LADIES: Working out for riding?

[obfuscate]

I completely agree with sunshine229 and RabbitStomp My bike rides (and maintenance) are more pleasant now that I've gotten back in the gym and started lifting weights again. And picking up my bike without having to flirt or ice my back... priceless

Here's a site with a nice list of ones to work on to protect your back and such that you can do with simple weights and without a gym, my mother's been doing them with just 10 lb wts.

http://www.bluepoof.com/fitness/

[SCgurl]

Thanks sunshine-you answered closest to what I was looking for...I think I just didn't ask it very well.

I do a lot of climbing, and depending on in what capacity and what kind of climbing I'm anticipating, I will adjust strength training and cardio to prepare better, e.g. mountain climbing vs. climbing scaffolding. I figured there might be an adjustment I could make for riding (which means knowing which muscle groups are affected the most). I was anticipating biceps, lats, and thighs being affected the most by the new activity.

You know how, when you do a new activity, sometimes muscles groups hurt that you didn't know you had? That's what I'm trying to anticipate. Does that make more sense?

[follow]

I agree too, also maybe some Keigels for those LDR it could help with bladder control.

[rebarock88]

I do yoga and some cardio at least 3 times a week, but just for keeping in shape, not to ride.

[ladydinah]

Whenever I'm lifting weights at the gym, I always think about which muscles will help on the bike. That may be because of a scare I had the first day I was ever on a bike - I started to fall off, the bike was still in gear, front end started going up, and I couldn't hang on to it. It's a drag dropping a bike, and it would have been an even bigger drag if I'd dropped it on me! I resolved to strengthen my upper body so I'd be able to muscle the thing back to earth if that ever happened to me again. (Well, it didn't, but I still think about it every time I'm lifting weights.) Like the Girl Scouts say, "Be prepared!"

[coffee_brake]

I hear ya LadyDinah--

The biggest reason I drag my butt into the gym every morning for my simple little weight/aerobics/kickboxing is so that I can ride better, longer, and for more years. Period. Oh, and of course being healthy in my heart and lungs, and strong in my muscles, improves every single facet of my life.
I just rode from GA to CA last month and back, alone. In the mountains of CO, my healthy heart put me way above many folks at a biker rally I attended, because I really had no trouble hiking and having fun in high altitudes. During the very long, high-mileage days, I would stretch on the bike, hang off one side or the other on the freeway for miles at a time, lean forward and use my arms to hold my weight, *anything* to keep the blood moving and boredom at bay. Yes, saftey first, of course. Then, because I am fit (if not very trim), every night's campground was a joy, not a chore. I rode home on my 34th birthday and I lost 5 more pounds on the trip to put me in the "normal," not the "overweight" bracket at last!

You who already work out, know. You who know you should, here's a good reason why!

[painisgain0]

I don't think its a dumb question. Its cool that you wanna know the methods and techniques to fully experience riding to the best of your ability.

[Bluebabe]

Good question!

I believe that being in shape is best for everything you do in life and riding a bike is no different. I don't agree with the previous comment that riding a bike is like driving a car, it definitely takes more muscles to ride a bike!

Here's my list of muscles that I think are most used when riding:
Forearm
Bicep
Tricep
Shoulders
Mid Back
Low Back
Thighs

Yoga is great for flexibility and strength training, and it wouldn't be a bad idea to add some weights to your routine. Try forearm curls, bicep curls, tricep extensions, seated row (for rhomboids & lats), low back extension, and general cardio or leg presses for thighs.

I have a bad low back so I find any stretches and strengthening exercises for my low back help give me stamina on my bike. I've also recently been in a car accident (I was a pedestrian vs. car) which has buggered my right arm/neck/shoulder and back so stretching and strengthening is key. In fact, I wasn't able to ride my bike until 3 months after the accident!

It's possible that most people don't think about these things until they have some sort of muscle damage. I never would have thought about the necessity for good arm muscles until after my last accident. Now it's my primary concern!

Don't feel shy about asking such questions here. Also, if you put "LADIES: " in front of your subject line you will hopefully only get female responses...

Andrea

I agree....I know that I have done upper body, arms, shoulders excercises to help with spaghetti arms from curves and even riding long stretches in the rain wears you out. The guys have the upper body strength over us so yeah, I agree!! (Also with the LADIES comment!

[SCgurl]

After the MSF course and now that I'm riding almost every evening, I've discovered that I have the "gas tank knee grip o' death" -the insides of my thighs are always sore the morning after I ride-it doesn't seem to matter how long or how much I stretch.

I added weight to my hip abductions and adductions (I added 40 lbs. in the last 2 months), but I think that only serves to grip the tank harder. I think I just need to relax a bit. The good news: I don't have "handlebar grip o' death".

I did figure out pretty quickly that I have been neglecting the posterior and lateral deltoids. That's all that was really sore after the MSF course.

[Shorts]

After the MSF course and now that I'm riding almost every evening, I've discovered that I have the "gas tank knee grip o' death" -the insides of my thighs are always sore the morning after I ride-it doesn't seem to matter how long or how much I stretch.

I added weight to my hip abductions and adductions (I added 40 lbs. in the last 2 months), but I think that only serves to grip the tank harder. I think I just need to relax a bit. The good news: I don't have "handlebar grip o' death".

I did figure out pretty quickly that I have been neglecting the posterior and lateral deltoids. That's all that was really sore after the MSF course.

Woman, you're crazy adding 40lbs in a month. But then again, they are the legs so they are very capable is pushing big weight in short time. What kind of reps are you doing with the weight? What kinda program are you on for the season? Just curious. I need to get my butt back into a program. The last I was on was hypertrophy and loved it to death. Endurance wears me o ut and is unecessary, strength, well, I add that to the territory with hypertrophy and have at it from there.

Anyway, sorry I'm rambling. I'd had a margarita or three.....so back to this 'i need to workout thing'...


Posterioer and lateral delts are cake. Work on lat pull downs to wear out the lats them hit some bent over rows to target rear delts using wide grip. You'll get some killer burning. Oh and make sure you keep your elbows high and straight or you won't target the post delts, you'll channel rhomboids If you're feeling especially saucy, toss in some rear delt flies and cramp away Pimp the overhead press and add in some front rows for punctuation and you'll get the delts up real quick. -----love the arms!!!! Just get in there and tear it up!


Make sure you keep up the tris and bis, they'll accentuate the delts and give you good lines of delineation. Ohh, and do not neglect anterior delt. Some Arnold presses will bring those out realllly nice.