| cortcase
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I was curious if any of the fitness veterans could tell me if any of these activities is more beneficial than the others. I know they work different muscle groups, but overall, is jogging better than biking? Is biking better than elliptical? etc.
Also, I've always heard that you should strive to do, at the very least, 15 minute miles when walking/jogging. Is there any kind of guideline like that (time per mile) for the bike?
I'm half asleep, so hope this makes sense. ;) Thanks! |
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Tue Jun 12, 2007 11:51 am |
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| luvs_torun
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It would depend to what extent you performed each activity...
There's "jogging" and there's "running" .... there's "riding your bike" and there's "cycling"........
IMO the elliptical would fit right in with "jogging" and "riding your bike",
but falls short when compared to "running" or "cycling".
As far as one being better than the other..... that would be the one you enjoy doing the most! |
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Tue Jun 12, 2007 12:48 pm |
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| maltby_gardner
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cortcase wrote: Also, I've always heard that you should strive to do, at the very least, 15 minute miles when walking/jogging. Is there any kind of guideline like that (time per mile) for the bike?
Hey, I'm really sensitive about this, but let me just say, this is a bogus guideline. How could there possibly one guideline for people with 26" inseams and 36" inseams? If you have very short legs, it may or may not be possible, especially when starting out, to walk at a 4 mph pace.
You should always strive to perform any exercise at a pace that brings your heart rate into your target zone. Here's a calculator to determne your target heart rate:
http://www.stevenscreek.com/goodies/hr.shtml |
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Tue Jun 12, 2007 12:55 pm |
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| peggy_63015
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| Firstly let me say that I am not an exercise veteran but I do have an elliptical. I chose it based on my own health problems. My knees are shot so jogging is a big no - no for me and sometimes walking is painful. The elliptical is so low impact that it doesnt cause me any pain in my knees. Mine works the legs and the arms at the same time. It has a heart monitor and I can adjust how hard I want the work out to be. It is the best investment that I could have made for me. Also due to where I am living some things are just not socially acceptable for women such as going to the gym or riding bikes (personally I think its wrong but when in Rome......) so having the equipment in my home is so much better and I dont have to worry about the weather or finding time to do it. |
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Fri Jun 15, 2007 11:11 pm |
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| cyclechic
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I feel a person can get a very good workout on an elliptical especially if you use some of the programs and vary the resistance.
I do believe the elliptical transfers more to cycling muscles than to running because it is non-impact.
Like anything else it depends on the intensity you want to do it at. Some people do it at 45 rpms at a high level of resistance, some people do it a 80 or more rpms at a low level of resistance. and some people do it slow at little resistance (that'd be me when i first tried it - 15 min was a killer!)
No matter what you are doing aerobically it is all about getting your HR to a certain level.
I have a friend who does the elliptical EVERY morning for an hour at a level 15 or 16 at 60 rpms. He rides his bike the exact same way. Higher gear/lower cadence
I did the elliptical at a 6-8 resistance at 80 rpms - guess what :D I ride my bike exactly that way - lower gear/higher cadence.
Personally I don't do the elliptical because I find it boring, not because I felt I wasn't getting enough of a workout. |
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Sat Jun 16, 2007 3:35 am |
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| cyclechic
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cortcase wrote: I was curious if any of the fitness veterans could tell me if any of these activities is more beneficial than the others. I know they work different muscle groups, but overall, is jogging better than biking? Is biking better than elliptical? etc.
Also, I've always heard that you should strive to do, at the very least, 15 minute miles when walking/jogging. Is there any kind of guideline like that (time per mile) for the bike?
I'm half asleep, so hope this makes sense. ;) Thanks!
I am half asleep too and don't think I answered the quesion
re jogging vs biking vs elliptical
Personally I don't think any one is better than the other. Finding one you like and will keep doing is what is important. I prefer variety so I swim, run, and bike
Also it is all about getting your HR up to a level and keeping it there for a length of time - what ever speed it takes you to do that is the right speed.
eventually you will go longer, faster and your HR won't be crazy
RE pace for biking. when I first started cycling my speed was 12 mph, then I got a new bike and my speed went up to 13 mph but I could go 70+ miles
Now my speed has increased to 14 mph - 17mph (depending on the wind and hills :) AND I can do the distance
My legs are a lot stronger now and my aerobic capacity has improved
Most of all I have discovered whatever you choose do it takes TIME to build up strength and endurance. |
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Sat Jun 16, 2007 3:47 am |
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