Gangrel

(inspired by the muscle recovery thread)

Just wondering. I'm making the jump from biking-as-cardio to biking-to-kick-butt mantra
Obviously, weightlifting and extensive cardio don't go well together, unless you're some sort of genetic freak that eats 18 times a day.

So who manages a good balance of the two? And how many steroids do you take to keep up?

Oh, and a more pertinent question.. are there any particular leg exercises that will help your biking?
Currently I have a fairly respectable Leg Press/Squat and am working on my calf raises and leg extensions.

53-11_alltheway

This is bound to invoke controversy.

I say if you are an endurance athlete you should train for endurance.

If you are a sprinter (track cyclist) train for strength.

Some people like my hero Pettachi have a little of both.

Any of you guys watching the Milan-San Remo on OLN sunday. Wow....Pettachi pulled out some big horsepower (serious anaerobic wattage) at the end. Started his sprint early and still have enough juice to win it.

Gangrel

Well, to clarify for myself, I'm no serious athlete by any means.
I'm going into Law Enforcement, so I try to keep in "Above Average" shape all around.

But, if I can manage that, and still be able to do some respectable riding, I'll be more than content.

filly

i'm a very dedicated racer, and i don't touch the weights. i used to be a musclebound freak before i started cycling. 2 hours a day, 5 days a week, creatine, high calorie shakes, etc. it's been about 3 years since i left the weights alone, and i'm only now considering doing push-ups...just because. definitely no leg work, though. i'd rather put that effort on the bike.

A4B45200

When I did triathalons, I mixed in weight training. Now that I just ride, I still go lift weights 4-5 times a week to condition my upper body. Not necessarily to be stronger on the bike, but to be in all around 'good shape. I am not a racer, but consider myself a pretty dedicated cyclist as I try my best to be in good form. Plus, lifting weights helps me in my daily life as in carrying my 2 year old around

53-11_alltheway

Some people say that it might hurt you to lift. Maybe in some situations adding muscle won't help (endurance events are cardiovascular limited not muscle limited).

If your cycle training isn't giving you the effect you want (say in sprinting). Maybe you should train harder on the bike (intervals/high intensity) or do some light weight lifting. I like weight lifting (so I'm biased), but then again I'm not trying to make a living doing endurance events.

Check this out https://www.cptips.com/toc.htm#trntips (info on weight lifting /interval training, etc) I like that site a lot.

Specifically here is their take on weight lifting https://www.cptips.com/weights.htm

There is another webiste that is even better (I'm trying to find it)

Chucklehead

i am a firm believer that a little upper body strength will make you a stronger cyclist. i do low weight reps -- chest, tricep, bicep and lats -- and to me, there is a big difffence between climbing out of the saddle or sprinting with a bird-man upper body and an upper body with some muscle. i just feel more explosive .

Hipcycler

I take a 22-lb dumbell and do ten arm curls with each arm prior to pulling on the bibs. Does that count?

spindog

I weight train. I also run, spin, stairmaster - ie: cross train for endurance. My weekends consist of one or two centuries each weekend from mid May through mid October and then I hit the weights and move it back indoors until the snow goes bye- bye (winter rebuild and recovery). But, I have been considered to be "nuts".

During my "cycling season" I do still hit the weights every morning @ 5:00 AM before work - because I realy do enjoy it. I only train one body part a day and hit the cardio to keep up my endurance. As far as legs go - I have definitely made strength improvements by working my legs to prevent strength imbalances. This wards off the chance of injuries. Hamstring exercises are important so that your quads don't overpower them which happens very often with cycling.

Many people neglect their core. A strong lower back and abdominals help to transfer the power to the wheels and keep you injury free. And working as a police officer, you will find carrying the duty belt around and spending much of your time "sedentary" in a non-ergonomically correct cruiser seat - you will be SOOOOO thankful that you kept your back strong. (just trust me on this one - carrying all of the gear and wearing it during footchases and grapples with prisoners is no picnic).

Good luck with your cycling - only you can set your limits. You can and will find a happy and healthy balance. And I wish you the best in your law enforcement career - exercise is also a GREAT stress releiver and you will benefit from your cycling in both your personal life and being in in shape will help you to excel and give you the functional fitness that you will need in your career.

RHOsbrink

I agree with Spindog on many points. Core exercises (crunches, back extensions, side twists) cannot be neglected along with specific cycling muscle imbalances (hamstrings, back, shoulders). I can only imagine that by adding some weight training, even as little as 30 minutes, would significantly reduce the possibility of injury for both on-job and cycling purposes.

My tip is to focus on the above areas (of course, doing others won't hurt but you may not have the luxury of time). Remember, Nolan Ryan was heavily criticized for his weight training-- now it's the norm with pitchers. (yeah, I was a former pitcher).

