Beneficial for cycling ?

[Fromage_blanc]

How beneficial is jogging for cycling? I'm hoping one of our expers (bruce, bikemax?) can shed some light for me..

Sure I guess you're using different muscle types too - but will running 2-3x a week increase muscle strength or endurance?

And how beneficial is it, in relation to say, swimming 3times a week for better aerobic endurance vs. having a heavier upper body ?

[epoh]

Running for the Cyclist

 

 

By: Michele Ferrari

 

Published: 31 Dec 2004

 

 

 

Is running recommended for cyclists as alternative activity? Dr Ferrari says...

 

 

 

 

Bad weather and cold temperatures in wintertime often make it very hard to go out on the bike and perform the daily training.

 

 

 

Specific gym sessions or indoor training on stationary bikes

therefore have to be part of the usual winter program; some athletes

prefer doing some MBK, cross-country ski or swimming as complementary

activities.

 

 

 

Many cyclists are hesitant and suspicious when it comes to running,

commonly deemed responsible for sore legs, joints and tendons problems

and said to utilize muscles not relevant to the cycling gesture.

 

 

 

Indeed running implies both concentric muscle contractions (fibers

working to shorten) in the pushing phase and eccentric muscle

contractions (fibers working to stretch) in the landing phase, from the

impact with the ground until the beginning of the pushing phase.

 

The eccentric component increases when running downhill, whereas it reduces when running uphill.

 

 

 

Cycling instead involves almost exclusively concentric muscular

work, with a modest eccentric component when pedaling out of the

saddle, especially in sprints and accelerations.

 

 

 

Human movement (with the exception of swimming, requiring only

concentric contractions) and generally any muscular activity imply both

concentric and eccentric work, alternating in the cyclic nature of

gesture.

 

 

The eccentric component is mainly the one that induces the most

significant increases in muscle strength: repeating exercises such as

leg press or squats are most effective in the ?return phase? of the

movement.

 

 

 

A cyclist who exclusively relies on pedaling tends to lose strength.

 

 

 

I believe running can be useful to cyclists during wintertime,

either to maintain a good cardio-respiratory efficiency, or to improve

the strength, or to remedy muscular unbalances caused by cycling

practice.

 

 

 

Obviously one has to start with moderation (15-20 minutes, 3 times

a week), preferring soft grounds (e.g. grass) and flat or slightly

uphill courses.

 

 

One could then gradually increase up to 40-60 minutes, 3-4 times per week.

 

Heavier athletes will have to carefully choose the proper courses and be wary of the progression of distances.

[Fromage_blanc]

Very informative article - tnx epoh.

 

So in summarising it - running is good alernative exercise, increasing strength for climbing/sprinting.

I'm considering going for a short jog in the mornings before breakfast - to boost metabolism.

(These winter pounds are already packing round the waist )

 

Anything maybe on swimming?

[Mudsimus]

Nick Bester told me...and about 60 other people yesterday, that about 3 weeks after the comrades he could keep up with the best cyclists(in his street). This is after he didnt do any cycling for 4 months. So maybe there is some benefits..

[phoenix]

Mud dee. Jy't jou muis terug!!!

[Prince]

I find running more efficient from a time point of view. 55 minutes running generally give me a better cardio vascular work out than 55 minutes cycling. I thefore run 10km twice during the week when its difficult to get a ride in.

[EdoardoBianchi]

Nick Bester told me...So maybe there is some benefits...

 

You mean, apart from the fact that he's NB and can probably beat the best in the world at Norwegian slalom two weeks after the Comrades

 

[SwissVan]

 

I read an article awhile back somewhere (cannot recall where...!!?) where they (Sports Scientists) reckoned that cycling benefited running more than running benefited cycling.<?:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

IMO running is a great all round fitness booster or general DIY keep fit n slim option when used as an off season cross training option to SUPPLEMENT your cycling. Running trains your cardiovascular and aerobic systems which will be of benefit as you need both for cycling and would be more beneficial for endurance training than strength training.

 

As for running vs swimming, on average for cycling fitness I would say that running would be of more use to a cyclist than swimming, but in the same breath I would recommend swimming and running as a off season option, upper body weight gain (muscle) over the winter period from swimming would be minimal and quickly lost once regular cycling regime is resumed, but the upper body strength improvement and benifets would remain for awhile.

