It is so your legs can look sexy like mine...



For me extensions are a great way to get blood flowing and warmup the muscle. Could also be argued that it helps create a smoother pedal stroke as you would have a more balanced muscle group.

Having done one of his leg workouts he sent me, I can only say

http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/.../Atrapitis.gif

oof.

You don't extend your leg when you pedal? (smartass answer)

The leg extension is just taking a piece of the squat, or deadlift, and focusing in on it. like doing a tricep extension, instead of a bench press. Many ways to skin a cat.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18076271

[h=1]Relationship between cycling mechanics and core stability.[/h]Abt JP, Smoliga JM, Brick MJ, Jolly JT, Lephart SM, Fu FH.
[h=3]Source[/h]Neuromuscular Research Laboratory, Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15203, USA. jpast16@pitt.edu

[h=3]Abstract[/h]Core stability has received considerable attention with regards to functional training in sports. Core stability provides the foundation from which power is generated in cycling. No research has described the relationship between core stability and cycling mechanics of the lower extremity. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between cycling mechanics and core stability. Hip, knee, and ankle joint kinematic and pedal force data were collected on 15 competitive cyclists while cycling untethered on a high-speed treadmill. The exhaustive cycling protocol consisted of cycling at 25.8 km x h(-1) while the grade was increased 1% every 3 minutes. A core fatigue workout was performed before the second treadmill test. Total frontal plane knee motion (test 1: 15.1 +/- 6.0 degrees ; test 2: 23.3 +/- 12.5 degrees), sagittal plane knee motion (test 1: 69.9 +/- 4.9 degrees ; test 2: 79.3 +/- 10.1 degrees), and sagittal plane ankle motion (test 1: 29.0 +/- 8.5 degrees ; test 2: 43.0 +/- 22.9 degrees) increased after the core fatigue protocol. No significant differences were demonstrated for pedaling forces. Core fatigue resulted in altered cycling mechanics that might increase the risk of injury because the knee joint is potentially exposed to greater stress. Improved core stability and endurance could promote greater alignment of the lower extremity when riding for extended durations as the core is more resistant to fatigue.

Full text: http://www.alexandrelevangelista.com...os-do-core.pdf

Ever since I've started doing more back/upper body work about a month and a half back, I've felt much more solid on the bike. The legs/core/back routines helped a lot, but for some reason the more focused back/upper body stuff has really helped too. I feel extremely solid out of the saddle, and my body no longer fatigues at all when doing long rides, or doing hard races. May have something to do with the fact I'm a stick at 6'0" 135lb, so take this FWIW.

Damn son...
I agree with your results.

i think lifting is stupid (mainly just becuase i suck at it)

Could one argue that weight lifting (upper and/or lower body) increases mass and can therefore make you slower up hills? Of course after a solid amount of time in the gym where you start making gains. Or is it just too miniscule to make a large enough impact on performance?

1. If you're a grand tour GC rider
2. If you're constantly doing big weight / low rep work
3. If you're eating specifically to put on weight/mass

For everyone else, it's probably a gain. For me, a little bit of upper body mass makes it much easier for me to get going out of the saddle. When trying to do the stick figure thing I would fatigue my arms out of the saddle before my legs.

Sorry if I'm stealing thread for a bit here, don't mean to just one quick question.. I am having a giant brainfart right now, but for something like rkwaki's power workout, you would complete 3 sets of leg extensions, then move to hamstrings, do 3 sets of that, then do 5 sets of leg press etc. etc. until your done? Or do 1 set of each and repeat 3-5 times? The last time I did an actual planned workout was a year+ ago! I know, newb question :thumb:

Sounds about right, so I guess somewhere inbetween works out fine, thanks.

I'm a previously lanky 68-year-old, primarily an endurance athlete, but periodically in my 20s, 30s and even 40s I decided I wanted to get Big and lifted weights hard and often. I got strong, in some cases almost doubling my max weight on some exercises--but I never put on much visible muscle. I'm 6'4" and weigh about 215-220 when I'm in fair shape. If I ride hard I may lose 5 pounds. If I lift hard my weight doesn't change much, but my body fat percentage goes down a little. That may differ from one person to another, but I don't think I could gain enough weight from lifting to make a difference on the bike.

1. I don't understand why people are saying you need to be Cat1 to benefit from power lifting or intense strength work. I feel like explosive strength and stability can be beneficial in a Cat5 crit too. Can someone explain that to me?
2. Big weight/low rep work is specifically for building strength, not mass. The common framework is that higher rep work stimulates size growth while low rep work stimulates strength growth. Hence why a comparable power lifter will be stronger than a bodybuilder, who is larger. I can't tell you the science behind it right now, but that's the framework I've seen out there.
3. Gaining weight depends on 1 thing: how much you eat.

Another point that may be tough for some to accept. Cycling is just a hobby for most. Weight training helps in all aspects of life. As we get older there is a natural loss of muscle mass. I am in as good shape at 40 as I was at 20 just more muscle.
As cycling is not the only thing in our lives (unless you are a pro) I think there are benefits that transcend cycling.


sstang you would do the exercises in isolation so do all your extensions together, then hamstring curls, etc.

