Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 55 total)
  • Which sport/activities for upper body strength?
  • Jamie
    Free Member

    I run about 20-30 miles a week and try to get 20ish mile on the bike as well, so my lower half is currently getting a good workout. My upper body routine is currently doing sit-ups and push-ups/pull-ups during the week but its liking pulling teeth, as whereas i enjoy running and biking doing resistance work just feels like that…work!

    So i am looking for activities that will tone up my upper body as an added bonus. So far i have climbing on the pad of things to do, something only slightly marred by my local climbing wall only being a converted squash court (and the manager/instructor not really seeming to care about teaching new people), kayaking/local rowing club and thats about it. I was looking at some martial arts, as always fancied Kickboxing, but mostly they would be doing more leg work i assume.

    So is there anything i have missed?*

    *First person to mention **** has to go and sit on the naughty step.

    grahamt1980
    Full Member

    Wd definately go for climbing, just be careful and go easy to start with, where are you based as your description of the climbing wall sounds familiar to me

    Jamie
    Free Member

    P'Boro Graham….I see your in Cambs also so maybe it is the same place.

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    grahamt1980
    Full Member

    Exactly the same one, i used to go up there but got bored of the driving so built my own wall at home, am near huntingdon so prob a bit far out, however if you fancy a go let me know. Haven't been up to peterborough for a while, however if you go up on a tuesday most of them are good to talk to and you an get started easy enough

    rusty-trowel
    Free Member

    BMX – if you ride enough it will give you big arms and shoulders, and it's still riding a bike.

    Jamie
    Free Member

    so built my own wall at home

    Really? Got pics?

    Probably going to pop up the 'boro wall tomorrow night and do some bouldering up in the BatCave and have a chat with whoever is there. I did have a lesson a month or so again with the manager/instructor, Malcolm. It was like i had pissed on his chips. Was half tempted to not go back…but got no other options apart from when i go down my sisters in Sheffield every couple of months.

    Might have to regress and start climbing trees again.

    grahamt1980
    Full Member

    yep

    user-removed
    Free Member

    +1 rusty trowel. All the BMX lads at my local park are proper built. I had a shot and you can see why – landing takes it out of your upper body in a big way.

    jonb
    Free Member

    kayaking

    Jamie
    Free Member

    @rusty trowel: Sounds interesting. My local BMX place got shut down tho…cannot stand in the way of development apparently. Think my nearest one is Corby of the top of my head. Bit of a drive.

    @Graham: That looks awesome. Must have a bit of spare room at your place!

    grahamt1980
    Full Member

    built it in the barn, you are welcome to have a go if you want.
    Must get back up to peterborough at some point but wonder if some of the routes I put up there months and months ago are still up.
    Would definately try climbing, however for constantly working your upper body something like kayaking will do it better than climbing i suspect

    trailmonkey
    Full Member

    swimming

    emma82
    Free Member

    Pole dancing 🙂 that wud sort u.

    Munqe-chick
    Free Member

    upper body weight training, don't have to do long too often to build up a reasonable base to help you out.

    clubber
    Free Member

    Rowing is good but maybe not an easy option if you just want to do it occassionally. It's very good for core strength too which is a good thing for cyclists who usually have very poor strength in this area which really helps prevent injury.

    bigbloke
    Free Member

    Sheep wrestling……

    Talkemada
    Free Member

    Swimming is good for conditioning the upper body. Combine that with weights, climbing etc, and you're sorted!

    AdamT
    Full Member

    Another vote for swimming. Then you can go all triathlon-y which is a right laugh. The other benefit is that it does teach you to be relaxed in your breathing which benefits your run & bike.

    juiced
    Free Member

    +1 bmx. My upper body is now bigger than when I weight trained! Get a nice heavy cheap one for max. gains! You also get better at sprinting.Not actually as good as weights though if you go regularly but still good.

    oldgit
    Free Member

    Can't you just do weights. Weights and straight forward core strength work has helped me, though I only got into it after an accident highlighted core strength weakness.
    At least it gets straight to the core (excuse the pun) of what you want, and it's very time effective.

    mamadirt
    Free Member

    pulls up a chair

    As I've got older I seem to have permanent upper arm pain/weakness. Never notice it on the bike – I have pretty strong shoulders for a small woman and love downhill although I'm probably a bit of a mincer compared to most, but there are occasions when I go to pick up something like a full kettle and have to use both hands 😳 . I stretch religiously but it doesn't seem to make much difference . . . since last year's skate park faux pas I still can't raise my right hand behind my back. Oh, and I get cirulatory problems too. Maybe it's time to start push-ups again.

    juiced
    Free Member

    i'd see someone about that mamadirt. Maybe some physio?

    grahamt1980
    Full Member

    Mamadirt – would go and see a physio, could be rotator cuff damage as that will limit the amount of force you can apply irrespective of your arm strength, I went last year and found my shoulders were imbalanced (bizarrely caused me to turn my handlebars when jumping) but with some damage to rotator cuff too it mean't my right arm was weaker than the left

    mamadirt
    Free Member

    Cheers both – not something I'd thought of and a quick google sounds spot on.

    hitman
    Free Member

    surfing?

    dobo
    Free Member

    singlespeeding with rigid forks? kayaking, climbing, pressups, chinups

    donsimon
    Free Member

    Another for rowing, good all over workout.

    GW
    Free Member

    build yourself a pump track or some dirt jumps, riding MTB can work your upperbody as much as (poss more than) your legs

    ton
    Full Member

    good old fashion genetics seem to work for me…………. 😉

    Jamie
    Free Member

    ton – Member
    good old fashion genetics seem to work for me………….

    I want to be toned, not have moobs Ton 😉

    ton
    Full Member

    toned is pretty and showy………proper strenghth is hidden just below the fat layer……. 😆

    Jamie
    Free Member

    Grahamt1980:

    you are welcome to have a go if you want.

    You know what, i think i may take you up on that. Might have to sync it up with my next trip to Woburn Sands as i assume it will be on the way if its near Huntingdon.

    badnewz
    Free Member

    Just get out the saddle more and pull the mtb up the uphills, and stick a brick in the camelback, gets the guns working.

    juiced
    Free Member

    if you went the bmx route you wouldn't need to ride parks or tracks to see gains. A good 25 mins thrash 3 times a week with protein would do the trick.

    Jamie
    Free Member

    A good 25 mins thrash 3 times a week with protein would do the trick.

    So just take it round the streets you mean?

    How much is a half decent BMX these days anyways?

    juiced
    Free Member

    yep. I have an urban post work route. Usually includes a few alleyways and housing ( ie quite ) areas and a few fun bits ( grass banks etc). I'm no expert but you could probably pick somthing up cheap on ebay or s/h in classifieds. Wouldn't need to be cromo if your not riding parks. Could still handle bmx tracks ok.

    Something half decent. Don't get me wrong there are much better bikes if your really into them.

    half decent –
    http://www.winstanleysbmx.com/product/7890/Eastern_MetalHead_Bike_2006

    cheap –
    http://www.winstanleysbmx.com/product/10274/Felt_Base_Bike_2007

    ebay for a bargain. I think 1990's freestyle bikes are pretty heavy.

    Typically riding one involves pedalling and pumping it from side to side and then coasting , then repeat. That's how I ride anyways.

    grahamt1980
    Full Member

    No worries jamie. Just send me an email. I think this site allows that. Am out near Ramsey so not too far out

    Jamie
    Free Member

    You will have to send me a mail Graham, click on the member bit next to my username, as you do not have one set in your public profile. Just send a blank message and i will reply.

    DickBarton
    Full Member

    Liking that wall Graham…lucky man!

    deadlydarcy
    Free Member

    Enough said about climbing – that was always going to be my suggestion. It's about the most interesting way of doing it. Helps with bike control too.

Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 55 total)

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