weight training

madmix

Does anyone else do weight training for upper body strength?

I've not lifted weights for over a year and was in the gym with a mate today and didsome lifting. I was pathetic. Not to mention the pain I face tomorrow.

I keep trying to tell myself that I should do weight training, if only for the health benefits (helps maintain bone strength in later life etc).

Just wondered if anyone else did it regularly and what everyone else's opinions on it were.

madmix

Jaeger

Hi there, I have been weight training on and off for a number of years now.

It does seem to help with strength, but I would not think this has any beneficial effect on my cycling. In fact, the upper body bulk (although not excessive at 76-80kg) needs dragging up hills, whilst the duration and calorie demands of cycling seems to reduce overall muscular gains. I often feel I end up mediocre both in the gym and on the bike! :?

On the plus side I think you are right though that this combination should help to keep a reasonable level of overall fitness.

320DMsport

I also weight train on and off but have been regular the last 5 months.

I mountain bike and i find it helps with long rocky descents and uphill too as my core sections feels stronger .

Also doing heavy basic movements builds strengh and helps get the metabolism going.

Brawlyrox

http://www.cptips.com/weights.htm

cp tips, is a good site and I have included a link to the weights/strength section on there. Its well worth a read.

shockedsoshocked

I do weight training just to tone up a bit. Nothing incredibly heavy (heaviest I go is my own body weight on the bench/pull ups/dips). If you're doing a lot of cycling you're not gonna put on massive amounts of upper body muscle anyway so I don't see a problem with it.

Brian B

I was doing a bit of weight training until an old back injury came back. I have never had a problem with it for years now but have hurt it twice in the last 4months and each time it was after a weight session and I was using really light weights with multiple reps.

I think if you are starting out go to a proper gym and get someone to show you how to do it proper for the core muscles.

johnnyhotdog

i use weights as part of my normal fitness routine. i do it because i enjoy it.

if you're going to train with weights, there are three things to concentrate on:

1. form
2. form
3. form

start with light weights until you can do the excercises properly and when training to failure, remember that failure means failing to complete a lift with perfect form, not failing to lift.

i think it's worth persevering with free weights - if you're new to weights, a set of dumbells is cheap and very versatlie.

bigmug

Contrawise my back injury tends to return if I DON'T do a bit of regulaar weight lifting - and stretching before hand of course. Find even just 30mins a few times a week with manageble loads helps posture and just gives a feeling of well being - nothing much on telly anyway and the turbo gets soooo tedious.

dennisn

johnnyhotdog wrote:

i use weights as part of my normal fitness routine. i do it because i enjoy it.

if you're going to train with weights, there are three things to concentrate on:

1. form
2. form
3. form

start with light weights until you can do the excercises properly and when training to failure, remember that failure means failing to complete a lift with perfect form, not failing to lift.

i think it's worth persevering with free weights - if you're new to weights, a set of dumbells is cheap and very versatlie.

Yes, form, form, form. Well put.

Dennis Noward