mindaugas

I'm looking for comments on this routine and if anyone knows of a better one. Its pretty much every leg/lower body machine you can find in the gym with 3 sets of 10-12 reps. I tries it tonight and I don't feel like I did much. I took it pretty easy on the weights though since it was my first time and most of this equipment I have never used. I just got a gym membership. I don't want to shell out a couple hundred for a few personal training sessions so I'm trying to go at it alone.

https://www.netfit.co.uk/training/art...t-training.htm

Is it bad to jog as well? I've been doing that every time I go in, usually 30 minutes sometimes 45. incline on 2, speed 5.5 for 10 min then 6.5 for 10, then 7.5 for 5, then cool down.

Thanks for any advice.

I'm just trying to build strength and endurance. I'm doing the MS150 here in CO which is 150 miles over 2 days. I also want to do another century in the elephant rock. I've been cycling for about 2 years and have no problem doing a metric. I just want to be able to do them a little faster. I'm thinking about racing spring of 2010.

Carbonfiberboy 

In general, to get better at riding your bike, ride your bike. Outside in the rain, on the trainer, on rollers, however. Time, time, time. Weights can help to improve strength a little, so it's OK to do them a little. Maybe 20%-25% of total training time in the winter. Jogging doesn't really transfer. You do get some aerobic benefit, but the muscular part isn't very useful. That's the reason tri's are so hard.

Distance makes you strong.

s4one

weight do make a difference if performed correctly, many pros are spending time at the gym such as Lance.

Duke's Pass

Training off the bike can help enormously in building cycling strength when more and more miles seem to give diminishing returns. It's not even necessary to go to a gym or use fancy equipment. Take a look at what https://www.cyclo-club.com has to offer. All you'll need is a stability ball, a mat and some weights. I've found the off bike programs really excellent. You'll find plenty of training sessions that will not have you feeling you didn't do much!

mindaugas

I joined the gym with my wife, I know the weights can't hurt and I'm easing into it. I was just wondering if those particular weights and sets from the website are ok. I've got a trainer and ride on the weekends as well, at least one 40mile + or a couple short 20 mile but at faster pace. I'll admit joining the gym was to lose the bit of belly fat I have left and get into even better shape. I figured jogging would help with the aerobic portion, what is it? My vo2 max or something? the amount of oxygen I can take in?

Carbonfiberboy 

OK. I've found 4 sets of 12 better than 3. Gradually increase the weights as your connective tissue gets stronger more slowly than your muscles. Injury is a disaster. When I did a lot of weight training, I always started the weight season with 3 sets of 30, done circuit style. All the same weight, with the weight adjusted so that you can barely finish the last set, if at all. That way you can't injure yourself by piling it on before you're ready. By the time you can actually make it all the way around the circuit 3 times with maybe 10 exercises at 30 reps each, you're already in fairly good shape. Don't rest between exercises, move right along. That's why you do the circuit. Use a sports drink so your blood sugar doesn't go through the floor. You'll notice a training effect. I guarantee it.

Jog or bike first. Always do the focus exercise first. The aerobic work increases your ability to turn oxygen and stored calories into energy. Basically, your body is a trainable chemical factory. The more you cause it to manufacture certain chemicals, the better it gets at it. You also need to build sub-cellular structures called mitochondria. Old, old critters that live in our bodies. Jogging won't build them quite right for cycling, but good is better than nothing. Don't bother with the cool down. Don't waste time. Move right to the weights. By the time you have the weights on the bar, your HR should have dropped to 100 or lower. Not at first, but it will with time. You're trying to get tired.

Carbonfiberboy 

My series:
Barbell squats
Seated rows
Hyperextension machine, set for full motion
Leg sled
Benches or pushups
One-legged calf raises
Crunch bench or machine
Lat pull-downs
Dumbell raises

StanSeven

Ride when you can to make the largest improvements. Weights help with very short term sprint speed such as what track sprinters need, but that's about it to help cycling. Weights do help in maintaining overall fitness and keeps your body in balance and that's something you shouldn't overlook.

michaeldmanthey

Properly training your muscles is important. I have been doing an amazing training program for the last 1.5 years with some awesome results. I do a combination of on and off the bike workouts. I combine yoga, funtional strength training- such as hindu squats, power skipping, running hill repeats, and stretching. Having a good plan and sticking to it is vital. I have not been in a gym for over 5 years. This cost is usually high and I am not sure that the machines provide you with the best functional strength.

mindaugas

Thanks, that's some awesome info. I'm doing some upper body stuff today so I'll try that with the circuit if possible. I gotta go to the gym early and its usually packed, hopefully I can get on a tread, otherwise elliptical or even a stat bike should be ok.

MrIndy

I've found that I can get am efficient leg workout 1x per week by focusing on just two major lifts per workout, the squat and deadlift. Both exercises target a lot of muscles so are very efficient time-wise vs. typical machine exercises where each machine targets specific muscles. There are lots of variations to both exercises to keep things interesting and I like to stick with free weights since they target all the stabilizing muscles in addition to the primary muscles. If you're careful with form, both are safe exercises in my experience. I generally use relative low reps or explosive movements using light weights in order to target fast twitch muscles. I figure slow twitch fibers get enough stimulation on the bike.

Variations include but aren't limited to:
Squats: Barbell squat to thighs parallel, box squat with pause at bottom, 1/2 or 1/4 squats to target quads vs glutes, step ups, bulgarian split squats, one legged squats.

Deadlifts: Regular deadlift, wide grip deadlift, deadlift off a low box, partial deadlifts, good mornings (ok, not a deadlift but targets hams and lower back in a similiar way).

An excellent strength training resource is www.t-nation.com.