weights as that may add bulk to an already very bulky chest (down to 44 inches now from 46 inches a few months ago - and given that I'm only 5' 6" in height, it's a little too bulky!).
I'm actually trying to reduce the bulk to around around 40 inches eventually. Waist at that point should have gone down to around 32-34 inches.0 -
Would you say you have fat to lose? A few weights can help combat loss of lean muscle mass while dieting. Its a myth that you'll bulk up just by lifting weights, however weights are not the best way to improve overall fitness and improve the effectiveness of lean muscles.
Some plyometric (e.g. Jumping) and Interval sessions might be fun.
i've just finished making a fitness vid with a PT friend of mine:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8mvMLg_wDc0 -
Yeah, I definitely have some fat to lose - overall I want to lose around another 9KG in body weight to get to weight that I'm happy with (and what I used to be more than a decade ago!). I am taking it easy as I don't want to have rapid weight loss which I then cannot sustain and I put it all back on again.
With my moderate levels of exercise I'm losing around 1.2KG per month and feeling really good about the weight loss. Sure, it's not a great deal of weight to lose but it's an amount that I can sustain very easily.
And that's the key for me: to enjoy exercising and enjoy the results!
When I get time later today I'll watch your video - I watched a few minutes of it before work this morning and, coincidentally, I was enjoying a ride on the Wattbike in the gym last night and observed a fitness class with very similar exercises to the first few I saw in your video.
I've always been a bit self-conscious about joining classes in the gym but it seems like a fantastic way to exercise and enjoy it. Hence, I might just go for it.0 -
I really enjoyed it
This is definitely one of the most important things; the workout has to be sustainable for you and something that you'll keep going back to, otherwise you'll slip back to old habits. Great to hear you enjoyed it.
As an aside I'll put in my (easy to remember and woefully unexplained) tips regarding your four goals:
1. Gradual weight loss - maintain a moderate calorie deficit of 10 - 20% your maintenance intake.
2. Upper body toning - resistance training. There's no other way - whether it's tyres, balls or barbells - to get the toned look. 5% body fat and no muscle makes you look like Chris Froome.
3. Increased core strength - core work such as planks, glute bridges, side planks etc. You know the drill. Also, proper form during heavy compound movements such as squats, deadlifts and pull ups or their equivalents. Worth mentioning is proper muscle activation, which leads to...
4. Flexibility - put aside some time for stretching. 10-30 minutes a day if you're eager, twice a week if you're not. Some soft tissue work like massage or foam rolling is an oft overlooked part of this but works wonders.
This all kind of fits in with what your PT said but I hope this bit of straightforward writing helps for remembering it.I'm on Twitter! Follow @olake92 for updates on my racing, my team's performance and some generic tweets.0 -
Thank you, olake92. I'll add your suggestions to my gym routine. There was a time just a few months ago when I wouldn't be seen dead in a gym! Now I feel bad if I don't go.
And, yes, you're absolutely right, enjoying keeping fit is key to me. I really enjoy the gym now. Outside of the gym, cycling is a huge endorphins rush for me. I never want it to become a chore and something I have to do to maintain a reasonable level of fitness. For me it needs to be something I want to do and look forward to.0 -
Here's an update for anyone following this thread - I'm really finding that cycling is complementing my gym workouts and vice-versa.
On my 'rest' days I go for a 4-mile walk in the evenings. I'm struggling to have a day off any physical activity at the moment as I'm enjoying things too much.
In the gym I've settled on alternating between cardio/strength, core, pure strength and stretching routines. I don't spend a long time in the gym - usually around 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. I try and do two 5KM runs every week on the treadmill in the gym (purely because it's lower impact that running outside - once I'm a lot lighter I'll switch to running outside more).
The running gives me a great cardio workout and develops my leg muscles which helps my cycling. My cycling also gives me a good cardio workout and strengthens my leg muscles (plus some core muscle groups too).
A couple of times a week I go for the thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining brute force circuit in the gym - shoving huge tractor tyres up and down the length of the gym and throwing slamballs down. That's the ultimate stress-buster!
For strength I'm using cables as these have separate weight stacks so arms, legs, shoulder and chest are developed equally.
For stretching I'm doing the basic stretching but also using a couple of stretching machines in the gym - these are for your legs and have gauges on them so you can see how your leg flexibility is progressing every week.
The core strength machine in the gym is essentially one that helps you do the 'plank' in several different ways - I'm finding that's the machine I like the best as it's giving me noticeable results every week - I've noticed there's a six-pack waiting to come out under my 18-pack!
