• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Become a Premium Member
  • About

Road Bike Rider Cycling Site

Expert road cycling advice, since 2001

  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Bikes & Gear
  • Training & Health
  • Reviews
  • Cycling Ebooks
    • Ebooks Training
    • Ebooks Skills
    • E-Articles Training
    • E-Articles Nutrition
  • Member Area
  • Newsletter

How Should I Take Active Rest?

Question: You always stress the importance of taking several weeks off the bike each year for rest and recuperation. I enjoy cycling, hiking/backpacking and weightlifting. Is it okay to rotate rest periods among the sports, or should I avoid cycling and hiking at the same time since they’re both lower body? My cycling goal is simply to be a strong recreational rider. — Larry C.

Coach Fred Matheny Replies: Your activities are my favorites, too.

The trick during the rest period from cycling is to avoid stressing the legs too much with pedaling and avoid stressing the rest of the body with anything. It’s fine to hike or even backpack as long as you don’t overdo it. Same for weight training. Cycling’s rest period isn’t the time to be doing heavy squats or leg presses.

In general, you should employ “active” rest during the rest period so you don’t lose fitness but still rejuvenate your body and mind.

You have a pretty simple situation when it comes to scheduling activities because you don’t compete on the bike. It’s relatively easy to be a strong recreational rider even if you hike a couple of times a week and lift, as long as you don’t get carried away with leg work in the weight room.

I think uphill hiking is one of the best crosstraining activities for cycling. After a four-day backpacking trip in the San Juan Mountains near my home in western Colorado, I came back to the bike with added power — after a few days’ rest!

 

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Search

Recent Articles

  • Should I ride narrower tires on my road bike?
  • Smith Optics Shift Split MAG Sunglasses Review
  • Installing a Turbo Road Remote on a Specialized Turbo Creo SL Comp E5 Road Ebike
  • Does Direction Matter on Directional Road Bike Tires?

Recent Newsletters

Newsletter Issue No. 1070

Newsletter Issue No. 1069

Newsletter Issue No. 1068

Newsletter Issue No. 1067

Newsletter Issue No. 1066

Footer

Affiliate Disclosure

Our cycling expert editors and writers choose every product we review. We may earn an affiliate commission if you buy from one of our product links, at no extra cost to you. This income supports our site.

Follow Us

  • Pinterest
  • Facebook

Privacy Policy

Still Haven’t Found What You’re Looking For?

Copyright © 2023 · Magazine Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in