Originally Posted by
Rvair
I'm getting back into track after a 26 year hiatus ( as a MM60). I started as a weight lifter before my last period of competitive cycling, and then went back to it for fitness. To return to cycling, I will let some upper body muscle mass disappear and focus on bringing my legs back up to former spec. I am currently between 7 and 8% body fat and am maxed out on strength at my current weight. From past experience, I know that if I let myself gain another 6 to 8lb, my lower body strength will go up by 25%. Is this worth doing, considering I will be focusing on match sprint and 500M TT? Where is the limit for diminishing returns?
The limit for diminishing returns will be found out by you and you alone (or with a coach). We can't figure out personal training models for someone we know little about. If you've experienced strength gains from increased mass previously, then I would say it's safe to say to add the mass, but there is more to speed than increased strength. I would try to focus on doing what makes you faster, not necessarily what "may" make you faster.
Sprinters for the most part have been getting leaner over the years and drifting away from the "thunder thighs" look of the 80's and 90's. The trends have been more towards developing better 30s power than max wattage. On the other hand, as an MM60 racer, your events are going to be shorter, so max power is going to matter more to you than a younger racer.