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Bicycling 17 miles a day as a weightlifter... will I lose gainz?
03-18-2016, 08:40 PM
So here's my situation. I may be starting a two-month job that has a popular bike trail pretty much door-to-door from my apartment to the job site with minimal on-road riding.
I used to be an avid cyclist but I got hit by a truck six years ago... not as bad as it sounds, it barely clipped my rear wheel and I was ok, I was knocked off my bike but landed on my feet with only a small cut on my thumb, but was spooked enough to stop cycling altogether.
All the on-road riding for this is low-traffic cul-de-sac type streets. I think a leisurely ride in to work on low-traffic streets and a nice bike trail close to nature instead of the typical car slog through DC traffic would be good for my soul. This commute is safe and relaxing enough so I am actually thinking of dusting off the two-wheeler again despite swearing up and down never to do so.
The thing is, this time around, I am also a weightlifter training for size and hypertrophy and I do not want to lose muscle mass from all of the extra cardio.
The ride is about 8.4 miles one-way which would make for a 16.8 mile round trip. The last time I bicycled 15+ miles a day regularly was before I started lifting, and I got super-skinny with no muscle as a result of cycling 15+ miles a day and not lifting. This is obviously NOT the type of physique I want now.
I would wait until I am done with RFL and have moved to maintenance before doing this of course, I am not suicidal. My post-RFL move to maintenance is about two weeks into this job, and I would drive in until I have moved to maintenance for at least 5 days. Once in maintenance, I would eat mostly clean food at maintenance calories or possibly a surplus to offset the extra cardio. I would do a three-day push-pull-leg split, mostly compounds with some isolations at 8-10 reps for my lifting routine, and would eat 1g per pound of bodyweight in protein. As for the cycling, I would ride at a fairly moderate pace rather than hammering like a Tour De France rider like I used to in my days as a hardcore cyclist.
I am even contemplating only cycling 2-3 days a week as a sanity break from driving and driving the other 2 days. Maybe drive on gym days? I would have to drive on push day as my push workouts involve weighted pushups and I'm not carrying a weight vest on a bike.
I do not want to lose muscle mass.
Does anyone else do anything like this without losing gainz? Could I even pull this off without losing gainz?
(Of course this is all speculative as I don't have the job yet)
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Bicycling 17 miles a day as a weightlifter... will I lose gainz?
03-18-2016, 10:14 PM
It will have some effect, the question is how much. Factors will be your age, tolerance for exercise volume, intensity of the cycling and your ability to eat enough quality food to keep up with your regimen.
You say it will be a leisurely paced ride and if that's the case, I think it could work, assuming everything else is in line.
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Bicycling 17 miles a day as a weightlifter... will I lose gainz?
03-18-2016, 10:46 PM
Will be 34 by the time I start doing this, used to high exercise volume (though have been doing much lower volume lately because RFL), and will be eating enough quality food to maintain weight, possibly a moderate surplus, and will be eating most of my carbs around rides per advice on Bodybuilding.com on the subject.
Ride intensity will be leisurely to moderate, not planning to hammer.
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Bicycling 17 miles a day as a weightlifter... will I lose gainz?
03-18-2016, 11:21 PM
If you can eat an extra, I dont know, maybe 1500 calories a day this wouldnt be a bad idea. In my opinion, I think anyone who lifts should do cardio for the health benefits. Obviously, 17 miles per day is quite a bit, and I too would be concerned about losing gains. But I think you should be fine if you eat more
“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!”
― Hunter S. Thompson
2019 COLOMBIA MOTORCYCLE TRIP DATASHEET
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Bicycling 17 miles a day as a weightlifter... will I lose gainz?
03-19-2016, 02:34 PM
Plug your calories into a calculator to figure out how much you burn on that kind of a bike ride and then go from there.
"Theoretically" if you're sleeping and eating enough, it shouldn't matter much.
It might even allow you to put on muscle while staying a bit leaner.
Lamar Gant used to bike 30 miles a day to get to work. He also pulled 5 times his bodyweight in the deadlift and he had scoliosis.
“I have a very simple rule when it comes to management: hire the best people from your competitors, pay them more than they were earning, and give them bonuses and incentives based on their performance. That’s how you build a first-class operation.”
― Donald J. Trump
If you want some PDF's on bodyweight exercise with little to no equipment, send me a PM and I'll get back to you as soon as possible.
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Bicycling 17 miles a day as a weightlifter... will I lose gainz?
