Cyclists are known for their lean physiques. To some outsiders, they might appear "skinny" and "weak", and while we know that this isn’t the case, Dan & Si still tackle the debate head-on! In this week's show they dive into whether a cyclist's physique is truly the pinnacle of fitness ...or not!
Plus, Dan & Si cover all the latest cycling news from this past week, give you a rundown of the hottest bike tech seen at Sea Otter, and much more!
Welcome! 0:00
Cillian has fixed the uploader! 0:59
The latest in cycling news 2:23
Is a cyclist’s body actually healthy? 3:15
All the arguments FOR 4:16
All the arguments AGAINST 8:51
Does a cyclist’s body LOOK healthy? 12:33
Cycling Shorts 14:42
Our new editions of cycling kit - almost sold out! 19:08
Winner of our Topeak Competition! #AD 19:55
Hack/Bodge of the week 20:22
Caption competition 28:54
Comment of the week 32:10
Coming up this week 35:11
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Does a cycling body look like a healthy body to you? 🫀
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Do you do any other exercise to supplement your cycling? 🏋🏃
Hank teach me the life
@@filippopogacar Hank loves the gym 👉kzhead.info/sun/dtR_dMWGf4GPfa8/bejne.html - do you think some gym work would help your riding out?
@@gcn legs curl
Push ups. Because even cyclists will need upper body strength sometime in their life.
I've done weight training for years now, I do think it's essential as we get older (I'm 57 now) and this is the first year I've decided to do weight training all season long, and not drop it in the spring.
Dan, dont take any shit from anyone about how you look. You're the man for putting yourself on the line like this. I'm really looking forward to watching your journey.
We can't wait to share more of Dan's journey 🥳
excatly its all about how you feel and if that feeling is healthy and if so yes fk what the normal ppl say
Dan looks like a man who's lost more fitness than most people in the comments have ever had. Kudos to him for tackling something he's not happy with though, all jokes aside while the looks are a nice byproduct, it's the ability that you gain that's always been my focus.
Well said! We are too obsessed with people's appearance. What matters is your health, not your look.
@@Leonorexplore Perhaps, but it's still a swindle if you don't look like you think you're supposed to especially with all the work into it. Like eating everything on your plate, even the eggplant or squash, but you don't get to have your desert anyway over some past offense.
I should point out that I didn't actually fix the uploader - it was a very competent group of software developers who I have the pleasure of working with who fixed it. So a big thank you to all of them. And I should also say, that they didn't just fix it, they made a *new* one which is now integrated into the GCN website. We will be adding to this uploader and improving it over time. So watch this space! upload.globalcyclingnetwork.com/
Thanks to you and the crew Cillian 🙌 You've smashed it 💥 We hope you've submited your bike into the vault?
@@gcn I'm glad you've brought up this topic. I don't have a bike anymore!!!!!
@@cilliankellygcn We'll see what we can do 😉 Watch out for another epic challenge! There are always strings attached🤣
Thank! Hope you're healed up from that Peaky Blinders beat down you suffered.
I'd have taken the credit Cillian, you took enough of the blame.
I was having lunch in the cafeteria at work, explaining to my non-cyclist friends that at 5' 10" and 175 lbs I was big for a cyclist. They laughed and said "right". So I pointed at my friend and comptetive cyclist Ken who was 6' 2" and around 165 lbs and said. "That's what a competitive cyclist looks like." My friend replied "He's a cyclist? I thought he was just sick."
I am exactly the same size as you. When I raced as a competitive cyclist, I was 135 to 140. I feel like a rhinoceros now and slow as cold syrup. Most people tell me I am thin now. I laugh to myself and say thank you.
The cyclists build is not ideal. I get you have to be light for speed and climbing. But NO. As a normal person who enjoys cycling. I'm not going to be 150lbs just to go a few miles an hour faster. Than I do at a muscular 170lbs at 5 8". That's my perfect build for a combo of speed and strength. And women respond to me better at that weight. I've been at both ends of the spectrum. I used to be skinny (sub 145lbs) when I was a teenager. And at my heaviest at 44. I was 226lbs. Neither size felt good. Or looked good. At 170lbs. I have my ultimate weight and look.. The middle weight boxer look.
