Spining, Spining, Spining

01-13-2005, 03:24 AM

With the weather in NJ, it is very difficult to get any riding time in
as I've written repeatedly. I have been going to the gym at least
three times a week in preparation for my 25 mile ride in May. Last week
my trainer decided that I should use weights. I was told that the spin
class would help with both cardio and leg muscle strength, but I need
upper body strength as well to eventually be in shape to ride long
distance. I started out with riding a bike for fun, ended up in a gym
taking spin classes and now I am on weight training equipment working
all the muscles in my body. When I arrived home last night I started
to wonder how buying a bike could lead to all of this. My only goal
was to buy a bike and ride for fun. I am now spending more time at the
gym and working on muscle toning. Some of the machines look like
torture devices. Is upper body strength really that necessary for
riding a bicycle? Or is my trainer trying to convince me that I should
get in shape and not just ride a bike. She is a crazy person (as all
trainers in my opinion) and she takes pride in helping people
strengthen, tone, look and feel better. Did she use my goal of riding
25 miles to convince me to use the weights or is it essential that I
do? What does upper body strength have to do with riding a bike? Call
me stupid, but I really don't think it is that necessary. How much work
are my arms doing when I ride a bike. I want an answer to that. My
trainer just tells me, its important...end of discussion. So do you
know? I am working my buns off at that gym to ride in a 25 mile charity
fun ride.
Maggie
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01-13-2005, 04:17 AM

You shouldn't need a lot of upper body strength to do a 25-mile ride unless you
are doing it off-road or up steep hills. Certainly my upper-body strength is
cr*p and I can manage a 25-mile ride on gently undulating roads with ease. It
may not be fast, but it's not difficult.

Cheers, helen s

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01-13-2005, 04:17 AM

You shouldn't need a lot of upper body strength to do a 25-mile ride unless you
are doing it off-road or up steep hills. Certainly my upper-body strength is
cr*p and I can manage a 25-mile ride on gently undulating roads with ease. It
may not be fast, but it's not difficult.

Cheers, helen s

--This is an invalid email address to avoid spam--
to get correct one remove fame & fortune
h*$el*$$e*nd**$o$ts**i*$*$m*m$o*n*s@$*a$o*l.c**$om $

--Due to financial crisis the light at the end of the tunnel is switched off--

01-13-2005, 04:17 AM

You shouldn't need a lot of upper body strength to do a 25-mile ride unless you
are doing it off-road or up steep hills. Certainly my upper-body strength is
cr*p and I can manage a 25-mile ride on gently undulating roads with ease. It
may not be fast, but it's not difficult.

Cheers, helen s

--This is an invalid email address to avoid spam--
to get correct one remove fame & fortune
h*$el*$$e*nd**$o$ts**i*$*$m*m$o*n*s@$*a$o*l.c**$om $

--Due to financial crisis the light at the end of the tunnel is switched off--

01-13-2005, 04:36 AM

Maggie wrote:
:: With the weather in NJ, it is very difficult to get any riding time
:: in as I've written repeatedly. I have been going to the gym at least
:: three times a week in preparation for my 25 mile ride in May. Last
:: week my trainer decided that I should use weights. I was told that
:: the spin class would help with both cardio and leg muscle strength,
:: but I need upper body strength as well to eventually be in shape to
:: ride long distance. I started out with riding a bike for fun, ended
:: up in a gym taking spin classes and now I am on weight training
:: equipment working all the muscles in my body. When I arrived home
:: last night I started to wonder how buying a bike could lead to all
:: of this. My only goal was to buy a bike and ride for fun. I am now
:: spending more time at the gym and working on muscle toning. Some of
:: the machines look like torture devices. Is upper body strength
:: really that necessary for riding a bicycle? Or is my trainer trying
:: to convince me that I should get in shape and not just ride a bike.
:: She is a crazy person (as all trainers in my opinion) and she takes
:: pride in helping people strengthen, tone, look and feel better. Did
:: she use my goal of riding 25 miles to convince me to use the weights
:: or is it essential that I do? What does upper body strength have to
:: do with riding a bike? Call me stupid, but I really don't think it
:: is that necessary. How much work are my arms doing when I ride a
:: bike. I want an answer to that. My trainer just tells me, its
:: important...end of discussion. So do you know? I am working my buns
:: off at that gym to ride in a 25 mile charity fun ride.

