Weight Training?

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Comments

  • markwb79
    markwb79 Posts: 937
    phreak wrote:
    Apart from stress probably the biggest cause of time off work is a bad back. I'd imagine having a strong core would help with that quite considerably.

    I say again though, I'm not talking about having Arnie style muscles here, but surely anyone can see there's a big difference between a Greipel or a Boonen and Schleck? Those big roulers must be carrying a fair bit of muscle as they certainly aren't carrying much fat.

    Also, as I said previous, most UK races seem to be criteriums or time trials. Hardly the domain of the whippet thin mountain goat. I've done weights since my swimming days. Lighter now than I've ever been and seem to pass most people going uphill on my training rides *shrug*

    Sure I could probably lose even more weight by stopping the gym work, but are the bragging rights at your local 10 that important, really?

    Lars Boom did quite well racing in Britain last year, and I would say he looks more like Schleck than Boonen (in upper body terms)
    Scott Addict 2011
    Giant TCR 2012
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    T.M.H.N.E.T wrote:
    Tom Dean wrote:
    carrock wrote:
    Unless you're a pro cyclist, I'd say any slight loss of speed is worth adding a bit of muscle.

    You do realise, even for amateurs, the fastest rider wins the race?

    And standing in a gym like a curlbro going 5x10 10kg curls isn't going to help your cycling ability one bit!

    Of course, you have facts and figures to back this up? Have you had this statement peer reviewed? Or do you not really know squat and are just spouting off like you do know? :? :?
  • Alex_Simmons/RST
    Alex_Simmons/RST Posts: 4,161
    Rob.M wrote:
    Tom Dean wrote:
    CyclingObsession wrote:
    Well the last few races ive done the guys that have won it have much more muscle than me, I would be quite light, I have come in the top 60 out of 300 of my last race in the cycling element, That is why I am considering the muscle gain.

    You should concentrate on training to get faster, rather than training to look like the fast guys.

    He is, maybe that muscle gain will give him a bit more power.....

    People seem to be conveniently forgetting that hypertrophy of Type I muscle fibers is also physiological response to hard aerobic endurance (cycling) training. And such training has a far more beneficial impact of other key physiological adaptations than other forms of training.
    RST Sport : Coaching - Training Plans - Powermeters -- My blog -- AeroCoach Australia
  • t.m.h.n.e.t
    t.m.h.n.e.t Posts: 2,265
    dennisn wrote:
    T.M.H.N.E.T wrote:
    Tom Dean wrote:
    carrock wrote:
    Unless you're a pro cyclist, I'd say any slight loss of speed is worth adding a bit of muscle.

    You do realise, even for amateurs, the fastest rider wins the race?

    And standing in a gym like a curlbro going 5x10 10kg curls isn't going to help your cycling ability one bit!

    Of course, you have facts and figures to back this up? Have you had this statement peer reviewed? Or do you not really know squat and are just spouting off like you do know? :? :?
    So Doing this is going to make someone a better cyclist?

    Doing This Is going to make someone a better cyclist?

    Why not do ride your bike?
  • Matt-r8
    Matt-r8 Posts: 298
    If weight training gives you the psychological frame of mind to be a faster rider, then maybe. The guy may be thinking "I am a machine, I am bigger and more powerful and there is no way that scrawny little man/woman is going to beat me". Many other advantages to weight training other than just being bigger and stronger, so try not to be so blinkered. Another massive bonus is most women, even the ones that say they don't like muscle. Secretly do ( i don't mean arnie/ Flex wheeler can't get through the door size) they just don't tell their skinny partners.
  • t.m.h.n.e.t
    t.m.h.n.e.t Posts: 2,265
    Matt-r8 wrote:
    If weight training gives you the psychological frame of mind to be a faster rider, then maybe. The guy may be thinking "I am a machine, I am bigger and more powerful and there is no way that scrawny little man/woman is going to beat me". Many other advantages to weight training other than just being bigger and stronger, so try not to be so blinkered. Another massive bonus is most women, even the ones that say they don't like muscle. Secretly do ( i don't mean arnie/ Flex wheeler can't get through the door size) they just don't tell their skinny partners.
    Does impressing women improve your cycling too? What about the psychological advantage of knowing you trained on the bike,to ride the bike. And thus were always going to be better than gym-going Jonny who spent hours curling,squatting and deadlifting and barely rode his?

    Case in point: My cousin (21) spend hours per week in the gym and looks good for it. His lovely girlfriend thinks so too. He plays rugby occasionally,occasionally indoor 5-a-side. And when he's not at Uni it's quite easy to get him out on his bike.

    Getting him to keep up is another story. Why do you think this might be?
  • Alex_Simmons/RST
    Alex_Simmons/RST Posts: 4,161
    T.M.H.N.E.T wrote:
    Why not do ride your bike?

    Shhhh. It couldn't possibly be that simple.
    RST Sport : Coaching - Training Plans - Powermeters -- My blog -- AeroCoach Australia
  • t.m.h.n.e.t
    t.m.h.n.e.t Posts: 2,265
    Alex_Simmons/RST wrote:
    T.M.H.N.E.T wrote:
    Why not do ride your bike?

    Shhhh. It couldn't possibly be that simple.
    Shit, secrets out :lol:
  • Matt-r8
    Matt-r8 Posts: 298
    Ok. Here is my point of view. Occasionally cycling isn't an option due to work commitments. Mountain biking in Afghanistan can be slightly more hazardous due to I.E.d's and land mines. However, weight training is an option and certainly improves fitness as well as strength. I do count off riders as I pass them, especially those clad in Lycra and riding carbon hard tails. It's a psychological thing and makes me ride harder. That said, when some 10 stone racing whippet passes me like I'm sat still, I don't get wound up or frustrated, I just appreciate that he's quicker and spend the next 5 minutes trying to keep up. I've had sOme pretty nasty crashes trying to keep up as well, but it was fun :)
    Let's face it, most of us are never going to be good enough riders to make a living out of it, so if you want to hit the weights and still enjoy riding, what's the problem?
  • NPH
    NPH Posts: 33
    I'd like to be able to float up hills so thought about developing stick thin arms that I could attach to the handlebars. Then I had a fall and broke five ribs and a collar bone. The only reason I was able to shift myself around a hospital bed and get up in the end was because I do some regular moderate weights in the gym. So I'm going to continue to keep all-round strength as an insurance policy and creep up hills behind my mates.
  • ShutUpLegs
    ShutUpLegs Posts: 3,522
    Matt-r8 wrote:
    Ok. Here is my point of view. Occasionally cycling isn't an option due to work commitments. Mountain biking in Afghanistan can be slightly more hazardous due to I.E.d's and land mines.

    Catering Corp :?:
  • Matt-r8
    Matt-r8 Posts: 298
    Catering Corp??? Isn't that RLC? Plant Engineer & VM but soon to be a civvi.

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