Winter gym exercises for building cycling muscles?

[lgibster]

I am setting a goal of riding a full Century on June 7th. It is our annual charity bike event to benefit cancer patients families. I trained for the metric century last year and it was rained so I decided not to ride. Right now it is too cold and dark for me to ride after work and I have other obligations on most weekends. I have joined a new gym here that will offer my normal water aerobics classes I usually do in the winter/spring and they will offer a spin class. My brother's riding group can ride year round (Houston) and he is already faster than I am. He has offered to ride with me (he did his first century this summer). One of the ladies I ride with suggested that I concentrate on building leg muscle this winter. Do you ladies have any suggestions for gym work that would help me this winter prepare for the century? Do I need a cycling specific workout? I also have another 40lbs to lose before my doctor will be happy. Thanks in advance for the suggestions.

[Veronica]

I work out with a personal trainer 3 times a week, but I have to say, that for cycling, there really is no substitute for time in the saddle.

I'd focus more on making spin class a priority and losing the weight. I would also put some time into developing core strength. A century is a long time to be on a bicycle and you'll want your abs and back to be strong.

Veronica

[Blueberry]

I would add to focus on making sure you are balancing your leg work - to work the muscles that don't get worked when cycling (i.e., glutes). You might be able to save yourself some problems that way (says the person who is working on re-training the butt muscles to actually do some work!).

[ny biker]

+1 to what they said.

[Veronica]

A good glute exercise is step ups. The higher the step, the more the glute gets engaged. Step up and step off with the same leg, then repeat with the other leg. You can make this harder by adding weights.

Veronica

[roo4]

I recommend New Rules for Lifting for Abs as an excellent general strength training plan. Incorporate 2 lifting sessions a week and keep going to spin class.