Weight training for cycling

[han-grrl]

Weight training is SOOO good to improve cycling...

Endurance athletes are often "afraid" of building up too much muscle mass and get "too heavy" but building muscle "needs a LOT OF FOOD" which most people don't do. and i don't mean just extra protein.

Weight training in general can help, leg stregnth to climb hills. I did very heavy weights last year and noticed HUGE improvements in my mtb abilities, simply because i now had the strength to get my body over things.

CORE and not just crunches improves the ability of your spinal muscles to hold you up withOUT pain. i know so many riders who simply think back pain is a way of life. I ride pain FREE and i am proud of it!

Upper body strength, especially important in mtb handling...need i say more?

and as for women....this is just a theory (and from observation), i think men are just naturally more able to get away with out strength training and still kick ***...but i find the women need to work at it, and strength training is a nice tool for that..

cheers

h

[Bike Goddess]

I started weight training in the fall of 2004. At first I was doing free weights, some counterweights,rowing, and an abs exercise. Now I do all counterweights for upper body strength as well as leg and back strength. IMHO it makes a difference on long distance rides- NO MORE BACK PAIN during century rides! I also seem to have more endurance and recover from hill climbing faster.

I workout 3x a week. My gym opens at 4:30AM so I have no excuses!

[Crankin]

Add me to the list of those who think that weight training really helps my cycling. I worked with a trainer most of the time from June 04 to March 05. I had a great season last year. I didn't want to spend the $ on the trainer again (major house remodeling) and I did little weight training this winter. There wasn't enough snow for X country skiing, and although i was active (snow shoeing, spin classes, hiking) my first few rides were demoralizing. I forced myself back in the gym just 2x a week and I already see a difference. My aerobic capacity was pretty good before i started cycling, from 25 years of aerobics and step. But I am WEAK! My balance sucks and although I can ride long and not too slow for a 52 year old, the weight training really works on the core. I started mtb, and you definitely need strength for that. I have osteopenia and I can't take Fosomax. Although I am taking Evista, it doesn't work as well. So, I need to do some weight bearing exercise. All women over 35 need to. Cycling is my #1 sport, but it is important to cross train.

[allabouteva]

ok! I'm sold!

So when I go to the gym, what questions should I ask the trainer? I really want to improve my balance, strength and endurance for cycling.....

[shadon]

ok! I'm sold!

So when I go to the gym, what questions should I ask the trainer? I really want to improve my balance, strength and endurance for cycling.....

When I set up my training, I just told my trainer that I was training for ALC. At the beginning my training was about getting in shape and she had me using machines. I have progressed to using free weights, some machines, a balance board, bosu, and balance ball. She "got it" that I was an out shape wannabe cyclist and has worked with me so well to get to the point where my balance had improved, my strength is better and my endurance is improving.

I'd say talk to a number of trainers at the gym and find one that you "click" with and who understands what you need at the fitness level you are at.

[tattiefritter]

I've recently restarted weightlifting. I used to do it a lot in my early twenties when I was doing TaeKwonDo training as the extra conditioning really helped. I used to train with the lads who taught me how to use the free weights. When I moved away I did Body Pump for a while but got fed up with that. I spent a few years believing (hoping?) that weights would do nothing for my cycling and if I wanted to cycle faster then endless cycling was the answer. I also rock climb regularly and figured that the climbing would take care of it anyway.

I have restarted again as I have realised that over time I have been losing strength, most noticeably in the upper body i.e. shopping bags seemed to be feeling heavier where I used to lift them easily. I was also having constant lower back problems. I have decided that I am not an elite cyclist or a racer or even just a cyclist. I have a life outside cycling and my realisation of dwindling strength is not good for the future. My paternal grandmother had osteoperosis, I saw what it did to her and I have no intention of ending up like that.

So I have dug my old dumbells and barbell out and started doing squats/deadlifts for the legs/lower back and shoulder and chest presses as well as bicep curls and tricep dips. I can feel the difference already, especially in my lower back it is feeling stronger now, also shoulder presses are really good for helping lift bikes over your head! I mtb so this is useful as well as the nightmare I had last weekend trying to hang my winter hackbike up for the summer (it weighs over 30 pounds) with my hardtail (prob about 24 pounds). I had each bike up and down about 6 times till I got the correct configuration of saddle heights, bar angles etc. I knew there was a reason I left that to the SO.

If you want some info about women and weight training have a look at this site, its informative as well as amusing

http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/index.php

[RoadRaven]

Aside from the beneifits on the bike, I'm glad to be doing the weights for the benefit to bone strength. As I understand it, whilie cycling is healthy and doesn't beat on the joints, it doesn't help one to mainitain bone mass and bone strength. So I'm pleaseded to do both for the sake of my bones!

Yes, exactly right... because cycling is not a weight-bearing exercise.

It is weight-bearing exercises - like running, walking, and weight-training - that make our bones strong.

For women over 30, who are not able to store the calcium the way they used to and must "top up" on a daily basis, some regular weight-bearing exercise is particularly important.

There was some research released last year - I think I read about it in one of the cycling mags - maybe Bike Australia (will suss it out and see if I can find it) that looked at the high incidence of broken bones in elite cyclists once they reached/passed 50. It was linked directly to the hours spent on the bike and the hours NOT given to any weight-bearing activity...

[FreshNewbie]

Hi All,

Decided to put my 2 cents with a question: If I am taking 2-3 cycling classes during week and ride outside on weekends, should I still do lower body weight workout once a week? Or is it too much straining for leg muscles?

FreshNewbie ( Marina)

[janetsplanet]

I have been spinning for 7 years. This winter I am doing it 2x per week with one 2 hr class. Prior to the class I lift for the chest, arms, back, and hips.
The other 2 days in the gym I work with the lower body. The only thing I really dont do is the calves directly. All other parts of the legs and butt help.
I work on abs all 4 days alternating the type of training.
46 and going strong. 2500 miles last summer and it is short here in wisconsin.About 8 good months....

[FreshNewbie]

That's awsome Janetsplanet!!!!!!!!!!
That's exactly what I do, I do double class one tuesday nigths , one class on thursdays ( sometimes I do fridays) On monday I do my upper body and wednesday is lower body.
Well, lucky there with 8 months, here in lovely NY the weather been weird lately. Last summer it was too humid, hopefully this year it will be better. Oh, yeah and it's about 3 months of summer here

[natheless]

I think strength-training for women is a really great idea - whether to improve cycling performance, guard against bone loss, boost metabolism, or bring in the groceries.

I was just researching whether there was anything specific I could add to my routine to help improve my cycling, and found this article:

http://www.bicycling.com/article/0,3...ategory_id=363

I'm also going to echo a previous poster:

http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/index.php

The stumptuous site was a huge inspiration for me when I wanted to start strength-training. It also has great articles on nutrition and motivation, and just basically kicks a$$. Mistress Krista is also an excellent and very funny writer.