Great points Velo Dog and UMassAm, it can't be that bad and if anything, you've got nothing to loose being extra healthy. Plus you can always stop if it becomes too much.

Very true, I seem to pressure myself to much wanting to go somewhere with my cycling life and it probably is only setting me back because it sucks riding when you HAVE to. It is hard to accept though. I'm going to throw in some upper body to because I'm so lanky :thumb: Thanks.

The important thing to remember is gaining mass is all related to diet. I have been working out in the gym for the last 6 months. Legs/core/back 3x a week for the first 4, full circuit stuff 2x a week since. I have lost 5 lbs during this time. If you aren't eating to gain mass, you can lift in the gym all you want, and you won't gain a thing but strength and maybe a little toneage.

Correct!!!
I am asked daily How the heck did you grow so fast and get so big (I have put on 52 pounds since October)?
1. I am naturally a big guy
2. I train my ass off
3. I lift very heavy
4. I eat 5,000 plus calories a day

The next statement I make to shut people up, I am drug free and take only a multivitamin, B Complex, Flaxoil, Fish Oil and a pre-workout drink.
I was going to put on another 15 pounds (put me nearer the 250 mark) but am just starting to feel a little heavy.

In the gym to grow is very simple, you have to eat. If you don't you don't grow.

1. I think you may have misunderstood what I was writing about. The questions was whether adding upper body mass would slow you down. My comment was "maybe if you're a GC grand tour rider". My point was that everyone else would probably find a gain by some more upper body strength as opposed to just riding their bikes.
2. OK. I've never been a power lifter or body builder. I don't know much about either.
3. Agreed. However, the fat/muscle split depends on your training plan, what you eat and when you eat it.

I found that kettlebell workouts were really good for me on the bike. I've been neglecting them since I took my tumble right before Christmas. I could barely lift my arm, much less a cannonball with a handle. It's getting better, though, so in the next couple weeks, I think I'll be able to start in again. The good thing about these is that they are full-body exercises. The standard exercises (swings, snatches, cleans, presses, squats, etc.) are all great for core and legs. The upper body work that you get out of them is just an added bonus.

You're not going pro so why bother with a carbon bike, or 60mm carbon wheels, or dura ace?

My opinions on this trends in different ways than a lot of what is bandied about. Of course, I have as much experience with lifting than, well just about anyone who hasn't won a major NPC title. I've a **** ton of bodybuilding titles, magazines, etc. Good times. Glad they're over.

Simply put I'm too tired during the season to tie shoes. Weight work ain't helping that. Studies show it's of questionable benefit in the off season, but I maintain it's a great way to develop general fitness and break up the monotony of riding a bicycle. These days I prefer P90x and things of that ilk to anything approaching regular weight lifting. After 30 something years of it my body seems to prefer other things. I also find I get more benefit from Yoga than from weight lifting. I tightened my core up significantly doing 2-3 sessions a week.

Sounds great, I'd never have guessed that you can lift and NOT gain weight..huh. I think I'm going to start training, full body though; I don't like the way my upper body is so skinny and it'd be nice to add some muscle to it. Plus I need some work on my hips/glutes, they're a barrier during my 5x5 workouts.

Do you guys also find that it helps motivationally on the bike? Like those times when you really don't feel like going on. I wouldn't mind a bit of that.

I'm finding that if I treat lifting as an "off" day from the bike, I'm kidding myself. I did bike monday & tuesday, then weights wednesday thinking I'd be good to rock out a ME hour on the bike Thursday- maybe with more sleep I could've swung it, but took it totally off instead. So if anything, don't try to treat lifting like an off day from the bike- you're still stressing your body and you still have a TSS for the sesh.

What is motivating is the improvement in riding when you're healing/healed.

Fatboy, gotcha. I was confused by an early post here when someone said power lifting is pointless unless your cat1/pro. Definitely agree with your number 3.

ummm i think days off the bike are for recovery, not doing something that destroys your legs................ but what do i know?

meant an upper body workout.

I did find that directly after a strength workout I was better off to take about a 1 hour at an endurance pace or less. It was just enough to get some oxygen to the muscles and help recovery. I treat 'strength' day as an anaerobic workout day.

Well I've looked at my schedule and for school we are working out every Monday and Wednesday, plus I can do a home workout on the weekend. And all of my rides are on Tuesdays Wednesdays Fridays and Saturdays... I could follow the high rep/low weight on hard workout days (Wed/Fri) and low rep/high weight on endurance/easy days (Tues/Sat). But I don't want to lift just to be lifting because it'll just be a waste of time and failed rest. Or should I just do upper body/core on hard days, and legs on easy days and maybe on Sunday? ..I was hoping that lifting could have been good on rest days instead of ride days, but I was wrong :(

I’ve been lifting on the legs after riding on a day that calls for a longer Z2 type ride. So, though my legs aren’t fresh, they aren’t torn up from hard intervals/hammerfest either.
I follow that up with a light swim/sit in the spa/ and yoga/stretching. Feels good to be pushing weight around again if nothing else...