Building leg muscle?
james22b2
Posts: 132
Hi
After 20 years of very limited exercise I started riding MTB again. After about 5 months I seem to have lost about 7kg (depends on the time of day..). That is almost 10% of my body weight - I just weighed myself after a ride and I weigh just under 67kg and I am 178cm. I have also subconsciously improved my diet with less fatty food, wine and beer etc.
I currently cycle about 100-150km per week on a mixture of hilly road and single track, dirt, sand and gravel surfaces.
My legs are now pretty lean but this was never really my goal - how can I make sure I build muscle (for propelling myself) instead of just burning off the excess fat (or worse, muscle)?
I´d much rather go faster than get thinner.
Thanks in advance.
After 20 years of very limited exercise I started riding MTB again. After about 5 months I seem to have lost about 7kg (depends on the time of day..). That is almost 10% of my body weight - I just weighed myself after a ride and I weigh just under 67kg and I am 178cm. I have also subconsciously improved my diet with less fatty food, wine and beer etc.
I currently cycle about 100-150km per week on a mixture of hilly road and single track, dirt, sand and gravel surfaces.
My legs are now pretty lean but this was never really my goal - how can I make sure I build muscle (for propelling myself) instead of just burning off the excess fat (or worse, muscle)?
I´d much rather go faster than get thinner.
Thanks in advance.
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Comments
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What you mean 'build muscle' ??
A) Are you aiming for big legs like a bodybuilder --> Mass + definition but not much strength & stamina?
Are you aiming for strength but not as much stamina/endurance --> i.e. short distance sprinter?
C) Are you aiming for stamina plus a bit of strength but very little mass --> i.e. long distance runner ?
Training routine/program & diet for each of the above is different.
I think something between B & C would work for you ?!
In this case I would suggest a gym and some weight training probably 3 x a week plus stick to your bike routine as this is excellent cardio training.
You will not gain any mass doing cardio or core exercises (however I do recommend core exercises as excellent overall training to get in shape) - you need gradually add some weight (lifting more and more kilograms) to give your muscles a kick; also at the same time you need to give them 'a material' to grow up, which is proper food/proteins .
Doing weight training for mass/strength you need a lot of fuel --> proteins - correct meals before and after your workout (very often pre-workout meal is different to the post-workout meal).
What I do - I do weight training 3 x a week and I do cardio (play football, run, and of course cycle also 3 or 4 times a week). I am not a bodybuilder, but I do have bigger muscles I am also strong enough and I can play football easly for 90min @ higher tempo, run and cycle 100km.
And also very important, yes, you (your body needs a rest to recover) - you need a good night sleep and also a 'day off' (no cardio / gym) within your week training regime is good (i.e. Sunday or Saturday)
Chris0 -
What you mean 'build muscle' ??
A) Are you aiming for big legs like a bodybuilder --> Mass + definition but not much strength & stamina? Are you aiming for strength but not as much stamina/endurance --> i.e. short distance sprinter?
C) Are you aiming for stamina plus a bit of strength but very little mass --> i.e. long distance runner ?
Training routine/program & diet for each of the above is different.
I think something between B & C would work for you ?!
In this case I would suggest a gym and some weight training probably 3 x a week plus stick to your bike routine as this is excellent cardio training.
You will not gain any mass doing cardio or core exercises (however I do recommend core exercises as excellent overall training to get in shape) - you need gradually add some weight (lifting more and more kilograms) to give your muscles a kick; also at the same time you need to give them 'a material' to grow up, which is proper food/proteins .
Doing weight training for mass/strength you need a lot of fuel --> proteins - correct meals before and after your workout (very often pre-workout meal is different to the post-workout meal).
What I do - I do weight training 3 x a week and I do cardio (play football, run, and of course cycle also 3 or 4 times a week). I am not a bodybuilder, but I do have bigger muscles I am also strong enough and I can play football easly for 90min @ higher tempo, run and cycle 100km.
And also very important, yes, you (your body needs a rest to recover) - you need a good night sleep and also a 'day off' (no cardio / gym) within your week training regime is good (i.e. Sunday or Saturday)
Chris
Thanks, that sounds about right with a mid B/C.
My only goal is to have more stamina and strength for cycling (rather than just bigger legs..)
Sounds like I had better start looking into joining a gym, routines and improving my diet etc.
Are there any online resources you would recommend?0 -
I use an App called Full Fitness for the gym, couple of quid off the app store - has every exercise you could ever want with pictures and a written description to help you with form. Even has a cycling specific workout plan on there. You can also use it to keep track of what weight you are doing and how many reps you can do.What you mean 'build muscle' ??
A) Are you aiming for big legs like a bodybuilder --> Mass + definition but not much strength & stamina? Are you aiming for strength but not as much stamina/endurance --> i.e. short distance sprinter?
