Biking to the gym

[Josh]

disclaimer: found only controversy in the FAQ and google
search... and none of the advice totally fit my situation.

I've decided to try and honour "world car free week" which is
this week with Saturday being the big "car free day." So
today, Thursday and Saturday I'll be riding to my gym. Of
course its not a huge sacrifice since I love cycling.

The trouble is that it will be around a 45min ride if I
maintain a comfortable pace. I'm very curious as to whether I
should rest once I arrive and for how long? There is a nice
waiting area, so I could just pack a book. And would I be
advised to eat? I'm guessing that after 45mins on the bike a
recharge would be good... but should I be digesting while I
work out? I'd rather not spend more than 30minutes resting
before the workout. I'll also be biking home so I'm looking
for post-workout advice too.

I realize that this is likely not the optimal configuration
but, considering my decision, I'd appreciate hearing how to
maximize the situation so that I can progress toward my
strength goals.

Thanks, Josh

[Top Sirloi]

On 17 Sep 2002 06:57:02 -0700, brushworks9@yahoo.co.uk
(Josh) wrote:

>disclaimer: found only controversy in the FAQ and google
>search... and none of the advice totally fit my situation.
>
>I've decided to try and honour "world car free week" which is
>this week with Saturday being the big "car free day." So
>today, Thursday and Saturday I'll be riding to my gym. Of
>course its not a huge sacrifice since I love cycling.

Crap, I'm supposed to go to my Grandma's birthday party 150
miles away on Saturday. I guess the wife is in for a surprise.

>The trouble is that it will be around a 45min ride if I
>maintain a comfortable pace. I'm very curious as to whether I
>should rest once I arrive and for how long? There is a nice
>waiting area, so I could just pack a book. And would I be
>advised to eat? I'm guessing that after 45mins on the bike a
>recharge would be good... but should I be digesting while I
>work out? I'd rather not spend more than 30minutes resting
>before the workout. I'll also be biking home so I'm looking
>for post-workout advice too.

Make a hoooge blueberry, milk, yogurt and whey smoothie and
down it before you leave. Don't hurl on the way to the gym,
and pack some dextrose+whey in a shaker bottle you can fill
with water out of the water fountain.

-Scott Johnson "Always with the excuses for small legs. People
like you are why they only open the top half of caskets."
-Tommy Bowen

[Selene]

Josh wrote:
>
> The trouble is that it will be around a 45min ride if I
> maintain a comfortable pace. I'm very curious as to whether
> I should rest once I arrive and for how long? There is a
> nice waiting area, so I could just pack a book. And would I
> be advised to eat? I'm guessing that after 45mins on the
> bike a recharge would be good... but should I be digesting
> while I work out? I'd rather not spend more than 30minutes
> resting before the workout. I'll also be biking home so I'm
> looking for post-workout advice too.
>

Just make it a light week, weight wise.

Nothing wrong with lifting after strenuous cardio, just don't
expect to max out. Recognize you'll be a little tired and be
willing to drop the weights a little. This doesn't mean your
muscles aren't working. Consider dropping a set or even an
entire lift. Keep the work out shorter. I think Keith bikes to
the gym...Keith? Suggestions?

If it were me (in case that's helpful :) I would rest until my
heart rate was down and I'd cooled off, but not much more than
that. A book probably isn't called for. Do make sure you are
well hydrated.

I rarely have trouble after eating before a work out (unless I
took that dreaded multi-vitamin which can make me yarf just
sitting still...but I digress). I like Scott's suggestion for
the protein shake. I wouldn't take the whole thing before the
ride, but save a little for once I got there. Or else have a
cup of fruity yougurt - something like that (kind of depends
on how senstive you are to barfing while lifting).

Definitely I'd go with the carbo drink before the ride home
or you could risk serious bonk. Take a banana for the ride,
too. It doesn't sound like the ride is really strenuous at
45 minutes (pace? hills?) so you can always go slower and
slower if you're really tired, but you do want to make sure
you make it home!

