Hi,

After a good couple of weeks I've really started to get into my cardio, but I have some questions:

Is cycling good cardio for fat loss? I cycle about 30 minutes a day (30 minutes twice a day when I work - usually three times a week).

I also do a weight training program and my diet is good, but I am wondering if someone would actually recommend some other type of cardio over cycling?

One more thing - I have read that to lose weight, it is recommended to stay within the 65-75% MHR bracket. First, is this correct? And if so, I've noticed that it is very easy to do this for extended periods of time. Is this a good thing?

I know people say losing weight in only one part of your body isn't possible, but am I actually going to lose weight from my upper body (abs and chest area) doing cycling for my cardio?

Thanks!

65-75% of MHR is ideal for pure lipolysis.

Cycling outside is fine, but you have to take into account hills, stopping, etc., and chances are maintaining the neccessary H.R. percentage is not going to be easy w/this method.

There is no such thing as spot reducing, no.

~SC~

Hi,

After a good couple of weeks I've really started to get into my cardio, but I have some questions:

Is cycling good cardio for fat loss? I cycle about 30 minutes a day (30 minutes twice a day when I work - usually three times a week).

I also do a weight training program and my diet is good, but I am wondering if someone would actually recommend some other type of cardio over cycling?

One more thing - I have read that to lose weight, it is recommended to stay within the 65-75% MHR bracket. First, is this correct? And if so, I've noticed that it is very easy to do this for extended periods of time. Is this a good thing?

I know people say losing weight in only one part of your body isn't possible, but am I actually going to lose weight from my upper body (abs and chest area) doing cycling for my cardio?

Thanks!

Biking is great. You don't see any fat guys in the tour de france do you? :) It's also very low impact.

Most people who cycle have their seat WAY too low. Your knees should not be locking out, but coming fairly close. Look at somebody who's really into cycling and invariably their seat is nice and high. This will help with power and ease up on your knees even more. You may already know this, so if so carry on!

Thanks guys! Just wanted my questions answered before I got myself too into cycling.

Looking forward to cutting now. (Never thought I would hear myself say that!)

Biking is great. You don't see any fat guys in the tour de france do you? :) It's also very low impact.

Most people who cycle have their seat WAY too low. Your knees should not be locking out, but coming fairly close. Look at somebody who's really into cycling and invariably their seat is nice and high. This will help with power and ease up on your knees even more. You may already know this, so if so carry on!

This is so true. I see people riding low on their bikes with their knees sticking out to the sides because their feet come almost all the way up to their butts at the top of the pedal! Then they wonder why the are huffing and puffing to go up a hill or go fast as I pass them with ease. Most people think that you should be able to stand over the seat of your bike. That is just way too low!

Your heart, lungs, and fat cells don't know if you are biking or running or swimming or walking. Of course biking helps fat loss. Any kind of exercise does. Just get your heart beat up there and keep it up - your body will take care of the rest.
---Trainiac!
http://www.chicagopersonaltrainers.com

This is so true. I see people riding low on their bikes with their knees sticking out to the sides because their feet come almost all the way up to their butts at the top of the pedal! Then they wonder why the are huffing and puffing to go up a hill or go fast as I pass them with ease. Most people think that you should be able to stand over the seat of your bike. That is just way too low!

Hehe... raise that seat up and and watch me hammer right by you on the babyheaded singletrack. :D It really depends on who you are and what you are doing. High seats simply don't work for some, but it is correct that most people have no clue where to put the seat height.

As far as road/mountainbiking for fat loss? It is not the most effective. What swole said is correct. You really can't regulate your heartrate very well on a bike. Nonetheless, biking is great for health and fitness. It will burn calories.

The most effective cardio for fat loss is the one that strickly maintains the 65-75% heartrate. How one accomplishes this is pretty much up to them. :gl:

four

65-75% of MHR is ideal for pure lipolysis.


~SC~
What!!!!
I've been doing 45 min at 80%. Does that mean I was burning muscles instead of fat?

What!!!!
I've been doing 45 min at 80%. Does that mean I was burning muscles instead of fat?

