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