Even in competitive cycling there any many different body types now. There is space for everyone in cycling 🙌
@@fender1000100 That's cool. cycling is what ever the individual wants it to be. We all don't have to be 145 and 4% body fat.
That's a hilarious story! At roughly the same height I'm 154 lbs now but my lowest weight was 137 lbs. I didn't have to flex my muscles to show my six pack then 😅
Dan is my hero. I'm a 56 year old disabled veteran, who - two years ago - was developing diabetes because I was unable to run or do most other kinds of exercise. Cycling changed all that. I've lost over 100 pounds and my health markers are better now than they've ever been. Don't let anyone give you any shit. You look great.
We love to read stories like this! It's amazing what the bike can do 🙌
Wasn't the point of the video that he doesn't think he looks great currently? He wants to change his body because he isn't happy with the direction that things are going. If that is his current position, then how is it helpful to tell him that he looks great? To me, he looks like an early middle aged guy with very low muscle mass and accumulating abdominal fat. Pretty normal for someone with good cardio fitness but sub-optimal diet and a lack of strength training. Fortunately, he's in a good position to change it. Add a few strength training sessions per week, eat more protein and keep drinking and snacking to a minimum, and things will look very different in 6 months.
When I was 41 I broke my neck sleeping. When I was able to walk again, I broke my back bending over. The doctors found I have a very bad case of osteoporosis. For years I did nothing but sat on the couch. The doctors had me try all sorts of things. I even tried the sliver sneakers plan they offer for seniors. I would end up in the hospital and bed ridden every time. I then found this bike called a velomobile. This velomobile has changed my life. I can not do much but I can sit in this velomobile and ride like the wind. After riding one for almost 6 years now and logging around 30,000 miles, well my doctor tells me this is what is keeping me a live or going. Riding this bicycle called a velomobile. I should also mention I am a 64 year old male. I also have a condition called Chronic Heart Failure. This is caused by another condition I have called Marfans.
Marfans. Abraham Lincoln likely had same condition. Thanks for fascinating comment. Keep riding!!
Broke your neck sleeping? Dear god. That must have been an absolutely terrifying experience.
Good on you man 👍🏻
We have a local guy around here that rides one and posts all his rides to KZhead. They dog up hills but on the flats the aerodynamics make them fly.
@@bobbyellis5006 My life has never been the same. In an instant your life can change and the you you was will be no longer.
To be fair Killian fixed the uploader in less time than it took to get the GCN camelback bottles!
Comment of the week!
Hahahaha that's true! He's done a great job really!
As a 53 yr old lean male, I've started weight lifting to minimize my muscle loss as I age. I'm not concerned about looking buff, but I am surprised with the effects on my joints. My knee pain is gone, and I feel more grounded and responsive in my knee joints.
As a food delivery rider, i cycle 300+ miles every week on my road bike , i am not gonna lie i love this job ,the pay is soo low but i managing to survive because i love cycling and take low paid long trips..i dont get tired anymore.
Over the off season, I did a full 3x a week upper body weight lifting plan. Not only do I visually look better, I've noticed a genuine improvement on the bike as well.
Awesome! Do you think it's the core strength that has helped?
I used to hear that running is bad for your knees, but when I started running on top of my cycling, the opposite happened, and it is nice to know from your show that running is actually beneficial to your bones.
Mixing things can be super important, getting strong bone density can be great for overall health 🙌
Cycling is my recreational activity I do on my days off from work. My job is driving a garbage truck around Medford Oregon picking up garbage and cleaning bathrooms. Awesome videos!
Thanks Jack! Super cool to hear you are cycling for fun 🙌 How long have you been riding a bike?
One of my fellow buke club members and I were talking during a Saturday ride a few weeks ago, and one of the the things we observed is that as a group we (being mostly above 50) have the fitness levels of people much younger.
My job is quite physical and a lot of walking and lifting. I have noticed my muscle mass drop as i get older, too. However, I had an 8cm tumour and a third of one lung removed in 2022. The surgeon was very impressed with my lung function tests, and he said it was due to many years of cycling. I'm sure it helped with my recovery, I was back on the indoor trainer 2 weeks after the operation. Cycling is a great form of exercise.
Dancing is a very good approach for cycling. Having dance classes. Gives many benefits for a balanced health. Dance develops focus, balance, muscle toning, joint strengthening, aware of action and reaction of movement, how to fall and protect yourself, breathing work, flexibility, etc.. etc.....
