Road cycling and fitness: why do the two go so well together?
There are many reasons to start or stay on the ball with road cycling. In this context, many experts repeatedly emphasise that it is above all the mix of strength and fitness training that ensures that not only the mind but also the body can benefit.
Fitness, health and road cycling go hand in hand for many people. But why is that? Why is road cycling considered healthy if a few factors are taken into account? And what details are important when it comes to optimising the body's own condition and not overtaxing yourself?
TOUR took a closer look at the topic.
What should I look out for during fitness training on a road bike?
Regardless of whether the aim is to improve the body's own fitness or whether the training is focussed on the steepest possible climbs (and therefore also the strength area): It is particularly important that the type of routes and the personal fitness level match.
If you pay attention to the details and, of course, listen to your own body, you can usually prevent both excessive and insufficient demands.
As a first step, it is therefore essential for healthy training to correctly assess your fitness level. And not just at the start of a "training career", but also every now and then.
It is helpful here to proceed in stages and to increase slowly over and over again. In addition, it is of course also important to remain realistic. "Just" because kilometres of flat routes can currently be covered on a road bike does not mean that extensive mountain stages are also possible.
If you are unsure, you can also work with a professional personal trainer. There are now many sports experts who cater to the individual needs of their customers and can also help them prepare for competitions, for example.
Do I need to consult a doctor before training?
Whether in connection with road cycling or with regard to another type of sport: if in doubt, a doctor should always be consulted if it is uncertain whether the activity in question is a suitable sport for the individual.
Although there are many benefits associated with road bike training, such as low stress on the joints, there are also cases in which road cycling should be avoided.
It is therefore important to consult your doctor briefly if necessary. This is particularly important in connection with high blood pressure and when resuming training after an injury-related break.
Why is the right equipment so important for road bike training?
Of course, it is not only important to be able to rely on modern equipment for competitions and special events. It is also essential that athletes feel comfortable during "normal workouts". The following applies: it is only possible to get the most out of your body time and time again if you can rely on reliable, high-quality equipment.
As a rule of thumb, the equipment needed for competitions is not significantly different from workout equipment.
The following articles should not be missing.
- Suitable cycling shorts
It may sound obvious, but unfortunately it is often underestimated by many hobby riders: the basis for a high level of riding comfort is the right Cycling shorts. There are now numerous models and the choice is correspondingly difficult. In most cases, it actually helps to try out the different variants and then decide on your individual favourite.
- Drinks for on the go
A balanced diet and sufficient fluid intake are also essential for road cyclists when it comes to supplying the body with important nutrients. A lot of fluid is usually sweated out, especially on tours in summer. It would definitely take too long if you had to wait until you got home to replenish your fluids. The right solution: smaller portions for on the go.
- A heart rate monitor for a better overview during sport
Regardless of your fitness goal, it makes sense to check your body's reactions, especially your heart rate. Many modern heart rate monitors issue a warning if, for example, a certain limit is exceeded. The measured pulse rate is also interesting in another respect. If you take a little time to familiarise yourself with the relevant values, you can check even better whether you are in the endurance or strength range. In addition, adhering to a maximum value can ultimately also help to improve performance. Or to put it another way: if you don't ride continuously at the limit, you will generally be able to cover longer distances.
- A kit that can be used to carry out minor repairs while travelling
Damage to the bike can also occur during training. However, many of them can be repaired with a little repair kit and a repair kit. If you want to be on the safe side, you should have at least a basic kit with you.
Of course, it is also worth taking a look at your bike before every workout to recognise any signs of wear as early as possible and to be able to repair them before you start.
Indoor training: road bike workout at home
Although cycling is primarily an outdoor activity, regularity and consistency are what count most when training. Poor weather conditions or cold seasons can be bridged by indoor training within your own four walls. This allows you to maintain or even improve your fitness level during traditional break times.
This can either be compensated for by regular visits to fitness centres with spinning classes, or you can think about buying a Roller trainers after. The latter are available in various designs. What they all have in common is that they use your own racing bike, which is also used outdoors on tours, as the main training device and convert it for indoor use.
