Road Cycling - Chunky Legs

I am having an argument with one of my mates which some of you mught be able to help resolve. Does pedalling with low resistance and high cadence or high resistance with low cadence make your legs chunkier? Is there any difference between upper and lower leg as well.

Chunky legs as in big and muscular versus skinny and sinewy?

I'm thinking genetics has a bigger factor on the "appearance" of your legs than one's cadence.

Go to a gym.

I think it's somewhat analogous to weight lifting. High cadence/low res is like several rep's of low weight. Low cadence/high res is like low rep's with heavier weight. They say that high rep's are for toning muscle and endurance while low rep's are for building muscle mass and strength.

to an extent that might be true with weight lifting, but it's not to say that if you lift heavy weights, low reps, that you would be "bulkier" or "less-defined" than if you were doing less weight with more reps. How defined you are is really just a function of body fat, and how developed your muscles are (ie) developing all portions of your muscles.

pushing big gears will make your legs bigger. spinning develops muscular endurance.

Look at track sprinters- big gears and outrageously huge legs.
road racers- thinner legs.

RacerX,

But is it because they developed that way, or were genetically predetermined to be that way? I think the track racers become track racers because they are predisposed to be that way. Same with road racers.

I personally am a high cad./low res. cyclist and a high rep./low weight lifter. I've always worked out this way because i didn't want to "bulk up". To no avail. No matter how I work out, I bulk up--fast.

If I remember my anatomy and physiology from college, i think it has something to do with the make up of an individual's muscle fibers--fast versus slow. I think everyone has different percentages of each, which are predetermined and can not be changed. I'm digging deep in the memory banks, and I may not be right about this.

BikingCT, there are 3 body types throughout the entire human species: ectomorphs, mesomorphs, and endomorphs.

Ectomorphs are the lanky ones. They have very high metabolisms, which is why they can eat anything and never gain a pound. The also have trouble gaining muscle, so they stay fairly slender their whole lives. The way for an ectomorph to gain muscle mass is to lift heavy weights with very few reps per set, maybe 4-6.

Mesomorphs are the perfect ones. These are the guys you see in the gym twice a month who look like they work out everyday even though they really sit at home eating doritos and smoking cigarettes. Like ectomorphs, they have very high metabolisms, but they also build muscle very quickly without really even trying. These are also the guys who make up the highest level of professional bodybuilders, because they can build muscle almost without limits, and stay fat-free and ripped to show it off in competition.

Endomorphs are the 'every-guy'. Anyone who has ever complained about being overweight fits in this group (I'm in shape because I work out and bike, but I'm a member of this group). We have much slower natural metabolisms which is why it's so easy to pack on the fat. However, we also have the ability to build ungodly amounts of muscle incredibly fast (like the mesomorphs), but we have to know how to do it right. Unlike Ectomorphs, who need to lift heavy weight if they ever want to grow, we need to lift much lighter weight and do higher reps, in the range of 10-15 per set. Because of our dense muscle, we have to pretty much destroy it layer by layer if we ever want to get it to grow. Here's the worse part: the people who feel the biggest need to get to the gym are the Endo's. Unfortunatly, with a slow metabolism, we also are known for our laziness. Also, to get muscle growth, as well as fat loss, we have to do such hi reps that lactic acid has time to build up in the muscles we're working. This leads to pain (something lazy couch potatoes aren't used to), which usually leads to cutting back on reps (which hinders your results), and, seeing no results, leads most to just go back to sitting in front of the TV.

As far as being genetically predetermined to do a certain type of racing, you may be on the right track; a coach can see early on where a cyclist would shine the brightest, and try to lead that person in that direction of competition. However, any body type can excel at any type of racing if they learn how to build muscle correctly and just stick with a consistant training program.

My best advise of other Endo's: once you get going with an excercise program, whatever it is, don't slow down for a minute! Once you do, it's way to easy to lose speed and get back into the old way of life. Once you do, the energy level disappears equally as fast as that pizza that just arrived at the door. Think of it this way: when you're making good time up a big hill, you know if you just forget about the pain and keep going, you'll make it up the hill in no time, and it'll actually wear you out less in the long run. But if you stop pedalling, or even cut back and go down a few gears, it's going to take all day and just about kill your legs. By the time you get to the top, you could have already been there, done that, and been another mile down the road had you just kept with it. :)

Thanks for the explanation Ferg. I assume all of this is backed by science (the three body-types, that is)? Are there any books/articles you can refer me to? Don't get me wrong, I'm not questioning the validity of what you say, I'm just interested in learning more. I've heard so many different explanations as to how/why certain people build muscle, and I'd like to pinpoint my situation.

By your definitions, I'm definitely an Endo. I'm much more into the cycling than the gym. I work out with weights 2-3 times per week, and bike 4-6 days. No matter how hard I try to alter my biking routine (hills/no hills; high cadence/low cadence) my thighs get significantly more bulky...muscular, but bulky. It gets to the point where my clothes don't fit anymore because the thighs are so big. In the winter, when I'm on the trainer (less total time versus on the bike, and doing more weight work), My thighs slim down again. Through it all, my weight stays constant.

