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Want to build muscle. Do not need to get leaner. Shorter and harder rides?

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Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Want to build muscle. Do not need to get leaner. Shorter and harder rides?

Old 06-27-10, 10:29 AM
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Want to build muscle. Do not need to get leaner. Shorter and harder rides?

I have always been an athletic person. Always have surfed when I'm back home in Hawaii. Rock climb, lift weights...etc. Being an outdoors and athletic person, bicycling has came pretty natural to me, and honestly, I LOVE it!

I have been doing rides ranging from 15 miles a day to over 50 a day. I have been combining this with plenty of food, and still working out almost everyday. So far, I have been pretty lucky, and have only been loosing the little fat mass I have, while gaining a little bit of muscle in my overall body. Eventually however, I know I will reach a point where I will no longer loose anymore fat, but will then start getting pretty skinny. Loosing fat has never been a problem of mine...it's gaining weight in muscle that I've always had to work hard for.

Anyways, I'm thinking of changing my bike riding style to compensate for this and wanted to ask if any of you all d this to actually gain weight, or if not, what you think I should do. I know to really stop loosing fat, I could stop riding, but honestly, that is not an option for me, as this really has become something I truly enjoy.

I am thinking of changing it so that instead of riding nearly everyday, I will only ride 3-4 times a week, and instead of riding longer distances (20-40+ miles a day) in easier gears, to change over to riding shorter distances (10-20 miles max), but in harder gears, and sprinting as much of it as I can, and also throwing in some good climbs into my trails. I figure that doing this switch will help yield stronger and larger leg muscles instead of leaner leg muscles which I do not need or want personally.

What do you all think of this plan. Any tips, suggestions, anything at all, I am all ears.

Thanks a lot for reading,
Mike
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Old 06-27-10, 10:30 AM
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This is cycling. You need to get leaner. Trust me on this.
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Old 06-27-10, 10:31 AM
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Originally Posted by patentcad
This is cycling. You need to get leaner. Trust me on this.
Well I do not compete, and never plan to. I just have done it as one of my hobbies for years. No need for me to be top of the group.
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Old 06-27-10, 10:32 AM
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Originally Posted by patentcad
This is cycling. You need to get leaner. Trust me on this.
^^
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Old 06-27-10, 10:32 AM
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Take up track cycling or go and ask them what they do. Those guys have thigh muscles as big as my waist.
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Old 06-27-10, 10:36 AM
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Originally Posted by ptle
Take up track cycling or go and ask them what they do. Those guys have thigh muscles as big as my waist.
Wow...you are correct! Those people do have huge legs! Perhaps they are doing what I was saying...shorter distances, but harder/faster rides? Thanks for the tip though!
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Old 06-27-10, 10:38 AM
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Originally Posted by collegeboymike
Wow...you are correct! Those people do have huge legs! Perhaps they are doing what I was saying...shorter distances, but harder/faster rides? Thanks for the tip though!
They spend virtually all their time in the gym
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Old 06-27-10, 10:47 AM
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Increase your protein in take too

You want to aim for 1 gram of protein per 1 lb of body weight (eg if you weight 160lbs you need to ingest at least 160 grams of protein a day) Aim for 5-7 small meals a day even if two of those meals are protein shakes.

Look at guys like Michael Phelps , he has a lean muscular build however during training he was ingesting anywhere up to 12,000 calories a day!
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Old 06-27-10, 10:56 AM
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riding a bike will not make your legs bigger
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Old 06-27-10, 11:00 AM
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Originally Posted by bratton
riding a bike will not make your legs bigger
Huh, have you seen the legs of pro cyclists?
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Old 06-27-10, 11:02 AM
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Hmm,
there are any number of intense exercise classes. Kettlebells, Crossfit, that sort of thing. They would build muscle and
be good aerobic exercise at the same time.

You could also just do weightlifting
https://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Lift...7657700&sr=1-1

And if all you want is bigger legs, and you want to do it cheap, drag a tire.
Sounds goofy, but *nothing* will make your legs bigger faster.

Heavier tires mean shorter times, I'd like it to both build muscle and be aerobic, so
my tire is not all that heavy. I plan on just adding time as much as I can.

You can get a tire free from any tire place. I got a used SUV tire that weighs
about 50 pounds. Don't go too heavy if you aren't strong. I'd suggest 30-50 pounds.
You might want to ask the guy about swapping tires if it doesn't suit you.

Go to a hardware store and get 6 feet of chain, get the good stuff, and connector.

Wrap the chain around the tire and then rope the chain to an old backpack. Shoulder pads
really help here. Use about 10 feet of rope, you don't want to lift the tire and make it easier.
Then just drag it. I didn't get far the first time, the second time I got about 100 yards down
the street. In a couple days I try again.

