GMJ

This past year was my first year racing and I am very pleased with my results. However, track racing is something that I would like to pursue more seriously. I am not sure if I am ready to decide if I should specialize and target one specific event or style of racing, but I want to get stronger to push a bigger gear in general. I've decided to start lifting weights since my school has a decent weight room. I was just looking for some input from everyone regarding good exercises. Prior to this, I rarely worked legs, unfortunately. I've started with relatively low weights, high rep, high amount of sets to help get good habits for form and technique.

What I've been doing so far:
4-5 sets of 6-10 rep :Squat
4-5 sets of 6-10 rep eadlift
3-4 sets of 8-10 rep :Leg press
3 sets of 10 rep :Calf-press(raises)

I then go into a back/bicep routine that usually includes:
Rows (dumbbell or cable)
Pull-ups/Lat pulldowns

I am looking to only work muscles/groups that would eventually be useful for racing. I've also heard that a muscular body in general will help dilute lactic acid build up in vital parts of the body. I am wondering what else should I include.

CharlyAlfaRomeo

Hi, first off I'd skip the calf raises. Your calves get plenty of activation from the squats and deadlifts. Isolating a muscle is usually a body building movement, not so much a strength builder.

If you want to get stronger you'll have to bring the reps down once you have good form. Real strength is built at 5 reps or less at a higher percentage of one rep max. 8-12 reps or so is usually a mass builder (often pretty useless mass as far as strength is concerned, google sarcoplasmic hypertrophy) and higher reps than that builds muscular endurance.

Closer to the start of your racing season move more towards a power building routine using plyometrics, or if you can find someone to coach you properly Olympic lifts.

Add some pressing to your upper body routine for balance, OHP or bench.

queerpunk

I think you should include not other specific lifts, necessarily, but some changing protocol throughout your lifting period. My understanding of good weight work for roadies and track enduros - based off a document sent to me by another enduro - is that it's really based around the squat and the deadlift, with some additional supporting lifts (I've been doing leg extensions and back extensions as supportive stuff). The squat and the deadlift are really complete (involve a lot more of the body than a leg press).

There are three main phases - a hypertrophy phase of high-rep, moderate weight work to work on form and to lay a foundation for higher-weight work in the future (this also seems like it would be a good place to focus an abbreviated program, like it might improve one's muscular endurance); a strength phase, with high weight, low-rep work; followed by a power phase, backing off of the weight and increasing the intensity somewhat.

Seems to me it would be wise to tweak this based on what specifically you need to work on. For example, I know that I need to improve my short-term power, so, well, i feel as though the whole thing is pretty important to me. If you feel like you're aiming at general, all-around improvement, then you probably want to balance lifting with targeted, specific, on-the-bike work to keep and build your fitness through the offseason.

anyway, as i'm also a n00b with this stuff, i'm definitely hearing other folks' thoughts.

Baby Puke

It had to be said: "Starting Strength", https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Stren.../dp/0982522738

Quinn8it

I think that logic is flawed-
i seriously doubt "good form and technique" is happening on the last of 10 reps on the 5th set of deadlifts.. and if it is you were using very light weights and likely not really ingraining any real lasting form- once the weight gets real- things will change a lot.
i say that's All OF Them

the reason this is said in every post about weight lifting for track racers is not only because it is a program that advocates the optimum rep and set scheme for making people strong (that is the point right?) but this is likely the most complete volume on executing the important lift safely and effectively.. if everyone here read this book first there would never be another "weight lifting???" thread.. only "Form Check Videos"

carleton

+1

carleton

+1

If you do deadlifts correctly, 4 total will be enough.

+1

Quinn8it

this looks a lot like the format from Friel's "Cyclist Training Bible", which is a lot like the format from Bompa's "periodization training for sports"

i think most people- strength athletes (powerlifters) and athletes looking to be stronger for an endurance sports, have come to the conclusion that the Hypertrophy phase is not that effective as a base for building strength. essentially different type of muscle development. Hypertrophy builds mass- which most enduros don't want and that mass is not that great at adapting to the strength needs of the next phase.

lots of jokes at the gym about the big bodybuilder guys being surprisingly weak...

GMJ

Thanks for all the help guys. Looks like I'll be getting the book.