Bike or Treadmill

[gopens67 0]

Ive been at the gym a lot lately, and I have been using the bike for about an hour a day, and burning about 2000 calories (atleast thats what the machine says) and although I sweat, I dont really get tired. Now I havent used the treadmill at all because I did get ankle surgery and I can't really run right now, but Im assuming that running is alot more tiring than using the bike.... but whats a better choice? Im guessing that the bike really helps develop your leg muscles instead of getting you into good cardio shape...but im not really sure anyone have any advice..

[kosydar 0]

I'm about to go hit up the bike. I prefer it over a treadmill, but I don't know which is better. I also like EFX machines.

[LegoDoom 0]

Burning 2000 calories on the bike? What is that, like 4 hours worth?

[gopens67 0]

lego, i put it on the highest level 1-30, a 30, and i go for about an hour 10 min.

[Chadd 916]

I'll check with one of my guys, he repairs and sells commercial grade fitness equipment. The lack of impact on the bike is a nice plus for avoiding joint pain though.

[Keith 0]

I am partial to elliptical machines. Running on a treadmill, rowing or the bike all create some pretty nasty pain in my knee/hip.

[gopens67 0]

well i know for a fact that using the bike strengthens your knees and gives you a little strain, which is part of the workout, so I dont know if thats the experience you had with a bike....

[wristshot19 0]

I also find that elliptical machines are much better for building upper leg strength. Bikes tend to let you cheat too much. Bikes are great for warming up and cooling down though.

[Cavs019 708]

I find that running for extended periods of time completely clowns my shins. I prefer the bike because its low impact.

[Hockeyman9621 0]

I read somewhere that NHL players stay away from running because it tightens back muscles that aren't supposed to be tightened when playing hockey.

[Eazy_b97 1]

The mojority of hockey players run. Maybe not long distances, but they use sprints and other similar type stuff. I believe Kirk Muller used to be involved in thriathalons so he incorporated everything.

[mack 44]

When I run I can't do it on a treadmill because it's boring as hell. Just go find some trails. I myself try to do it when I know it's girls' P.E. at the local track. I'm responsible for 3 of their fastest times ever recorded by their students.

[biff44 0]

Two points:

1) any exercise where you sit on your butt is not going to be the best for a motion type sport, like hockey. Treadmill, stairmaster, elliptical runner are all better because you use your whole body, exercise all of your joints, and have to balance by using your core muscles as well.

2) If you love a bike and gotsta have it, there are two types. There are the "recumbant" type of bikes, where you basically sit on a big seat and the pedals are way-out in front of you. These are the best for hockey. Then there are the old-style bikes where you sit on a small seat and the pedals are almost directly underneath you. These are worst for hockey, as the pedaling position worsens you hip flexor flexibility (which is usually pretty poor in hockey players to begin with).

[biff44 0]

And as far as boredom goes, all these things are boring. Go rent a video, start pedalling, and don't stop until the video is over. It gets your mind off of it. Kill Bill II is pretty good!

[lee92 2]

screw stationary bikes. i hop on my mountain bike n hit the back roads cuz its all up n down hill, so it really gives u a work out.

and for running, i normally either go for long jogs, maybe 5km or so, or i do 15/45 where you sprint ur heart out for 15 secs then jog lightly for 45 secs then sprint for 15 n so on for about 20 mins. it really burns u out and helps with explosiveness.

i find that if you go outside to run or bike, rather than inside or at a gym, you can go for a lot longer. i can bike for hours outside, but can barely stand 20 mins inside in front of the tv

[Chadd 916]

Try a spinning class or doing a workout on a bike that is geared for pure cardio. It's a little different and a bit harder than you might expect.

[LkptTiger 1]

I run. There are a set of tennis courts a little over 2 miles from my house. During the summer I run there once after I wake up. After I get there, I rest for a minute or two and then do sprints using the lines for the tennis courts (suicide drill-style). Then I run home. Later in the day, usually as the sun is going down, I do that again. Once regular season games start, I only run that once a day (not on game-days) and nix the sprints.

