Group: General Fitness & Exercise

Created: 2011/12/31, Members: 383, Messages: 54581

Various general exercise related discussions. Find out what it takes to reach your fitness goals through daily effective exercise. With so many options we try to find out what works best.

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Cardio: Getting where I need to go

borpillicus
borpillicus
Posts: 454
Joined: 2003/03/13
Canada
2004/04/06, 10:53 AM
Okay its getting to the point in the year where it is warm enough for me to begin travelling via man power to where I go.

During the spring and summer I walk/cycle EVERYWHERE. I rarely consider taking the bus or even driving. I walk to work everyday which is 25 minutes (one way, I usually go both).

Also, in the last couple of days I have begun cycling to the gym. It takes about 20 minutes there, and 15 minutes back (Vs. the 45-60 minutes via bus, so I think this is going to be permenant). The cycle itself is hardly intense, but I sweat a little. I know there is no way I could do cardio at the gym and cycle home, I just wouldn't have the energy.

Now I don't know what to do at this point. I am afraid my cardio is going to weaken from lack of intensity (I want to have a strong heart), but at the same time I am worried that if I do to much I will catabolize my muscle/waste calories if I add anymore.

On a side note I am considering adding HIIT 2-3 times a week for 15 minutes, during my lunch break at work. Again, I am afraid this will be overkill on the cardio.

Any advice would be appriciated.

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- Its never about how much you can lift, or how many reps you do. Its just about doing it, and doing it right.
- If your hungry all the time, your not eating enough. And anyways, being hungry sucks.

~Brad~
Reddy
Reddy
Posts: 597
Joined: 2003/09/11
United States
2004/04/06, 12:54 PM
I think the cycling is a good warm-up & cool down - put you would need to warm up the muscles you are going to use abit more. & Adding the HIIT during lunch should be enough - tyr it for a month & see how it is going for you.

But I don't think I'm one of the experts so maybe someone else should say something too :big_smile:

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Reddy

All people smile in the same language
borpillicus
borpillicus
Posts: 454
Joined: 2003/03/13
Canada
2004/04/06, 02:56 PM
Yes, it does work well for a warm-up, and a cool down (though its seems like a brutal cycle after doing legs). I'll give the HIIT a try a few times during the week and see how I feel. If I start dropping weight, I will just cut it out.

Another thing I should mention is that I also spend a lot of my "off-time/weekends" cycling around the city or in the mountains, which can be far from leisurely.

I am starting to think it may difficult to find a balanced approach to this. I love cycling and being outdoors in general, but I want to gain some muscle weight... And at the same time strengthen my heart, cardio and keep lean. Is this shooting for the impossible?


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- Its never about how much you can lift, or how many reps you do. Its just about doing it, and doing it right.
- If your hungry all the time, your not eating enough. And anyways, being hungry sucks.

~Brad~