Recommendations on Gym workout

TakeTurns
TakeTurns Posts: 1,075
edited June 2013 in Training, fitness and health
I've signed up to a gym which I'll be going to few times a week with a friend as a social thing and to put some muscle on. As much as I used to admire having a lean body and being the envy of some friends, I want to gain some lbs! I'm currently 6 ft 5 and weight 83kg. I predominantly race crits, although I would like to branch out and do RR's. The main goal is to get better at racing and I've thankfully come to the realisation that I don't need to be so skinny to do so.

Now, my question is, what workouts at the gym will be best suited for me which wouldn't detriment my cycling capabilities? I assume there are some forum members who use the gym, what muscle groups do you work and what sort of (sets) do you do?

I've been told low weight and high reps are the way to go without putting too much strain on the muscles. Ideally, I'd like to fit gym workout around my current training schedule without disrupting it too much. So I won't be going hard on the weights so to speak.

Thanks

Comments

  • jgsi
    jgsi Posts: 5,062
    Flat short crit circuits do not disadvantage the bigger rider... you can always pull back someone who has gone pff the front by use of more power.
    But racing on 'undulating' (and some undulate more than others) road circuits might find you out if you become bigger.

    Further to that, I am not getting drawn into the debate of whether gym or no gym for a racing cyclist as it is down to the individual.
  • KMC1993
    KMC1993 Posts: 101
    If you want to increase muscle mass you will have to go hard on the weights. High weight and low reps is the best way to increase strength and muscle mass, providing you eat correctly as well.
  • phreak
    phreak Posts: 2,906
    You don't need to be heavy to be strong. I only weigh 57kg yet can benchpress 130kg. Cycling a decent amount each week should keep you pretty lean, so I doubt you'll ever get to be huge whilst cycling is your main sport.

    I mainly do upper body work in the gym, and it's usually circuits rather than focusing on a muscle group each session. That circuit usually involves chest, shoulder, back, biceps and triceps, with a dedicated circuit for abs, with a few hundred sit-up style exercises in that. I leave legs alone as cycling does plenty for those, although there's often some stretching involved.

    Usually takes around 45 minutes, so not enough to turn me into He-Man, but enough to stop me turning into Wiggins.

    Being 57kg it hasn't done much harm to my climbing ability either. That's not to say that this is the best approach of course, I'm not a qualified trainer, but it's what I've done over the last decade or so.

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