rOOster14

Hey everybody,
I am looking for some help to develop a decent weight training regiment.
I am looking for an organized circuit style weight training plan to compliment my cycling with a focus on total body strength.
My biggest lack of focus comes from not having a workout in mind when i go to the gym, i usually feel pretty aimless and simply try to develop an idea of what movments im going to do once im at the gym, so my goal is to have a workout developed before i walk into the weight room. With that said, i have been weight training for a year now 2 days per week and still maintain this lost frame of mind when i walk into the weight room. So whatever structured advice you folks might be able to offer i would certainly appreciate.

$ick3nin.Return

Place emphasis on the Posterior chain, mainly the (Glutes, Hamstrings, Hips, Legs, Erector spinae & Quads) aka the most powerful muscles used in Cycling, the muscles at the back of the body propelling you forwards. “A strong man is strong on the back of his body.” Emphasis should be placed on strengthening them particular muscle groups, BUT DON'T forget the core, inner/outer abs/obliques/hip flexors/lowerback, which generates the power & delivers it to the extremities at a greater rate & efficiency.

A total body strength exercise at the gym is a deadlift. Performing deadlifts will hit pretty much everything in your posterior chain. There are many variations to the DL, the best variation bar none is the Snatch Grip deadlift.




Another exercise I rate very highly are weighted hip thrusts. Again, another posterior chain exercise which also puts emphasis on strengthening the core/abs. You probably won't see many people performing these at your local gym, but this exercise activates the glutes greater than any other exercise on the planet (according to EMG data) including deads, squats, olympic lifts etc.




All my lowerbody weight training comes before I go out & ride, usually in the morning, when I'm fresh. I lift year round, not too maintain but to increase my strength. This relates back to increasing power output on the bike, particularly on the flats. I perform lowerbody workouts 2-3x per week. Monday (Heavy), Wednesday (Lighter) Friday or Saturday (considerably heavier than Wednesday).

Maybe...

Snatch Grip Deadlifts: (3-5 sets of 4-8 reps)
Weighted Hip Thrusts: (3-5 sets of 4-8 reps)

or...

Step-Ups.
Lunges.
Conventional Deadlifts.
Sumo Deadlifts.
Squats.
Split-Legged Squats.
Leg Press.
etc....

https://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html


So yeah, don't make it too complicated. On one day, Pick 2 compound exercises per session for the (lowerbody), you choose the intensity and volume of your workout based on how you feel on any given day, shoot for 20-40 total reps of each exercise in a session, if you feel crappy, then maybe shooting for the minimum of 20 reps is fine. If you feel good, you might shoot for 35-40 total reps per exercise. 3-5 minutes recovery rest between sets to let the CNS recharge itself.

Why 20-40 reps? The answer to that is 20-40 reps @ 70-85% 1RM is the range that many athletes have found to work best for strength gains & avoids significant CNS stress and burnout (before my ride). I personally don't go any higher than 8 reps for any given strength exercise (usually 5 reps is my mainstay & not too failure).

The core exercises I rate highly are: Planks (front & back), side planks, L-Sits, Standing Russian Twists, Numerous Push Up Variations, dumbell side bends, hip thrusts etc. For the core I like isometric exercises best (planks, supermans etc), not dynamic movements such as (sit-ups, crunches etc).




So make sure your working the posterior chain, the core & slightly some upperbody work. Not all the sameday, but throughout the entire week. Listen to your body, train smarter, not harder.

Carbonfiberboy 

I got my workout from Friel's Cyclist's Training Bible.

Circuits of sets of 30.
Leg sled
Seated rows
Back extension machine
Barbell squats
Benches
One-legged calf raises, no weight
Lat pulldowns
Crunches

Start with 1 set of 30 in a circuit. After a week to a month, add a second circuit, same weights. Then add a 3rd circuit. Then gradually increase the weights, staying with 3 circuits, same weight every circuit. Watch your HR. I never let mine drop below 100. If you're young, maybe 110 or 120. Stay hydrated and keep your blood sugar up. I use a maltodextrin sports drink. If you feel dizzy, sit and put your head between your knees. Don't yak with the gym rats. Workout will take only 20 minutes to 1 hour, depending on number of circuits.

I always ride before I lift, then do some sprints on the way home.

$ick3nin.Return

I'm the complete opposite, due to the fact my rides are far more intense (on my CNS) than my weight sessions. I couldn't possibly perform weight work (to the standard of where I would want it) after coming back from an intense aerobic workout (30-70 miles).

