Strength Training - Current status

bahzob

The topic of whether lifting weights helps or hinders cycle training is one that often crops up and will no doubt do so again.

Latest Joe Friel blog provided a useful current state of play summary http://www.joefrielsblog.com/2014/12/should-you-lift-weights.html

In a nutshell it may or may not help, the results are equivocal.

On the other hand if you you have the time it's unlikely to hinder. And if you are an older cyclist who can't or prefers not to run then it may help in combating the loss of bone density that is a part of the natural ageing process

Alex_Simmons/RST

bahzob wrote:

In a nutshell it may or may not help, the results are equivocal

So nothing's really changed on that front (for endurance cycling) for the last couple of decades. I suspect what has changed is a little more research has been done, with motivated interpretations of benefit not always supported by the actual data.

bahzob wrote:

On the other hand if you you have the time it's unlikely to hinder.

That very much depends on what you do and how you do it. It's very possible for it to hinder performance.

bahzob wrote:

And if you are an older cyclist who can't or prefers not to run then it may help in combating the loss of bone density that is a part of the natural ageing process

"may" being the key word in that sentence, as the science is pretty equivocal on that front as well. It's something I'll need to think about as I age, because running/jogging/skipping isn't an option for me even if I did want to do it.

jgsi

I turn 60 v soon and a multi gym prezzie or a sweatshop membership is not high on my priorities I have to say.
Normal day to day activity is enough.. not to mention hard labour in an allotment for me.

bahzob

Alex_Simmons/RST wrote:

bahzob wrote:

And if you are an older cyclist who can't or prefers not to run then it may help in combating the loss of bone density that is a part of the natural ageing process

"may" being the key word in that sentence, as the science is pretty equivocal on that front as well. It's something I'll need to think about as I age, because running/jogging/skipping isn't an option for me even if I did want to do it.

Loss of bone density with age is as far as I know a pretty established fact though ofc the extent to which this happens varies with individual.

Load bearing exercise is also, I believe, a pretty well established means of countering this effect of this. Since bones are living tissue this is perfectly consistent with the basic principle of all training, same as for muschles/cv system stress will improve them through adaptation.

Under-use on the other hand will not and the one disadvantage of cycling from this pov is that, while it works muscles hard, it places little load on the skeleton. Somewhat paradoxically this will be even more the case if, as it really should, your training includes keeping fat% to a minimum so don't carry around much weight.

So while you may think the science is equivocal my advice would to all aging cyclists would be to include exercise specific to this issue. This applies double if cycling is your only sport and, as many, you have an office based job so spend most of the day sitting down. In previous posts Ric has argued that running is as/more effective than weights but as you point out is not an option to many like you and I. Also,if cycling is your prime sport, running will certainly hinder training since it increases recovery demand while providing less direct training benefit. It also has a relatively high risk of injury, increasing with age.

Given this it just seems sensible to at least consider including some weight training.

As the Friel post summarised there is little disadvantage in doing this provided you maintain balance and, from the study he cited it may even benefit your cycling too.

imposter2.0

bahzob wrote:

My advice would to all aging cyclists would be to include exercise specific to this issue.

Are there any cyclists that aren't ageing?

sloppyschleckonds

Imposter wrote:

bahzob wrote:

My advice would to all aging cyclists would be to include exercise specific to this issue.

Are there any cyclists that aren't ageing?

Dead ones

imposter2.0

SloppySchleckonds wrote:

Imposter wrote:

bahzob wrote:

My advice would to all aging cyclists would be to include exercise specific to this issue.

Are there any cyclists that aren't ageing?

Dead ones

strength training may be too late for them..

diy

I do a bit of everthig. Normally I'm doing cycle or spin 3-4 times a week, High rep low weight twice a week (normally after a ride) and one of the following chest/triceps back/biceps and legs/core 3 times a week. The upper body heavy weight training is certainly not helping my cycling. But it is helping me look less like a cancer victim, which is so easily achieved with too much endurance cycling once over 40.