You need to pull against the handlebars as you climb hills. Upper body.
Your neck can get tired when you ride long distances, that's upper body.
Your shoulders can get tired, too. Having strong abs helps you generate
power.

Bottom line: keep going to the gym and lifting the weights (and doing the
rest of it). Wait til you start seeing the results.

01-13-2005, 04:36 AM

Maggie wrote:
:: With the weather in NJ, it is very difficult to get any riding time
:: in as I've written repeatedly. I have been going to the gym at least
:: three times a week in preparation for my 25 mile ride in May. Last
:: week my trainer decided that I should use weights. I was told that
:: the spin class would help with both cardio and leg muscle strength,
:: but I need upper body strength as well to eventually be in shape to
:: ride long distance. I started out with riding a bike for fun, ended
:: up in a gym taking spin classes and now I am on weight training
:: equipment working all the muscles in my body. When I arrived home
:: last night I started to wonder how buying a bike could lead to all
:: of this. My only goal was to buy a bike and ride for fun. I am now
:: spending more time at the gym and working on muscle toning. Some of
:: the machines look like torture devices. Is upper body strength
:: really that necessary for riding a bicycle? Or is my trainer trying
:: to convince me that I should get in shape and not just ride a bike.
:: She is a crazy person (as all trainers in my opinion) and she takes
:: pride in helping people strengthen, tone, look and feel better. Did
:: she use my goal of riding 25 miles to convince me to use the weights
:: or is it essential that I do? What does upper body strength have to
:: do with riding a bike? Call me stupid, but I really don't think it
:: is that necessary. How much work are my arms doing when I ride a
:: bike. I want an answer to that. My trainer just tells me, its
:: important...end of discussion. So do you know? I am working my buns
:: off at that gym to ride in a 25 mile charity fun ride.

You need to pull against the handlebars as you climb hills. Upper body.
Your neck can get tired when you ride long distances, that's upper body.
Your shoulders can get tired, too. Having strong abs helps you generate
power.

Bottom line: keep going to the gym and lifting the weights (and doing the
rest of it). Wait til you start seeing the results.

01-13-2005, 04:36 AM

Maggie wrote:
:: With the weather in NJ, it is very difficult to get any riding time
:: in as I've written repeatedly. I have been going to the gym at least
:: three times a week in preparation for my 25 mile ride in May. Last
:: week my trainer decided that I should use weights. I was told that
:: the spin class would help with both cardio and leg muscle strength,
:: but I need upper body strength as well to eventually be in shape to
:: ride long distance. I started out with riding a bike for fun, ended
:: up in a gym taking spin classes and now I am on weight training
:: equipment working all the muscles in my body. When I arrived home
:: last night I started to wonder how buying a bike could lead to all
:: of this. My only goal was to buy a bike and ride for fun. I am now
:: spending more time at the gym and working on muscle toning. Some of
:: the machines look like torture devices. Is upper body strength
:: really that necessary for riding a bicycle? Or is my trainer trying
:: to convince me that I should get in shape and not just ride a bike.
:: She is a crazy person (as all trainers in my opinion) and she takes
:: pride in helping people strengthen, tone, look and feel better. Did
:: she use my goal of riding 25 miles to convince me to use the weights
:: or is it essential that I do? What does upper body strength have to
:: do with riding a bike? Call me stupid, but I really don't think it
:: is that necessary. How much work are my arms doing when I ride a
:: bike. I want an answer to that. My trainer just tells me, its
:: important...end of discussion. So do you know? I am working my buns
:: off at that gym to ride in a 25 mile charity fun ride.

