Does lifting weights affect your riding?
 

I have always lifted weights to stay in shape. I lift 3 times a week and try to ride on the other 4 days. Now that the weather is getting better I find myself wanting to ride almost everyday. Hard to fit in the gym time when I do this.

When I lift I only work on my upperbody. Chest, back, arms, shoulders, abs.

I figure that riding is good enough for my legs.

Will lifting have any adverse affects on my riding?

I would like to keep a little definition in my upper body this summer.

My coach seems to think so. After tonight's 5 x 12 min Z4 intervals I will still have to do upper body resistance. Lower body was on Monday and core work is everytime.

I guess if you're a racer you might not want to have a huge, beefy upper body but I don't think keeping some strength and definition would have a huge penalty. Sounds like you like it too so that's another reason not to stop.

To add to the confusion, here's an article from the most recent issue of RBR. RBR link

Link to Abstract of Study

1. ROAD NOTES
Ed's note: A new study is making the rounds. It found that lower-body weight training has virtually no benefit for cyclists and may even be counterproductive.

The research was done at Cowan University in Joondalup, Australia, and reported in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, Nov. 2009.

So, has your off-season weight work been for naught? Well, there are 2 sides to most stories, and this one isn't an exception.

Here's what happened down in Oz: Cyclists were divided into 2 groups. In one, riders continued their on-bike training. In the other, riders did those same workouts but added resistance training for their legs, working out with weights 3 times each week.

Before and after the 6-week study, all the riders did a max-weight squat to determine their leg strength. They also did indoor cycling tests, riding for the equivalent of 30 km (18.6miles). Within that distance, the riders in each group were timed during three 250-meter sprints and three 1-km efforts.

The weightlifting cyclists improved their one-rep squat after the 6 weeks, but in their final 1-km effort they were slower by 5% while the non-lifters improved by 11%.

Hmmm . . . the study was picked up by cycling physician Gabe Mirkin, M.D., who surmised in his e-zine: "Lifting weights with their legs left the subjects too sore to train most intensely on their more intense cycling days, and the faster you ride on your intense days in training, the faster you usually ride in races.

"Further studies may change the way we think now, but research shows that resistance leg training with weights does not help experienced and well-trained long-distance cyclists to ride faster."

Dr. Mirkin emphasizes that this should not deter cyclists from upper-body weight training, saying, "All riders can benefit from a weight training program to improve upper-body strength and give added protection against bone fractures" in case of a crash.

But is lower-body weight training really worthless or even counterproductive? Can you spot a likely flaw in the Aussies' testing protocol?

Coach Fred Matheny did.

"This looks like another case of researchers adding weight training to the existing cycling program, thus overworking the athletes," he says. "No wonder their results were lower. There have been several studies designed in this way, with the result that the athletes became overtrained."

For another expert opinion, we went to Coach Harvey Newton -- a dedicated road cyclist, former coach of the U.S. Olympic Weight Lifting Team and the creator of the Strength Training for Cyclists program sold by RBR.

"Yes, I saw the study," says Coach Newton. "As Fred points out, there was no reduction in the cycling volume of the experimental group. This variable has repeatedly been shown to affect the outcome of added resistance training.


"I also cannot uncover details on whether the lifting group had any recovery from their final day or week of training. Had they squatted the day before their study-ending kilo test, I certainly can see why cycling performance was hindered."

Also found by the study, but not making headlines, was no difference in the 2 groups in their overall 30-km times. And generally overlooked was the lifting group's 4% improvement in 250-meter sprint times.

Coach Newton finds other questionable aspects, including this potentially significant flaw: "None of the subjects had performed any lower-body resistance training for at least six months. Being unprepared for resistance training and then being placed in a high-intensity training protocol for six weeks could induce enough stress to cause a negative cycling result."

So What's a Rider to Do?

"Certainly a non-climber is advised to climb, not squat, in order to improve climbing," Coach Newton says. "As I have often stated, no amount of resistance training can take the place of quality cycling. However, ever-increasing time on the bike is of questionable benefit, although it's the norm.

"Most cyclists, in my opinion, fail to properly use resistance training and probably end up wasting time and energy. It is always advisable to strengthen in the weight room and then adapt that strength through workouts that take place on the bike.

"This study's six-week look into concurrent resistance training, while important, ignores the concept of sound off-season weight work followed by optimal training on the bike with 'maintenance' weight work included."

Here's Coach Newton's bottom line:

"In my opinion, young elite male riders have little to gain from resistance training off-bike, except to correct deficiencies in their overall fitness profile.

"Females and masters-age men may benefit much more -- especially from upper-body resistance training -- not only in terms of cycling, but also in terms of general 'quality of life' issues. You can ride all day long and gain a certain type of fitness, but it is not going to improve one's upper-body muscular strength or flexibility.

"All this said, we do not yet have the definitive study to prove proper resistance training may be beneficial to all cyclists. I hope this study will spur more research. Meanwhile, there are plenty of studies, flawed or not, that suggest resistance training does produce cycling benefits."

