[pinkdirt]

Question, with all this talk about weight bearing exercise being just as important as cardio, and hearing that cycling is not classified as a weight bearing exercise technically,....I wonder about single speeding?
Since you stand so much, can it be classed as weight bearing than?
I get that road riding isn't because it seems you do mostly pedaling, but I wonder about SS.
Isn't it sort of like running so the muscles get that same kinda thing?

 

[deanna]

Isn't it sort of like running so the muscles get that same kinda thing?

Weight bearing exercise is good for building bone density as well as muscle strength. Different types of cardio can build muscle strength, but not bone density unless it's "weight bearing".

Running involves impact, riding doesn't... even SS, unless you're falling a lot, so it's not considered a "weight bearing" exercise. Walking is weight bearing as well. At least that's how it was explained to me.

Wish I still had the running article, but I don't. Here's what I remember--people who run and do no upper body exercises tend to have very dense bones in their legs at the expense of their upper body bones that become more frail since the leg bones are leaching the calcium out of the upper. Need to work both for balance.

I do a lot of free weight exercises for both upper and lower since I'm in a high risk group for osteoporosis along with cardio (I also take calcium supplements). Last bone density scan has my bones being strong/dense for my age. Seems the exercise and supplements are doing what they should. :thumbsup:

 

[chuky]

I have heard 2 interesting things lately about types of exercise for the increase/maintenance of bone density:

1. there has been some re-evaluation of mtb-ing and its value as far as bone density goes. An excercise physiologist friend cited a new study that shows that mtbing is far more effective than previously thought and far more effecive than road riding. The theory is that those times when you are out of the saddle, standing on the pedals and using your joints as shock absorbtion, that this is a form of "impact" exercise. Is anyone here familiar with this study? It would be interesting to know the details, and I would be curious - is a hardtail better for this than, say, an FS bike? Seems like it would be.

2. Everything I have read about exercise to promote bone density is very specific - it isn't just load-bearing exercise that promotes bone health, it has to be load bearing exercise that involves "impact". Load bearing exercises with gradual increases in resistance do not have the same bone-strengthening effects - this may rule out singlespeeding as being any more effective than other types of mtb-ing.

Cheers,
Chuky

 

[Impy]

2. Everything I have read about exercise to promote bone density is very specific - it isn't just load-bearing exercise that promotes bone health, it has to be load bearing exercise that involves "impact". Load bearing exercises with gradual increases in resistance do not have the same bone-strengthening effects - this may rule out singlespeeding as being any more effective than other types of mtb-ing.

This is true, the best bone densities in athletes are from gymnasts (think tumbling and landing and such). On the other hand, doing "weights" is a weight bearing exercise and it sure does seem like there are some serious loads on upper body, lower body, and back with single speeding (especially over rocky terrain) that just isn't there with road riding.

Maybe rigid single speeding is the way to best bone density in cyclists, although no studies done are available yet.

 

[pinkdirt]

Thanks for the responses ladies..some helpful and very interesting information you've all provided.
I hope they can do a study and find that ss is just as good. That would be the best.