Inkachu
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- Jan 31, 2008
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If you want to lose weight, weight bearing exercise is the gold standard and far superior to non-weight bearing activity.
Why? Because when one performs exercise for long periods of time in which they must carry their own body weight, the body adapts to this stress by trying to become as light as possible, so the stress of the exercise is reduced.
Cycling is a fine activity, but you are seated and bear non of your bodies weight. Cycling is also an activity which is a great quad workout for your legs, but you will incur local muscle fatigue before you can tax your cardio respiratory system, to the same level you can with activities such as; running, cross country skiing and other activities that require you to propel your own weight.
Have you ever seen a long distance runner who has run for long periods of time who is overweight?
You say "the body adapts... by trying to become as light as possible", but I'm still quite overweight, so my body obviously isn't trying to become any lighter at this point unless I'm missing something lol.
Cycling DOES require you to bear your own body weight in that you have to make the bike move with the weight of your carcass on it Now that's probably not much of a strain for a 150lb lean cycling athlete. But for someone who weighs say, 250 lbs, and most of that is fat, not muscle, even cycling up a very slight hill is going to be an extremely taxing workout.
I'm not sure what you mean by incurring "local muscle fatigue before you can tax your cardio respiratory system". That makes it sound as if my legs will get too tired to continue before my heart and lungs even begin working hard. That's completely false, at least for me. I feel myself breathing pretty heavily within the first few minutes of riding, and I'm completely wiped out (muscles AND breathing/heart rate) by the time I get home. I'm not complaining, it feels great, but I'm certainly "taxing" my cardio respiratory system.
We all need to bear in mind that effective exercise for a lean, lightweight athlete who's been working out for 20 years is not going to be identical as someone who's overweight, had a sedentary past, and isn't looking to be an athlete, just someone with an overall healthier lifestyle.
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