You need to pull against the handlebars as you climb hills. Upper body.
Your neck can get tired when you ride long distances, that's upper body.
Your shoulders can get tired, too. Having strong abs helps you generate
power.

Bottom line: keep going to the gym and lifting the weights (and doing the
rest of it). Wait til you start seeing the results.

01-13-2005, 06:11 AM

Roger Zoul wrote:
> Maggie wrote:
> :: With the weather in NJ, it is very difficult to get any riding
time
> :: in as I've written repeatedly. I have been going to the gym at
least
> :: three times a week in preparation for my 25 mile ride in May. Last
> :: week my trainer decided that I should use weights. I was told that
> :: the spin class would help with both cardio and leg muscle
strength,
> :: but I need upper body strength as well to eventually be in shape
to
> :: ride long distance. I started out with riding a bike for fun,
ended
> :: up in a gym taking spin classes and now I am on weight training
> :: equipment working all the muscles in my body. When I arrived home
> :: last night I started to wonder how buying a bike could lead to all
> :: of this. My only goal was to buy a bike and ride for fun. I am
now
> :: spending more time at the gym and working on muscle toning. Some
of
> :: the machines look like torture devices. Is upper body strength
> :: really that necessary for riding a bicycle? Or is my trainer
trying
> :: to convince me that I should get in shape and not just ride a
bike.
> :: She is a crazy person (as all trainers in my opinion) and she
takes
> :: pride in helping people strengthen, tone, look and feel better.
Did
> :: she use my goal of riding 25 miles to convince me to use the
weights
> :: or is it essential that I do? What does upper body strength have
to
> :: do with riding a bike? Call me stupid, but I really don't think
it
> :: is that necessary. How much work are my arms doing when I ride a
> :: bike. I want an answer to that. My trainer just tells me, its
> :: important...end of discussion. So do you know? I am working my
buns
> :: off at that gym to ride in a 25 mile charity fun ride.
>
> You need to pull against the handlebars as you climb hills. Upper
body.
> Your neck can get tired when you ride long distances, that's upper
body.
> Your shoulders can get tired, too. Having strong abs helps you
generate
> power.
>
> Bottom line: keep going to the gym and lifting the weights (and doing
the
> rest of it). Wait til you start seeing the results.

My trainer said the same thing last night....."Wait til you start
seeing results....you will be happy." She said she is going to make me
a "hot" woman. She said this in front of my 26 year old daughter who
thinks I am going there so I do not get a heart attack and die. I don't
think my daughter wants to think of her mother as "hot". I know I
never thought of my mother in that way. But Moms in the 50's and early
60's wore aprons and stayed home alot. If I put an apron on, my kids
would fall over in a dead faint. I will try all this muscle toning
madness and see where it leads. Can't hurt I guess. Well maybe it can.
;-) Maybe the upper body strength will help.
Maggie

01-13-2005, 06:11 AM

Roger Zoul wrote:
> Maggie wrote:
> :: With the weather in NJ, it is very difficult to get any riding
time
> :: in as I've written repeatedly. I have been going to the gym at
least
> :: three times a week in preparation for my 25 mile ride in May. Last
> :: week my trainer decided that I should use weights. I was told that
> :: the spin class would help with both cardio and leg muscle
strength,
> :: but I need upper body strength as well to eventually be in shape
to
> :: ride long distance. I started out with riding a bike for fun,
ended
> :: up in a gym taking spin classes and now I am on weight training
> :: equipment working all the muscles in my body. When I arrived home
> :: last night I started to wonder how buying a bike could lead to all
> :: of this. My only goal was to buy a bike and ride for fun. I am
now
> :: spending more time at the gym and working on muscle toning. Some
of
> :: the machines look like torture devices. Is upper body strength
> :: really that necessary for riding a bicycle? Or is my trainer
trying
> :: to convince me that I should get in shape and not just ride a
bike.
> :: She is a crazy person (as all trainers in my opinion) and she
takes
> :: pride in helping people strengthen, tone, look and feel better.
Did
> :: she use my goal of riding 25 miles to convince me to use the
weights
> :: or is it essential that I do? What does upper body strength have
to
> :: do with riding a bike? Call me stupid, but I really don't think
it
> :: is that necessary. How much work are my arms doing when I ride a
> :: bike. I want an answer to that. My trainer just tells me, its
> :: important...end of discussion. So do you know? I am working my
buns
> :: off at that gym to ride in a 25 mile charity fun ride.
>
> You need to pull against the handlebars as you climb hills. Upper
body.
> Your neck can get tired when you ride long distances, that's upper
body.
> Your shoulders can get tired, too. Having strong abs helps you
generate
> power.
>
> Bottom line: keep going to the gym and lifting the weights (and doing
the
> rest of it). Wait til you start seeing the results.

