# Ride twice a day vs once a day??



## rydbyk (Feb 17, 2010)

Pros and Cons fitness-wise with two-a-day workouts are what?

Are there any extra physiological gains when riding twice a day vs once sorta thing? 

Lets just assume that the efforts and distances are the same to keep it simple.

Thx.


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## mikejd (Jul 18, 2012)

I read in The Cyclists Training Bible that more growth hormone is released while you sleep, so if you have the time, it can be beneficial to hit two training sessions in a day. 

Wake up, eat, train, eat, nap (release of growth hormone), train, eat, personal time, sleep for the night (more growth hormone).

So you'd essentially get a double shot of growth hormone for the day.


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## Carverbiker (Mar 6, 2013)

Depends on objectives. Good for most training goals as it allows some recovery between work sessions similar to intervals. The exception is for building endurance as 2 2 hour rides do not provide the same effect as 1 4 hour ride. I think I read this in the Training Bible from Friel.


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## kbiker3111 (Nov 7, 2006)

Pros:
Recovery between efforts means a higher overall effort can be maintained for a given time.
After a hard workout or race, an AM spin can serve to open up the legs for a PM workout.
Can be easier to schedule more time on the bike with a busy day.

Cons:
Doesn't deplete muscle glycogen as a long ride does. (I'd be willing to bet there are more endurance related processes to long rides I'm unaware of.)
Doesn't teach the rider concentration and mental toughness for long efforts.
A lot logistical work to ride twice a day.

There are reasons to do both, but I usually ride once a day if only because I don't have to wash two pairs of shorts.



mikejd said:


> I read in The Cyclists Training Bible that more growth hormone is released while you sleep, so if you have the time, it can be beneficial to hit two training sessions in a day.
> 
> Wake up, eat, train, eat, nap (release of growth hormone), train, eat, personal time, sleep for the night (more growth hormone).
> 
> So you'd essentially get a double shot of growth hormone for the day.


I think _double_ may be overstating it.


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## aclinjury (Sep 12, 2011)

kbiker3111 said:


> Pros:
> Recovery between efforts means a higher overall effort can be maintained for a given time.
> After a hard workout or race, an AM spin can serve to open up the legs for a PM workout.
> Can be easier to schedule more time on the bike with a busy day.
> ...


ugh.. just use 1 pair. It's just sweat! unless you get some yellow stuff on it then wash it


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## aclinjury (Sep 12, 2011)

I think if the exercise (any exercise) that demands more spurts of anaerobic, then twice a day is good. But if your goal is aerobic zone 3 sort of thing, then 1 long 4hr duration is much better. Reason is it takes time for the fat metabolism (beta oxidation) pathway to kick in, so once it is kicked in, you want to just keep going at say zone 3 until your glycogen is depleted. If you do 2 periods of exercise, you will need to spend time in each period to fire up the beta oxidation again

I used to run track short distance, and for me, 2 times a day was much better. 

The biggest issue is going to be time.


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## Wookiebiker (Sep 5, 2005)

Ask me in a month 

I've started bike commuting to my new job which results in 43 miles a day of riding (21.5 miles each way) ... with a 1000 feet of climbing each direction (i.e. one big hill).

So far after the first week ... I feel better doing two rides a day than I did just one and on the group ride today, I had some of my best climbing numbers of the year.

I think one of the big benefits is it brings your metabolism up twice a day, which will help burn more calories through the entire day ... so it should help you lose some weight if anything.


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## rydbyk (Feb 17, 2010)

@ Wookie:

Weird... exact same ride profile for me too. Literally.


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## pittsey (Oct 12, 2012)

aclinjury said:


> ugh.. just use 1 pair. It's just sweat! unless you get some yellow stuff on it then wash it


It's just only bacteria growth!


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## Dray3573 (Jun 22, 2010)

Wild. I just started commuting last week and my commute profile is almost identical as well. The jury is out as far as any performance benefit I may receive as I add commuting to my regimen (too early to tell).


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## looigi (Nov 24, 2010)

pittsey said:


> It's just only bacteria growth!


Don't worry about the bacteria too much. You already have over ten times as many bacterial cells in and on you as you have human cells.

Anyway, is wearing a pair of shorts twice in one day for a total of 4 hours worse than wearing a pair of shorts continuously for 4 hours? At least in the first case they have a chance to dry and air out midway.


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## Wookiebiker (Sep 5, 2005)

Mine got put on hold this week after a crash at the end of a TT this past weekend ... had a junior racer turn in front of me without looking while coasting down after the finish, slammed on the brakes, went over the bars and hurt my back and wrist ... but will hopefully be back on the bike tomorrow.

With that said ... the commute did give great training with intervals incorporated, however, I feel like there needs to be more rest added in during the week somewhere due to not getting full recovery from day to day (i.e. only 12-14 hours between rides). I could tell by my TT performances it was taking a toll ... the last TT I only averaged 153 bpm over 18.3 miles and was putting in a hard perceived effort.

So ... before races in the future, an extra day of rest before the race for me


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## Carverbiker (Mar 6, 2013)

Wookiebiker said:


> Mine got put on hold this week after a crash at the end of a TT this past weekend ... had a junior racer turn in front of me without looking while coasting down after the finish, slammed on the brakes, went over the bars and hurt my back and wrist ... but will hopefully be back on the bike tomorrow.
> 
> With that said ... the commute did give great training with intervals incorporated, however, I feel like there needs to be more rest added in during the week somewhere due to not getting full recovery from day to day (i.e. only 12-14 hours between rides). I could tell by my TT performances it was taking a toll ... the last TT I only averaged 153 bpm over 18.3 miles and was putting in a hard perceived effort.
> 
> So ... before races in the future, an extra day of rest before the race for me


Really sucks about the crash, sounds like it was not too bad though. I was curious if your total volume or time in higher intensities changed as well?


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## nOOky (Mar 20, 2009)

I do two-a-days in a roundabout sort of way. I usually run a few times a week at lunch up to an hour duration, and on those days after work my bike rides are shorter, i.e. less than 3 hours. Two shorter intense or interval workouts in one day. I would not recommend doing two workouts every single day, but mixing some in may be beneficial I think.

I used to commute 20 miles each way, but I feel it hampered my fitness as I didn't take days off, and they were just miles. I was better off just focusing on training on a ride dedicated to training rather than pedaling to work. Might have helped more in the late winter and early spring though.

20 miles home was a long way sometimes also, and it ruined any other ambitions I had about working out when I got home after work.


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