I do this and add in jumping moves for bone density
This is screaming out for a video 🤣 What style of dance should Dan learn?
@@gcn I would love to see Dan dancing 😂 🤞 Try out contemporary dance, it is very beneficial, If you need an advice I'm a professional choreographer with a cycling heart. Here latest creation for Opera Ballet Vlaanderen (Belgium) kzhead.info/sun/hNeKgKh9lquuqKs/bejne.htmlsi=BcIYOmUEj5LoZyaO
@@gcn I would love to see Dan Dancing 😂🤞 Try out contemporary dance it is very beneficial. If you need some advice or help for the video I'm professional choreographer with a heart for cycling. 🕺
Last year I picked up cycling again after 7 years, in 2 months I were on a periodic health check with my physician and he was quite impressed with the state of my hearth even though the rest of my body did not look up to par yet.
This is so cool! Great to hear cycling is part of your fitness journey 🙌 We hope you are enjoying it?
@@gcn Very much, this year I replaced my 13 year old trekking bike with a new gravel one and it's been a great fun. Love making routes at home then challenging myself to them. 🙂
As a cyclist, that does mainly mtb and gravel, I am a lot heavier than a road cyclist, but I do also strengh training on the side. But I guess it depends on what you are going for, if I want to be faster and compare myself to other road cyclists, I think I would defintly do less strengh training and try to loose weight. But for an average woman that just wants to have fun with her bikes and live a healthy life, I think its okay.
The state of CO, USA passed a law that when cyclist approach a stop sign or a signal light that's red, they may roll through the intersection and accepting the risk. Treat cyclists as adults. I love it!!
My father in law passed away last year from a bike accident. He broke many bones in that accident due to osteoporosis. He refused to lift weights or vary his exercise routine. Cycling only. Please don’t forget your bone health!!!
Those helmets make you look like the Mouth of Sauron from Lord of the Rings.
Eye. Not mouth. Good one, though!
@@prestachuck2867 Definitely looks more like The Mouth of Sauron. He's the guy with the gnarly lips and teeth at the end of Return of the King.
When I had a sports medical check last year October, at age 62, the muscle, fitness and blood checks showed that my body was that of a 52 year old. Bone density and balance wise however, it was that of a 77 year old. I immediately started running 5km twice a week and working on my balance, next to the 230km (9 hours) I ride on my bike weekly.
I'm 61 at the moment and still include twice/week resistance training in addition to whatever the cycling training schedule includes through low cadence/high power intervals. Bands and yoga mat are great and easy to carry around to avoid excuses. Since I stopped running due to back problems, bone density has become an issue though. Trying to include walking and some mild explosive jumping in the strength workouts, even though at this age it is not ideal. Hope you ignore the comments Dan! All bodies, like all comments, can look good or bad, depending on the perspective. As long as you are happy, that's what matters.
I had literally just got back in from an evening run when I sat down to watch this. Si has already had a brush with multi-sport racing so I feel like it's only a matter of time before he's drawn to the dark side. The whole world will see those ankles (without socks) when you're a triathlete, fella!!! 😂 All jokes aside though, I'd like to say a sincere thank you to you guys for turning these shows out every week. Love the banter between you two and it's genuinely a highlight of the week (from a KZhead perspective).
It'll never happen! Or so he says 👀 Thanks for commenting and appreciate that you are loving the videos 🙌
A body optimized for cycling is not balanced. Of course cyclists bodies are preferable to inactive, sedentary people. However especially as you age, you need more strength and balance in the mix.
Getting strength training is super important! Even just to prevent injury. What workouts are you doing to help build that strength? 💪
Dumbbell exercises, planking, squats, lunges, sit ups, use of my cross trainer, pelvic thrusts, press ups. I use them all for my cycling and my other sport that being alpine skiing.
I’m 73 and as one ages loss of muscle mass and bone density are important. I think modern cyclists are so thin that muscle mass could be deficient as they age. Their heart and lungs are amazing but musculoskeletal wise they may have issues. Serious male cyclists can develop chronic nerve compression effecting the prostate and erectile function.