You could also be setting yourself up for injury doing weights after cycling as the muscular system loses strength, particularly in the back, which is prone to damage. Anyone performing deadlifts/exercises involving the back, from putting 50 miles into there erector spinae/back (weakening all the time) is on the road to injury.

rOOster14

i completely agree with this.
and i mean i guess im just being overly self conscious, the list of exercises is spot on with the majority of movements i already do... and i have always been told/taught to lift before doing cardiovascular work as well.
a lot of this is really similar to my training for rowing...im just kind of trying to cross over and continue to gain strength and get more lean for racing the bike, it has always been a training tool for rowing in the past.
but thanks for the help so far.

Carbonfiberboy 

Unfortunately, a lot of nonsense persists in the cycling community about weight training. Take a look at this:
https://www.sportsci.org/news/traingain/resistance.html

If you look at studies of weight training, you'll find that cycling performance only improves with weight training among the untrained. And among those, cycling performance improves more when cycling is substituted for the time spent weight training.

Lift before you ride if you want your lifting performance to improve. I can ride the legs off every gym rat in the place, and I'm 65. But if you want your cycling performance to improve, ride. I've been doing this a long time. My experience is that my lifting regimen improves my sprint, especially after 100k or more riding. I don't think it has much effect on my climbing or my TT. No other program had any effect at all, and I've tried them all, dating back to the 70's.

There are only two disciplines in recreational cycling: climbing and sprint. TT is unimportant because of drafting. If you want to improve your climbing, nothing really works except intervals and OLP. High rep weights do improve the sprint. Low weight reps do nothing. See:
https://www.sportsci.org/jour/04/cdp.doc

$ickSolo

"Many top road riders do not do weight training, particularly the European professionals. However, this does not mean weight training is not useful." Harvey Newton, Strength training coach to American cyclists

“Strength endurance is characterized by a combination of great strength and significant endurance”

Probably due to the fact there not cycling. A stronger rider (that rides) beats a weaker one, particularly on the flats & sprinting, all factors remain the same.

chasm54

Depends what type of cycling. Track sprinters simply cannot develop the power they need by training on the bike, they do serious weights and that training is fundamental to their performance.

Stig O'Tracy

This was the routine I did last time I was into to lifting. I like to to the spot exercises (e.g. Bicep curls) on the same day the muscle got worked on the bigger movements. I do big movements first, then finish with the small stuff. Reps might from 6-20 depending on the weight. I like to lift fast and hard, I hate slow movements, I think they train slow muscles. I would do 12 to 20 sets and try to get in and out in about 40-50 minutes. I have better things to do than stand around a gym all day. Always amazed at the amount of time people spend standing around shooting the breeze, looking at other people, and staring at a weight instead of lifting it.
My lifting was designed to compliment my life and other activities/sports, not replace them.

Day1: Pushing Moves, and Triceps and Abs
Bench Press,
Incline Dumbell
Bench Flys (sometimes)
Tricep Extension (various movements)
Lateral Shoulder Raise (only specific shoulder movement)
Abs

Day 2: Pulling Movements, and Biceps and Back
T-Bar Row
Lat Pull down
Single Arm Cable Pull or Dumbell Row
Bent Over Dumbell Flys
Biceps (various movements)
Roman Chair (can be done on leg day)
Forearm work

Day 3: Legs
Squats
Machine Press (sometimes)
Leg Extensions
Hamstring Curl
Standing Calf Raises
Seated Calf Raises

SilverSurfer357

My first question would be, what do you want to get out of lifting? Do you want to gain some overall muscle mass\strength or do you want to just tone up the flab?

I do pretty much them same. Chest and triceps one day Back and Biceps one day then legs and shoulders one day.

Great results.

late

Let's start the easy way. Do upper bod and abs on Thur and Legs/Back on Mon.

Ride Sat/Tue/Wed

You can ride friday if you want.

The discussion on specific exercises has been handled well.

The hard part is squeezing cycling and lifting together. I never seem to get it
quite the way I'd like it to be.

I'd like to have two legs days. One for squats and such and another day for deadlifts, bridges, hyperextensions (backside exercises)
Depending on the weather, I sometimes do get a second day, but I focus on pushing most days. On the extra day I focus on pulling.
Unlike most guys, my rowing machine has made my pulling muscles a LOT stronger than my pushing muscles. With most it's the other way around,
you need to maintain a balance between the two. So don't forget pulling exercises.

Late Fall, it gets cold here. When it does I do a 4 day split in the gym. Pushing/pulling/butt/quads

Periodisation both in the gym and on the road helps.