Weight training

[GIRR]

hi all

 

what sort of cycling specific weight training can i do and just how beneficial is it really.  I'm trying to better my sprinting and performance on the flats.

[Chrispy]

do track!!

[pastapouch]

1 ) Squats 

2)  anything that works you hip flexors. take one of those big balls , lay sideways with your anckles on it, leaning on you arm, and straighten your body. + Roman chair situps.

3) shoulder press

4 bench press.

5) vertical rowing

[Cois]

for some reason working on the core helps a lot as well.

[DvG.]

Olympic style weight lifting moves such as the 'clean and jerk', 'dead lifts' and squats are good for developing power. Plyometrics are also very effective in improving explosive power and strength.

 

Bear in mind though that you can't just jump into these advanced exercises, excuse the pun.  

 

You need to build some basic strength in the gym by doing the more conventional exercises before moving onto these or you will hurt yourself.

[bruce]

hi all

 

what sort of cycling specific weight training can i do and just how beneficial is it really.  I'm trying to better my sprinting and performance on the flats.

 

None, ride your bike.

 

The principle of specificity dictates that muscles adaptions that occur with specific joint angles and muscle contraction velocities do not translate to totally different joint angles and muscle velocities.

 

Cycling is an aerobic sport, and cycling performance is primarily dictated by aerobic performance.

 

Sprinting performance can best be improved by sprinting, standing starts etc on the bike.

 

Think about it - in cycling you perform upwards of 90 repititions per minute, for a number of hours, at a muscle contraction force of less than 20% of your maximum force.  Even in a sprint of 10 seconds, you will perform 900 repititions - doing 10 repititions with weights is a totally different exercise.

 

Anyway, this topic has been debated hugely here, make up your own mind on it.

 

 

[pastapouch]

hi all

 

what sort of cycling specific weight training can i do and just how beneficial is it really.  I'm trying to better my sprinting and performance on the flats.

 

None' date=' ride your bike.

 

 

[/quote']

 

don't agree, to sprint, if you have a weak upperbody, your gonna loose power goingin to the when you go from left to right. A strong upperbody(more core then chest, shoulders and arms) would help putting more force into the pedals with a more stable body.

[nochain]

Cervelo but doing sprints on your bike will specificaly work those muscles that you are talking about and make them stronger in the process plus you will get the Cardio benefits!!

 

Bruce,what is your opinion on low cadence strenght type intervals

[Christie]

I can second Bruce's view, from personal experience. Cycling specific weight training did nothing for my performance. On the contrary, it made me 2 kg's heavier, & made my legs look less like a girl's, but the extra mass slowed me down on hills. 

[pastapouch]

Cervelo but doing sprints on your bike will specificaly work those muscles that you are talking about and make them stronger in the process plus you will get the Cardio benefits!!

 

 

Agree' date=' but supplementing those muscles with gym work might just help itcome along quicker.

 

Bruce,what is your opinion on low cadence strenght type intervals

 

I'd like to know that as well. I work through a range of cadences in a workout, eg last night did aerobic stamina intervals(70-80%MHR) @ 90 x 4 intervals, 3 @ 80, 2 @ 70 and then 1 @ 60 which would be a max power interval for the session. Sshould benefit from it. What I can't understand is these spinning classes going @ 10rpm or something like that. whats the use?

 

[bruce]

Cervelo but doing sprints on your bike will specificaly work those muscles that you are talking about and make them stronger in the process plus you will get the Cardio benefits!!

 

Bruce' date='what is your opinion on low cadence strenght type intervals

[/quote']

 

Can only answer that question in context of the specific racing that you do, and your specific strengths and weaknesses.

 

If the racing that you do (say for example single speed MTB) requires the ability for low cadence high torque intervals, then yes, it is a good exercise.  If this is a specific weakness, then agin, yes, intervals would be good.

 

http://www.cyclingpeakssoftware.com/power411/quad.asp

 

Some bedtime reading.

 

Agree with your statement regarding doing sprints.  If the exercise requires a certain set of muscles to perform, then doing that exercise will make those muscles stronger (or at least ensure that they have adequate strength to perform the support function).  If you use your upper body when doing sprints, if you do a lot of sprints your upper body will get stronger.  This is not to say though, that weight training is not beneficial to specific muscle problems and imbalances - it is.

 

There are only one or two VERY specific track events that use pure ATP-PC power production (pure sprint power) because most cycling events have a build up to that point, and that system is fairly depleted anyway, so top sprinters still rely very heavily on aerobic power production.

 

 

[Imtb]

How about core training - would a strong stomach/core help me in any way on the bike?

[bruce]

How about core training - would a strong stomach/core help me in any way on the bike?

 

A strong set of core muscles is beneficial in virtually every activity we do, because it is the platform from which prime moving muscles operate.

 

I think the bottom line though, is that if your core get's fatigued when riding, then more riding will make your core stronger until it is strong enough.  Any stronger than "string enough" will not be of benefit to your riding - it may benefit other activities that you do though.

 

It's all about specificity - the best way to get better at riding your bike, is by riding your bike.

[BikeMax]

Have a read of this - it will help you get a better feel and understanding of why strength training is not going to do much for your endurance cycling;

 

http://home.earthlink.net/~acoggan/misc/id4.html

 

[BikeMax]

here is the next article that will shed more light on "Strength Endurance" or low cadence type training;

 

http://home.earthlink.net/~acoggan/setraining/

 

[Imtb]

Bruvce