@@gcn personally: bench press, barbell back squats, overhead press, deadlifts, dips, pull ups. Plus ancilliary joint stabilisation exercises so I don't mess up my shoulders and knees. Focus is on strength, not hypertrophy, my gain in muscle weight has been minimal for strength gains that surprise me - plus I feel genuinely bulletproof, I love having a strong back. As the meme says "squatting makes you hard to kill"! 😂 Me: lifelong "skinny" cyclist.
I think cycling exercises an impressive number of lower body muscles in a more balanced way than running. I could be wrong as I'm not an expert. However , I gave up long distance running and my repeated calf strains stopped alongside other niggles with the knees and ligaments from time to time. I think the draw back is losing out on the done density effect of pounding the pavements with running so you should try to counter that somehow but my injury count has fallen dramatically since I switched to mainly cycling.. I miss distance running a lot though...
I love the GCN videos that emphasize one's overall health, not just cycling speed. I'm about the same age and physique as Dan and I've learned that putting an emphasis on cross training and upper body strength has not only helped my riding, but helps me to enjoy life more in general.
I'm a commuter cyclist, cycling a TREK Hybrid FX1 Stagger. I used to cycle drops till I was rear ended in 1997. Severe slip disc in T6-T7 ended my career as a beach/pool lifeguard. Returned to cycling in Feb 2020 on flatbar. I cycle every 2nd day with a moderate to fast walking exercise regime in between my cycle days to keep the bones healthy.
One of the best grease remover is shampoo which is formulated to remove grease. If the grease is deep in the fabric, use a toothbrush to rub the shampoo into the fabric.
Interesting! 🤨
@@gcn I do a lot of long distance bicycling and you need all the tricks you can find to pack light ;-) I usual pack only two kits for a 5k kilometer tour and have to hand wash all my clothes every night. Another tip… the towel dance. After you wash your kit, ring it out by hand as much as you can, then roll the kit in a towel and dance on it. Amazing how dry you can get your clothes.
I admire you for this series on checking out your body health. I would say you would benefit from increasing your muscle mass. I am sure you will be hitting the gym in the series. A healthy diet too will help massively and you probably need to up your calories. Keep at it and re social media….Haters gonna hate. Looking forward to the next instalment Dan 👍
Currently adding 1-2 trail runs (6-7 miles each) to may week, and practice vigorous flow yoga for core and upper body strength. Wish I'd added more cross-training to my mix in the "way back" days when I was a young, fast(ish) guy. p.s. Si and Dan's energy on this vid was great fun!
I’m just trying to be happy and ride my bike. There is always something I could find wrong with myself, and often have. We’re never satisfied. My goal is to finally be happy and love myself, even if I have skinny arms.
Three cheers for the uploader!!! 🎉
The indomitable Jon Cannings. ❤
Jon!!!!!
Now that the up loader has been fixed, who is working on “The UCI has no jurisdiction here” merchandise?😮
Pedalpushersapparel 😊
I really enjoy the combination of cycling and bouldering, as the short but intense climbs strengthen your core and back. My posture really takes a detour when I am not climbing for a while. As with everything in life, a healthy mix is the best way.
Combination! Bouldering on your bike must be tough 😉
@@gcn The trick is to climb with the bike on your back! Komoot forces you to learn how to ;)
I think the “healthiest” I felt is when my main activity was rock climbing which I also supplemented with lifting. Now that I’ve essentially completely switched over to cycling, I think I feel less “healthy”. To maintain really feel good vibes, I think I’m going to have to sacrifice some weight to gain some muscle mass again.
Finding the sweet spot is important 🙌 Do you think cycling isn't a good vibe? 😢
Dan saying we’ll be eating our words when we see the thumbnail in 6 months time. Just hope we’re not eating our dinner when we see it 🤣
Great show as always. At 75 years old the bike gives me almost all of what I need but I occasionally add some weights for that elusive bone density.
I spent a good part of my life hunched in front of a computer or some other project on a desk and I actually 'need' to do some basic/intermediate back, shoulders and core exercises to be comfortable cycling and living. Thanks to these exercises, my health improved, my cycling performance and endurance improved, I even gained a cm or 2 in height and generally feel better standing upright. I'm also considering starting swimming, because that seems to compensate well for cycling weaknesses and even the doctor advised me that, instead of my regular exercises, but the pools seem so crowded and the rivers and lakes nearby are filthy these days + I'd be afraid to leave my bike. The entire triathlon would be even better, but I don't like running all that much.
