When you are in the midst of a regular cardio workout like jogging or cycling, it can feel somewhat constrictive for the simple reason that there doesn’t seem like many ways to switch things up. You pedal down the path until you reach a certain plateau, and then you call it a day.
Don’t let boredom get in the way of improving fitness. There are plenty of ways to interject a little excitement into a cycling workout, and in doing, you can even help yourself overcome some of the injury risks that you might otherwise be exposed to. The next time you head out on the back of your bike, consider some of the tips available from an Olympic gold medalist in a new report out of the United Kingdom.
Perhaps the most important thing to realize is that it doesn’t have to always be about distance with a bike. Similar to how a runner can improve their fitness by conducting a few sprints instead of focusing solely on mileage, so too can a cyclist essentially “sprint” while they’re riding.
The article linked to above notes that 30 seconds of pedaling as hard as possible, repeated ten times with breaks interspersed between each leg, will be quite a workout. If all you’ve done up to that point is distance work, such an exercise will have you feeling like you’ve worked harder than you have in quite some time. What’s more, doing this once per week as opposed to sheer distance every time will keep your body on its toes and allow you get more out of the workout.
With any workout, it’s important to push yourself within reason. The 10% rule is often cited as a way of keeping things in check while still improving upon your abilities. When you’re doing distance work, have a plan for how you’re going to tack on 10%. And if there’s a day when you’re feeling pretty good and want to go farther, have a route in mind. One day per week of a longer distance that you’ve yet to tackle can improve your exercise, making what you do on the previous days seem like a breeze.
Of course, every form of cardio should be supplemented with strength training in order to get the most out of distance work. While your legs should receive some attention, it’s actually just as important to improve your core. In doing, you’ll be able to stay upright when you might be tempted to sag, and this can improve breathing and overall abilities dramatically.
For more key insights, follow the link above.
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