# Lift or ride?



## Lone Rager (Dec 13, 2013)

"Researchers have discovered evidence that endurance exercise, such as running, swimming, cross-country skiing and cycling, will help you age better than resistance exercise, which involves strength training with weights."

https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/advance-article/doi/10.1093/eurheartj/ehy707/5193505

...of course resistance training is beneficial in other ways.


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

The topic about telomeres (and it's role related to aging ) came up in this thread https://forums.mtbr.com/fifty-years-old/does-anybody-know-1085155.html

Interesting research developing.

As for strength and or endurance building... I do both


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

Do it all and never stop, don’t take breaks for holidays, winter, mood, or illness. 

Decline is the result of not doing, so just keep on, keeping on.

Research rarely motivates people to change behaviors.


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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

Nurse Ben said:


> Do it all and never stop, don't take breaks for holidays, winter, mood, or illness.
> 
> Decline is the result of not doing, so just keep on, keeping on.
> 
> Research rarely motivates people to change behaviors.


Agree 100%, other than the illness piece.

Strength training absolutely is crucial to our aging physiques.


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## fredcook (Apr 2, 2009)

Nurse Ben said:


> Do it all and never stop, don't take breaks for holidays, winter, mood, or illness.
> 
> Decline is the result of not doing, so just keep on, keeping on.
> 
> Research rarely motivates people to change behaviors.


:thumbsup:


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

^ couldn't agree with you more Nurse Ben! And it's never too late to learn or try a new activity.


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## JokerSC (Nov 5, 2011)

Both. Prefer to ride, but do CrossFit more as it fits the daily schedule better.


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## telemike (Jun 20, 2011)

Ride. I've never been good at pure exercise, gyms, lifting, bike to nowhere, etc. But, we live on a small farm so we do get our upper body work in.

My savior is that I'd rather be doing my sports than about anything else. Backcountry ski, paddle 12 months a year, hike, and walk the dogs every morning. Not to mention more than a little biking almost all on dirt, rock, roots, or some combination of the above. I sure agree with everyone else: if you want to be healthy and enjoy life, doing this exercise stuff has got to be part of it. Stop moving and, well, you stop moving.


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## ddoh (Jan 11, 2017)

Here's a guy who does both. I hear he's a pretty decent MTBer: https://enduro-mtb.com/en/hitting-the-gym-with-nino-schurter/


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## Lone Rager (Dec 13, 2013)

^^^ Nino has a few years to go before qualifying for this forum.


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## bdundee (Feb 4, 2008)

Both but I prefer to lift.


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## joeduda (Jan 4, 2013)

I figured this post would be about riding the lift to the top or riding the bike to the top.......


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## bdundee (Feb 4, 2008)

joeduda said:


> I figured this post would be about riding the lift to the top or riding the bike to the top.......


Both but way prefer the lift


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## WHALENARD (Feb 21, 2010)

To my knowledge we don't have any long term gold standard studies on the affect of resistance training. I think trying to seperate the 2 is a bit shortsighted as we're designed to do both. We know for sure the oxidative stress big aerobic efforts put on the body and no coincidence there's a relationship with heart disease there. Do both, relatively moderately but consistently (the key) and get as much good stuff into your body you can while avoiding the bad stuff....that's my very vague and generalized advice.


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

Ya just gotta keep on keeping on, even when you don't feel like it. Exercise improves everything and prolongs life, both quantity and quality.. they even say it'll prevent "oldtimers" 

I see a fair number of older folks who are struggling with low mood, and I swear, if they woud just do something they'd feel better, but they almost always say: "I just don't feel like it". Since when did it matter what you feel like? It's life, you gotta live it or it'll suck!

I rode this morning and yesterday, in the snow, and I didn't want to, but once I was out there it didn't suck!

... and it know it sounds crazy, but I really do exercise when I'm sick, my theory is if I'm too sick to work, I might as well do something productive 

Once I came home from work with the flu, so I got my chainsaw and went to the trails and cleared trees. It was miserable, but at least I was miserable outside and I got something done.


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## milliesand (Jun 29, 2015)

Just another anecdotal comment that the human body has the remarkable ability to repair the effects of sitting on the couch for decades. 

lifestyle change. it all starts there.


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## Cerberus75 (Oct 20, 2015)

Lifting keeps muscles from wasting, you're only going to keep the muscles you work on the bike if all you do is ride. Lifting keeps or increases bone density. Lifting also slowed Parkinson's disease if you have it. Endurance exercises slows aging. And keeps cardiovascular system going. So both are need if longevity and quality of life are wanted.


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## WHALENARD (Feb 21, 2010)

Cerberus75 said:


> Lifting keeps or increases bone density.


Yep, and that's a big one. Bone health correlates with cardiovascular health. Your bones act as a mineral bank to keep the correct ratio of minerals in your blood so that your heart will fire correctly. Lifting also builds more neuron connections in your brain. It also builds the size of the connection point of ligaments & increases blood flow to the surrounding connective tissue...aka good for your joints.

Anecdotally I'd say health is attractive. I find sprinters much more attractive than marathoners.


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