Improve your health: What positive effects does road cycling have on the body?
Firstly, it goes without saying that road cycling can only have a positive effect on the body if training is adapted to your own fitness level. In addition, every body is different and therefore reacts differently to regular training sessions.
Those who neither overdo nor underdo it here can often benefit from the following advantages - especially if the focus is not only on exercise, but also on a healthy and varied diet:
- Muscle building, not only in the leg area
Road cycling can have a positive effect on different parts of the body. Depending on the riding position, different areas, such as the arms or back, are targeted. The exact intensity of the muscle building in the respective body regions depends, among other things, on which gear is selected and how many uphill sections are ridden.
- An improved condition
Just like jogging, road cycling is one of the sports where it is usually easy to quickly achieve success in terms of fitness. To benefit from this, it is essential to get on the saddle regularly. However, this regularity is often quickly rewarded. The result: fewer breaks are needed and breathing often becomes calmer - even during the strenuous passages.
- A reduced sense of stress
There's no doubt about it: exercise in the fresh air is also good for the soul. Various studies have shown that, among other things, it can be helpful to counter moods with endurance sports. (Regular) physical activity helps to reduce stress and build up happiness hormones.
- The vital signs may change
This effect can often only be achieved after a somewhat longer "training career" of several months or years. However, it has been proven that regular road cycling has a lasting positive effect on the resting heart rate and blood pressure.
- Better mobility
Passionate road cyclists can also ensure that their mobility improves through appropriate training. To support this effect a little more, it is a good idea to take advantage of the benefits of a Fascia training (for example with a roller or a simple tennis ball).
The more supple muscles often also offer the advantage that regular sessions can prevent back and neck pain. Even if it may often seem to outsiders that only the legs are moving when cycling on a road bike, the fact is that the entire body remains in motion.
- Improved blood circulation
It may sound a little theatrical, but riding a road bike gets the blood flowing. It is therefore highly likely that regular cycling improves blood circulation.
How often should healthy training on a road bike take place?
At what point is cycling possibly no longer healthy? Unfortunately, there is no standardised answer to this question. For example, it definitely makes a difference whether the sessions are "only" about getting a little exercise or whether there is a competition at the end of the training preparation. Or to put it another way: professional racing cyclists are naturally able to train much more intensively than recreational cyclists.
As a rule of thumb: If you are an amateur and want to benefit optimally from the successes mentioned above, you should train two to three times a week on a road bike on routes that have been selected to suit your own fitness level.
At the same time, it is of course also essential to listen to your own body, even in connection with a largely fixed training plan. If your body indicates, for example through pain, that the training intensity should be reduced, it is important to listen to these signals and not ignore the pain.
Far more important than pushing your limits every time is to integrate regular sessions (and breaks!) into your daily routine.
However, muscle development, an improvement in endurance and other physical changes can only take place in the best possible way if racing cyclists also give their bodies time to regenerate. Otherwise, performance may even decline again after a few weeks - often in parallel with motivation.
Can you ride a road bike with a cold?
As already mentioned, the "secret" of effective training and the associated increase in performance lies in regularity. However, year-round racing cyclists know that colds are inevitable.
The question "Do I keep training?" is therefore often asked. But be careful! As with other sports, the same applies to road cycling: under no circumstances should you train if you have a cold, runny nose, cough or similar illness. It is a widespread misconception that viruses and bacteria can be "simply sweated out". In the worst case scenario, there is even a risk of myocarditis if signs of illness are simply ignored.
However, the good news is that those affected are usually only set back a little - if at all - when they start a health-related break. Therefore, please recover first and then get back in the saddle!
How can road cyclists train more individually?
Cycling is not just about getting on the saddle, challenging your muscles and enjoying the scenery. If you pay a little attention to the details, you can often achieve your personal training goals even better.