Ed Pavelka

Editor, Publisher, Weight Trainer

Upper body? Oh crap...nvr mnd post above.

Whether lifting weights and cycling are complimentary or not is a function of your goals. Lifting weights is about building strength and muscle fiber recruitment. Both are important for cycling. This month has been about racing, lifting weights to increase strength and hard training. Next month will be racing, hard training and strength maintenance which will include leg work, upper body work and core in the gym. I have only so much energy and recovery capacity so goals drive the amount and mix of training, strength work and racing. I am slower on the bike when I am working my legs harder in the gym and I feel it the next day.

As you can imagine, everyone has an opinion on whether weight training adds any value to cycling - some yes and some no. I like to lift weights and workout in a gym so it is a no brainer. I do it.

I think it depends on how long you ride for. I'm like you in that I only do upper body workouts and figure the cycling is keeping my lower half in shape. I've noticed that after doing bench press and arm work I seem to get more fatigued in my upper body if I go out riding the next day. Only seems to happen after I hit the 40ish mile mark. Then I start having a harder time keeping my hands on the hoods and maintaining my position on the bike. Because of that I try to go a little lighter on my workouts if I know I'm going for a long ride the next day just so I don't run into that issue.

Why does it matter if I can squat 350 or 450 pounds when the maximum force I exert on the pedals is less than 50 lbs?

How does it help me to recruit a greater percentage of muscle fibers at 0.25 rpm when I pedal at least at 50 rpm?

Unless you're doing a ton of climbing I don't think you'll notice any difference. Do what makes you happy.

He (the OP) is only talking about upper body.

I think the quote made it clear what I was responding to.

Are you doing high-rep lifting or heavy-weight lifting?

I've been going to the gym since February and my comfort on the bike has improved greatly, and my legs do feel a bit stronger.

Shoulder and back exercises have helped especially well because my neck is never sore after a long ride anymore, or spending a bit of time in the drops.

And while I doubt my climbing speed/times have improved at all, I feel far less fatigued at the top of long hills.

this.

it bothers me only when I drop the dumbell onto the front wheel...

No adverse effects, only positive effects.

I can't see it hurting at all unless you over train. I know it has helped me, but I am not lifting to get big

I do fullbody workouts twice a week, basically hit every bodypart once with one exercise consisting of 4 sets with enough weight to get 8-12 reps each set. Rest 30 seconds between sets. Legs are about 20 reps per set. And do lots of core work.

Lifting weights for your legs in season can definitely hurt your performanace on the bike. For me, there is no way I can do the intensity on the bike during the season if I lift weights.
So effort in the gym for your legs is going to limit the effort you can put forth on the bike, and thereby limit your improvement.

For example, typical week for me right now might be competitive group ride Tuesday, endurance miles wednesday, intervals thursday, race Sat and Sunday. No way I can do 4 quality days in a week, and also lift.

For the OP's question, a light upper boddy/core routine is a different story.

I have no back pain or discomfort after working out my core. Reduces strain on your lower back muscles. So yes, ab workouts have helped with my riding.

For me lifting weights above the waist has helped my cycling. Most likely reducing general fatigue and core strengthening. When I cycle I don't lift weights because of fatigue and time constraints. Leg weights negatively affect my training so I don't do them.

My routine is a 30 minute circuit workout followed by a 3 mile run or 30-40 miles of cycling. I believe the circuit workout is best for me so I don't bulk up, get faster muscles, and improve cardio system.

I have lifted far longer than I have ridden. I think the two complement each other. But, I am with you—I only train upper body with weights.

I think the positives out weigh the negatives. For example, as people age, they experience bone loss. Weight training increases bone density.

The only negative I have experienced is sometimes the day after a heavy tricep workout I feel the stretch in the upper arms while keeping my hands on the hoods.

I like "do what makes you happy." But, to add to the conversation, I too lift in the fall, winter, and spring as well as ride. My workout changes with the season. In the summer I ride hard and supplement with core work 2x week.

J

I don't think leg training is all that bad for cycling, as long as you don't go super heavy, and don't try to ride the same day you do legs at the gym. I did leg presses and calf presses tonight and my legs are jelly; if I were to ride tonight I'd be screwed. But tomorrow I'll be fine to ride. Doing legs the week before a race is a different story.

I forgot to say, I ride only for overall fitness/crosstraining at the time. Only ride 2-3 times a week

I hope they don't mean working legs 3 times per week, although thats what it sounds like. Even if I wasn't doing any sort of cycling working the same body part 3 times per week would be severe overtaining. I would say optimal for me is ~1.5x per week.

I have some questions for those of you who lift as well as cycle. If I am going to do a short ride (say interval training) and hit the gym in the same day which should be done first? Also, so far I have only been lifting upper body in the gym but I'd like to incorporate lower body squats, etc. which I am told help your core strength as well but I'm unsure of the best way to do this. Do most of you have back to back days where one day you will lift legs and then ride the next?