HTH and I admire your determination.

Selene bikes 1 mile to farmer's market

--
With all them lovely phytonutrients and antioxidants and
polyphenols in red wine, it's like freakin' health food! --
David Cohen

[Steve Frei]

Josh wrote:
>
> disclaimer: found only controversy in the FAQ and google
> search... and none of the advice totally fit my situation.
>
> I've decided to try and honour "world car free week" which
> is this week with Saturday being the big "car free day." So
> today, Thursday and Saturday I'll be riding to my gym. Of
> course its not a huge sacrifice since I love cycling.
>
> The trouble is that it will be around a 45min ride if I
> maintain a comfortable pace. I'm very curious as to whether
> I should rest once I arrive and for how long? There is a
> nice waiting area, so I could just pack a book. And would I
> be advised to eat? I'm guessing that after 45mins on the
> bike a recharge would be good... but should I be digesting
> while I work out? I'd rather not spend more than 30minutes
> resting before the workout. I'll also be biking home so I'm
> looking for post-workout advice too.
>
> I realize that this is likely not the optimal configuration
> but, considering my decision, I'd appreciate hearing how to
> maximize the situation so that I can progress toward my
> strength goals.

I think this is sounding much more complicated than it needs
to be. A 45 minute bike ride at a comfortable pace doesn't
have to be that taxing and it sure as hell isn't going to
deplete your body of carbohydrates - you'd have to bike for
twice that long, maybe more, to do that. Ride the bike, wait
10 minutes or so like Selene says, do your workout and, if
you're hungry, have a shake or a bar then, and if you're not
hungry, ride home. If you're hungry after the ride to the gym,
have a drink or an energy bar then, too. Endurox makes two
very good sports drinks for cyclists, both of which have a
protein:carb ratio of 1:4 - hey, it's better than Gatorade.
Either of them would suit this outing just fine but, frankly,
even those may be overkill. I think the problem here is
planning to eat - bring along something or make arrangements
to buy it, but have it if you feel you need it, and don't have
it if you don't.

My basic rule on the bike, which I ride a lot, is that I don't
bother with special eating arrangments unless the effort is
more than two hours long.

-S-

[Josh]

Top Sirloin <scottjohnson@notspam.kc.rr.com> wrote in message
news:<ceeeou8p9kco2tuq8slk5o6d67rjhurjje@4ax.com>...
>> Make a hoooge blueberry, milk, yogurt and whey smoothie and
> down it before you leave. Don't hurl on the way to the gym,
> and pack some dextrose+whey in a shaker bottle you can fill
> with water out of the water fountain.

So I did the shake except no blueberries. I didn't hurl on my
way to the gym, but I didn't drink the whole hooooge thing
either. I gawt phull. Got to the gym, plunked down
whey+maltodextrin (didn't own dextrose and have yet to
research whatever the hell it is - will do so presently). I
read some stuff for 10mins after my whey shake, got bored and
started a 10min stretch routine then hit the weights. The
workout felt decent but on my big movements I found that I
was a little more tired than usual past the second set. The
wee girly movements I save for the end of my routine felt
great as normal.

You didn't have a comment for post-workout so I bought a bar
with whey and some carb source, sat on my ass for 10 until I
got bored and spun home.

Was my weakness from not waiting long enough after biking
pre-workout? And whats the shelf life of maltodextrin? I
ordered this bag a few years ago, haven't touched it in a year
and feel weird about consuming
it.

Thanks, Josh

[Top Sirloi]

On 18 Sep 2002 13:49:02 -0700, brushworks9@yahoo.co.uk
(Josh) wrote:

>So I did the shake except no blueberries. I didn't hurl on my
>way to the gym, but I didn't drink the whole hooooge thing
>either. I gawt phull.

See, the blueberries make it so tasty you don't care!

