Ideas for weight training?

[Heather]

I ride mainly mtb and am looking to improve my climbs through weight training.

I can get up just about any climb as long as it doesn't have rocks, roots, etc., but if it's the slightest bit technical I often get stuck and have to walk it. :mad:

I know my technique should also be improved, but while I'm working on that, any suggestions on how I can build my upper body to help me with technical stuff?

[nikos]

For me, I do lots of pushups and pullups - I can achieve this all at work. Its simple and it beats having to go to the gym during the warm months.

[orguasch]

I was going thru some of my file I was able to print some muscle building exercise authored by Joe Friel, so you may want to email Joe here's his email address :joefriel@aol.com
or you can fax him thru fax No. 970 204 4221, remember this article was published at Velo News in 1996, I don't know if his still available at that address and by the wayz, Joe coaches cyclist throuhout North America, and again that was in 1996

[nathank]

Heather,

I don't specifically know which muscles you most need to train for technical riding... i would assume that you need a large range of muscles to shift your body weight around and pull up or push on the bar...

so i would think a good all-round upper-body work-out would probably be a good idea --- back, stomach, biceps, triceps, shoulders and maybe a little chest to round it out even though i wouldn't think chest muscle strength would not be as important... (i also do mostly upper body workouts, varying from 1-6 days per week in the gym over the last few years)

as for specific exercises... there are tons of options (i assume you mean lifting in a gym either free-weights or machine)... i can give you some basic ideas, but it really depends on how often you will go and how experienced you are...

making tons of assumptions i would think that doing 2 or 3 sessions a week would be OK:
1st: back, biceps
2nd: chest, triceps
3rd: shoulders, stomach

if you have only 2 days, put shoulders with 2 and stomach with 1. and if you have only 1 day, then cut a few things out every week...

it depends on lots of factors, but in general, do 2-3 exercises for each muscle group and 3-4 sets of each exercise with 1-2 minutes between each set and 10-12 reps each set...

as for specific exercises... i could describe a few, but you'd be better off finding an experienced friend or a trainer to help you out and actually show you the proper technique. or you could find some books or magazines or search on the web...

anyway, hope that's what you were looking for...

[Heather]

Yeah, thanks guys, that's what I thought - lift some weights, silly girl! Ick, gyms suck. Oh well, no pain no gain, right?

[bikebrat]

Heather -- I share your feelings about the gym. To keep your sanity, just keep thinking about what a difference it's going to make when you're out on your bike . . . and it really does make a difference. (My riding partners can attest to what a difference they see in me this season after weight training throughout the winter and early spring.) -- Also, I highly recommend Friel's "Cyclist's Training Bible" -- Very thorough coverage of how you should structure your weight training as well as your "on bike" training. Good luck! :)

[nathank]

Heather,

just a quick note that i think the weight training will make a big difference.

i spent the weekend in a race-training seminar with 4 other riders, one of which is female. we did some huge climbs (had to shorten our days b/c of rain, but 1900m and 1100m) and then some technical training where we practiced technical downhill and then a few things like drops...

the woman in the group is super fit and really good at downhilling, but when we got to the technical stuff she had trouble with upper-body strength moves like lifting the front wheel to climb up an obstacle...

anyway, just re-confirming that the upper-body weight training probably will make a difference...