Power vs Strength training

billreay

Given the natural physiological changes with age, is power training or strength training better for older (50+) riders?

imposter2.0

Presumably by 'power training' you mean training with a power meter - which is definitely a good idea. But what do you mean by 'strength training' ?

Herbsman

Imposter wrote:

Presumably by 'power training' you mean training with a power meter - which is definitely a good idea. But what do you mean by 'strength training' ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5o1SCETBRc

cyco2

You should go for power training 100%, i.e. long and short intervals and sprinting. By all means go for strength training when you've got time but it would only have a tiny gain compared to the gains in high intensity of intervals. Core training would be better for you to build fitness in non cycling specific muscles.

imposter2.0

Good link

cyco2 wrote:

You should go for power training 100%, i.e. long and short intervals and sprinting. By all means go for strength training when you've got time but it would only have a tiny gain compared to the gains in high intensity of intervals. Core training would be better for you to build fitness in non cycling specific muscles.

you don't even know what his goals are...

cyco2

Imposter wrote:

Good link

cyco2 wrote:

You should go for power training 100%, i.e. long and short intervals and sprinting. By all means go for strength training when you've got time but it would only have a tiny gain compared to the gains in high intensity of intervals. Core training would be better for you to build fitness in non cycling specific muscles.

you don't even know what his goals are...

Sometimes I take what they say without interigating but I am also thinking they have more to say but leave it at that. Many times posters come on here and eventually come out with all sorts of things they could have said in their OP like " I eat healthily and I'm only 18 stone" or "Would I go faster if I put tri bars on my shopping bike" . If this guy comes back on you'll see what I mean.

billreay

Thanks, cyco2 for your 'off the cuff' reply with such little info to go on. Joe Friel tackled the issue of older riders in his book "Cycling Past 50". This was published in 1998 and, as far as I am aware, has not been updated since despite the amount of physiological research into training methods since. Do his training techniques for the older cyclist still hold?

ric/rstsport

i'm still not really sure what your question is? can you perhaps expand on it, and what your goals are?

cyco2

I went through what you are trying to achieve many many years ago and tried the power/ strength thing and came to the conclusion that strength was a poor second to power. I would advise that cycle fitness is parramount to anything else you may want to do. I once did heavy weight squats with some fit runners and found I was far stronger than them even at twice their age without any strength training. By all means use the gym or weights/exercise at home to increase fitness in the trunk and arms because it can help for overall fitness. Being able to hold a stiffer upper frame does help with power transmission.

billreay

What you say makes sense to me cyco2.
Ric, have you changed significantly the training programmes for your older clients (whether they be 'testers', sportive/ endurance riders, road racers) in the light of physiological/sports medicine research over, say, the last 5 to 10 years? And, if so, in what areas?
For what it's worth, I'm 67 and all I want to be able to do is continue to do a '10' in 30mins and to wake up in a morning and say "I think I'll do a '100' today."

ric/rstsport

billreay wrote:

What you say makes sense to me cyco2.
Ric, have you changed significantly the training programmes for your older clients (whether they be 'testers', sportive/ endurance riders, road racers) in the light of physiological/sports medicine research over, say, the last 5 to 10 years? And, if so, in what areas?
For what it's worth, I'm 67 and all I want to be able to do is continue to do a '10' in 30mins and to wake up in a morning and say "I think I'll do a '100' today."

i haven't changed the training i'd give to a more mature person over the last 5 to 10 years, but then i wouldn't get my scientific knowledge from Friel. I'd rather get my knowledge, first hand, from actual research data.

aerobic power declines at a faster rate than strength does. Strength is much better maintained until later in life, whereas aerobic power can start declining from the 30s onwards. i've coached people up to their early 70s.

Chebrikov

The training as such hasn't changed much in the last 5 or 10 years but the jargon has.

ric/rstsport

don't know if that's aimed at me or not, but my jargon hasn't changed!

Chebrikov

Posted whilst you were posting. Now training with a power meter is more popular, power meter terminology has become mainstream. Cycle training has become far more scientific in recent years. When Training & Racing with a Power Meter first came out (2006) the terminology and many of the ideas were new, now it is in general use.

cyco2

Ric/RSTSport wrote:

aerobic power declines at a faster rate than strength does. .

billreay...There's your answer. Keep developing the aerobic power and you willn't need to do anything else except for fun.

Herbsman

Thanks for pointing that out. Wouldn't have noticed otherwise.

bigmonka

billreay wrote:

I'm 67 and all I want to be able to do is continue to do a '10' in 30mins and to wake up in a morning and say "I think I'll do a '100' today."

Legend 8) you're putting us your guys to shame! :oops: