Gym training to become a better cyclist?
Comments
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PMSL,
And I thought the "Which is the Best Oil" Thread was Contentious 0 -
The books I have read suggest light weights high reps to simulate conditions as you find on a bike i.e. a number of high powered spins to get up a hill.0
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Unless it's done at a sufficient power to elicit positive adaptations, spinning really isn't all that effective.Pork Sword wrote:Remember the old adage - spin, spin, spin!
Focus on effort and pick a gear that feels good.
If you need lots of upper body condition to hold you up on a bike then you must have a really bad position on a bike (or a bike poorly suited to you).Pork Sword wrote:Upper body conditioning is a better option as it will help strengthen the muscles that hold you up on the bike and will certainly help limit arm cramping on long climbs and over longer distances - core training is good too for the same reasons...
Well lean mass is better than non lean mass, but gaining mass without gaining sustainble aerobic power will still slow you down. Weight training does not improve sustainable aerobic power.Pork Sword wrote:Remember, that weight training will increase body weight but as it's usually lean body mass that increases this is a good thing unless you take it to extremes. I don't think we have hills of the length in this Country to make much of a difference regarding body weight and climbing performance unless you want to get really competetive...0 -
I've been mixing up my cycling training with the odd run or two, and have just started trying to get a quick 30 mins in at the gym at lunch hour. I'm sure if I was able to spend the equivalent amount of time out on the bike I'd make better progress, but to be honest I grab whatever exercise I can with the current dark nights and icy roads.
Mind you, I'm a novice rider and still have a fair bit of weight to lose - about 2/3rds of a stone - and I was under the impression that running is 'better' than cycling for weightloss (assuming you did both for the same length of time). Is that correct?0 -
Reminder to self:
Don't grumble and moan when the going gets tough, there are guys out there cycling with one leg. Hats off to you guys, an inspiration to this two legged waster!0 -
Jacster brought up this article a while back:
http://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Abstr ... 99480.aspx
The discussion got stifled last time because of a few disparaging comments but hopefully people have grown up somewhat since then and will add something constructive."A cyclist has nothing to lose but his chain"
PTP Runner Up 20150 -
In the end I'm for doing ANY kind of excercise that you enjoy, be it squats, running, riding, whatever. After all, aren't most of us weekend warriors at best? We not out there to set the world on fire. Most of us have jobs, family, etc., to keep us busy and cycling(or whatever) is something of a sideline. Very few of us have the time, or inclination, to train like pros. So why worry about whether a few squats or some running is going to adversely effect or help our 25 mile TT time? Do what you feel like doing and you'll be better off in the long run for it. I think ANY kind of leg work is beneficial. I see lots of elderly people who have a reasonably healthy upper body but can't walk very well, if at all. This fact alone makes me do lots of leg work, of all kinds, in the hopes that I will be able to move about just a little bit better as I get older.0
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i find mixing a bit of running with the biking improves both. the bikes lets me have much more stamina for running and frees my legs a bit for power spinning.0
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I have been doing lightish weights, 600 reps three times a week and it has made a massive difference to my hill work and my lactic threshold. Simple as that. I reverted from the low reps heavy weights from when I was playing Rugby for a living but now focus on less is more.
The paradox of my gym is that most people there want to get big. I on the other hand want to get small and its working.0