Theory says you have burned some muscle along with fat. If you have caught my often repeated song. Muscle burns 19 times what fat does at rest. Lose muscle or not have much and your metabolism or BMR will be low. you will gain more fat.

Theory says you have burned some muscle along with fat. If you have caught my often repeated song. Muscle burns 19 times what fat does at rest. Lose muscle or not have much and your metabolism or BMR will be low. you will gain more fat.
Wow, but I read somewhere that 45min 80% is quite good. I thought it was John who did 45min at 80% not sure.

As long as you stay below your Lactate Threshold and keep your glycogen stores "filled up", you can go as hard as you want and will not burn any significant muscle.

The ratio between fat and sugar (glycogen) burned during aerobic exercise (ie the one below LT) changes with your heart rate with comperatively less fat burned at higher heart rates. I don't know if anyone ever actually established percentages for this. Don't forget though that the harder you go the more you burn so even at lower fat burn percentages it is not clear that you don't burn more total fat.

Above your LT you *can* burn muscle because your body cannot use fat any more and there is a way to take proteins and convert them to glycogen so they can be burned up. Keep in mind though that your body will use up what's in your blood first and only when that runs out will it try to use the stored protein (ie existing muscle). Now that being said based on the Cyclist's Training Bible you can lose around 30 grams of muscle during a hard 1 hour criterium race. Criteriums tend to have lots of short anaerobic bursts when you sprint out of corners.

So I would not worry at all about going above the magical 65-75% range, if you want to worry about anything, don't go above your LTHR for longer periods and you should be safe in terms of not losing muscle.

About riding form, most people tend to make 3 mistakes that make riding less efficient/bad for your legs.

1. Low seat position. The distance between the bottom bracket and the lowest point of the saddle should be 0.883 times your inseam size (the Lemond formula) for start and one should tweak it as seem fit.

2. Pedalling with middle of foot. So many people put the middle of their foot over the pedals it is not even funny. For efficient pedal stroke you need to put the widest part of your foot (near its front) over the axle in the pedal.

3. Low cadence. You see people trying to haul themselves over a hill at 40 cadence. That is just painful and very hard on your thighs. The human "engine" is very similar to a car engine where it can put out more power at higher RPMs. If you see Armstrong he pedals at around 100 RPM. It is kinda hard to go that high cadence withough training but trying to work your way up to say the 90s would definetely help most people.

For my cardio I use the elliptical cross trainer machine at the gym. It has a heart rate monitor so I can keep myself around 65% HR, and it's pretty much impact free.

The machine I use is the Precor EFX 556 (http://www.precore.com/cpr_efx_556.php), but all of the other elliptical machines do the same job!

65-75% of MHR is ideal for pure lipolysis.

Cycling outside is fine, but you have to take into account hills, stopping, etc., and chances are maintaining the neccessary H.R. percentage is not going to be easy w/this method.

There is no such thing as spot reducing, no.

~SC~

Also depending on your terrain outside cycling can really dehydrate you + the sun is bad for you... I prefer the gym where at least the sun is not direct and the only heat is those around you.. :)

I agree with bunko.

I ride with my seat high and never place the middle of my foot on the pedal.
I still get a sore butt though. I supposed that cant be helped.

When I started riding I weighed 316lbs in february now I weigh 255lbs. I say it helps.

I will ride in the oklahoma freewheel next year.
I tried this year but didnt think I would have the endurance. I hadnt rode a bike for 9 years so I wasnt ready.

www.okfreewheel.com



I have question.


I ride my bike ~22 miles every other day. I ride on hilly dirt roads. It takes me about 2 hours with a 10 minute break in there.

I dont keep up the same pace constantly. It is almost impossible. I have a few 2 mile stretches where I do but when I hit a hill and its hard to keep it up.

I ride a 24 speed giant yukon mountian bike. I keep it in high range. Harder pedal but further travel.

I never go to low gear. Should I?
Would it be better for me to do more rpms with less resistance?

I dont know if I am burning much muscle. When I started out I could barely ride a mile. I know I only have a pinch of fat on the insides of my thighs but I still have a belly.