Good luck.

Surferbruce

i hit weights 3 times a week working thru each muscle group once a week. i just feel so much better overall when i at least do a maintenance program. i keep my weight workouts short and intense, usually between 30-40 minutes, and try to eat asap after finishing to help recovery.
with riding 5 days a week i can only keep it up if i'm getting plenty of sleep.

climbo

I also agree with spindog and RHOsbrink, although I don't have time to do it myself. Weight training can help endurance riding also. Brad McGee does core weight training all year around, now he can ride endurance pretty well !!

galen_52657

I think if you are young and can put in a lot of time on the bike year round, you can skip the weights and be just fine.

However, at middle-age you will start to loose strength and flexability. My program is to lift heavily from mid-November through the end of March or into April, depending on the weather. Then I quit lifting for Spring, Summer and Fall. I do lots of leg work - press, curl and extension - plus core muscles and just enough upper body to keep from getting soft. Each winter I do this I come out in the spring a little heavy but plenty strong. I then ride off about 5-6 lbs during the spring and I am flying by June.

jbhowat

In the off season when its damn cold I lifted a little bit. I focused entirely on legs, but all aspects of the legs. I'm a firm believer that I have enough arm muscle right now (which is not much) to ride a bike. Any more muscle on my arms is extra weight to drag up the hill. I WOULD work on the lower core (abs / lower back) but I haver plently of muscle there from playing the big bass drum in college marching band in the fall. Strapping on 35-40 pounds and walking or running around for 2 hours a day, 4-5 days a week does wonders for core strength. I can honestly say my lower back is jacked... I've got some nice abs, but theres a bit of puppy fat over them that I'd liek to get rid of (not for looks, I don't care about that, but becasue fat = dead weight). Problem is that now I'm getting into the season and while I've lost a lot of fat in the pre-season my training is shifting away from the fat-burning type workouts and towards the muscle building stuff. Once the college season is over and I start training for next season this summer (beginning with Ride the Rockies training in june, then the actual ride in July) I will start with lots of aerobic workouts to get that fat off of me. I'm not looking to be at 5% body fat (it would be nice, but that can't be done year round IMO) I just want to get rid of the VISIBLE pudge..


Wow, sorry for the rant.

R600DuraAce

No serious "racers" would weight train unless for track racing. You are best served to save your energy from weight training to spending more time riding more on the bike. My pre-season training consisted of nothing but base miles with mild intensity. No weight training at all but I did weight train last years. The result wasn't good because I still didn't get enough saddle time.

Machka 

I weight train. It helps build my upper body strength and keeps my knees pain free.

Guest

I really think weight training makes you a better cyclist. If you know how to do it, and you weight train according to your goals, and you follow a periodized training program, it will not affect the riding season itself and will make you a stronger rider.

Being lazy, I'll just add "ditto" to what Spindog said.

Koffee

2Rodies

I do lunges and squawts for my legs and pillates (sp) for the core. I do pull ups and push ups for my arms and chest.

jbhowat

Thats funny because the two most serious teams of road racers I can think of spent some time in the gym on multiple days of their camps (not the whole day, and it was mostly bike-oriented, but still). Ever heard of T-Mobile or Discovery Channel. Both hit the weights a few times, and I'm sure its a part of some riders' individualized training programs outside of camp. Lance mentions in his most recent book that he would lift with Georgie. Maybe these are the only two teams that do it, but they are serious racers.... I'm sure all teams touch on it a bit...

R600DuraAce

Weight training or leg works is not a replacement for base miles and saddle time, period. You mention Lance Armstrong??? I bet all he does in the gym is just lifting "light weights." Nothing on the lower body. Why spending 3 hours in the gym lifting weight when he can travel to somewhere warm and spending 5 hours on the bike. Try to do some heavy weight lifting on the lower body and do a race 2 days later. I see if you can keep the routine up for 7 months.

Guest

To assume you lift weights during the training season means you may not know how to properly schedule your weight training. Lance always makes a point of saying his training in the weight room happens off season, and he lifts some serious weights.

Koffee

Guest

Here ya go, Lance's weight training philosphy, as explained by Chris Carmichael. Start reading just under the picture about what he does for weight training and why: https://www.lancearmstrong.com/lance/.../html/training

Koffee

Guest

Last Carmichael reference to Lance's weight training: https://www.lancearmstrong.com/training.html

Koffee

R600DuraAce

Yeah, all he does is light weight training. They spent the rest of the time riding their bikes. If you don't believe it, go lift some heavy weight on your lower body and do a race 2 days later. Then, tell me if weight lifting is working or not. I bet you will get spit out at the back of the pack on the first lap.

Chucklehead

i haven't read anything here that refers to heavy lifting.