Tires stink, you'll need a place to keep it if you have an apartment.

https://www.youtube.com/user/Performa...26/QrtF_ROgA_c

Last edited by late; 06-27-10 at 11:11 AM.
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Old 06-27-10, 11:04 AM
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Originally Posted by bratton
riding a bike will not make your legs bigger
You are correct. In my case, doing heavy squats will not make my legs bigger as welll. Some people respond well to heavy leg trainig and others don't. My upper body is a different story. I get great results in my chest, arms and shoulders but I will always have skinny legs.
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Old 06-27-10, 11:05 AM
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Originally Posted by late
Hmm,
there are any number of intense exercise classes. Kettlebells, Crossfit, that sort of thing. They would build muscle and
be good aerobic exercise at the same time.

You could also just do weightlifting
https://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Lift...7657700&sr=1-1

And if all you want is bigger legs, and you want to do it cheap, drag a tire.
Sounds goofy, but *nothing* will make your legs bigger faster.

You can get a tire free from any tire place. I got a used SUV tire that weighs
about 50 pounds. Don't go too heavy if you aren't strong. I'd suggest 30-50 pounds.
You might want to ask the guy about swapping tires if it doesn't suit you.

Go to a hardware store and get 6 feet of chain, get the good stuff, and connector.

Wrap the chain around the tire and then rope the chain to an old backpack. Shoulder pads
really help here. Use about 10 feet of rope, you don't want to lift the tire and make it easier.
Then just drag it. I didn't get far the first time, the second time I got about 100 yards down
the street. In a couple days I try again.

Tires stink, you'll need a place to keep it if you have an apartment.
Hah! That's awesome.
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Old 06-27-10, 11:07 AM
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you get big muscle from low reps. in cycling you do 100 reps a minute for hours. you just can't build big muscle size like that.
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Old 06-27-10, 11:09 AM
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You can certainly increase the size of your quads somewhat by raising the intensity of your cycling workouts, but frankly, if it is building big muscles you're after, you'll get much quicker results with weights. Chris Hoy didn't get those thighs by just riding round the track.

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Old 06-27-10, 11:13 AM
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Chris Hoy's thighs are likely of a larger circumference than my wasit
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Old 06-27-10, 11:13 AM
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Originally Posted by chasm54
Chris Hoy didn't get those thighs by just riding round the track.

[IMG]https://thisismax.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/hoy2803_468x674.jpg[/IMGs]
indeed https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored...s-success.html
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Old 06-27-10, 11:17 AM
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Originally Posted by collegeboymike
Hah! That's awesome.
Actually, it is, and the best thing is that it works your hams, butt and core muscles. All of which
cycling needs but isn't efficient at developing.

You will be sore after the first time.
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Old 06-27-10, 11:17 AM
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Originally Posted by finale23
Huh, have you seen the legs of pro cyclists?
Originally Posted by bratton
riding a bike will not make your legs bigger
..
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Old 06-27-10, 11:23 AM
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Sounds like I'll just continue with the weights, and cut back on riding a little. I think I'll give that tire thing a try as well for fun.
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Old 06-27-10, 11:34 AM
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Originally Posted by finale23
Huh, have you seen the legs of pro cyclists?
Yes, some have big legs and some don't mostly depending on their parents. What's your point?
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Old 06-27-10, 01:06 PM
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We've done tire drags at my CrossFit gym. Sooooo fun! (Okay, to me. Everyone else must be pretending to hate it.) But on the way back, we have to run or walk BACKWARDS. Much harder than anyone thought it would be.

No chain & backback - just long sturdy nylon straps bolted to the tire and then looped around the hips or across the shoulders of the athlete. The stronger athletes tucked kettlebells inside the tires for more challenge. After that we got a couple of sleds that hold weight plates for the same exercise. https://www.againfaster.com/sleds/

That said, the whole point of CrossFit is that we don't focus on just one skill or muscle group. So it wouldn't cause you to gain the muscular legs you want. (You're actually GOING FOR the cyclist "T-Rex" body? Powerful legs, puny little arms? Bonus points for constantly ravenous?)
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Old 06-27-10, 01:18 PM
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Maybe do low cadence drills.
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Old 06-27-10, 01:23 PM
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Originally Posted by Honu
But on the way back, we have to run or walk BACKWARDS. Much harder than anyone thought it would be.
Oh, I HATE you! (insert BIG smiley) I have to try backwards!

Muscle development depends on how you do an exercise, btw.
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Old 06-27-10, 01:58 PM
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Originally Posted by bratton
riding a bike will not make your legs bigger
It has mine.
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