03-20-2016, 05:56 PM
Your body is not as much of a muscle-eater as mainstream fitness wants you to believe it is (so they can sell you supplements).
I do cardio, stretching and weightlifting almost daily (6 to 7 days a week) & I feel & look fucking great. 31 years old and not on gear.
Foods that you should strive to eat DAILY (as in every single day of the week) for maximum Testosterone levels (this will spare you any muscle loss)
Pineapple, Apples, Red Grapes, Watermelon, Walnuts, Brazil Nuts, Pecans, Almonds and ALL Green Vegetables - go crazy on eating Green Vegetables.
Supplements you should strive to take DAILY (again every single day of the week, be consistent)
Fish Oil and Vitamin D3, I also take Ginseng (optional - great for Libido/Testosterone)
You should 100% do the Bicycling Commute.
This can only benefit you mentally and physically.
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Bicycling 17 miles a day as a weightlifter... will I lose gainz?
03-20-2016, 08:35 PM
Are you trying to get any bigger?
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Bicycling 17 miles a day as a weightlifter... will I lose gainz?
03-21-2016, 09:55 AM
Right now my goal is fat loss, until at least June or whenever I am 10-15% bodyfat, whichever comes first. I am going to start bulking again after that, then once I can't see abs anymore, run RFL again, rinse and repeat.
All the foods Scrapper mentioned are off limits on RFL except green vegetables, but I will be eating them again when off RFL.
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Bicycling 17 miles a day as a weightlifter... will I lose gainz?
03-21-2016, 10:39 AM
If you are already achieving a daily caloric deficit, obviously this will have an impact.
By reading your info so far, I'd say increase your calorie intake on days you ride, maybe start with 150 calories after each trip and see what happens. Add more as necessary.
You said you don't plan on hammering, so a 15mph spin for 8mi shouldn't be too strenuous. If there are a lot of climbs/ headwind, maybe that changes things a bit as well but I'd say go for it, just use a cyclometer to keep track of your stats in case you are seeing any negative impacts.
Safe travels.
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Bicycling 17 miles a day as a weightlifter... will I lose gainz?
03-21-2016, 12:10 PM
100% agreed. I'm in week 3 of RFL and it's working better for me so far than anything I've ever tried for cutting.
I will never get fat or be out of shape again. I will bulk again, but it will be a slow, clean bulk (lean fish and other proteins, vegetables, fruits, nuts, eggs, etc) with a modest calorie surplus. At my age, and especially having been fat before, dirty bulking is no longer an option.
Slow clean bulk for 3 months until I can't see abs anymore, run RFL for a month (or 11 days if I'm category 1 at any point), rinse and repeat, will be my plan for the foreseeable future.
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Bicycling 17 miles a day as a weightlifter... will I lose gainz?
03-21-2016, 12:38 PM
That is probably the approach I will take when I am close to where I want to be in terms of size, muscle mass, and low bodyfat. For now, bulking and cutting is the way to get there.
I will look into Cardarine. Thanks man!
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Bicycling 17 miles a day as a weightlifter... will I lose gainz?
03-21-2016, 12:41 PM
Quote: (03-21-2016 12:10 PM)eatthishomie Wrote:
Slow clean bulk for 3 months until I can't see abs anymore, run RFL for a month (or 11 days if I'm category 1 at any point), rinse and repeat, will be my plan for the foreseeable future.
That is exactly what I've been doing and what I plan on doing for the next couple years until I get to where I want to be, then it will be long term strength/mass maintenance mode and a "balanced" lifestyle.
The possibility of getting fat when I'm older doesn't scare me anymore.
RFL takes very little time to prepare, the workouts are fairly short, and keeping protein high with shakes takes as much preparation as a thermos full of coffee.
It is by far the fastest possible way to get down to 15% bodyfat from any level of fatness. I recommend it to my fat friends all the time but the mere thought scares them.
"You can't even eat carrots? But - but carrots are healthy!"
“I have a very simple rule when it comes to management: hire the best people from your competitors, pay them more than they were earning, and give them bonuses and incentives based on their performance. That’s how you build a first-class operation.”
― Donald J. Trump
If you want some PDF's on bodyweight exercise with little to no equipment, send me a PM and I'll get back to you as soon as possible.
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Bicycling 17 miles a day as a weightlifter... will I lose gainz?
03-21-2016, 12:48 PM
I do miss carrots, I must say. Carrot juice usually figures into my refeeds in some capacity.
A little sacrifice to attain a goal is ok though. I plan to eat carrots everyday when in maintenance or bulking.