Expereinced Cyclist going to another level

cconw01

Hi,

I have been cycling for years, on a mountain bike, and then I got a Road Bike - and will never go back,

I have really got the bug now and am thinking of using it beyond commuting, which was it's primary purpose initially. I used to grind all the time, thinking it would make my logs stronger, and thus more powerful, but I am reading and been advised that spinning on a high cadence is the way forward. I would like to enter some sportives and some longer rides, more challenging rides next year.

On my road bike last year I cycled London to Oxford, London to Brighton a few times and this year, with a new technique I have done London to Brighton and regular routes around Richmond Park, which is 10 miles from my home and then three laps of the park, with a break of about 5 mins between each break - I find Sawyers Hill a killer, ironically far worse the Dark Hill. So I have some experience in this field.

I would like to know how to set about improving my performance. I go to the gym 5 dys a week and I have told my trainer what I want out of this and I am doing bout 20 minutes of interval training on the spinning bike, 10 minutes of warm up first on the Running machine, on he rowing machine for about 5 minutes, always trying to beat my previous distance, as well as ham string weight lifting and a squat press. I am also building up my core.

My question to this really long post - I'm sorry is this - the work I'm doing in the gym, is this adequate to enable me to grow stronger in terms of endurance and cycling ability? I took the bike out today (I have only been at the Gym for about two weeks) and did Richmond Park, and though I was at some points able to grind away and make it up Dark Hill, I was out of breath and by the time I got to Sawyers Hill, I was struggling, not knowing if I would make it or not. The total ride for me was 42 miles; my home to Richmond, 3 laps of the park and home again.

Am I on the ride "road" to enable me to become better at my ability next year. Does any one out there have any other advice on how I might improve?

Any thoughts would be most welcome

Cheers.

Anonymous

Hi mate, welcome to the forum and the wonderful world of road cycling...

The best way to improve your endurance on the bike is to ditch the gym/weight work (especially the weights) and get out on the bike...

Sounds simple but, well, it is!

brin

+1 to above post, however don't ditch the gym work altogether you will find it handy during the winter months when the weather deters a spin on the bike.
I use the gym once/twice a week at the moment, doing more or less the same as you are, altho not bothered about building up my core, you don't want too much bulk, just gentle resistant weights are sufficient for that.
As Nap says, increasing your endurance on the bike is the obvious way to improving it, but mixing it a bit with gym work is ok too. good luck

furrag

Sawyers hill is horrible 90% of the time - the road surface feels like treacle, but more importantly there is usually a headwind between Roehampton and Richmond gate which makes that whole stretch a slog.

As Nap D suggests, with any sport the key to improvement is being specific. Therefore the most efficient workout you can do to become a better cyclist is to cycle!

Here's some sample workouts I lifted from a book I took out of the library:

IMPROVE ENDURANCE
1 long ride per week
+10% increase each week in time (2h30 + 10% = 2h45)

IMPROVE TOP END SPEED
Speedwork 2x per week
(20-60x 10 seconds) OR (5-8 x 10-30 seconds) @ race pace with equal recovery

IMPROVE CADENCE
Spin at 110RPM+
6-10x 2 minute intervals

IMPROVE FORCE
90RPM in higher gear; 3min > rec > 4min > rec > 5m

IMPROVE POWER
1x per week (no more than 2). Easy ride day before, rec day after.
70RPM or lower, especially up hills
40RPM, accelerate (seated) 5-8x 10-30s. Easy spin recoveries.

IMPROVE 10mi TIME TRIAL
3-4x 5mins @ 110rpm. 5 min rec @ 90rpm.

Peddle Up!

NapoleonD wrote:

The best way to improve your endurance on the bike is to ditch the gym/weight work (especially the weights) and get out on the bike...

Big legs and skinny arms? Nah!

racingcondor

Do this -

The total ride for me was 42 miles; my home to Richmond, 3 laps of the park and home again.

Once a week until it is easy and then join a cycling club. Gym work certainly won't hinder you (unless you're putting on huge bulk) but the best way to become a better cyclist is to build up to 100-200 miles per week on the bike then keep doing it. Faster.

Chip \'oyler

NapoleonD wrote:

Hi mate, welcome to the forum and the wonderful world of road cycling...

The best way to improve your endurance on the bike is to ditch the gym/weight work (especially the weights) and get out on the bike...

Sounds simple but, well, it is!

Errrr not quite.

I did a cycle specific weights programme over the winter and have continued it through the summer and have never felt better on the bike. Despite 2 bouts of labrynthitis and breaking two toes early in the season which disrupted my on bike training, I've achieved a few top tens in open TTs late on this season, and have posted my 3rd best 10m TT time. With another winter of gym work I expect to beat all my PBs next year (providing I'm illness and injury free).

To the OP - Best thing to do is do cycle specific weights programme. Mine consisted of 6 weeks strength, then 6 weeks stability finishing with 6 weeks endurance. Speak to someone down at your gym about this - you need to include core strength too.

All of my gym work only supplemented my cycling training programme (I used to rest two days a week, I now do gym work on these days), and I didn't do any cardio work in the gym.

porker33

Agree on ditching the gym....I started off with 10 & 25m TT's in my teens, went to mountain bikes, then did mostly spin/rpm for 13 years, once I rediscovered road bikes... I knocked the gym bikes on the head...get out and ride it is the only way!

cconw01

Hi,

Thanks all for your advice. I repeated by 42 mile Richmond Park journey from yesterday today. Interesting. Although over all my average cadence was down by a few points on yesterday, on my first go at both Dark Hill and Sawyers, I amazed myself.

On the second and thrid run I was obviously getting fatigued. The journey back was certainly a struggle.

I initially joined the gym, because when I look out at my window and it's grey and windy, it's often so easy to put off taking the bike out, I figured initially that the gym, even on their bikes ws better then nothing.

Those who have done Richmond Park - is it busy int eh winter months also? Unfortunately, there is nothing comparable in central London to use for a good training ride - to my knowledge any way, which means taking the bike out for training I have to cycle around 10 miles to get somewhere to do the training.

Today I was not sure I could do three laps after yesterday, but I stuck with it, I had breaks sure, but no more then a couple of minutes, my approx time for circuit is 22 mins - a far cry from those that can do three circuits in 45 mins.

Garz

cconw01 wrote:

I would like to know how to set about improving my performance. I go to the gym 5 dys a week

Hi, over winter indoor training to maintain or improve performance is great. However if I wanted to improve on the bike then this is where I would focus on accompanied by stretches and core exercises.

Spend as much time out in the saddle in the great outdoors allows before the winter hits, this is far better than indoor stuff. How I long for the spring/summer weather when sweating on the turbo or freezing my balls off..

Airwave

NapoleonD wrote:

Hi mate, welcome to the forum and the wonderful world of road cycling...

The best way to improve your endurance on the bike is to ditch the gym/weight work (especially the weights) and get out on the bike...

Sounds simple but, well, it is!

+1
If you want better endurance.Ride your bike a lot.
If you want to be fast over short distance.Ride your bike fast for short distances.It's not rocket science.

jibberjim

Garz wrote:

Hi, over winter indoor training to maintain or improve performance is great. However if I wanted to improve on the bike then this is where I would focus on accompanied by stretches and core exercises.

Every winter I've improved on the bike a lot (as measured by power meter) and I've never done any stretching or core exercises. Maybe they help, but they're certainly not necessary, and I would never suggest doing anything you don't enjoy.

Why would they be something to do in the winter, as opposed to all year around if they lead improvement?

mattward1979

I recently upped my daily ride from 5 miles x 2 to 10 miles x2, and I am feeling the muscles hurt again in the mornings. Obviously the shorter ride wasnt stretching my ability any more, but the longer ride is now giving benefits again!

The point being, as I sit here right now, I can feel the dull pain in my legs (obviously!), across my shoulders, down the sides of my stomach (not the centre) a little on each side of my back.

Im no biological whizz, but Id hazard a guess and say that these are the muscles I use for cycling, ergo cycling will improve them, leading to my cycling getting better!

I despise gym work but love cycling, and being forced into the gym would deplete my enthusiasm for riding!

Chip \'oyler

mattward1979 wrote:

I recently upped my daily ride from 5 miles x 2 to 10 miles x2, and I am feeling the muscles hurt again in the mornings. Obviously the shorter ride wasnt stretching my ability any more, but the longer ride is now giving benefits again!

The point being, as I sit here right now, I can feel the dull pain in my legs (obviously!), across my shoulders, down the sides of my stomach (not the centre) a little on each side of my back.

Im no biological whizz, but Id hazard a guess and say that these are the muscles I use for cycling, ergo cycling will improve them, leading to my cycling getting better!

I despise gym work but love cycling, and being forced into the gym would deplete my enthusiasm for riding!

If you did some resistance work in the gym you wouldn't be sat there with pains in your shoulders, stomach and back.

Hey - I was like everyone else on this post. I believed that to be better on a bike meant riding loads and doing nothing else. After doing a weights programme I can now see that doing it really is beneficial to my cycling.

fnegroni

Why pay money to the gym when you can help me?

I have 4 tons of soil to shift, one wheelbarrow load at a time, from my front garden to my back garden through the house, this weekend

It will provide you with all the core strength you need, and I will not charge you a penny. You might even get a beer (or smoothie if that's your thing) at the end of it.

You are free to use bags instead of the wheelbarrow, to provide you with the extra exercise.

Use of bags is free. So is the wheelbarrow.

Airwave

If you did some resistance work in the gym you wouldn't be sat there with pains in your shoulders, stomach and back.

Hey - I was like everyone else on this post. I believed that to be better on a bike meant riding loads and doing nothing else. After doing a weights programme I can now see that doing it really is beneficial to my cycling.[/quote

I get enough of a workout working on builing sites.May be if your particularly weak in the first place.Or not very supple.It might have helped.But riding a bike does'nt require great physical strengh.Just to be in good shape with a decent engine is more than enough.

Chip \'oyler

Airwave wrote:

If you did some resistance work in the gym you wouldn't be sat there with pains in your shoulders, stomach and back.

Hey - I was like everyone else on this post. I believed that to be better on a bike meant riding loads and doing nothing else. After doing a weights programme I can now see that doing it really is beneficial to my cycling.[/quote

I get enough of a workout working on builing sites.May be if your particularly weak in the first place.Or not very supple.It might have helped.But riding a bike does'nt require great physical strengh.Just to be in good shape with a decent engine is more than enough.

Fair point. I do have a desk job!

Garz

jibberjim wrote:

Garz wrote:

Hi, over winter indoor training to maintain or improve performance is great. However if I wanted to improve on the bike then this is where I would focus on accompanied by stretches and core exercises.

Every winter I've improved on the bike a lot (as measured by power meter) and I've never done any stretching or core exercises. Maybe they help, but they're certainly not necessary, and I would never suggest doing anything you don't enjoy.

Why would they be something to do in the winter, as opposed to all year around if they lead improvement?

jibberjim, I have highlighted the word accompanied for you. This does not translate to necessary, not in my book anyhow. From my experience and others I have spoken to, in the long term it's best you get some form of flexibility instead of waiting till it's causing you a problem (proactive not reactive).

I agree it should not be done just in the winter though, however from April till present I have not used the turbo as I went out in most weather as I prefer to get out whilst it's still light or warm.

I would only use the bike on the turbo all year round if I had the luxury of a secondary bike. Instead of swapping my rear wheel and chain then setting it up I just go out instead.