loss of muscle in my chest and arms

[fossyant]

You'll probably find that weight training to some degree is better for your bone density than cycling, especially when getting older. Better use that gym membership

 

[ColinJ]

I am getting slimmer but my arms are getting more muscular through cycling!

The thing is (as though of you who have seen my route profiles*** will know), I tackle a lot of steep climbs so I am often pulling hard on the bars. There are obviously more effective ways of developing strong arms, but if you want to exercise your arms on the bike - try tackling a few 20+% climbs and see how you get on!



*** Example

 

[cyberknight]

Im 47 and i gave up my multi gym for space and find that press ups /pull ups / Australian pull ups combined with core work does everything i need , my legs get enough from cycling and i have always been a thunder thighs anyway.

 

[Drago]

Yeah, you need it for rugby... All I'm saying, though, is that personally I'd rather get lean and stay lean as I get older, because trying to maintain muscle mass can be a hell of a strain on the joints and ticker as you age (not to mention carrying it round with you everywhere, and especially uphill on a bike).

It's no harder on the joints than cycling, somewhat less so even. The exercises needed to acquire it aren't bad for the ticker either, unless someone's being foolish and taking growth hormones or insulin (only teenage kids do steroid these days).

I can confirm though that it is a ballache when cycling up hill. Uphill speed record chasing ain't my thang.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

What is a normal life?

It's what everybody else has.

 

[Citius]

I am getting slimmer but my arms are getting more muscular through cycling!

I must say I'm surprised at that, if it's true. Surely if that was actually the case, then all of the top pro climbers like Contador, Froome, etc, would all have arms like Popeye..?

And yet they don't - so why would your arms be developing in such a way, but not theirs?

 

[cyberknight]

It's no harder on the joints than cycling, somewhat less so even. The exercises needed to acquire it aren't bad for the ticker either, unless someone's being foolish and taking growth hormones or insulin (only teenage kids do steroid these days).

I can confirm though that it is a ballache when cycling up hill. Uphill speed record chasing ain't my thang.

Good for down hill though , the bigger guys tend to go past me downwards.

 

[ColinJ]

I must say I'm surprised at that, if it's true. Surely if that was actually the case, then all of the top pro climbers like Contador, Froome, etc, would all have arms like Popeye..?

And yet they don't - so why would your arms be developing in such a way, but not theirs?

Because they weigh 60 - 70 kgs, have superlight bikes and whizz up long climbs with a good pedalling style whereas I am dragging 80+ kg of me, a heavier bike, 1.5 - 2.0 kg of drink plus tools/spares etc up some super-steep stuff pedalling very slowly so I am pulling hard on the bars to be able to force the pedals round? (Try climbing a 20% hill no-handed and you will soon see what I mean!)

Anyway, I'm not talking about BIG arms, just bigger than they were when I was doing less cycling. The main exercise my arms get otherwise is typing on a computer keyboard or operating a TV remote control!

 

[blazed]

I am getting slimmer but my arms are getting more muscular through cycling!

The thing is (as though of you who have seen my route profiles*** will know), I tackle a lot of steep climbs so I am often pulling hard on the bars. There are obviously more effective ways of developing strong arms, but if you want to exercise your arms on the bike - try tackling a few 20+% climbs and see how you get on!



*** Example
View attachment 103787

Slightly pulling on the bars for 10 mins during a climb isn't going to make you stronger. At all.

 

[ColinJ]

Slightly pulling on the bars for 10 mins during a climb isn't going to make you stronger. At all.

At last - somebody who knows my arms better than I do!

As for 'slightly pulling' ... my arms get more tired on hard hilly rides than my legs do.

 

[Dec66]

At last - somebody who knows my arms better than I do!

As for 'slightly pulling' ... my arms get more tired on hard hilly rides than my legs do.

Is this your bike?

http://www.damngeeky.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Handcycle-hand-powered-bicycle.jpg

 

[Citius]

Because they weigh 60 - 70 kgs, have superlight bikes and whizz up long climbs with a good pedalling style whereas I am dragging 80+ kg of me, a heavier bike, 1.5 - 2.0 kg of drink plus tools/spares etc up some super-steep stuff pedalling very slowly so I am pulling hard on the bars to be able to force the pedals round? (Try climbing a 20% hill no-handed and you will soon see what I mean!)

But you are not lifting that weight - you are simply moving it from side to side.

 

[Dec66]

But you are not lifting that weight - you are simply moving it from side to side.

Well, no, he's not, he's pushing it with his legs, but in order to turn the pedals powerfully enough to maintain forward motion up the hills, he has to tense himself, which means tensing the arms and shoulders, thus giving them a bit of a workout.

I get him, I feel that pain. We don't all ride 34/32 WiFli

Never had a situation where my arms hurt more than my legs after a ride, though. Whereas I once did 12 three minute "rounds" of shadow boxing, with a minute in between, and couldn't lift my arms up next day.

 

[Citius]

Well, no, he's not, he's pushing it with his legs, but in order to turn the pedals powerfully enough to maintain forward motion up the hills, he has to tense himself, which means tensing the arms and shoulders, thus giving them a bit of a workout.

Most people probably pull on the bars with much less force than they realise. Certainly not enough to encourage hypertrophy, I would have thought...

 

[blazed]

The average person naturally has far more than enough arm strength to pull the bars a bit when climbing. Climbing those hills over and over ain't gonna make em any stronger.


Mod Edited