Great chemistry between ye two. Great show.
Cycling helps hugely with many physical aspects. For me, having suffered low limb injuries from my work, cycling helps reduce lower limb injuries. The best off bike training I conduct is moving naturally across a whole range of movement patterns. This is both satisfying, helps with my Cycling, and also keeps me useful for everyday tasks.
-2 or 3 days strength training -1 or 2 days running -2 or 3 days riding -Mobility sprinkled in Varies every week. Trouble is the strength training has made me pretty heavy for a cyclist.
Sounds like a good training plan! When do you take days off?
I started running a year ago, really struggling but I do feel better physically having added it between my usual cycling.
Im a chubby rider thanks to some lovely chronic illnesses, i get a reasonable amount of exercise doing a minimum of 40 minutes riding every day, and while my overall health, fitness and especially my diet are good I am eager to add some mobility, flexibility and strength work in which is why when I have enough money I'm going to add iyengar yoga back into the mix! I'm really excited for it. I love myself the way I am (105kg, 175cm) and know that I am getting some great health benefits from switching my commute to cycling rather than driving. The biggest impact it has made it my quality of life - i'm energised when I get to work and get so much joy from the beautiful views and friendly interactions i get on my commute!
I do a lot of sprint anaerobic resistance and hill reps a few times a week as well as zone 2 and zone 3 and a long gentle ride.. although even the long rides include a fair amount of uphill and resistance living Halifax and the Pennines. I get comments that my calves and thighs are well defined. I'm not sure how much this is due to the resistance cycling or genetics. I used to run long distance and sprints but gave up a few years go due to repetitive calf injuries which I don't get when cycling.
The last bodge, MTB in the cupboard --> get a cheap sleeping bag to hang from the hanger with his strap for the headtube set up inside. Owner can park the front wheel inside the sleeping bag keeping jackets clean
Loved that Dan referenced wattage bazooka!
I used to ride a cargo bike on the Sydney Harbour Bridge run as a messenger, crossing 5 or 6 times a day - a ramp would be amazing for this and really open things up, it sure was exciting getting the bike down the steps(with a steep ramp in the middle) whilst carrying some archive boxes. Good luck getting that ramp!
Si and Dan, fast becoming a legendary comedy duo like the Chuckle brothers on two wheels.
Always fun filming with these two 🤣
i do some cycling, i do some running, i do some swimming and some weights every now and then. nothing competitive but its enough for me. i like that those things are all quite different and keep me motivated.
"Of 830 ex tour de france pros, on average they lived 17% longer" I'd be interested to know how much of this can be attributed to an active life (no doubt a significant factor) and how much it might be attributed to individual economic circumstances. E.g. Well off people tend to live longer. Assuming cyclists of that era we're able to afford to follow pursuits such as cycling, rather than having to work industrial jobs.
On the body image topic, I'm a 62 year-old who has been riding on the road since my 20s and I'm vain enough to believe my Garmin fitness age (currently 20!). My top half looks 62 (despite doing some dumbell work) but my legs are still those of a young rouleur!! When I was in my 20s I also did stage musicals and a mate of mine once described an old woman in the audience standing up, throwing away her zimmer frame and saying "if he can walk on those, so can I!" after watching me perform in a short tunic. Which all goes to show that the answer to the question "is a cycling body healthy" is, as Josh P would say "it depends" on what you think healthy looks like. I'll take those positives you outline in the video (heart/VO2max/happiness/longevity) and live with not looking like Arnie.
As much as I want to incorporate other exercise into my routine, I only started cycling 3 years ago at the age of 50 and all my energy is going into cycling further rather than getting stronger. I am up to about 200km a week now but I don't have a lot of spare energy left over after that. I was heavily into Muay Thai and weightlifting in my 20's but I don't have that kind of energy anymore unfortunately.
Si is full of quips about Dan's brave reveal, but the extent to which we've been subjected to Si's rippling muscles are the tan lines on each arm. Glass houses...
I've been at both ends of the debate. At 150 pounds and 5'11"; and today at 170 pounds. The differences: At 150 able to beat everyone uphill on road bike rides. At 170 stronger and able to deadlift 200 pounds. Plus I stand up straighter with more strength.
imagine deadlifting 200 @170 XDDDD
Having decided that the immaciated image of Froome etc , I did decide to take up swimming to increase posture abd thorax shape - a few dumbbells to increase performance in the pool abd two years later feeling happy with the more balanced appearance.