I had a recumbant bicycle for awhile, but I didn't like it. I honestly didn't find it as physically demanding as running. It's painful, but not to the point where there is actually something really wrong. I remember reading something in ESPN the Mag, where they said that athletes who subject themselves to more grueling training excersizes (within reason, obviously) have been proven to have a higher tolerance for pain. In a sport like hockey, I don't think anyone can have too much of that.

[all-star 0]

Two points:

1)  any exercise where you sit on your butt is not going to be the best for a motion type sport, like hockey.  Treadmill, stairmaster, elliptical runner are all better because you use your whole body, exercise all of your joints,  and have to balance by using your core muscles as well.

2)  If you love a bike and gotsta have it, there are two types.  There are the "recumbant" type of bikes, where you basically sit on a big seat and the pedals are way-out in front of you.  These are the best for hockey. Then there are the old-style bikes where you sit on a small seat and the pedals are almost directly underneath you.  These are worst for hockey, as the pedaling position worsens you hip flexor flexibility (which is usually pretty poor in hockey players to begin with).

But when you watch highlights after hockey games and such, like the ottawa senators. there always on those bikes. and if u look at them, there the ones with the pedal right below you.

[gopens67 0]

ye allstar that is very true, and if you think about it the upright bikes would probablly just strengthen your hip flexors. I doubt it would make it less flexible, if anything I would think it to give you more of a range of motion.

[all-star 0]

yeah and when your sitting on a bike like that, your sort of in a skation position if you get the seat high enough, and you can get full leg extensions.

[biff44 0]

RE: Senators

A lot of players will use a bike AFTER a hockey game to flush out the lactic acid. Also, from what I hear, there is a lot of outdated data out there that even the pros are training to. Also, I suppose that if you are a pro player, you have been working on you flexibility for a long time, so trouble with your hip flexor is probably not a problem. My kid, a junior, does have trouble with his hip flexor and hamstrings, and has been working on them all summer (squats, good mornings, etc), but why cycle in a poor posture if you don't have to?

RE: exercycles not as useful as running or free cycling.

Exactly! I remember a study around 5 years ago where they measured weight loss of people cycling outside vs. using an exercycle. Guess what, the outside cyclers lost 20% more weight. Apparently, keeping your balance on the bike exercises a whole bunch of core muscles that loaf when on an exercycle indoors.

[Jim Bob 0]

I love my stationary bike.

I've used a treadmill and it didn't get me in "hockey shape".

Riding a bike did.

[biff44 0]

What we are circumlocuting here, is that long distance running (like on a tradmill) will help your endurance, but is the exact opposite of what you need for hockey. You do not go out on the ice and skate for 30 minutes at a moderate pace, do you? Instead, you go out, coast around for 10 or 15 seconds, then skate like a demon is on your tail for 20 seconds, coast around for a little while longer, then skate back hard for 15 seconds, then get the heck off the ice and sit down for 2 minutes. So if you are into running for training, it has to be all-out sprinting for 15 seconds or so, and jogging or resting for a minute or two.

Its nice to have endurance too, but that is a distant second to having explosive speed.

[lee92 2]

exactly biff! thats why the 15/45 drills so good for ya

[LkptTiger 1]

What we are circumlocuting here, is that long distance running (like on a tradmill) will help your endurance, but is the exact opposite of what you need for hockey.  You do not go out on the ice and skate for 30 minutes at a moderate pace, do you? 

Almost there...Hockey takes so much more out of you than just a couple 45 second sprints would. All the banging and hooking and holding end up taking a pretty large toll. Whether you realize it or not, by the end of the game, each shift is significantly tougher to get through than the one before it. That is where any kind of long-term endurance would come in.

If you do decide to work both sprints and long-distance running into your training schedule, I would highly suggest doing your sprints almost immediatly after you get done with a longish run. This is the best way I have found to simulate a shift late in a game. You'd be amazed just how familiar the feeling actually is.