Recommended exercises for preparing to bicycle commute

Asked by: Veronica Canady

Here are five suggested workouts you can do on your daily bicycle commute.

• Sprint training. …
• Fartlek intervals. …
• Cadence intervals. …
• Get up early and go for a longer ride. …
• The Food Chain Number game.

How do I train to commute on my bike?

Quote from video: So if your route to work is really busy maybe try to take a detour or an extra loop to find the quieter section of road and avoid road rage I'm using this rather busy part of my route through traffic.

What exercise should I do before biking?

Quote from video: Before you get on the bike perform the plank exercise which really helped to engage the deep core muscles.

How do you physically prepare for a long bike ride?

Before a long bike ride, make sure you eat a hearty breakfast, ideally with lots of carbohydrates and a bit of protein. This will ensure you have energy before and throughout your ride. During your ride, eating simple carbohydrates such as bananas or sweets will keep your energy stores up.

How do I get in shape for a bike trip?

Indoor cycling classes, riding a stationary bike, or cross-training such as jogging, swimming or rowing can help during the week when you’re short on time, but you will need to build up to completing two longer rides on the weekend.

Is commuting a workout?

There are many ways to use and stretch muscles. You can get a full body workout by doing these “commuting” exercises sitting on a bus, train, ferry, or plane.

What warm-up should I do before cycling?

Include a few minutes of race-pace riding, a few minutes at threshold, and a few 8-second spin-ups. To do a spin-up, choose a gear, then wind up your cadence until you’re pedaling as fast as you can without bouncing in the saddle. No matter what, make sure your warmup is done between 5 and 15 minutes before your race.

Should you warmup before cycling?

Pre-ride/ pre-race:



General warm up (5-10 minutes). The aim of a general warm-up is to get the blood flowing to all parts of the body used during cycling, especially the cardiovascular system. A cycling warm-up will usually involve an on-road light ride or a steady spin on a stationary trainer.

Is it necessary to warm-up before cycling?

“Incorporating a dedicated warmup will result in a much more enjoyable start to your ride,” says Kristen Gohr, a certified indoor cycling instructor. “An appropriate warmup increases blood flow, which raises your body temperature and facilitates increases in the range of motion in your joints.

How can I cycle long distances without getting tired?

Quote from video: One thing I will say is. Make sure you pace your effort. Don't come up with this elaborate plans big elaborate Roo go out too hard too early because you'll only end up struggling to make it home.

What is considered a long ride in cycling?

If you talk to a non-cyclist, 20 miles sounds like a long ride, but for an enthusiastic club member 100 miles might be a long ride. There are cyclists who regularly cycle much greater distances than this (Tour de France stages are often 140 miles or more).

What should I eat before a long bike ride?

Porridge is the perfect pre-ride breakfast but, for longer rides, an additional 2-3 egg omelette will give you some more slow release energy. Many cyclists can’t function without coffee, but ensure you keep hydrated and sip at 500 ml of water or isotonic sports drink in the time leading up to your ride.

Is bike commuting enough exercise?

Yes – though formally a type of aerobic exercise, cycling is one of the best and most highly-recommend cardio workouts. The ‘aerobic’ aspect to cycling strengthens your heart, helping it pump more oxygen to the rest of your body, while the ‘cardio’ side of it means your heart will pump more efficiently.

How do you exercise while commuting?

Take a lunch break outside instead of sitting in the car/truck/bus or office chair. You can do some outdoor exercises such as: push ups from a bench, car or ground, body weight squats, jogging on the spot, lunges and walking. 4. Use active transport where possible during your commute.

Is cycling everyday enough exercise?

What many do not know is that a daily cycle ride of only 20 minutes is sufficient to achieve this target! Regular cycling helps in burning around 1,000 calories a week, and even cycling at a mild pace of 12 mph will help you burn 563 calories per hour, says research.

Should I workout before or after cycling?

In general, we recommend prioritizing your cycling training by doing it first. Then, with as much time in between as possible, completing your strength training. However, there’s an exception to this. If you’re new to strength training, we recommend lifting first and then training on the bike.

Can I cycle after workout?

The short answer is yes. Cycling after a leg workout can greatly reduce DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) and help speed up recovery. However, the time you spend cycling will greatly affect your ability to recover after lifting weights.

Should I run before or after cycling?

The short answer that everyone is looking for can be condensed. If you want to build muscle, run first. If you want to build your endurance and aerobic capacity, run last. Essentially, your body’s adaptive response is greater for the type of exercise that you finish your workout doing.

Can I bike after leg workout?

Biking after leg day is recommended. Studies have proven that doing light cardio after leg day is great for fast recovery, and it helps your muscles build mass and power. Cardio can also help with delayed onset muscle soreness. A 20-minute low-intensity workout on a stationary bike is recommended.

Does lifting weights help with cycling?

But weight training can greatly improve your on-bike performance. Pumping iron isn’t good for just riding and racing either. Lifting weights helps retain muscle volume as you age so that you can ride fast and strong over the years. Added strength also protects against injury.

How often should cyclists train legs?

For you, I would suggest limiting your leg training to once a week during periods of high-frequency cycling. Focus on maintaining the weights you are lifting instead of increasing them. Aim for two to three sets of 12 reps of a minimum of three different leg exercises.