Gym

Azhar

Hello fellow cyclists. I'm curious to know how many of u people are members at the gym to supplement their training or do you guys cycle/run outdoors mostly to gain strength and increase fitness? I ask because im thinking of joining the gym but sometimes when the weather is this bad you want to do other things like weights, few classes to generally increase fitness and improve performances on the bike, relax at the sauna and take the occasional swim.

Thanks

Azhar

imposter2.0

lots of threads here on this topic - suggest you do a search

napoleond

Yep, I go to the gym, but not to improve cycling, just general fitness.

phreak

NapoleonD wrote:

Yep, I go to the gym, but not to improve cycling, just general fitness.

Ditto. There are lots of threads on this, and no doubt many will come on here and say that to improve your cycling you just need to cycle.

If you want to get other things from life as well as your cycling though then I doubt it'll do you any harm.

Azhar

I did initially did a search but they were all talking about getting a turbo trainer. At least the ones I saw. I wouldn't mind joining the gym and getting Andrei gripel legs

Toks

Azhar wrote:

I did initially did a search but they were all talking about getting a turbo trainer. At least the ones I saw. I wouldn't mind joining the gym and getting Andrei gripel legs

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40011&t=12897721&hilit=leg+strength+v+power

sloppyschleckonds

Did some upper body work in the gym today, to increase my frontal area.

Graham K

When I was in training for a charity ride I went to the gym to work on my core strength, also built up on my swimming, I aint no expert but I went about the impression that being bike fit would be all well and good, but if there was a bad day ahead then any extra I had would help me through.
It seemed to work, I didnt suffer half as much as some of the folk who did it with me.

saprkzz

I joined the gym in October to deal with the cold wet winter that was to come, and it was the best thing i did.

I had a personal trainer who as put me through my paces on my core and legs and on casual days i use the rower / cross trainer and running for overall fitness. At the moment I visit the gym 3 times a week, along with getting out on the bike / spinning classes or staying home on the turbo.

To be honest, I have never felt fitter and stronger, and have muslces I never thought i could grow and now cant wait for my race season to start.

My gym are cool, they have said I can put te membership on hold for 6 months through the summer if I want, but I am enjoying going, plus I love the girls on the cross trainers when I am on the running machines behind!! ... passes an hour perfectly! :roll: :roll:

imposter2.0

saprkzz wrote:

I joined the gym in October to deal with the cold wet winter that was to come,

saprkzz wrote:

and now cant wait for my race season to start.

When it starts, just bear in mind that most of the other riders you line up with will have been riding all winter, rather than hiding in the gym..

jgsi

Seriously, Saprkzz, I dont want to burst your bubble, but them who are going to win your races will have have hard yards and more in their legs over this winter.
Keep us posted, because it would be nice to hear good news from you.

dread_i1

Been training in the gym for the past 8 years or so between 2 and 4 days a week depending on season and schedule etc, was into the lifting before I started riding road bikes. But to be honest if you wanna get faster on your bike you need to ride, if I have a few weeks off the bike due to bad weather, other commitments but still manage to get in the gym I am generally slower, and feel worse when I get back out.

It's hard to find enough time to dedicate to both to be honest, I always find one will slip a bit for me it's road in the winter although I have been out a lot more this winter than last, usually do one turbo a week then a good ride or turbo at the weekend if its bad out, along with usually 4 gym sessions. Then the gym usually gets dropped to two days a week in the summer when I can get out in the evenings. Fortunately I built a nice prison gym in the garage, all pretty basic but got everything you need along with the turbo it's the perfect pain cave.

Azhar

Thanks to all your replies in particualr the reply by saprkzz. I emailed the gym in question and asked if they could give me the whole of April as a normal membership and then from the beginning of may have 6 months off to concentrate on cycling to work and when the winter arrives around about October I can then restart my membership and go to the gym for 6 months. The m said that they would be happy to do that and therefore I signed up. Facilities are excellent and happy I joined.