Toned up!

[mandiam]

Hey girls!

Sitting at work, thinking about my ride home. I love commuting to work...i leave at 6AM and get to work about 7:10 (20 mile) and leave work at 5PM and get home about 6:10 (20 mile)...

...i hardly have time for any other toning exercises...(upper body)

I was just wondering if any of you girls have an hour or longer commute and if so, how you make time for upper body toning to match the lower body cycling legs lol

[mandiam]

ah! great ideas...i think i'll go get some resistance bands. My dad is a physical therapist so we've got them all over the place. Thanks for the suggestions. I also just asked DH if he would encourage me at night to strengthen my core and arms.

Maybe I can get him to read me a book while I play with resistance bands before bed lol

[indysteel]

You might want to also use the bands or do some floor exercises to work the lower body and core muscles that cycling tends to underwork or not work at all. I love biking, but too much if it at the exclusion of other activities can lead to muscle imbalances, overuse injuries and a general loss of strength in other areas that are key to functional fitness. Many of us, including me, have learned this the hard way.

[Jiffer]

Do you ride any hills on your commute? When you stand and ride aggressively, you work your arms. Any time you're riding, actually, you can make a point to flex your arm muscles and strengthen them.

I actually do this periodically throughout the day as I think about it. Sometimes while driving, sometimes while watching TV or just walking from one side of the house to the other (I don't work). I just tense up my muscles and hold it for a while. Rest and do it again.

Sometimes I push my hands together in front of me with my elbow sticking out, or just move my arms in different ways to work different muscles.

This only works the arms (and maybe the shoulders a bit), but it's something your can do almost any time, anywhere.

[mandiam]

10 miles of the commute consists of hills...so yeah! I didn't think about how i use them...that's actually very true. I just notice the leg muscles getting ALL RIPPED UP (lol i wish) and just haven't been paying much attention to the armies. I am going to start paying attention on my commutes to working my arms. I wonder if being in my aero bars helps--- if if drops or hoods would be best?

Do you ride any hills on your commute? When you stand and ride aggressively, you work your arms. Any time you're riding, actually, you can make a point to flex your arm muscles and strengthen them.

I actually do this periodically throughout the day as I think about it. Sometimes while driving, sometimes while watching TV or just walking from one side of the house to the other (I don't work). I just tense up my muscles and hold it for a while. Rest and do it again.

Sometimes I push my hands together in front of me with my elbow sticking out, or just move my arms in different ways to work different muscles.

This only works the arms (and maybe the shoulders a bit), but it's something your can do almost any time, anywhere.