I'm cycling for cardio

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benjo0101

TMMAC Addict
Jun 13, 2016
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The comedian was correct.

Cycling allows you to get your HR much higher than swimming. With swimming, I struggle to maintain 120bpm but with cycling I'm pretty comfortable in the 130s and on big hills it's over 150, even in a low gear. Plus the countryside is so much more motivating than 100 lengths of a 25m pool.

I like swimming for mobility. I get to move my body in all sorts of ways due to effectively being in zero gravity. I can move all of my joints through a good ROM. But for cardio, cycling trumps it. Looking at my HR profile, I think it trumps running, too.
Swimming can be brilliant for expanding the lungs. You can put some real pressure on your breathing and response to lack of recovery with water as you simply cannot breathe through it. It may not push the heart rate as you said but in a pool if you do a 3/5/7 stack for 50-100m that'll test your lungs good an proper. Freestyle, 3 strokes, breathe, 5 strokes, breathe, 7 strokes, breathe. No pussying out, go at a solid pace, but not full gas. And dont come up early until you grey out... there be dragons in the greying out area.

Helped me improve my lung capacity (perhaps not physically but that mental barrier or taking larger breaths) and my ability to withstand fatigue in a sprint scenario.

Due to some very sensitive to touch achillies tendons post serious injury I cant really do combat sports any more without serious risk. So I play Squash, this type of conditioning is perfect for that type of game.

You can increase the stack too, go 5/7/9 if you wanna really push yourself. Or sprint it in on the 3/5/7.

Cycling is fannnnyyytastic for getting your grind on. Hill intervals on a road bike will kick yo ass. I know this thread is bashing expensive bike owners but to get the most out of road biking I would recommend a road bike with drop bars. You can push the envelope so much futher and for longer. They just simply go faster. That hill that's 30k away isnt an issue just to nip over to, 5 sets of killer sprints, back again. On a hybrid of mountain bike... that is a long day in the saddle.

Passionate cyclist in all disciplines here, swimmer when I can, runner when I aint training squash. Triathlete once a year...
 

Leigh

Engineer
Pro Fighter
Jan 26, 2015
10,925
21,293
Swimming can be brilliant for expanding the lungs. You can put some real pressure on your breathing and response to lack of recovery with water as you simply cannot breathe through it. It may not push the heart rate as you said but in a pool if you do a 3/5/7 stack for 50-100m that'll test your lungs good an proper. Freestyle, 3 strokes, breathe, 5 strokes, breathe, 7 strokes, breathe. No pussying out, go at a solid pace, but not full gas. And dont come up early until you grey out... there be dragons in the greying out area.

Helped me improve my lung capacity (perhaps not physically but that mental barrier or taking larger breaths) and my ability to withstand fatigue in a sprint scenario.

Due to some very sensitive to touch achillies tendons post serious injury I cant really do combat sports any more without serious risk. So I play Squash, this type of conditioning is perfect for that type of game.

You can increase the stack too, go 5/7/9 if you wanna really push yourself. Or sprint it in on the 3/5/7.

Cycling is fannnnyyytastic for getting your grind on. Hill intervals on a road bike will kick yo ass. I know this thread is bashing expensive bike owners but to get the most out of road biking I would recommend a road bike with drop bars. You can push the envelope so much futher and for longer. They just simply go faster. That hill that's 30k away isnt an issue just to nip over to, 5 sets of killer sprints, back again. On a hybrid of mountain bike... that is a long day in the saddle.

Passionate cyclist in all disciplines here, swimmer when I can, runner when I aint training squash. Triathlete once a year...
Swimming is a good lung builder but how often is lung capacity the weak link in someone's conditioning?
 

benjo0101

TMMAC Addict
Jun 13, 2016
6,452
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Swimming is a good lung builder but how often is lung capacity the weak link in someone's conditioning?
Fair question. I found it helped me go one extra sprint in a rally in squash. Could be psychological though
 

Leigh

Engineer
Pro Fighter
Jan 26, 2015
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Fair question. I found it helped me go one extra sprint in a rally in squash. Could be psychological though
Well, if you were doing no other cardio, then I'm sure it helped. If you were cycling or running, maybe that made the difference. Swimming isn't the worst cardio exercise, plus it improves mobility and muscle endurance. I just think cycling is more effective.

But everything you've said is correct.
 

La Paix

Fuck this place
First 100
Jan 14, 2015
38,273
64,597
Update: I'll never run again
Injured or just loving the bike? You should check out the mountain bike thead in OT. Lots of good info from a few and it includes cycling. I ride often as well. I gave the OP a funny only at the thought of a grown ass man on a BMX. No hate, I used to race and even picked up a sponsor when I was a teen but it's still a funny thing to see.
 