My trainer said the same thing last night....."Wait til you start
seeing results....you will be happy." She said she is going to make me
a "hot" woman. She said this in front of my 26 year old daughter who
thinks I am going there so I do not get a heart attack and die. I don't
think my daughter wants to think of her mother as "hot". I know I
never thought of my mother in that way. But Moms in the 50's and early
60's wore aprons and stayed home alot. If I put an apron on, my kids
would fall over in a dead faint. I will try all this muscle toning
madness and see where it leads. Can't hurt I guess. Well maybe it can.
;-) Maybe the upper body strength will help.
Maggie

01-13-2005, 06:11 AM

Roger Zoul wrote:
> Maggie wrote:
> :: With the weather in NJ, it is very difficult to get any riding
time
> :: in as I've written repeatedly. I have been going to the gym at
least
> :: three times a week in preparation for my 25 mile ride in May. Last
> :: week my trainer decided that I should use weights. I was told that
> :: the spin class would help with both cardio and leg muscle
strength,
> :: but I need upper body strength as well to eventually be in shape
to
> :: ride long distance. I started out with riding a bike for fun,
ended
> :: up in a gym taking spin classes and now I am on weight training
> :: equipment working all the muscles in my body. When I arrived home
> :: last night I started to wonder how buying a bike could lead to all
> :: of this. My only goal was to buy a bike and ride for fun. I am
now
> :: spending more time at the gym and working on muscle toning. Some
of
> :: the machines look like torture devices. Is upper body strength
> :: really that necessary for riding a bicycle? Or is my trainer
trying
> :: to convince me that I should get in shape and not just ride a
bike.
> :: She is a crazy person (as all trainers in my opinion) and she
takes
> :: pride in helping people strengthen, tone, look and feel better.
Did
> :: she use my goal of riding 25 miles to convince me to use the
weights
> :: or is it essential that I do? What does upper body strength have
to
> :: do with riding a bike? Call me stupid, but I really don't think
it
> :: is that necessary. How much work are my arms doing when I ride a
> :: bike. I want an answer to that. My trainer just tells me, its
> :: important...end of discussion. So do you know? I am working my
buns
> :: off at that gym to ride in a 25 mile charity fun ride.
>
> You need to pull against the handlebars as you climb hills. Upper
body.
> Your neck can get tired when you ride long distances, that's upper
body.
> Your shoulders can get tired, too. Having strong abs helps you
generate
> power.
>
> Bottom line: keep going to the gym and lifting the weights (and doing
the
> rest of it). Wait til you start seeing the results.

My trainer said the same thing last night....."Wait til you start
seeing results....you will be happy." She said she is going to make me
a "hot" woman. She said this in front of my 26 year old daughter who
thinks I am going there so I do not get a heart attack and die. I don't
think my daughter wants to think of her mother as "hot". I know I
never thought of my mother in that way. But Moms in the 50's and early
60's wore aprons and stayed home alot. If I put an apron on, my kids
would fall over in a dead faint. I will try all this muscle toning
madness and see where it leads. Can't hurt I guess. Well maybe it can.
;-) Maybe the upper body strength will help.
Maggie