Originally Posted by
Greenhil
Echoing this. At 70 I’m thinking that abandoning weight training while I ride and do other things during the warmer months probably isn’t a good idea. I have a suspicion even my riding suffers by season’s end if I haven’t continued to use weights. I mow, cut wood, throw hay bales, etc - but not with the regularity that constitutes a real routine. I’m trying to adjust my training as I age, avoid injury-prone lifting, stretch and take rest days, but I admit I’m not really sure about what I’m doing. I feel like there’s a dearth of good info out there for riders 65+. I’ll check out the Friel book mentione here.
At 73 I can confirm your conjecture. Doing strength training, my thighs and arms are exactly the same size they were at 58. Strength really helps on the long or steep climbs. Actually there's a lot of info out there. Google "sarcopenia," "strength training aging athlete," and have a look here:
Introduction to strength training for the endurance athlete