Upper body training

CarleyB
CarleyB Posts: 475
Do any of you do upper body training and if so what do you do?

Ive just taken up swimming in an effort o improve my upper body strength.
Level 3 Road & Time Trial Coach, Level 2 Track Coach.

Blackpool Clarion CC
http://blackpoolclarion.webs.com/

Blackpool Youth Cycling Association
http://www.go-ride-byca.org

Comments

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    I just do press ups, suits my needs. works the core too. I used to do a lot of upper body work in my old post at work but no longer need to.
    I'd swim but my nearest pool is miles away!
  • smithy1.0
    smithy1.0 Posts: 439
    Put your arms in slings and let that upper body burn....

    skeletor1.jpg
  • Ride a bike will make you the fittest you need to be to ...... Ride a Bike
    Racing is life - everything else is just waiting
  • meanredspider
    meanredspider Posts: 12,337
    CarleyB wrote:
    Do any of you do upper body training and if so what do you do?

    Ive just taken up swimming in an effort o improve my upper body strength.

    What do you want to achieve?
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • CarleyB
    CarleyB Posts: 475
    CarleyB wrote:
    to improve my upper body strength.
    Level 3 Road & Time Trial Coach, Level 2 Track Coach.

    Blackpool Clarion CC
    http://blackpoolclarion.webs.com/

    Blackpool Youth Cycling Association
    http://www.go-ride-byca.org
  • meanredspider
    meanredspider Posts: 12,337
    CarleyB wrote:
    CarleyB wrote:
    to improve my upper body strength.

    :wink: - I meant, why do you want to improve upper body strength: Shot put? Swimming? Opening pickle jars? Changing lorry tyres? It makes a difference
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • Carley probably wants to keep her whole body toned.upper body training helps keep a good posture and balances out things.
  • smithy1.0 wrote:
    Put your arms in slings and let that upper body burn....

    skeletor1.jpg

    This guy looks like an addict.
  • meanredspider
    meanredspider Posts: 12,337
    CarbonCopy wrote:
    Carley probably wants to keep her whole body toned.upper body training helps keep a good posture and balances out things.

    BodyPump classes are a fun way of all-over body training & toning with plenty of emphasis on upper body.
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • CarleyB
    CarleyB Posts: 475
    CarbonCopy wrote:
    Carley probably wants to keep her whole body toned.upper body training helps keep a good posture and balances out things.

    yes exactly this
    Level 3 Road & Time Trial Coach, Level 2 Track Coach.

    Blackpool Clarion CC
    http://blackpoolclarion.webs.com/

    Blackpool Youth Cycling Association
    http://www.go-ride-byca.org
  • P_Tucker
    P_Tucker Posts: 1,878
    Ah, "toning". I think it beats "the fat-burning zone" into second place in the gym myths hall of fame.
  • legin
    legin Posts: 132
    flat bench press incline press dumbell press and dips not all at once i mix and match doing no more than around 6 sets after a warm up.shoulder press and side laterals and dumbell clean and press.curls tricept push downs or bench dips.chins ups to exhaustion.
    for core strength various sit ups lower back extensions side lateral curls and a variety of stretching and pilates.
    strenghthening my core and stretching has given me the greatest benefits.its prevented injuries.
    i also do bouldering which increases upper body strength.
    i dont do much any more for legs as the cycling takes care of them.
  • Stick with swimming, try to go 2-3 times per week and buy yourself a decent pair of goggles as they make a massive difference! Focus on technique rather than speed and distance and try putting a float board between your knees and do front crawl and breast stroke using only arms, your swimming technique improves at a massive rate doing that!

    Also check this website out,

    http://hundredpushups.com/index.html

    Bobby
    getting faster, fitter, and skinnier by the day!
  • CarleyB
    CarleyB Posts: 475
    acebobby wrote:
    Also check this website out,

    http://hundredpushups.com/index.html

    Bobby

    lol that website just gave me and my hubby something to chuckle at... did the initial test and managed 2... haha
    Level 3 Road & Time Trial Coach, Level 2 Track Coach.

    Blackpool Clarion CC
    http://blackpoolclarion.webs.com/

    Blackpool Youth Cycling Association
    http://www.go-ride-byca.org
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    That's what I've been following. Works a treat. My last lot 2 days ago I did 210 :)
  • ColinJ
    ColinJ Posts: 2,218
    acebobby wrote:
    I found that site a year or so ago and fancied giving the challenge a go, but never got round to it.

    I definitely need to tone up my upper body because I always get backache on long hilly rides, way before my legs get tired. My core/back muscles can't take the workload that my legs place on them.

    I think lack of flexibility is as much a concern for cyclists as lack of upper body strength. It certainly is for me.
  • mr_eddy
    mr_eddy Posts: 830
    Resistance training, I taught this for a few years at my gym. If you don't know these excercises google them.

