Howdy,
I've been puzzling over this for a while, and I figure a bunch of full heads are going to be better than my (empty) one, so here goes.
I ride every day, rain or shine. Medium intesity usually, with one day a week where I really work myself (steeper hill work, higher gearing, more effort required by me to maintain the same pacing). I've been doing this for right at a month since I got rid of my old fix speed. I typically avoid the roads (as the car drivers have no clue what "slow down" means on this crooked backroad I live on), preferring to hit dirt trails that are pretty rugged.
I can feel the difference in my butt and legs, especially in the front of my thighs. Seems quite a bit more toned. Also my running/jogging regimen is a lot easier (whoodathunkit?)
However, I realize that I'm more than just legs and an increasingly nicer butt (side note; the ladies DO notice, surprised the hell out of me to get certain comments!). I have had evenings after a hard trail day where I could feel a little soreness in the bicep and tricep areas radiating on up towards the deltoid area, but I couldn't really figure out if that was from a slightly lacking technique later in the day as I tired, or if I was really accomplishing something. One on trail I run, I have to do a sequence of manual wheelies to avoid stubbing the front tire and having quite an exciting crash.
Will riding as the only exercise regimin alone help the muscle definition in my upper body? I'm not looking to have a six-pack (as I prefer to have those in my stomach, not in my abs) nor do I wish to have huge arms. All I'd like to see is some slightly better definition in my arms and upper chest. Do I need to supplement my riding with weight training, replacing maybe one day a week to hit the gym?
Any help you all could provide would be very appreciated. 😄
NRM.