I came from running and transitioned to cycling because I started to do triathlons. But now I do a combination of trail running (for stronger joints with the lateral movements) and cycling. And as for the helmets, the POC is something I might get, but don't see myself in the Giro TT it looks crazy.
Interesting! Would you get the POC for everyday rides?
I've been curious for some time whether spinning or grinding--with the rest of your position being equal--is more aero. One for Ollie.
Get your notifications on, you'll enjoy this weekend 😉
I stopped cycling 29 years ago because autoimmune disease which caused my knee's to make popping sounds with every pedal rotation, they also swelled up and were very painful. I tried cycling again in 2006 but my knees still made popping noises. Never thought I could ride a bike again but tried an e-bike last year and my knees were good enough to not make popping noises or the swelling. it is so good to be back! 😁
#captioncompetition Tom Skujins had had enough and decided to air his teams dirty laundry
Question for a future episode; have you got any clear and accurate information for a cyclist coming back from illness- particularly viral/covid related illness that many have been experiencing in the last three or four years. I have had Covid three times in the last 4 years and a couple of serious ent viral infections this year. As you can imagine this has played merry hell with my cycling. Whilst I am a very keen cyclist I am not a racer or someone who competes - just a rider who loves to cycle. And Dan rush and fie to the naysayers! All power to you, enjoying the series so far!
Dan. Have you thought of indoor rowing? It covers about 75% of muscles of done directly and is a mixture of power and endurance. I started using the tower this winter, after being inspired by the British and also World indoor rowing championships and wanting to introduce more strength exercises into my week. The British championships are in December this year, so there is time to train up for it. Information for this is on the British Rowing website.
Added 2x gym & 1x intense swimming per week to cycling. Not "lean" by any means but strength & endurance better. As an ex-swimmer, not a chance of any running.
Last year I came back to jogging as a complement after many years of cycling, and I injured myself. My cardiovascular was at its best, my heels were not. After many targeted exercise for my heels and calves, I am now back at jogging to add this other dimension to be in the best shape possible. moral to this, doing one sport is good, but doing two is better
It's always good to mix things up 🙌 Do you think your running is making you a better rider?
@@gcn I am not 100 % sure but I sure know that weightlifting has help my climbing by a significant margin
"who has unused filament laying around" almost every 3d printer owner on the planet has random filament laying around, currently got around 10 half used 1kg spools
I’ve been riding a road bike for 5 years, and lifting weights for nearly 20, and it baffles me how many cyclist seem to disregard strength excercises and especially upper body work outs. Unless your racing on a very high level, having more upper body muscle mass only has a positive impact on your life. Aesthetics are arguably subjective, but I surely wouldn’t wanna look like a pro cyclist, even if that made me faster on the clibs.
It's something that lots of cyclists ( including ourselves) are coming around to now 🙌 It's all about finding that perfect balance that'll lead to a healthy life style
I do 4 to 5 hours of body weight calisthenics per week in addition to my cycling. I use an app to manage and track my workouts and can do it anywhere; home, hotel room, visiting someone else ...
Awesome! Isn't it so cool how tech can impact out health for the better 🙌
From looks at the ware on the Hacks&Boges busted chain ring bolts, the small ring was the one this rider normally uses. Swamping the big ring bolt to the backside should have also worked thus sparing the live of a totally innocent zip-tie.
Not sure where the bike in the apartment person is from, but if they are from the US, the Pacific Southwest gets very little rain.
Thank you another great video! Thank you for not talking about collar bones as I'm watching this as I'm off work having broken my right collar bone again! Oh well, coffee and GCN videos to enjoy!!! ❤❤️❤️👏👏👏🖖☕🚴
Ah rest up! 🙌Enjoy the coffee and if we could recommend a good videos we love this one 👉 kzhead.info/sun/fpRsY6-DrayHdKc/bejne.html
Thanks for defining yobs!!