Any suggetsions on how to avoid the overly bulky thighs while still enjoying the amount of cycling I do?

Go to www.google.com and type in the three words. The world is at your fingertips :D

To no avail. No matter how I work out, I bulk up--fast.






Aww, You poor Baby:( :D

Good one Hawk! :p

Point is, I get undesireably BIG. I don't end up looking like a model for Muscle & Fitness. I just look big...bulky. Football (American) player-like. Bulky offensive lineman. Large. Little definition..just big. (I start out at 6'3", 230).

I want to be little. Slender, sleek, fit, toned, etc. It just doesn't work for me. And, after reading some articles on the morphs (thanks Ferg!) I think Im just stuck this way. :(

Oh well. The bike still works and I still feel good...big or not.

:beer:
(oh, maybe that's my problem)

Genetics will be the biggest factor. Other then that, pushing tall gears at a slower pace should cause your legs to grow. Spinning in lower gears will build a little strength but work more on the muscle endurance and toning. Again, this will depend greatly on genetics because I know of riders who always ride at a high cadence/lower gears and their legs are as you say, "Chunky".
Slainte:beer:

I'm definitely ectomorphous. THe fact is, that cycling or anything else cannot change your entire body type. I know that I will never be one of those sprinters with Erik Zabel or Marty Nothstein legs- forget it! I'm just not built that way- I'm bilt more like a time trialler. You can pedal and pedal and you can't change yourself from a stocky sprinter to a tall skinny David Millar type. I have to admit though, that while I am actually glad I don't have bug hge legs, and could never get them no matter what (except for illegal drugs), I wish I had that fast-twitch thing happening and that I could sprint and accelerate. Oh, well, you have to work with what you have.

OK then, is it possible for an ectomorph to bulk up, or will they just strain and strain to no avail?

It depends on the individual. I do better spinning. I have a lousy sprint but great aerobic power.

When I started cycling my thighs got larger and they weren't small before. I have some friends who are just the other way - wiry rather than brawny but we have the same cycling styles.

I would say it is largely genetic.

Originally posted by Aussie Jonah
OK then, is it possible for an ectomorph to bulk up, or will they just strain and strain to no avail?

Yeah, it's possible. You just have to remember to use heavy weight and do a few reps at a time. Also, don't over-do it by throwing in a lot of sets; just stick to 3-4 sets per excercise. Unlike Endomorphs, who need to use lighter weights, many sets and reps with short rests (30-60 sec.) you need to take longer rests, around 1-2 minutes, possible 3-4 depending on how much you are stressing yourself. And remember, rest means rest, not go hop on the tread mill or do another body part in the mean time--rest! It's best to stick to one body part at a time, too. For example, wait to do your biceps until you're totally done with your back, so you can focus your physical and mental energy on one part instead of many.

FERG,

I think you left out a Morph. I'm in the fourth catagory. I'll call it MetaMorph.

I started out life as a Ecto. Tall(6'3") lanky, eat anything, and although being very athletic, didn't pick up much weight.

Somewhere around 28 I migrated into the Meso's. Still working out, mainly with sports and not weights.

Around 38 I moved into the Endo's group. The Ecto and Meso periods have taken their toll on the knees so I'm converting to cycling to try and keep the pounds off. I'm still in good shape but it's only because I ride. I don't know what would happen if I stopped.

Any other MetaMorph's out there?

Mike 41

Hi,
if you want big muscles, go to a gym. You will need to learn how to train, pay someone to teach you. The basics remain the best. Squats, deadlifts, goodmornings......Avoid exercises that
strain joints in odd ways; lunges are a good example. The knee just wasn't designed to carry weight in an extended movement like that. Don't forget to cycle weights (drop 20% and increase reps the last week of every month), get plenty of rest, and eat a healthy diet. Stay away from the weird stuff, drugs, massive protein intake, herbs, etc.

People are forgetting to mention stretching!!!

Stretch those muscles. Elongate them.

I've suffered from bulk. By the end of the summer my jeans didn't make it past my thighs...this is not a good feeling. I hate to it say it, but I suffer from the American Woman's Image obsession:(

I love cycling, but since I've backed off and started running and putting serious time into stretching I've toned down. I'm just worried about losing strength, but I'll work on that in the spring. I wish I was one to get really skinny, but I feel fortunate that I get strong and can power up those climbs.

Image...why are we just not happy with what we got?
Be thankful for being healthy!

You will find that with certain movements such as Goodmornings or Stiff Legged Deadlifts you will become more flexible due to the loaded streching nature of the movement. If you want to get big legs, you need to stick to the basics, Squats and lots of them and Goodmornings or Stiff Legged Deadlifts and toe presses (I use a leg press machine, this is all it is good for). The down side is if you train at the intensity and weight level to pack on huge amounts of size you may be too sore the next day to get on the bike :(

Originally posted by Betta

Be thankful for being healthy!

I agree 100% with that sentiment.