Chocolate Shatner

Chief Metallurgist to King Charles V of Spain
Oct 30, 2016
140
223
Injured or just loving the bike? You should check out the mountain bike thead in OT. Lots of good info from a few and it includes cycling. I ride often as well. I gave the OP a funny only at the thought of a grown ass man on a BMX. No hate, I used to race and even picked up a sponsor when I was a teen but it's still a funny thing to see.
You ride often, huh? Hmmmmmm
 

Leigh

Engineer
Pro Fighter
Jan 26, 2015
10,925
21,293
Injured or just loving the bike? You should check out the mountain bike thead in OT. Lots of good info from a few and it includes cycling. I ride often as well. I gave the OP a funny only at the thought of a grown ass man on a BMX. No hate, I used to race and even picked up a sponsor when I was a teen but it's still a funny thing to see.
Love the bike. Can put in much more volume without injury or CNS fatigue and it's much more fun to see 15 miles of countryside at a decent pace than 6 at a sluggish pace.

Oh there's a tree ahead.

*5 mins later* Now I'm passing the tree.
 

La Paix

Fuck this place
First 100
Jan 14, 2015
38,273
64,597
Love the bike. Can put in much more volume without injury or CNS fatigue and it's much more fun to see 15 miles of countryside at a decent pace than 6 at a sluggish pace.

Oh there's a tree ahead.

*5 mins later* Now I'm passing the tree.
What are you riding now?
 

Brigsy

Well-Known Member
Jan 21, 2015
472
606
How's the cycling going? Still rate it? Saw your cheeky face pop up in a picture with Mr Onuma the other day!
 

Brigsy

Well-Known Member
Jan 21, 2015
472
606
He's a top man. Might have to try and add a few rides in as a booster myself. Do you try and hit an hourish of varying intensities?
 

Leigh

Engineer
Pro Fighter
Jan 26, 2015
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21,293
He's a top man. Might have to try and add a few rides in as a booster myself. Do you try and hit an hourish of varying intensities?
I do around an hour, try to get in the aerobic zone of around 130-150. Sometimes do a bit longer, maybe 90 minutes. Huge benefit to my BJJ cardio. I don't get tired anywhere near as quickly.
 

Grateful Dude

TMMAC Addict
May 30, 2016
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You still biking Leigh @Leigh? I was just reading through here again, just wondering if your still at it.

Ever think about upgrading your bike at all?

(I say ditch the roadie, and get a mountain bike :D)
 

Leigh

Engineer
Pro Fighter
Jan 26, 2015
10,925
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You still biking Leigh @Leigh? I was just reading through here again, just wondering if your still at it.

Ever think about upgrading your bike at all?

(I say ditch the roadie, and get a mountain bike :D)
Yes, I am still riding :) The road bike is cleaner and allows me to keep my HR consistent. I think riding off road would be fun but too much stopping and starting.

I'm happy with my bike. I sometimes think about getting a lighter, more expensive bike but I ONLY use it for cardio, so it wouldn't be worth it for me.
 

jasonhightower

"You're not even training are you Frenchy?"
Jan 2, 2017
1,115
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I get enough anaerobic work with MMA and strength training. There's nothing magical about Tabata's protocol, it was simply an interval schedule that produced results. I've got nothing against interval training but if you want good cardio, you have to put in the mileage.
This is interesting, I have a decent mountain bike collecting dust. How many miles you put in for a good workout?
 

Leigh

Engineer
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Jan 26, 2015
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This is interesting, I have a decent mountain bike collecting dust. How many miles you put in for a good workout?
Not sure, probably around 15-20. I do an hour with my HR on the aerobic zone. The distance isn't my goal.
 

Grateful Dude

TMMAC Addict
May 30, 2016
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Yes, I am still riding :) The road bike is cleaner and allows me to keep my HR consistent. I think riding off road would be fun but too much stopping and starting.

I'm happy with my bike. I sometimes think about getting a lighter, more expensive bike but I ONLY use it for cardio, so it wouldn't be worth it for me.
Right on man (or ride on!). Glad your still at it!
 

jasonhightower

"You're not even training are you Frenchy?"
Jan 2, 2017
1,115
1,686
Not sure, probably around 15-20. I do an hour with my HR on the aerobic zone. The distance isn't my goal.
Yep, sounds good. I've got a heart rate monitor too so I may give this a go soon. Been looking for a reason to bike a little bit.
 

Leigh

Engineer
Pro Fighter
Jan 26, 2015
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Used the spin bike in January but the sun was out this week and I got back out on the road. By far the most tolerable cardio and easy to get to 130-150 with high gearing.
 

regular john

Muay Thai World Champion
May 21, 2015
5,043
6,628
good thread. I don't like running and biked a lot in my summer vacation (january) to mantain cardio. it was working and it was really fun until my previously injured knee started aching and I stopped completely.

granted I was riding in all kinds of surface including heavy sand in the beach but is that pain somewhat normal?
 

Leigh

Engineer
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Jan 26, 2015
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good thread. I don't like running and biked a lot in my summer vacation (january) to mantain cardio. it was working and it was really fun until my previously injured knee started aching and I stopped completely.

granted I was riding in all kinds of surface including heavy sand in the beach but is that pain somewhat normal?
I get a bit of knee ache sometimes but nothing problematic. And certainly nothing like running. Might be the different surfaces, I don't know. I only ride on the road.