> Got to the gym, plunked down whey+maltodextrin (didn't own
> dextrose and have yet to research whatever the hell it is -
> will do so presently).

Same stuff!

> I read some stuff for 10mins after my whey shake, got bored
> and started a 10min stretch routine then hit the weights.
> The workout felt decent but on my big movements I found that
> I was a little more tired than usual past the second set.
> The wee girly movements I save for the end of my routine
> felt great as normal.

Good!

>You didn't have a comment for post-workout so I bought a bar
>with whey and some carb source, sat on my ass for 10 until I
>got bored and spun home.

You body was still assimilating the whey+dextrose so you
really didn't need to worry about post-workout until you got
home.

>Was my weakness from not waiting long enough after biking
>pre-workout?

How strenuous was the ride there for you? Did you take it easy
and go for a personal record?

> And whats the shelf life of maltodextrin? I ordered this bag
> a few years ago, haven't touched it in a year and feel weird
> about consuming
>it.

I have no idea.

-Scott Johnson "Always with the excuses for small legs. People
like you are why they only open the top half of caskets."
-Tommy Bowen

[Josh]

Thank you everyone for your advice.

I'm just back from the gym which marks my 2nd of 3 such trips
on the bike. I used a good splash of all advice and did fairly
well. Again there was a little more tiredness than usual...
but I am usually fairly wiped out after both squats and DLs.

Of course, while I'd been focusing on my gym performance I
neglected one key factor: Biking home after a leg day is
bloody hell!

[Steve Frei]

Josh wrote:
>
> Thank you everyone for your advice.
>
> I'm just back from the gym which marks my 2nd of 3 such
> trips on the bike. I used a good splash of all advice and
> did fairly well. Again there was a little more tiredness
> than usual... but I am usually fairly wiped out after both
> squats and DLs.
>
> Of course, while I'd been focusing on my gym performance I
> neglected one key factor: Biking home after a leg day is
> bloody hell!

Good job, Josh!

For what it's worth, I often take a 2 hour bike ride after
heavy deadlifting. I've come to believe that some of the
"hell" has to do with neural pathways and the like and not
just muscles. My legs feel pretty strange at the beginning
but, by the time I've been on the bike for an hour or so, they
feel pretty normal again and the rest of the ride doesn't
really seem any different than any other ride. It's almost as
if my body is fighting to get whatever parts of it used in
deadlifting to leg go again somehow.

Anyway, maybe you don't have to wait another year before you
try this experiment again!

-S-

[Kirk Roy]

Josh <brushworks9@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> Thank you everyone for your advice.
>
> I'm just back from the gym which marks my 2nd of 3 such
> trips on the bike. I used a good splash of all advice and
> did fairly well. Again there was a little more tiredness
> than usual... but I am usually fairly wiped out after both
> squats and DLs.

Sounds good!

> Of course, while I'd been focusing on my gym performance I
> neglected one key factor: Biking home after a leg day is
> bloody hell!

If you think that's tough do a good push/bench workout and
then ride the bike home. That's tougher for me with my pecs
and triceps jittering and complaining the whole way home... :)

Kirk

[Josh]

Steve Freides <steve@fridayscomputer.com> wrote in message
news:<3D8B3E4C.7EDB2139@fridayscomputer.com>...
> Good job, Josh!

Thanks!

> For what it's worth, I often take a 2 hour bike ride after
> heavy deadlifting. I've come to believe that some of the
> "hell" has to do with neural pathways and the like and not
> just muscles. My legs feel pretty strange at the beginning
> but, by the time I've been on the bike for an hour or so,
> they feel pretty normal again and the rest of the ride
> doesn't really seem any different than any other ride. It's
> almost as if my body is fighting to get whatever parts of it
> used in deadlifting to leg go again somehow.
>
> Anyway, maybe you don't have to wait another year before you
> try this experiment again!

