Cycling

g00286581

Hi guys, I’m going to be cycling to work from next week (if weather improves) it’s about 14k round trip. Mostly flat and down hill on the way there, and flat and uphill on my way back! I’m also starting studying again from next month, so full time job and studying, tough! I guess my question is, can I safely consider the cycling my cardio and while in gym 3 times a week solely focus on functional and weight training, I will only have 40mins? My focus right now in fitness is to introduce a healthy habit! So far so good in that I attended the gym every week since January 3rd, but a few times it was only the once, and more then a few times a skip out on the cardio completely!

Machka9

Yes, you can count cycling as cardio.

sijomial

Building some exercise into your daily commute is a great piece of time management when you are finding yourself struggling to fit everything into your schedule.

You don't have to stick to the same route or speed either, you can take a detour on days you have more time or attack the hills on your way home to boost the intensity.

h1udd

my fitness went through the roof when I started cycling to work ... it was the single thing that made the most difference to my resting heart rate, my power, my speed, my endurance. ..... All from commuting

I didnt lose any weight, but thats about calories .... what I did though was massively increase my fitness

jfan175

Sure! You can do intervals or even HIIT on your commute....especially on that uphill ride home. All kinds of info on bike commuting in this forum: https://www.bikeforums.net/commuting/

g00286581

h1udd wrote: »

my fitness went through the roof when I started cycling to work ... it was the single thing that made the most difference to my resting heart rate, my power, my speed, my endurance. ..... All from commuting

I didnt lose any weight, but thats about calories .... what I did though was massively increase my fitness

Really hope I can see improvements like this!!!! Do you cycle all year round?

It’s still minus outside, so as I first time commuter I’m waiting for plus temps, do give myself the best start to enjoy it. I just hope this week is the last of the cold !

scorpio516

There's no bad temperature or weather, just bad clothes.

I commuted for years by bike. Northern California, so the weather was usually good, but below freezing every morning in the winter (but 60F for the ride home). I don't now cause I live in a totally different area and it's a 35 mile one way trip (45-120 min by car, 75-90 by train).

h1udd

g00286581 wrote: »

Do you cycle all year round?

yeah I do .... I guess I am lucky as I love extremes of weather, so if its pouring down or snowing or a heat wave, I love the challenge. ... Its all in the clothing which you learn whats right to wear the more you do it. although in the coldest of winter its really easy for ice to take you down, so for those days I have a bike with studded tyres on it for riding on ice ... the one and only time I have crashed the bike on ice was earlier this year when I didnt take the studded tyres and it caught me out !

But it can become addictive .... it kick started my fitness craze, I now run row cycle, weightlift ... all thanks to the effects of cycling to work and the extra fitness it bestowed upon me

jjpptt2

sijomial wrote: »

Building some exercise into your daily commute is a great piece of time management when you are finding yourself struggling to fit everything into your schedule.

You don't have to stick to the same route or speed either, you can take a detour on days you have more time or attack the hills on your way home to boost the intensity.

Completely agree. I will often vary my routes to get in a bit longer ride or more hills or whatever else or even just to change the scenery.