patentcad

I'm sure this has been hacked over a million times, but it's a typical training issue and debate, so let's try again, shall we? I'm in the gym again this winter, hitting the weights pretty hard. I think it does help my riding, and I'll be amping it up going into January, hoping it helps me with the racing that starts in March. I get to the gym 2-3x weekly, depending on how much I'm riding. I try to hit it every other day, but that gets hard some weeks, then it becomes 2 workouts that week. But I do see some results, at least in the way my body looks and feels. I feel stronger on the bike at times, I've been in the gym now consistently for about 6 weeks.

Does weight training help your racing? How far into the racing season to persist with the weight workouts? I find they get much harder to maintain once my mileage goes up into the 250+ mile per week range and I start doing a lot of interval workouts on the bike, but I'll try like hell this year to stay until the gym through the end of April. I know our team leader gsteinb is a big weights guy. Works for him.

ridethecliche

I'm probably going to start lifting some when I get back to school so I can split my time riding on the trainer and hitting the weights.

I'm probably going to be doing that for a period of about 6-8 weeks before and during some of the early season crits. I'm going to be doing full body stuff with a focus on core, so I can stay strong for the season. I'm hoping on making it to the weight room atleast 1-2x a week even after that to keep the core strength going.

I'm interested in the same answer you are here, but my gut tells me that going into the gym 1-2x a week to do core strengthening stuff is probably a good thing for overall cycling fitness.

Perhaps it'd be beneficial for you to cut the miles some when racing starts in order to make time for the gym. They both promote self loathing, no?

Coyote2

Lifting has definitely helped my sprint - the acceleration and the top speed. In most of my road races last year, I managed to stay in the lead group, and at the end was glad to have worked on my sprint.

I gradually build up the weights from the off-season (pre-base) and taper down the lifting during mid-base (January). Along the way I lift 2-3x per week: lots of squats, leg presses, calf raises, hamstring curls, step-ups, and lots of core work - abs, back, obliques, etc. I'm not too powerful, so shoot for about 225lbs x 3-4 reps on the squat and 450lbs x 5-6 reps on the leg press by the time I back away from the weight room.

Once I start doing power workouts on the bike, the weight room visits are more infrequent. Don't forget that all of that muscle has to be trained to respond as you want it to respond - not in the slow lumbering motion of a squat lift, but for quick jumps. So do some high-cadence sprint workouts before your season begins.

PS: ridethecliche, I just read your question. If you're young, you might be able to keep lifting well into riding season. The core work especially will not slow down your riding much. At my age (mid-40s) my legs just can't recover quickly from hard lifting, so I just let it go when the riding ramps up - otherwise it would compromise my riding too much.

ridethecliche

Yeah, I'm 19. I think I might end up doubling up some days as well.

Do some upper body/core on days when I ride hard if I have time, and possibly do legs in addition to doing easier rides.

I've found that I have a much better jump than I think I do, and if I keep this up for the early season (drawing the line at march) I think it might prove to be beneficial since I need to improve all over.

I'm doing the race thing for fun, if it doesn't work out for me then live and learn. The core and back work will stay up for the entire season. I have lower back issues and I need to work on flexibility and strength since I want to have a slightly lower position on the bike.

dmotoguy

why the calf raises?
everything I have read points to calves being dead weight as fas as bike racing goes... not too aero either.. if it matters.

jonestr

According to Friel you might be in the gym to long Pcad

I was just reading the weight training section and it seems that most of your weight room time is during base 1 and 2 and then you just do one day a week for maintenance.

I like the Friel stuff as it gets me out of the gym sooner, but I imagine you know what you are doing.

jonestr

I dont think that is true if you are pedaling properly. I definitely notice my calves engaging when I am sprinting.

patentcad

That's what I imagine too. We are both...

Incorrect.

Greg180

I am currently following Friel's recommended MS (Maximum Strength) phase of lifting. Twice a week I am in the gym after a three mile run with strides for a warm up. I have gotten stronger. My Two legged press is at 450 for four sets and squats at 290.

I know my legs are stronger but the weight lifting has added weight. Maybe when I enter the MS, (Strength Maintenance) phase the weight will come off.

Will It help...probably not. I will still be pack fodder. On the plus side, Mrs G likes the strong legs.

Doggus

Interesting. My coach has me on weights 1x per week, just dropped from 2x per week. Squats (partial) are done high rep/low weight. 6 sets of 30. No meathead workouts here, this is an endurance sport.

kensuf

You can never do enough core strength and stretching. Try yoga.

Seriously.

gsteinb

variety muscle. it's good to be fast, but getting a little is good also.

gsteinb

+1

gsteinb

I've followed Friels program for quite a few seasons. I'm convinced the low weight / low reps thing is a waste of time for most cyclists. I'd reserve the other than most part for pure track sprinters who train like football players anyway. I'm not sure weight lifting can really help ones sprint. Maybe (maybe) power endurance work can help one getting on top of a gear quicker, but I really doubt it. Doing rolling or group rides on a fixed gear would provide far better training in that regard. I'm doing strictly muscle endurance work this year. I left 2x a week (mon / thur) and once the meat of the season gets here I'll drop it to one time. That one time is strictly form and maintainence. I am never sore from it the next day. The advantage of lifting weight is to train complimentary muscle groups. It helps ward off injury and trains things we normally ignore. It provides overall fitness which helps one be a better cyclist, and it's a mental break from doing the same things all the time.

waterrockets 

It never helped me, but it sounds like it's good for you. How has your power profile changed?

gsteinb

me?

Coyote2

Calves are for climbing and sprinting.

I think the varied opinions and results re: weight training arise from different starting points. I had never worked my core and legs much up to three years ago, and believe the weights have helped my sprints. Others with stronger legs and core (from earlier endeavors like football, hockey, whatever) may already have plenty of muscle for powering a bike.

waterrockets 

I know better than that.

Talkin' to pcad. Actually, I know better than that too, but I'm asking anyway.

gsteinb

phew

ottsville

About the only thing that combo is good for is grandmothers.

youcoming

I have to be real carefull with how I lift as I tend to bulk up real quick. I do light wieghts high reps on upper body and do a bunch of core work. Legs I alter between heavy wieghts and lunges and explosive squats. Squats I use 20lbs dumbbell and simple squat down then jump straight up. Do leg presses by pyrmids. Start out with 180lbs up to 810lbs then back down, no certian number of reps just as many as I can push out with 1 minute in between. I find this adds strength and explosivness.

Duke of Kent

I abandoned weight lifting because I pack on muscle entirely too easily. I'm still losing upper body mass from my high school wrestling days.

That, and I hear the ladies dig the T-Rex look.

ridethecliche

Rawr!

wfrogge

i'm doing it to lose weight.... and its working

gsteinb

unpossible