The weight lifting thread
 

While controversial, perhaps, it's pretty clear it does something more for me than just to help maintain my incredibly youthful figure. I'm interested in youse guys with coaches and what protocols they recommend. In past years I typically followed a Friel-esque program that was

AA-easy sets of 15-20
MS- max weight sets of 6
PE- explosive movements sets of 10-12
ME-high rep in control sets of 60

I've never been a PE fan. I just don't like the movement and fear injury.

This past season I did something different. I went all high reps adding 20 each month. So basically it was

AA-September
ME1- 20 reps
ME2- 40 reps
ME3- 60 reps
ME4- 80 reps
ME5- 100 reps

yep went all the way to 100 reps. This race season though I've moved back to 20 reps and use it as cross training once or twice a week.

So now I'm wondering about what to do this off season. It's almost here, you know? Possibly stay in the 20-40 range and pile some more weight on? So again, what do different coaches suggest? What are the track and sprinter guys doing? How about TT guys?

And, ummm, try and save the pissing contest do it all on the bike stuff for the training thread, ok? I made some pretty significant gains this past winter focusing on 3x20s and high end weight work, and I'd like to up my game again this winter.

I didn't have a coach for it, but I based my weight program a decade (or more) ago on a study I read.

I started off with 30 reps/3 sets in Sept/Oct and worked down to 5 reps/3 sets by February. No lifting during the season.

Now you've gone and done it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSNvEpH2L1o

lightweight.

Wrong forum.

Enjoy.

fixed the link for you.

Good thread. I am interested because I want to start incorporating some more weights into my training.

+1

I think that's the idea.

Track guys lift way different than roadies. I believe I read about a girl on the Australian national track team that can one leg squat at least 2x her body weight. That's crazy. But they also don't have 85 mile races to survive.
I don't think I helped any with this post, sorry.

you forgot the part about stunting your growth, and shrinking your testes. :innocent:

I am not sold on the utility of gym work for roadies personally unless you're lifting year round.

In '10 (my 3rd year racing) I intend to incorporate Weights + Base in the off season. Definitely interested in Weight programs instead of just winging it...

G, I don't really understand your plan listed above. You don't incorporate any MS or PE work?

Does anyone incorporate upper body work into their routines?

This year season I did all ME work. It was all lower body and core (kettle bell swings and ab work).

Did you notice a significant difference between periodizing and strictly ME? Last winter was my first foray into true off-season training and only ever did sets of 30 (but also out of god-given fear of reinjuring my knees)

I would contend that by increasing the reps, and thus intensity, each month I was periodizing.
To answer your question though it's hard to say. I'm simply stronger this year, than the year before. Is that because I did all ME work? I doubt it.

Gary,

I think that you may have hit on a really successful lifting plan/schedule/periodization for YOU

that said, I'd not change much as it seemed like you found a pretty nice sweetspot for getting the strength training to work for your bike racing.

Obviously you are a kick-ass racer and have found something good here... again for YOU and I cant really see changing up the plan all that much.

What exercises were you focusing on (I know you mentioned KB swings)?

thanks,
Leo

So we have to lift weights too? I stopped doing that - to an extent.

I do a lot of bodyweight / core / plyo stuff, but very little iron pumping. Beyond general fitness/ego, I think the core stuff is definitely beneficial for cycling, but the plyo is my little secret - I can really tell the difference in my ability to jump/sprint when I have or haven't been doing it.

Squats
Reverse Lunges (later replaced by step ups)
Leg Extensions
Leg Curls
Power Cleans
Kettlebell swings
Crunches
Ab Roller
And a swinging ab twist done holding plates and kind of windmilling your arms and torso

more recently I started doing some pull ups and dips

my whole routine takes about an hour, sometimes up to 90 minutes once I get to the real high reps. A minute rest between sets. And the whole shebang is sandwiched between one hour roller sessions.

I used to lift weights, but I don't anymore. I still have way too much useless (in terms of cycling) upper body mass.

I can lift all I want and I won't gain weight. I used to lift three times a week, while I was racing. Now that I am old I can't do that, but being old I need to do some weight bearing exercise to encourage bone growth and need to work on maintaining what strength I have. So I lift once a week, twice a week in winter and spring.

I do the usual leg work, plus calf raises. Core work on machines and using body weight. I do upper body work too. A full workout takes about an hour and a half but I can do most of it in an hour if time is limited.

For me, if I go a few months without lifting I start feeling weak and I will start getting injured doing yard work.

I've been lifting for 15 years for strength, but never with the intent of improving cycling, running, or any other speed/endurance sport. My question for you is why 100 reps? What's the point? I doubt you really have enough resistance at 100 reps to make it worthwhile anyway. Why not do 4-5 sets of 15-20 reps and then every 4th week drop the weight down 20% and go to failure on each set?

High reps is a pretty standard protocol to develop muscle endurance.

+100. Cycling is not weight training. If you can do 100 reps the first 80 are just getting you winded but the resistance isn't high enough to cause muscular adaptation. I think you'd be much better served doing sets of 15-20 reps with a very short rest period....no more than 30 seconds.