I wonder if bicycling helps bone building.
I wonder if bicycling helps bone building.
I have found that generally you can’t “find” a comfortable bicycle seat at a shop (*), you have to find a suitably sized one and then break in both the saddle and your behind together as a pair, a process which can take weeks, and *then* it becomes reasonably comfortable.
I am a fan of the old-school British Brooks leather saddles, which take a month or two to properly bed in, but are terrible at first.
(*) there are heavily padded poofy seats of course, but I don’t think they work well for any sort of serious biking, they produce inefficiencies in your power output.
For anyone interested in exploring the subject more, I'd recommend the recent book, "Exercised" by Daniel Lieberman. A different take with similar conclusions, that a person doesn't have to be an exercise nut to have significant health benefits from light activity. It's an entertaining and enlightening read.
My main form of activity is bicycling, but I think yard work and gardening can count. I've never been able to enjoy running or jogging, but once I get into a cycling routine I find it quite enjoyable. I'm fortunate to live in a cycling friendly city with many hard surface trails, but am not especially fond of riding on the road, even with bike lanes, for safety reasons. My routes take me close to some shopping opportunities so I can do light errands and shopping in the process, which I'd like to think has a small impact on my carbon footprint.
EDIT to add, Bae's comments are my experience, too. It also helps significantly to have a bike that fits and is properly adjusted for seat height, handlebar reach, etc. Also, quality padded bike shorts are a must for me. Some people swear by Brooks saddles. I had one that came with a used bike I bought and in spite of a lengthy trial it just didn't work for me. My local bike shop has a 30 day return policy for bike saddles and it took me a couple of trials to get one I liked. I think it depends a lot on a person unique anatomy. Humble opinion also is that those big cushy over padded seats are definitely not the way to go.
I enjoy bike riding in the fall on rail trails. But not working hard at it....just a leisurely scenic ride to enjoy the woods. And the trails are flat! I'm hoping to run 5k on the trail and then bikeride afterwards when the weather is a bit cooler.
I really only enjoy exercise in a class with the "competition" of others around me to keep me going. I go 4X a week.
3/4 mile walk to class, 24 stairs, 1 hour class (cardio, strength, step, and another step class),24 stairs, and a final 3/4 mile walk home. Fabulous instructor with great music.
Previously we went to a college gym and had 4 classes but they were two of combo exercises and 2 of Les Mills Body Pump. The BP was a set of sections of numerous repeats for one body area using weights. Did it for years and really helped knees and posture.
For me, a comfortable bicycle seat is one with a long narrow front part and a short wide rear part, sort of like a capital T. The narrow front part lets my thighs move freely without rubbing the seat, but gives me a bit of support if I lift my weight off of the seat and come back down farther forward than I intended to. The wide rear part is just big enough and wide enough for my weight to rest on my hip bones instead of my crotch bone when I'm in my normal riding position, and the wide part being relatively short front to back minimizes it interfering with the 60-100 rpm pedaling speed I normally use. But everything is a compromise and everybody's bottom is slightly different.
Last edited by GeorgeParker; 9-20-21 at 1:29am. Reason: clarity
Recently got back into the pool. I snorkel my laps with a kickboard. Built up to .85 miles/60 lengths late last week. I used to do a mile/70 lengths. Pool was full when I went today so I did the recumbent bike instead. 8.3 miles in 40 minutes. Much more intense workout. I was dripping when I was done. I had a workout playlist on my phone and one of the cable news channels on the bike TV with closed captioning. Worked well. Used to do this before covid. I like the bike as I can go straight to the gym in my workout clothes and I don’t have to carry a heavy gear bag. I’m lazy.
I am a bicycle commuter - depending on the route, about 7-8 miles round trip. I have a 1.7 mile loop I walk in the afternoon. Most days it is fine, but yesterday it must have been too much as I am up in the middle of the night reading simple living with a tired achy body and can't sleep!
My long cardio each week is walking to our local library 2 miles away at a speed that keeps my pulse at 100-110 the whole time. Since I'm 72yo, a 100-110 pulse is slightly above the boundary between moderate and vigorous exercise (footnote) and it takes me ~30 minutes each way (4 mph vs my normal 2.5-3 mph casual walking speed) and I typically spend 15-30 minutes browsing at the library. So this weekly walk gives my heart, lungs, and legs two good 30 minute workouts with a nice cool down inbetween.
The rest of the week I do a variety of 10-20 minute workouts (HIIT, upper-body strength, range-of-motion (flexibility) stretches, balance board/ball, etc.) I'm not fanatical about it. I just stop whatever I'm doing 2-5 times per day and spend a few minutes exercising because it feels good and I enjoy it.
FOOTNOTE: Your theoretical maximum heart rate is 220 minus your age. Moderate exercise is 50%-70% of max. Vigorous is 70%-85%. So for me at age 72 the calculation is 220 minus 72 equals 148, and 70% of 148 is a target heart rate of 103.6 which means my 100-110 pulse is exactly where I need it to be for maximum benefit on these half-hour walks.
Yea riding a bike would be a way to shorten my probable lifespan ... when I get crushed by a car. Since I'm often in a car navigating bikes around me, I'm perfectly aware it's very hard for motorists to navigate bikes (I have not hit any and it would be horrible too, but more I'm on high alert because I realize how extremely dangerous the whole thing is, sometimes they barely have any lights at night etc.). Then imagine being on one ...
I do weights at the gym a couple times a week, other than that just walking.
Trees don't grow on money
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