I really hope Dan continues the strength training indefinitely, not just for 6 months, so we see change over a long period of time, maybe years. 💪💪💪
if you live at elevation and do strenuous cardio you can get a form of heart failuer called High Elevation Heartfailure. And I can't ride a conventional bike anymore because of a proximal hamstring tendonitis from sitting on a bike saddle for too many years
Good to see ‘punters intros’ again…getting back to basics👍
I’m an enduro/trail rider so for myself, road cycling is used to supplement that. It’s a great way to work on endurance and get variety in. Yet because this type of riding is inherently more dangerous than road cycling, resistance training(building and strengthening muscles)is an absolute necessity to prevent /minimize injuries. That being said, because larger muscles use more energy and oxygen, it would be detrimental for a competitive road cyclist to “gain large amounts of muscle mass”. Road cyclist are built like any other endurance focused athlete such as long distance runners. To some it may be considered not attractive but who cares. Attractiveness has nothing to do with one’s health and fitness level. They aren’t too skinny or unhealthy looking. Gaining overall strength and stability, not getting bigger muscles, should be the goal. Take a few days a week to do upper body strengthening exercises. One day do chest/shoulder/triceps and another biceps/back/core. It really is that simple and easy.
Some great points here! Great to hear that you are enjoying the road life as well as off road 🙌 Strength conditioning can be really good for your overall health, you've probably found your cycling has improved too?
I consider myself a trail rider and I also do road cycling for endurance. I find climbing is a good exercise for core strength, flexibility and mobility.
You hear so many passionate discussions amongst riders on which is better(mtb or road) when in reality they compliment each other. I started road decades ago then switched to mtn a few years ago then 2 years ago decided to do both and I was amazed how both improved. Which makes sense if you think about it. Especially regarding climbing. As for strength training, it really does improve riding. It takes longer to get yourself to that exhaustion level and it helps you recover quicker. And regarding mtn biking, because there is a constant and realistic expectation of crashing, a stronger body does prevent and minimize injuries! An fyi for everyone but, women especially(I def know the fear) who do endurance sports like road cycling and want to add strength training to their training plan but are afraid of gaining a lot of muscle..,… you don’t need to worry about it. Endurance activities negatively impact the ability to gain muscle mass and gaining muscle size is far more involved and difficult than just lifting weights! So go to the gym and just focus on the fact that resistance training will only improve your riding ability.
I like what you’re saying. I like bicycling (gravel/endurance/long distance, not racing), and I do like pumping iron. I think it’s a great mix!
Which one do you prefer? 🚴 vs 🏋
@@gcn That’s a tough choice. They complement eachother. The gym workouts make me a better rider. But the bike rides are where I get my aerobic workout. At my age (72 years) both are good.
I used to do a lot of weight training and running while I was in university. Then the pandemic hit and I got really into cycling and I just always choose to ride my bike instead of weight train (even though I know it's good for me). It's my goal to get back into it
“Resistance” training absolutely does increase bone density and increased bone density allows the body to carry higher muscle mass. The key is what kind of resistance training you’re doing. Basically the applicable training must be done standing. Deadlifts, Squats, Military presses. For more info check John Woods’ Bone Strength Project. He has steadily increased his bone density over 10 years at a time in life when doctors say you lose bone density. The techs who do his Dexa scans are continually amazed.
How long have you been doing resistance training? Sounds like you've got good experience?
@@gcn I’m 67 and I started lifting when I was 11. There have been times in my life when it was minimized by circumstances beyond my control (like being underway on a destroyer).
Does hill training make you faster on the flats.
Beachbody and kinder instagram comments? Well at least there is a chance of developing a beachbody...
One of the great things about cycling is that it is relatively free of injuries, except when you are in competition, as a pro or amateur. It's not the only sport in this sense, swimming is also in this category, but as I swim worse than a brick and don't like walking because it is too slow, I will keep to my bikes.
That's very true! We think it's the best exercise but do you think you should mix it up with something else to keep the optimum fitness?
@@gcn Yes, actually I miss more upper body strength but can't get myself to going to the gym to resolve that. As you get older, you should train regularly all muscles.
Caption contest: "Photo taken right before the shirt hit the fan."
#captioncompetition "Off with that old GCN kit, my limited edition kit from the GCN shop is on its way"
Spring has sprung! Nice tan lines, Si.
It's here 🙌🌱
@7:29 Also for the podcast listeners, Si is looking stunningly accurate like a dorky pre-teens '80s pic, while Dan seems to have come straight from a William Shatner era Star Trek set.