 

Running is however quite tough on your body and caution is needed if you are not used to regular running. Even if you are used to running it can interfere with your cycling ability due to delayed muscle fatigue. So don?t expect to outsprint other competitive cyclists while using running as a training method.  (When last did you see a triathlete win a sprint against pure cyclists?).

 

Weight gain (around the gut) usually means that you are eating too much (Ask me on this subject I am an expert ) so winter time is also a good time to practice sensible eating.

SwissVan2007-05-11 09:43:39

[Peter VW]

Runners are also amazing people. Very friendly and helpful. I joined a club that is known for "runners with a drinking problem."

[BikeMax]

Running is a great way to maintain CV fitness and is good cross training.

 

You asked how beneficial running is to cycling - the answer to that is "not as beneficial as cycling"

 

Specificity is a key aspect to any training - if you want to be the best you can be at cycling then time on the bike is the way to go and is far more beneficial than running (or any other aerobic exercise) in this regard. If you are sick of cycling and simply want to maintain some aerobic fitness then running or swimming or cross country skiing etc etc will do this.

 

[BikeMax]

 

Very informative article - tnx epoh.

 

So in summarising it - running is good alernative exercise' date=' increasing strength for climbing/sprinting.

I'm considering going for a short jog in the mornings before breakfast - to boost metabolism.

(These winter pounds are already packing round the waist )

 

Anything maybe on swimming?

[/quote']

 

Climbing and sprinting (on the road) is not limited by strength so no benefit here.

 

Running might however cause sore legs and reduce the effectiveness of any cycling you are doing.

 

Why not just go for a ride ?

 

[Fromage_blanc]

Thanks for all the advice..

What do you think of the idea - light workout before breakfast ?!

[BikeMax]

 

Thanks for all the advice..

What do you think of the idea - light workout before breakfast ?!

 

Why a light workout ?

 

A regular session is fine too - it is a good time to workout (especially if you are looking to maximise weight loss)

 

[Fromage_blanc]

Ok, scrap the jogging then..

Not sure how effective a full training session would be on an empty stomach - no concerns regarding muscle fatigue/damage ?

[BikeMax]

 

Ok' date=' scrap the jogging then..

Not sure how effective a full training session would be on an empty stomach - no concerns regarding muscle fatigue/damage ?

[/quote']

 

No - but I usually ride with a bottle of energy drink and that is sufficient.

 

[Polkie]

Extract on bone composistion.......

 

 

Running is apperently beter on the legs, with regard to bone density. Which translates to less brittle bones latter in life.

 

 

 

 

 

I think most runners would agree to that..... but there is all ways

those calcium supplements one can take...... pill popping what a way to

live.

 

 

====================================================

 

 

Many sports-active people become involved in sports in order to

compete, but others participate for different reasons - to lose weight,

increase muscle size and strength, or preserve bone mass, for example.

Running and cycling are two very popular sports, but it hasn't been

clear which activity has the greater impact on body composition - until

now.

 

 

 

 

 

Scientists at Columbia University in New York City recently checked the

skeletons, fat deposits, and muscle characteristics of 14 highly

trained male cyclists, 10 very fit runners, and 10 sedentary controls.

All individuals were of similar weight (155 pounds) and age (27 years).

 

 

 

 

 

 

The runners had no advantage over the cyclists in body fatness; both

groups checked in at 13-per cent body fat, significantly below the lard

levels of the non-exercising controls (18 per cent). Total bone-mineral

content was also similar between runners and cyclists.

 

 

 

 

 

However,

the runners possessed about 6 per cent more bone mineral in their legs,

compared to the cyclists, and 9-per cent more than the controls. Not to

be outdone, the cyclists packed away bone mineral in their arms;

runners and controls had 2-per cent skimpier arm-bone structures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Runners also lost out on arm MUSCLE, which was 4 per cent below the

mass achieved by both cyclists and sedentaries. Both runners and

cyclists had about 10-per cent more leg muscle than the exercise

abstainers.

 

 

 

 

 

The lessons? Compared to cycling, running represents a superior way to

build up leg-bone density, an important effect when you consider that

osteoporosis and leg-bone breakage is a common problem in elderly

adults. Aside from that, running and cycling appear to have similar

influences on body composition, with cycling tacking on a slightly

greater amount of bony material in the arms.

 

 

 

 

 

('Distribution and

Variation in Body Composition of Endurance-Trained Cyclists and

Runners,' Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, vol. 26(5),

Supplement, p. 573, 1994)

 

 

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Taken from >> http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/0370.htm