Training & Nutrition - Leg workout productive?

Hi All,

I am planning on doing some leg exercises in the gym in order to improve my cycling but I am a bit concerned about over training.

If I am riding 4-5 days a week take one day off and use one day to hit the gym does that give my leg muscles enough time to recover?

Please note that my rides usually involve hills which I feel really stress my leg muscles already so I am not sure if doing additional leg exercises are productive at all.

Thanks,
Jerry

Hey, it's summer. Why not stay out of the gym while the weather's nice? Lots of time to lift in the winter. You're right - gym time makes it much easier to overtrain. If you want to stress your legs on the bike, try climbing some hills seated in a big gear, at say 50 cadence. That'll probably do more than the gym right now. Assuming that your knees are good!

Hey, it's summer. Why not stay out of the gym while the weather's nice? Lots of time to lift in the winter. You're right - gym time makes it much easier to overtrain. If you want to stress your legs on the bike, try climbing some hills seated in a big gear, at say 50 cadence. That'll probably do more than the gym right now. Assuming that your knees are good!

+1

Stay out of the gym in the summer. They only thing I might go there for is a dip in the pool. Just ride up those hills faster and in a higher gear. Do be careful of those knees though...

I look at it like having a 10 dollar bill to spend on recovery.

this time of year, I'd rather spend all 10 bucks on recovering from bike rides

But the basic idea is that your body can only recover from so much. So if you are already riding as much as you can, you will have to cut back in order to go lift weights.

If you live around hills, use the hills and your gears to build your legs for the summer

there will be plenty of time for the gym over the winter

I did some weight work on the legs years ago. It never seemed to help my cycling a lick.

But weight work is usually based on working until muscle fatigue. If you do that, you really should take the next day off or do a really moderate recovery ride.

I think, as others have suggested, this might work best for the winter season. It is summer and prime bike time. If you want to work on strength, you can do sprints, intervals or climb steep hills.

Thanks everyone for your feedback. It's nice to hear everyone say the same thing for once :thumb:.

It's great that to hear that doing the sport itself helps you improve in it without supplementary training.

And I guess I am fortunate to live in a very hilly area.

I still might hit the gym though for my upper body ,it's the summer so shirt's gotta come off :D

Cheers,
Jerry