The following "little things" can sometimes have a big impact on the success of your training:
- The seating position
Depending on the riding position, different muscles are used when riding a road bike. Many professionals utilise this fact when preparing for competitions in order to train even more comprehensively and change their riding position.
- The type of load
Road cycling can challenge the body and the entire organism again and again. It is worth alternating between different types of exertion. Depending on the training goal, for example, two endurance and one strength unit (or vice versa) can be integrated into the training plan.
- The posture
The posture is of course influenced by the seating position mentioned above. But even within a single position, the rider often still has a lot of room for manoeuvre. For example, if you only want to challenge your legs and balance during training, you often sit in an upright position on the bike and ride "hands-free" for a while. Of course, such "tricks" are only recommended if you have sufficient riding experience.
- The selected gear
Every road cyclist certainly has their favourites here. Some prefer to ride in a comparatively high gear, others prefer a slightly lower gear. Generally speaking, the higher the gear, the more power is required. Lower gears, on the other hand, can optimise endurance.
What should fitness-orientated road cyclists consider with regard to their diet?
A comparatively large number of calories are burnt when riding a road bike. And this "minus" of energy must be replenished to the body, especially before and after training. But how? If you want to feel good during your fitness sessions, you should follow a few basic rules, but also - as is so often the case - listen to your gut feeling.
Tip no. 1: A balanced diet
This tip is not only helpful for racing cyclists. A balanced diet offers benefits in many respects. It is particularly important to focus on a mix of carbohydrates and protein. Fat is of course also allowed - but in moderation please. Above all, the so-called "good fats" should not be missing from a racing cyclist's diet. They are contained in many types of nuts, among other things, and provide a lot of energy.
Carbohydrates can help the body to perform better. If you are training particularly intensively, you should increase the number of carbohydrates accordingly (especially before training sessions and on days when you are not training) and make sure that you choose long-chain carbohydrates in particular.
Oatmeal is a popular option among professionals when it comes to benefiting from feeling full for as long as possible. Who wants to feel hungry during a tour?
However, there are also situations in which short-chain carbohydrates can be beneficial. Therefore...
Tip no. 2: Don't always avoid short-chain carbohydrates
If you want to provide your body with nutrients during training, you can definitely opt for the short-chain variant from time to time.
The corresponding foods are also often better tolerated after the respective load. This means that energy stores can be replenished quickly without an unpleasant feeling of fullness.
Tip no. 3: Don't consume too few calories
Especially when it comes to not only training fitness and muscles, but also losing weight, many athletes decide to count calories. And although it is clear that an active person should sometimes consume significantly more energy than someone who spends a large part of the day sitting down, many unfortunately still underestimate how many calories are consumed by cycling.
It is well worth taking a closer look here to ensure that the body is supplied with everything it needs.
It should also be mentioned that the goal of losing weight can generally be combined perfectly with road cycling. However, as with cycling, it is important to be patient. Long-term weight loss without the dreaded yo-yo effect usually takes a lot of time. In this context, it would be absolutely wrong to reduce your calorie intake to a minimum. The body is challenged when cycling and therefore needs energy. If you deprive it of this, you risk losing performance.
Tip no. 4: Adapt your diet to your training plan
Many road cyclists treat themselves and their bodies to a mix of intensive and more leisurely sessions. And this should also be reflected in the respective nutrition plan. For example, if you know that you have a particularly intensive session coming up at the weekend, you should take care to prevent a calorie deficit.
The goal of losing weight can then still be pursued in conjunction with the more "leisurely excursions". As a rule, the body can then cope well with a calorie deficit of around 300.
Tip no. 5: Drink enough
Only an organism that is sufficiently hydrated is able to perform at its best. In this context, the market now offers comparatively large bottles that are perfect for accompanying you on a warm summer's day.
Simply and securely attached to the road bike, nothing stands in the way of your next long road bike tour!
And by the way: you should not only top up your fluid levels during training, but also after. Whether you prefer protein shakes or yoghurt shakes afterwards ultimately depends on your personal taste and training goal.