I also have a 15-20 minute session on the Wattbike to see my pedalling technique, power output, left-right balance and I've noticed this is improving slightly every week too. To have the display show you how you're actually pedalling is very valuable, I've found, as you can play around with your technique in complete safety.
I try not to completely wear myself out in the gym. I like to head back to the changing rooms buzzing and happy!
As for diet, I do like my food but I've just naturally found myself eating less and also eating healthier food now. I haven't had to consciously diet or ban certain foodstuffs - it's just happened naturally and now I don't even have a packet of crisps in the house. I tend to plan the day's food intake and will make adjustments in order to ensure a slight calorie deficit every day.
My weight loss is a little faster than I wanted it to be at the moment - I never thought I'd ever find myself saying that! I was targeting a weight loss of 1.2KG per month which is a very small amount of weight loss but it's currently around 2KG per month. I know I should be happy as I'm not doing anything in terms of diet and exercise that is a chore or something I don't want to do. Maybe I need to tuck into a cream cake every now and then?0 -
Good update !
I found this thread while looking for something to do during the base phase of training to compliment training.
I have previously been doing a push, pull, legs program at the gym designed around strength and size, this has been good and bad as its added both however with both comes weight addition so this is something I am considering when planning the next 4 weeks training.
I aim to have a plan in place by next monday and am thinking about doing a lot of single leg stuff when it comes to legs , not sure if you have ever tried this sort of stuff ? I was then thinking about doing some overall push pull legs stuff on the other 3 days 1 day of each light weight, high reps, good form etc to keep a relative amount of muscle but allowing a reduction to help with weight loss.
I will let you know how I get on and I will look forward to your updates as I can see I am now where you were a while back, just trying to find the right mix of exercises to compliment the cycling.
Keep us updated mate0 -
Which, exactly, core muscles are being developed by cycling? I understand cycling benefits from strong core, but i've not heard of core training by cycling.0
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Which, exactly, core muscles are being developed by cycling? I understand cycling benefits from strong core, but i've not heard of core training by cycling.
That's a good question 0 -
sorry this is not meant to be a pee take, but are we all working on the same definition of core?
cycling works the glutes and the lower back, if you ride in the drops you'll work the lower abs particular if the position is quite compact.0 -
sorry this is not meant to be a pee take, but are we all working on the same definition of core?
cycling works the glutes and the lower back, if you ride in the drops you'll work the lower abs particular if the position is quite compact.
I just watched a video online that explain what proportion of what muscles are used during the rotation of the pedal stroke I was shocked to see the dominant muscle for 12noon to 4/5 would be the ass !0 -
[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19735840#p19735840]The secret rider[/url] wrote:Good update !
I found this thread while looking for something to do during the base phase of training to compliment training.
I have previously been doing a push, pull, legs program at the gym designed around strength and size, this has been good and bad as its added both however with both comes weight addition so this is something I am considering when planning the next 4 weeks training.
I aim to have a plan in place by next monday and am thinking about doing a lot of single leg stuff when it comes to legs , not sure if you have ever tried this sort of stuff ? I was then thinking about doing some overall push pull legs stuff on the other 3 days 1 day of each light weight, high reps, good form etc to keep a relative amount of muscle but allowing a reduction to help with weight loss.
I will let you know how I get on and I will look forward to your updates as I can see I am now where you were a while back, just trying to find the right mix of exercises to compliment the cycling.
Keep us updated mate
Nice one! Be sure to keep us updated.
I'm finding the leg press great for developing raw power in my legs and hips - 3 sets of 12 reps during each gym session.
However, cycling will make your legs leaner and stronger by default. It's the other parts of the body that I mainly focus on - mobility and flexibility being a key element so it's not just about strength.
The best area for me is core strength at the moment - a lot of lower back work, abs, glutes, lower torso sides. Plank variations are fantastic for this sort of stuff.
I also add in upper body workouts too - shoulders, chest, upper back (I just use the various chest and shoulder presses and pull-downs in the gym for this).
Also, don't forget triceps/biceps workouts - these make the task of holding the handlebars a lot easier with no cramping or muscle tiredness. Triceps/biceps workouts will also help with wrist/hand strength.0 -
Which, exactly, core muscles are being developed by cycling? I understand cycling benefits from strong core, but i've not heard of core training by cycling.
As someone else mentioned, it depends what you consider 'core' - for me it's from your diaphragm area down to your pelvis (hips) area. Also, just by the act of balancing you're activating your core sides.