I'm thinking that until the snow starts to fall I might
try to bike to the gym once a week or so... I didn't mean
to be too negative - it feels great to fight through the
"hell!" Although once car free week is over, my legs need
at least one day without a ride, I think. I'm riding to
work, shop and everything everyday :) I look forward to
testing Kirk's point about the "push day" on Saturday.
Since bench day is my easiest day so it'll be interesting
to see if the bike is hard.

Josh

[Skunkhaus]

Kirk Roy <kirk@nova.org> wrote in message
news:<amffbo$5b1ib$1@ID-156790.news.dfncis.de>...
> Josh <brushworks9@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> > Thank you everyone for your advice.
> >
> > I'm just back from the gym which marks my 2nd of 3 such
> > trips on the bike. I used a good splash of all advice and
> > did fairly well. Again there was a little more tiredness
> > than usual... but I am usually fairly wiped out after both
> > squats and DLs.

For god's sake, butch up, already!

[Josh]

So I rode home today after doing a serious "push" day. Felt
pretty good. Push days are my easiest day, really. Maybe you
ride differently than I do, but I felt good. That is, until I
tried to catch a car that cut me off. I've added "learning my
limits" to the "to-do list."

[Skunkhaus]

> So I rode home today after doing a serious "push" day. Felt
> pretty good. Push days are my easiest day, really. Maybe you
> ride differently than I do, but I felt good. That is, until
> I tried to catch a car that cut me off. I've added "learning
> my limits" to the "to-do list."

Yeah. Next time, you should grab its bumper and let it drag
you all the way home.

[Josh]

skunkhaus@yahoo.com (skunkhaus) wrote in message
news:<32603d44.0209242209.37f88a4d@posting.google.com>...
> > So I rode home today after doing a serious "push" day.
> > Felt pretty good. Push days are my easiest day, really.
> > Maybe you ride differently than I do, but I felt good.
> > That is, until I tried to catch a car that cut me off.
> > I've added "learning my limits" to the "to-do list."
>
>
> Yeah. Next time, you should grab its bumper and let it drag
> you all the way home.

Maybe I should carry a grappling hook and some rope with me?

I notice you said "drag" rather than "pull."

[Angela Pah]

Thus spake brushworks9@yahoo.co.uk (Josh) :

>skunkhaus@yahoo.com (skunkhaus) wrote in message
>news:<32603d44.0209242209.37f88a4d@posting.google.com>...
>> > So I rode home today after doing a serious "push" day.
>> > Felt pretty good. Push days are my easiest day, really.
>> > Maybe you ride differently than I do, but I felt good.
>> > That is, until I tried to catch a car that cut me off.
>> > I've added "learning my limits" to the "to-do list."
>>
>>
>> Yeah. Next time, you should grab its bumper and let it drag
>> you all the way home.
>
>Maybe I should carry a grappling hook and some rope with me?
>
>I notice you said "drag" rather than "pull."

Yep. You must have missed her post about the "mishap" with an
idiot cager.
--
A

[Kirk Roy]

Josh <brushworks9@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> So I rode home today after doing a serious "push" day. Felt
> pretty good. Push days are my easiest day, really. Maybe you
> ride differently than I do, but I felt good. That is, until
> I tried to catch a car that cut me off. I've added "learning
> my limits" to the "to-do list."

Sure, there're lots of variables. I used to race bicycles so
my handlebars are a couple inches below my seat (which is
higher than I used to set them for racing, still they're as
high as the current hardware allows) forcing me to support a
lot of my weight using my upper body. The times I've ridden
to the gym were also higher rep workouts which are always a
bear for me. Thankfully my routine has me back down to 3
reps now... :)

Kirk

[Skunkhaus]

skunkhaus@yahoo.com (skunkhaus) wrote in message
> > Yeah. Next time, you should grab its bumper and let it
> > drag you all the way home.
>
> Maybe I should carry a grappling hook and some rope with me?
>
brushworks9@yahoo.co.uk (Josh) wrote in message

> I notice you said "drag" rather than "pull."

