Am I right in thinking or I think have I heard/read somewhere, it isn't a good idea to do vigorous exercise if you have flown long haul recently? if so why? and how long should you leave before resuming exercise?

I've got a 2 week business trip to the far east and I'm doing the Tour of Flanders Sportive 1 week after I return, I will be unable to train on a bike while I'm away but want to do either gym work or running while I'm away, to keep the meagre bit of fitness I'm trying to develop before I go.

Should I worry, or is it an old wives urban myth thing? Any experts on here able to advise me please?

im alive – i arrived in nz wednesday and raced 60k off road on the saturday. Doesnt do your body anygood i hit the wall much earlier than normal but i think that was more to do with riding when i should be sleeping

Experianced the same when i came back here and raced here the same week (both times i came back from nz)

so although it hasnt killed me it wasnt conducive to good performance

I have flown to the US on numerous occoasions and gone straight to the Gym as soon as I got into the Hotel – I find it helps with the jet lag

Totally wrong. I used to do long haul travel every 3/4 months and the exercise does you good by getting your metabolism going and producing endorphins. As said above, performance may be hit for a day or two due to jet lag but otherwise no problem

I travel long haul a lot with my job. Going down to the hotel gym after a long flight is okay, but I made myself sick by getting off the plane in Melbourne and cycling down to Phillip Island. After 90 miles I was completely done in and it took me six days to recover fully – just in time for the flight back.

I won't make that mistake again.

Having said that, I did the Tilff-Bastogne-Tilff sportive four days after getting off the plane from Malaysia in 2008, with no real problems (apart from the normal one of being slower than 90% of the other people doing it).

Yep, gym or a nice long walk is the way ahead.

Thanks guys. At least I'll be able to do something, even if it's only to reassure myself that I did all I could beforehand, while I'm blowing out my whatsit on the ride….

I flew 21 hrs to Oz and then within 7 hours of landing was doing a flat out training session (our coach had promised us an easy one but seemed to forget…) on the river. Didn't feel great for the first session but I can't say that it was a major issue and the second outing was fine.