Cycling alone is excellent exercise but is only part of the equation. A bit like going to school and only studying maths - it would be an incomplete education in the same way that just cycling is an incomplete form of physical training. Don't get me wrong - I ruddy love cycling and do 10-15hrs a week, unfailingly. But I also incorporate 3hrs of resistance training and about an hour of stretching and mobility too. The resistance training and the extra muscle mass it brings (I'm about 15% heavier than I'd be if I just cycled and didn't weight train) means I'm a little bit slower on a bike, but then I have ample strength to easily accomplish normal life tasks. On a more scientific note, as well as VO2 max being an excellent predictor of longevity, muscle mass is too. So the key to a long and healthy life is a balance of the two. I do also wonder if the high frequency with which cyclists suffer broken collar bones is related to the lack of any (cushioning) mass in their shoulders?
Caption: "Mattias Skjelmose getting his teammates to pull the wool over his opponents eyes"
I would like to see the physiological differences between the GCN crew and the GMBN (or EMBN) crew. Does mountain biking significantly change bone density/upper body strength compared to just riding a bike...
Can I recommend adding running and swimming to your cycling? Added benefits including no longer needing to wear socks!
Hahahah GTN is that you 👀
#captioncompetition Skjelmose channeling his inner Mario Kart by throwing the red jersey at the competition
Lots of support for what Dan's doing for improving 40+ year old body health. I think Dan is the OG champ! Keep cracking on Dan 🤛
Still to see a Eurobike join the roster at an event or sportive alongside: the TT’er, the Eroica-rider, a ‘big wheel’ (Farthing), Brompton, the hire-bike and the fixie.
Dan, ignore the bad comments best you can. You are doing well for someone your age. And kudos to you for trying to get back in shape after some time out of the saddle. Also kudos to you for being willing to share your journey with us.
I do cycling and calisthenics, the best combination
Some of the key points to longevity is muscle mass, bone density and grip strength. Now cycling does not really promote any of those. So while it is really good for burning calories and having a healthy heart, cyclists should really try to do some weight lifting exercises for the whole body. If you are not competing in cycling, you should not be afraid to put on muscle. And it´s probably going to benefit your cycling to maybe do one weight lifting session per week instead of cycling that day. Personally I am trying to evenly balance cycling, running and weight lifting since I have no intention at competing in any of them.
"Cycling shorts: which helmet is cooler?" If I could afford it; I'd have one of each in blue, not gonna lie.
I'll add here myself and say that once you start hitting a certain point with the regularity, time in, miles in, etc. for cycling, however you want to gauge that, once you hit that for yourself, your body adapts to it for form as well as function more or less automatically. That means, leaner, stronger (for what your need in cycling), better tone, etc. I think it's an extremely odd case when a guy stays overweight yet really puts in the time and effort. He'd have to be eating excessively and probably unwisely for what it is as well. Or possibly not hitting that certain point at all. What I've seen for myself is the practical reality and difference between riding bikes regularly although with layoffs over winter, and simply not laying off over winter and upping the time and distance on it. I mean for my appearance, weight, condition, all of that altered for the better massively, reforming myself back to how I was, or better, than times in my teenaged years or twenties.
Regarding heart health, check out the book “The Haywire Heart - How Too Much Exercise Can Kill You, and What You Can Do to Protect Your Heart”
Despite being mainly a cyclist, I go rock climbing or bouldering at least twice a week. Alongside being on the bike, it's a great communal sport with a great focus on strength relative to weight, but in a totally antagonistic way to pedalling - but somehow complimentary. It builds a more rounded body shape and the arm strength can help on the steep hills and long descents for braking. But...doing both does make me obsess over weight still (yes, I'm heavier than I want to be, but who isn't?). It's also a lot more welcoming as a sport to newcomers - something that cycling has had a lot of trouble with in the past, mainly due to the (a hopefully decreasing) elitism in the sport. Running? Nah. Been there, got the t-shirt. It can get in the bin.
The Euro Bike thing never ends 😆🤣😂 i´m curious how "good" it might be ^^. btw: Leg Press and some weights helps a lot! Also do the Row! made me Strong and fast ^^ plus Zwift. love it!!
"Cycling is hood for your heart" but a strol through the woods or biking in the woods would be better than sucking in the pollution of cars
As for the helmets, the yellow aero one looks wrong in the same way the Rick Moranis' helmet looks wrong in Spaceballs.