Yeah, I did, as a matter of fact!! I guess that's how you know
when you've butched up sufficiently. "Pull" doesn't even enter
your vocabulary.

[Seth Breid]

In article <32603d44.0209262216.4d45490a@posting.google.com>,
skunkhaus <skunkhaus@yahoo.com> wrote:

> I guess that's how you know when you've butched up
> sufficiently. "Pull" doesn't even enter your vocabulary.

Wouldn't that make it hard to do deadlifts?

Seth
--
Who cares? Shut up and lift. -- Watson (the pencil neck) Davis

[Skunkhaus]

sethb@panix.com (Seth Breidbart) wrote in message
news:<aodjvf$1ea$1@panix5.panix.com>...
> In article
> <32603d44.0209262216.4d45490a@posting.google.com>, skunkhaus
> <skunkhaus@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > I guess that's how you know when you've butched up
> > sufficiently. "Pull" doesn't even enter your vocabulary.
>
> Wouldn't that make it hard to do deadlifts?
>
> Seth

Are you saying that if I tried shouting "PULL" in the midst of
deadlifting I'd have an easier time of it? I'll give that a
try if I ever start to plateau.

[Seth Breid]

In article <32603d44.0210140955.1611453c@posting.google.com>,
skunkhaus <skunkhaus@yahoo.com> wrote:
>sethb@panix.com (Seth Breidbart) wrote in message
>news:<aodjvf$1ea$1@panix5.panix.com>...
>> In article
>> <32603d44.0209262216.4d45490a@posting.google.com>,
>> skunkhaus <skunkhaus@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>
>> > I guess that's how you know when you've butched up
>> > sufficiently. "Pull" doesn't even enter your vocabulary.
>>
>> Wouldn't that make it hard to do deadlifts?
>
>Are you saying that if I tried shouting "PULL" in the midst
>of deadlifting I'd have an easier time of it?

It might work, at that. Some martial arts use that sort of
technique to maximize momentary force.

Seth
--
Who cares? Shut up and lift. -- Watson (the pencil neck) Davis

[Keith Hobm]

In article <ap1tsq$opp$1@panix5.panix.com>, sethb@panix.com
(Seth Breidbart) wrote:

> In article
> <32603d44.0210140955.1611453c@posting.google.com>, skunkhaus
> <skunkhaus@yahoo.com> wrote:
> >sethb@panix.com (Seth Breidbart) wrote in message
news:<aodjvf$1ea$1@panix5.panix.com>...
> >> In article
> >> <32603d44.0209262216.4d45490a@posting.google.com>,
> >> skunkhaus <skunkhaus@yahoo.com> wrote:
> >>
> >> > I guess that's how you know when you've butched up
> >> > sufficiently. "Pull" doesn't even enter your
> >> > vocabulary.
> >>
> >> Wouldn't that make it hard to do deadlifts?
> >
> >Are you saying that if I tried shouting "PULL" in the midst
> >of deadlifting I'd have an easier time of it?
>
> It might work, at that. Some martial arts use that sort of
> technique to maximize momentary force.

yeah, I've been through the 'kiahh' thing. Here is a question:

Has this belief ever been validated by any research? Are they
really maximizing momentary force or do they just think they
are? Personally I have a black belt in Wado-Kai and I suspect
the latter.

--
Keith Hobman

[Kevin J]