    MOST IMPORTANT IS DIET THOUGH, NOT MATTER WHAT WEIGHT TRAINING YOU DO WITHOUT A GOOD HIGH PROTEIN DIET YOU WILL GAIN NOTHING! EGG WHITES, TUNA, MACKEREL, LENTILS AND CHICKEN, THEN A SOLID 8 HOURS SLEEP TO REPAIR

    Only ever do 2 muscle groups at a time though. For example:

    on one day do Chest and Triceps:

    Flat bench press starting with a light warm up set maybe 10-15 reps of a light weight, then 3 work sets starting with 10 reps at 70% of your 1 RM (rep max i.e the weight you have when you only can do one rep) then 6-8 reps at 80% 1RM and finally 4-6 reps of 90% 1RM

    The do some fly press with the same formula and finish with decline dumbell press

    The try same formula for Triceps with the following:

    dumbell kick backs, tricep press down and close grip bench press.

    On another day do Back and Biceps following the same formula:

    Lower back extensions, Lat Pull down/Pull ups and Bent over dumbell row or machine row (or even a rowing machine) then switch to biceps with something like barbell curl, Twisting Zotterman culrs and concentration curl.

    Also have a day of Shoulders if you have time with dumbell press, reverse fly's and shrugs.

    Hope this helps.

    Do it right and you will see a noticeable improvement in strength and lean muscle gain within 4-6 weeks, at which point switch to some other excercises so you don't get into a routine.
  • Brian B
    Brian B Posts: 2,071
    I only do press ups and original reason was for upper body toning due to the fact that my local swimming pool was closed for refurbishment. As well as the toning I noticed that all my lower back problems dissapeared and cannot believe I spent all that time doing specific stretching for my back which did not work. My back problems did not originate from cycling but at times was agrravated by it.

    Now do 200-300 press ups a day and can really notice the difference in regards to toning and it helps on the bike. Can really push better in the saddle on hills due to a stronger core.

    Can easily now do the 100 press up challenge but at first it was hard!
    Brian B.
  • P_Tucker
    P_Tucker Posts: 1,878
    toning... AAARGH!
  • meanredspider
    meanredspider Posts: 12,337
    P_Tucker wrote:
    toning... AAARGH!

    You comment but don't explain. I understanding toning to be better definition - I see no problem with that
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • P_Tucker
    P_Tucker Posts: 1,878
    P_Tucker wrote:
    toning... AAARGH!

    You comment but don't explain. I understanding toning to be better definition - I see no problem with that

    Basically, your muscles can get bigger (or smaller) and they can be covered in less (or more) fat. Nothing else (from a visual perspective). Moreover, doing for e.g. tricep exercises doesn't remove fat from the tricep region - where you store fat is genetic (which is f**king annoying, as I have a fat ar$e despite being 6'1" and 69kg.)

    Toning is a made up word aimed as 30-something women in January concerned about their burgeoning bingo wings. Do you want your muscles to be more defined without getting bigger? Lose some weight. Are you happy with your weight but want to get more defined? Do some strength work to increase the size of your muscles.
  • meanredspider
    meanredspider Posts: 12,337
    P_Tucker wrote:
    P_Tucker wrote:
    toning... AAARGH!

    You comment but don't explain. I understanding toning to be better definition - I see no problem with that

    Basically, your muscles can get bigger (or smaller) and they can be covered in less (or more) fat. Nothing else (from a visual perspective). Moreover, doing for e.g. tricep exercises doesn't remove fat from the tricep region - where you store fat is genetic (which is f**king annoying, as I have a fat ar$e despite being 6'1" and 69kg.)

    Toning is a made up word aimed as 30-something women in January concerned about their burgeoning bingo wings.

    Don't disagree - though I hadn't thought of toning as meaning this - but that might be my misunderstanding. I though it was "muscle tone" which, whilst I've not spent much time thinking about it, is possibly size or blood flow that gives you more "definition" with exercise
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • P_Tucker
    P_Tucker Posts: 1,878
    P_Tucker wrote:
    P_Tucker wrote:
    toning... AAARGH!

    You comment but don't explain. I understanding toning to be better definition - I see no problem with that

    Basically, your muscles can get bigger (or smaller) and they can be covered in less (or more) fat. Nothing else (from a visual perspective). Moreover, doing for e.g. tricep exercises doesn't remove fat from the tricep region - where you store fat is genetic (which is f**king annoying, as I have a fat ar$e despite being 6'1" and 69kg.)

    Toning is a made up word aimed as 30-something women in January concerned about their burgeoning bingo wings.

    Don't disagree - though I hadn't thought of toning as meaning this - but that might be my misunderstanding. I though it was "muscle tone" which, whilst I've not spent much time thinking about it, is possibly size or blood flow that gives you more "definition" with exercise

    :lol: Because it's a made up term outside the realms of exercise science, I think it can mean whatever you want it to mean. I use the definition I hear most from personal trainers in my local gym, all of whom I have wanted to throttle for spreading utter bolleaux.
  • meanredspider
    meanredspider Posts: 12,337
    P_Tucker wrote:
    , all of whom I have wanted to throttle for spreading utter bolleaux.

    I sometimes want to throttle them but for a whole range of reasons... :wink:
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH