General Cycling Discussion - Fitness

For those of you who ride to stay in shape, what other exercises, if any, do you do to complement your workout? Any upper-body strength training? Perhaps a core workout?

Thanks!

Other than cycling anywhere from 20 to 100 miles a week, I also lift weights routinely. I try to keep it simple. My initial goal was to build size, as I'd gotten a bit scrawny over the years and didn't want a cyclist physique (wiry, except for ripped thighs).

Now that I've filled out my frame a bit, I might quit training for size. I'm going to take up martial arts in a month or two, so I'll soon change to lower weight, higher reps and focus on strength & endurance, as well as flexibility.

But for now, here's my hypertrophy routine. Everything's 3x8 unless otherwise noted. This isn't the best or most complete routine, but it got me results. I'm still researching and adjusting on a constant basis.

Sunday: Push
Bench press
Incline DB press
Military press
Dips, 3x12 (unweighted)
Seated Arnold press if I'm not completely spent yet

Tuesday: Pull
Deadlifts, 3x8 or 5x5
Pullups, 3x10 or failure
Bentover Rows / Inverted rows (alternating weekly)
DB Shrugs

Friday: Legs
Squats
Lunges
Track sprints, 50yds x 10

I try not to do anything that really "seems" like a workout if I can help it. In the winter, if there's enough snow, I ski (xc and downhill). I kayak as often as I can. If weather isnt' cooperating, I will occassionally ride one of those bikes that doesn't go anywhere, and use the leg machines (have a gym at work).

Oh, and I shovelglove. It's fun. It works. And it's probably one of the only things that looks goofier than me riding a bike in full-kit :rolleyes: www.shovelglove.com (http://www.shovelglove.com)

IMHO- the best leg workout you can get is riding a fixed gear bicycle. My legs do more work in an hour on my FG than they do in 3 hours on my multi-speed freewheeling bikes.

In addition to biking a lot, I go to the gym at my apartment complex and use the weight machines 4-5 days a week for 30-45 minutes. Nothing too crazy, I usually only lift about 30-40% of my max weight and I rarely do more than 30-50 reps of any one exercise before moving on to something else.

I injured my elbow so no lifting for me this year. But other years I just have some free weights at home I use. Nothing major

Free weights 2-3 times per week. Alternating push and pull workouts, and always with abs work. I occasionally do squats, but mostly leave the legs to running and cycling.

Treadmill, elliptical, and strength-training cable machines. But not nearly as much as I should.

Have you tried posting this in the Training and Nutrition forum?

http://www.bikeforums.net/forumdisplay.php?f=148