"Keith Hobman" <khobman@sasktelNOSPAM.net> wrote in message
news:khobman-2110021628330001@192.168.0.2...
> In article <ap1tsq$opp$1@panix5.panix.com>, sethb@panix.com
> (Seth Breidbart) wrote:
>
> > In article
> > <32603d44.0210140955.1611453c@posting.google.com>,
> > skunkhaus <skunkhaus@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > >sethb@panix.com (Seth Breidbart) wrote in message
> news:<aodjvf$1ea$1@panix5.panix.com>...
> > >> In article
> > >> <32603d44.0209262216.4d45490a@posting.google.com>,
> > >> skunkhaus <skunkhaus@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > >>
> > >> > I guess that's how you know when you've butched up
> > >> > sufficiently. "Pull" doesn't even enter your
> > >> > vocabulary.
> > >>
> > >> Wouldn't that make it hard to do deadlifts?
> > >
> > >Are you saying that if I tried shouting "PULL" in the
> > >midst of deadlifting I'd have an easier time of it?
> >
> > It might work, at that. Some martial arts use that sort of
> > technique to maximize momentary force.
>
> yeah, I've been through the 'kiahh' thing. Here is a
> question:
>
> Has this belief ever been validated by any research? Are
> they really maximizing momentary force or do they just think
> they are? Personally I have a black belt in Wado-Kai and I
> suspect the latter.
>
> --
> Keith Hobman

You're the black belt, but Watson calls himself ninja. My
simple mind cannot handle this confusion.

Kevin J

[Keith Hobm]

In article <FZ%s9.1667$kf.168093@ursa-nb00s0.nbnet.nb.ca>,
"Kevin J" <kjnospambrsh@mta.ca> wrote:

> "Keith Hobman" <khobman@sasktelNOSPAM.net> wrote in message
> news:khobman-2110021628330001@192.168.0.2...
> > In article <ap1tsq$opp$1@panix5.panix.com>,
> > sethb@panix.com (Seth Breidbart) wrote:
> >
> > > In article
> > > <32603d44.0210140955.1611453c@posting.google.com>,
> > > skunkhaus <skunkhaus@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > > >sethb@panix.com (Seth Breidbart) wrote in message
> > news:<aodjvf$1ea$1@panix5.panix.com>...
> > > >> In article
> > > >> <32603d44.0209262216.4d45490a@posting.google.com>,
> > > >> skunkhaus <skunkhaus@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > > >>
> > > >> > I guess that's how you know when you've butched up
> > > >> > sufficiently. "Pull" doesn't even enter your
> > > >> > vocabulary.
> > > >>
> > > >> Wouldn't that make it hard to do deadlifts?
> > > >
> > > >Are you saying that if I tried shouting "PULL" in the
> > > >midst of deadlifting I'd have an easier time of it?
> > >
> > > It might work, at that. Some martial arts use that sort
> > > of technique to maximize momentary force.
> >
> > yeah, I've been through the 'kiahh' thing. Here is a
> > question:
> >
> > Has this belief ever been validated by any research? Are
> > they really maximizing momentary force or do they just
> > think they are? Personally I have a black belt in Wado-Kai
> > and I suspect the latter.
> >
> > --
> > Keith Hobman
>
> You're the black belt, but Watson calls himself ninja. My
> simple mind cannot handle this confusion.

Ninja don't have a belt grading system. And Watson isn't
really nice. This should clarify the situation for you.

--
Keith Hobman

We who are about to squat salute you! (Lyle McDonald)

[Seth Breid]

In article <khobman-2110021628330001@192.168.0.2>, Keith
Hobman <khobman@sasktelNOSPAM.net> wrote:

>yeah, I've been through the 'kiahh' thing. Here is a
>question:
>
>Has this belief ever been validated by any research? Are they
>really maximizing momentary force or do they just think they
>are? Personally I have a black belt in Wado-Kai and I suspect
>the latter.

I don't know of any research, but I do know of a few
individual cases.

Many years ago, when I was training, a fellow student was
hanging a heavy bag, and he couldn't get the bolt to turn with
a screwdriver stuck sideways through its head (not enough
leverage). I suggested he try a "kiahh" and he did, and it
turned. So at least in that one case, he could develop more
instantaneous force using it.

On the other hand, Pavel Tsatsouline suggests that holding
your breath is better than exhaling for developing sudden
maximum force in arm wrestling.

Go pay Lyle $1.

Seth
--
chown -R us /yourbase