C) Are you aiming for stamina plus a bit of strength but very little mass --> i.e. long distance runner ?
Training routine/program & diet for each of the above is different.
I think something between B & C would work for you ?!
In this case I would suggest a gym and some weight training probably 3 x a week plus stick to your bike routine as this is excellent cardio training.
You will not gain any mass doing cardio or core exercises (however I do recommend core exercises as excellent overall training to get in shape) - you need gradually add some weight (lifting more and more kilograms) to give your muscles a kick; also at the same time you need to give them 'a material' to grow up, which is proper food/proteins .
Doing weight training for mass/strength you need a lot of fuel --> proteins - correct meals before and after your workout (very often pre-workout meal is different to the post-workout meal).
What I do - I do weight training 3 x a week and I do cardio (play football, run, and of course cycle also 3 or 4 times a week). I am not a bodybuilder, but I do have bigger muscles I am also strong enough and I can play football easly for 90min @ higher tempo, run and cycle 100km.
And also very important, yes, you (your body needs a rest to recover) - you need a good night sleep and also a 'day off' (no cardio / gym) within your week training regime is good (i.e. Sunday or Saturday)
Chris
Thanks, that sounds about right with a mid B/C.
My only goal is to have more stamina and strength for cycling (rather than just bigger legs..)
Sounds like I had better start looking into joining a gym, routines and improving my diet etc.
Are there any online resources you would recommend?Framebuilder
Handbuilt Steel 29er https://goo.gl/RYSbaa
Carbon Stumpjumper https://goo.gl/xJNFcv
Parkwood:http://goo.gl/Gf8xkL
Ribble Gran Fondo https://goo.gl/ZpTFXz
Triban:http://goo.gl/v63FBB0 -
What you mean 'build muscle' ??
A) Are you aiming for big legs like a bodybuilder --> Mass + definition but not much strength & stamina? Are you aiming for strength but not as much stamina/endurance --> i.e. short distance sprinter?
C) Are you aiming for stamina plus a bit of strength but very little mass --> i.e. long distance runner ?
Training routine/program & diet for each of the above is different.
I think something between B & C would work for you ?!
In this case I would suggest a gym and some weight training probably 3 x a week plus stick to your bike routine as this is excellent cardio training.
You will not gain any mass doing cardio or core exercises (however I do recommend core exercises as excellent overall training to get in shape) - you need gradually add some weight (lifting more and more kilograms) to give your muscles a kick; also at the same time you need to give them 'a material' to grow up, which is proper food/proteins .
Doing weight training for mass/strength you need a lot of fuel --> proteins - correct meals before and after your workout (very often pre-workout meal is different to the post-workout meal).
What I do - I do weight training 3 x a week and I do cardio (play football, run, and of course cycle also 3 or 4 times a week). I am not a bodybuilder, but I do have bigger muscles I am also strong enough and I can play football easly for 90min @ higher tempo, run and cycle 100km.
And also very important, yes, you (your body needs a rest to recover) - you need a good night sleep and also a 'day off' (no cardio / gym) within your week training regime is good (i.e. Sunday or Saturday)
Chris
Thanks, that sounds about right with a mid B/C.
My only goal is to have more stamina and strength for cycling (rather than just bigger legs..)
Sounds like I had better start looking into joining a gym, routines and improving my diet etc.
Are there any online resources you would recommend?
So, for that reason joining the gym may not be necessary - it will (probably) help, but is not necessary.
It all depends how determined/organized you are, as you can stay at home and do some exercises, but this doesn't work sometimes....people get bored etc. once you are in the gym you (at least) try to do something.
Look into some insanity training (google it) or P90X.
first one is very good all body workout with probably 60% lower body and 40% upper body, great cardio as well.
P90X - very similar but it does require some weights (dumbbells etc.), so probably you will gain more mass (not huge but more than doing insanity) and its more 50%-50% I would say.
I have done both and would say they both worked !!
Good luck and give me a shout if you need any more info.
Chris0 -
You wanna get better at riding a bike? Ride a bike. You don't want bulky muscle for cycling, except for sprinting or track riding. You'll be faster with more lean muscle than you will be if start adding bulk in the gym.
The aesthetic thing is a different point altogether.0 -
The gym can help focus specific training but if all you want is to build more strength and muscle mass in your legs, the key is to increase resistance. The gym has equipment to do this but you can just as easily do it by riding up steeper hills or pushing a higher gear than at present.0
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You wanna get better at riding a bike? Ride a bike. You don't want bulky muscle for cycling, except for sprinting or track riding. You'll be faster with more lean muscle than you will be if start adding bulk in the gym.
The aesthetic thing is a different point altogether.
This is why I asked what is him aiming for ??0 -
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You wanna get better at riding a bike? Ride a bike. You don't want bulky muscle for cycling, except for sprinting or track riding. You'll be faster with more lean muscle than you will be if start adding bulk in the gym.
The aesthetic thing is a different point altogether.
This is why I asked what is him aiming for ??
Good for you. You didn't say what I did though (just about everything else), so it's a moot point.0 -
You can train legs at the gym for more strength without putting on extra bulk but as a rule you will put some weight on there regardless. It can certainly help with sharp punchy climbs but as njee suggests there is no substitute for riding the bike.Bird Aeris : Trek Remedy 9.9 29er : Trek Procaliber 9.8 SL0
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Be wary of following anything that turns you into Chris Hoy. He doesn't ride up hills, or for more than a couple of minutes. Ie the track cycling and sprinting i mentioned.
Again, if you want to look muscly then go nuts, but don't think it'll help your cycling. You won't "burn useful muscle" by riding.0 -
Remind me of the collective amount of climbing Chris Hoy completed in any Olympic events?0
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Weight lifting can help with brain health as well.
http://boxlifemagazine.com/can-weightlifting-help-your-brain-perform/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/03/weightlifting-memory-brain-video_n_5926320.html
Bradley Wiggins climbs hills though
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/fitness/training/bradley-wigginss-tour-de-france-training-40924
http://www.mensfitness.co.uk/exercises/sport-workouts/2088/mf-meets-olympic-champion-bradley-wiggins
http://roadcyclinguk.com/racing/interview-british-cycling-team-sky-physio-phil-burt.html0 -
Body builders lift to failure and let's face it an awful lot consume more than just the odd protein shake. You don't need to join a gym to tone up your muscles. YouTube is full of body weight workouts, I'm working on one right now with a friend.
If you want to get big. high weight low rep to fail. if you can do 24 reps over 3 sets and aren't failing you'll tone and strengthen.0 -
Pretty narrow minded POV and somewhat misguided with it.Body builders lift to failure and let's face it an awful lot consume more than just the odd protein shake. You don't need to join a gym to tone up your muscles. YouTube is full of body weight workouts, I'm working on one right now with a friend.
If you want to get big. high weight low rep to fail. if you can do 24 reps over 3 sets and aren't failing you'll tone and strengthen.Bird Aeris : Trek Remedy 9.9 29er : Trek Procaliber 9.8 SL0 -
Which bit? Bodybuilding and drug abuse? Lifting to failure to build big muscles?
You'd be utterly amazed how many gym users are taking stuff. Breaks your heart to see young guys exposing themselves to all sorts of problems later in life just for a few quick gains.0 -
You assume as though I've never been in a gym. Proportionally the number on gear is probably less than you think. There's far more stim abuse going on which is a far more scary prospect.Which bit? Bodybuilding and drug abuse? Lifting to failure to build big muscles?
You'd be utterly amazed how many gym users are taking stuff. Breaks your heart to see young guys exposing themselves to all sorts of problems later in life just for a few quick gains.
Lifting low reps and heavy isn't going to be optimum for building muscle. Strength and power, yes. Bulk, not so much. Besides your CNS would fry over time without deloading, especially if continuous rapping to failure is added in. Muscle hypertrophy is around the 8 - 15 rep range depending on TUT you use per rep while stopping just short of failure when form starts to go. You could use DC with rest / pause technique to extend rep range of sets while still going really heavy which is meant to be effective.Bird Aeris : Trek Remedy 9.9 29er : Trek Procaliber 9.8 SL0 -
Nothing better for building leg muscles than some serious hills. If you have enough of them around you, start using them
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Build and maintain explosive power and muscle strength for your upper and lower body with Lance Armstrong's strength coach, Peter Park.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xJmCYTI42s0 -
You assume as though I've never been in a gym. Proportionally the number on gear is probably less than you think. There's far more stim abuse going on which is a far more scary prospect.Which bit? Bodybuilding and drug abuse? Lifting to failure to build big muscles?
You'd be utterly amazed how many gym users are taking stuff. Breaks your heart to see young guys exposing themselves to all sorts of problems later in life just for a few quick gains.
Lifting low reps and heavy isn't going to be optimum for building muscle. Strength and power, yes. Bulk, not so much. Besides your CNS would fry over time without deloading, especially if continuous rapping to failure is added in. Muscle hypertrophy is around the 8 - 15 rep range depending on TUT you use per rep while stopping just short of failure when form starts to go. You could use DC with rest / pause technique to extend rep range of sets while still going really heavy which is meant to be effective.
Agree on the stim abuse, but my point was in the context of cyclists not wanting to build the kind of muscles that bodybuilders have. Firstly as you and I both appear to know there is more to building big muscle than lifting heavy weights in a gym. Thus I was suggesting that you don't need to fear pumping some iron worried that you'll end up putting on several kg of muscle in a few weeks.0
