Jump to content

Is Riding Trials A Workout ?


$IL3NT.

Recommended Posts

i thought trials kinda worked your whole body, not as much as going to the gym and doing weights but trials will deffo give you a work out because your using the body to through the bike around, you wont turn into damon watson with the muscles but your body will be toned from doing trials

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wouldn't call it a proper workout. Personally i find martial arts to be many times better at this than trials for a simple reason - at such a class you're working out until you're completely wet and have no energy left. With trials this is not really possible because you need quite a lot of strength to perform various moves. This in term means that before you're out of energy, you'll stop riding because it'll just become frustrating and impossible. So no, I wouldn't class trials as a workout.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wouldn't call it a proper workout. Personally i find martial arts to be many times better at this than trials for a simple reason - at such a class you're working out until you're completely wet and have no energy left. With trials this is not really possible because you need quite a lot of strength to perform various moves. This in term means that before you're out of energy, you'll stop riding because it'll just become frustrating and impossible. So no, I wouldn't class trials as a workout.

So what you're saying is, martial arts is better because you keep going and pushing for longer? If you go out and ride hard for the same duration, as in riding a continuous line, it'd be just as good. The thing is with trials you often stop, or end up hopping while you "eye up" whatever you're doing.

Trials is a workout, as is any physical activity, how good of a workout is completely up to you, if you were to balance on your back wheel and nothing else, it'd be good for your core, and arms/shoulders. If you do more, it works you more, how long you do it for, how big you go (relative to your ability), how much you ride around between doing stuff, how constantly you are doing different things as opposed to sitting on your back wheel doing nothing, is all going to affect how good of a workout it is.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you go out and ride hard for the same duration, as in riding a continuous line, it'd be just as good.

In the 10 years of riding trials I've never been so tired as during any MA class. And in my opinion the reason is simple - like I pointed out prevoiusly - if you were so tired, you'd be unable to get up anything which is the whole point of trials. The margin of energy you need to have when riding trials is much bigger.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So you're comparing two completely different things then, the explosive power you'd gain from riding trials is more than you would from your martial arts. At the end of a martial arts class you wouldn't be able to do certain things in the same way you can't get up the same size obstacles during an entire day of riding.

MA = A cardio/stamina based workout.

Trials = An explosive strength based workout.

If you continually pushed with trials, and just didn't go for as big as you could, but kept riding even if you had to go smaller, you'd be just as tired. During an MA session you're constantly doing things, you could do exactly the same with trials, you just don't. Like you said, because you're only gonna do it if you can go big big big. You're riding trials for enjoyment, not a workout, if you did it as a workout, you wouldn't stop just because you couldn't get up things, you'd just try to get up smaller things.

Edited by MonsieurMonkey
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can't disagree with that but I got the impression from the topic starter that he's asking about riding trials in general, not a more hardcore approach you pointed out. Riding trials is going to make you stronger - mainly the upper body - but at a slow-ish rate.

Although I wouldn't agree with ma being just cardio/stamina (although it is to a large extent). I've gained a *lot* of strength and explosiveness from that sport which has started to show in my riding. Much more so than from just riding trials. But then that may vary depending on the individual.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I doubt many people would ride the way I was suggesting, and I agree that MA would be a better workout in general. I was just saying that you can get a lot out of trials if you really wanted to. But most people do it just as a hobby and for a laugh, so they rarely push themselves hard. I feel any sport is a good work out for that sport, and if you just want general fitness go to the gym and do spinning.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Trials has helped me with my overall strength and physical apearance massively.

I was well on the portly side when I started, and I was pretty weak too.

3 years on, Im slender, I lost LOADs of weight and am now gaining weight due to my muscles developing and growing, and Im rather pleased with my appearance :D

My forearms developed really quickly, as well as my shoulders, lats, Biceps and Triceps and pectoral muscles.

My abs have taken longer to develop, but are slowly peeping through.

My legs very quickly developed too. My calf muscles are much stronger and bigger, and my thighs did too.

I barely ever do any weights, and do zero Gym time on Cardio.

I do have a high metabolism though, and I ride pretty much whenever I can!

Id definitely say trials is a good overall workout.

Also has increased my stamina loads

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Trials is a power based sport as you are using explosive energy.

Trials also works on your slow-twitch muscle fibers, meaning you are improving on endurance and aerobic capacity within the muscles.

Also I would say trials is a good all round exercise as you are using most main muscles groups, but if you are not working at the gym as well you will not generate high amounts of strength,as strength is gained from high weight and low reps.

As you are riding a bike that is light, you are mainly working on tone and endurability.

:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...