However, I take your point that cycling alone is not a major contributor to core strength and that a strong core benefits cycling greatly.0 -
Just finishing up writing my programme -
Looking to include upper body too, along with mostly basic, multi joint moves, dead lift, squats etc, accompanied by single legs moves.
looking forward to getting it done and starting it monday !0 -
Looking forward to it! And good luck.0
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You'll get better results if you work complementary groups together rather than whole body workouts. e.g. don't do bench press, shoulders and biceps. Do chest and triceps 1 day, biceps and back the next etc. But generally you'll get bigger muscles everywhere if you do the big groups as you'll producing growth hormone if you do right.0
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Started today
Deadlifts
Back squats
Chest press
Dips
Core
75 min turbo ( zone 2 )0 -
Becky James recovery and Rio
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93_XrBsy_HA0 -
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A new exercise added which takes me outside the gym: 5KM runs twice a week outdoors. No knee pain so far! Calories burned average around 680 kcal per 5KM run at the moment. Heart rate looks fine.
Really enjoying it as it's something you can do with very little preparation. The Reebok Ultra Boost trainers that I invested in a couple of months ago have made all the difference to running outdoors. I cannot recommend them enough if you enjoy running. The cushioning and bounce you get is surreal and makes running more enjoyable, protects your joints better and keeps you going for longer.
I've used them for treadmill runs in the gym as well and they make 5KM runs fairly effortless now compared to my old trainers.
With the running I've noticed a noticeable gain in my leg strength when cycling. On my usual short leisure route there's a horrendous uphill section that goes on for about 1KM and I'm finding that I can power through it now without shifting several times to easier gears.0 -
With the running I've noticed a noticeable gain in my leg strength when cycling. On my usual short leisure route there's a horrendous uphill section that goes on for about 1KM and I'm finding that I can power through it now without shifting several times to easier gears.
You sure that's not just down to a general increase in your fitness?0 -
Yes that's part of it, but my legs are really pumped up after a run - the kind of pumped up that you know is doing you good!0
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In terms of diet changes, some of these have just happened naturally as I start to watch what I eat a little more. However, there's two notable changes that I've made to my diet over the last 7 months since I started my moderate exercise programme:
1. Severely restrict my bread intake to around a maximum of 6 slices per week;
2. Virtually cut out fizzy drinks. I used to consume a lot of Diet sodas thinking that they would help me lose weight. I found I'd become bloated and just generally feel uncomfortable, and I didn't lose any weight. Now I drink at most one glass of a fizzy drink per month. Fizzy drinks been replaced with a glass of cold, filtered water or fresh juice.
In other dietary changes, I'm loosely following the 5-2 diet but doing it in a way that I don't force myself to not eat. On one or two days per week I eat very little and I decide that morning that it'll be my semi-fasting day. This has helped tremendously in making me feel less bloated and looking more trim.
I'm now also looking at ingredients of food items a bit more. I still enjoy my food and find that I can eat around half of what I used to eat 7 months ago quite comfortably these days.
I was consuming upwards of 3,000 calories per day with no exercise before I started on a fitness programme. I guess I'm now consuming around 2,000 calories per day and exercise for at least one hour every day - even if it's just a long evening walk.
I've upped my yoghurt intake considerably now too and enjoy a light fruity yoghurt on some healthy breakfast cereals in the morning (The Rude Health brand is my current favourite breakfast cereal - especially the granola with coconut flakes and chia seeds).
Fast food/junk food has been all but eliminated from my diet too.
My main point is that as my fitness has increased, my diet has improved naturally with some subtle eliminations of really bad food that I used to eat and some healthier additions. I haven't had to try or force myself to eat better.0 -
Don't guess, get the 'myfitnesspal' app and track what you eat in both calories and macros.
It really helps me focus !0 -
[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19748168#p19748168]The secret rider[/url] wrote:Don't guess, get the 'myfitnesspal' app and track what you eat in both calories and macros.
It really helps me focus !
Yeah, that's on my To-Do list! I'm currently using Garmin Connect, Strava and Endomondo for recording my workouts (cycling and non-cycling) and trying to consolidate down to one for an overall view. I prefer Endomondo overall so have connected that to Garmin Connect to pull cycling workouts from GC. Strava is connected to GC. This is mainly for my Garmin Edge bike computer for live segments data, but all the workouts filter down to Endomondo eventually which is also used for my walking and running and some gym workouts.
I'm just seeing how Endomondo works with MyFitnessPal as several people have mentioned that app. Ultimately I'm trying to see all of my fitness programme activities through one app in a summary view.
Thanks for reminding me about MyFitnessPal!0 -
Strava syncs automatically with myfitnesspal, not sure if the others do.0
