Giacomo 1 

I was afraid that might be the answer!

I used to squat in a past life, so technique should be ok. I'll stay with the leg press machine though.

Guess I better man up and give it a go. It'll either kill me or make me an animal again. Ill let you know which of is!

carleton

You know what you should do. You know why you should do it. There's only one thing left.

Quinn8it

I squat pretty heavy- despite what most people think- I got there by being very conservative.

So- yes. Man up and get under the bar, but don't forget that you are a cyclist- and hurt cyclist tend to be really slow

Brian Ratliff

What's everyone's opinion about upper body work for track sprinting? Basically, I am dropping bench press while doing overhead press and barbell rows as my main upper body work. I can't really see a purpose for bench for a cyclist; the overhead press will build my shoulders, which I think is important for bike control and crash durability, and the barbell row will help keep my legs from pushing me off my bike.

queerpunk

The overhead press also builds core/back muscles. and that's great for cycling in general, for the reasons you point out.

i added it to my routine this year.

misterwaterfall

I do the big 3, which includes bench. I'm already at the gym, and though it doesn't translate into going faster, the cardio bunnies do seem to like guys who have noticeable upper body muscles so I'll be keeping it.

Quinn8it

I keep on the bench all year- since I'm a pretty poor bencher and I dabble in Powerlifting, I like to keep it up as high as possible to keep my total up.. I will admit that there is no real benefit to Sprinting from a big bench- but I do believe that sprinters need upper body strength, and developing the entire upper body in a balanced fashion is probably the way to go..

carleton

I do bench as a basic fitness exercise. It's probably where I'm most talented (I warm up starting with 135) and where I'd get biggest, but it's not as useful as I wish for track sprinting.

Giacomo 1 

Good advice, repeat - I'm a cyclist first...I'm a cyclist first...I'm a cyclist first!

Yes...Yes I do...

I'm on the way to the gym now. If my knees don't snap like a dry twig and my back doesn't blow out like an old clincher, I'll be back to give a report on how squatting feels at my advancing age...

Quinn8it

What's your best bench ever Carleton?

Just curious

McRussellPants

Just started going to the gym at work, power rack. Basic cable machine and rowing machine. It works prefect. Wish they had a leg sled so I could put more into hams without stressing my back as much but oh well

Been doing the starting strength 5x5 routine with 15 minutes on the rowing machine. I also usually add a couple more reps of deadlift at a lower weight. Just making things up with internet bro science.

Noon gains rule. It's funny to find the muscles you don't hit on the bike.

misterwaterfall

Noob gains are awesome. I'm going through round 2 of those after lifting for 4-5 years, taking off 2 or so to ride bikes, and now just getting back to lifting more. Worked up to a 265 bench for 5 the other day and felt good and sad at the same time. Most I've done in a couple years, but still way under what I used to be able to do. O well

carleton

I have no idea. I literally don't track it and I purposely don't try to progress it. I can do 250 without even trying on any given day untrained. I've always had a big chest and I don't try to accentuate it. If I were playing football or something, maybe I would have pushed. But, I played baseball and tennis as a kid.

EDIT:

I think I kinda have a decent build to be a decent power lifter (albeit relatively tall at 6'1"). I was 195 when I graduated HS. I just never considered it.

Quinn8it

What's the "starting strength 5x5"?

SS is 3x5

carleton

I missed this.

Just take it easy and start with the bar and maybe progress to 25lbs on each side. Remember, it's the little muscles that will pull on you. You have to bring those up to snuff slowly! Over the course of a couple of weeks.

carleton

I strongly suggest that you get on a good program. Starting strength is dead simple, but others are very good too. Lifting works. Lifting according to a program works better.

Yup. That's why getting into the gym after a long season on the bike can lead to over-confidence and some minor muscle straining and screwing it all up. Start slow.

carleton

+1

I've tried 3x5 and 5x5 and I think 3x5 is sufficient to stimulate the muscles to grow. Now I tend to go for 5x5 only when I feel well-rested and strong on a particular day.

Giacomo 1 

Well, I'm back and feeling pretty darn manly!

Actually, the squats went fairly well. It is definitely a different feel from the machine. As you said, the small, stabilizing muscles really get involved. I went slow, easy and strict, just the bar for 2x10, then upped it to 25lbers on each side for another 2x10. Finished it off with 35lbers for 2x8. Finished up with 3x6 leg presses and a brisk 15 minutes on the stationary bike and that was enough for now. I have to go to work tomorrow! I feel pretty good all things considered, quads are tight in a good way, lower back alittle fatigued but not to bad. Hammies are fine. I'll see how I feel in the morning.

Thanks for the help and the push guys!

Quinn8it

Carleton- 250# bench with out training is solid! My long term goal is to hit 300 in a meet... I fight to keep myself above 200 for fives

Minion1

5 x 5's the Texas method from practical programming, though it has one heavy day, one moderate day, one light day if you're training 3 days a week. (Public service announcement, HTH, etc)

gl98115

How deep did you go?

Giacomo 1 

Not very.

I kept my quads just short of parallel to the floor and no deeper, so the knees feel good.

McRussellPants

My bad, I do the 3x5, always mess up typing it out though, think I hve it confused with strong lifts, that one's 5x5 isn't it?

I'm real timid about it after doing exactly that and ending up with some SI joint problems a few years back.

I'm real new to lifting in general, and am really just winging it off of internet bro science to apply it to cycling. I figured starting strength would get me a base and get all the muscles cycling doesn't hit working for now and figure out something more tuned in the future. Starting strength not so great? Open to any tips I can get.

carleton

Awesome!

Remember that it's common to squat 3x a week, not every day. You need that day in-between to recover.

Consider adding deadlift and/or Romanian deadlift to strengthen up your back. I've had back issues since HS baseball (catcher). I've found that the deadlift and Romanian deadlift *really* strengthen it, not weaken it as some believe.

Thanks, man. I've been secretly considering powerlifting as a hobby.

Learn to feel when your muscles are switching over from quads to hamstrings. You need that transition to happen in order for you to train your hamstrings too. That's the purpose of going down low enough. You don't have to put your butt on the ground, but you do have to go low enough for your hamstrings to engage to get you "out of the hole".

Starting Strength is GREAT. I just didn't want to come off as a Starting Strength zealot. I can't recommend it enough. I don't know enough to get into debates about the particulars of his program. I'm sure Quinn can. Some people (not Quinn) get nit picky about Stronglifts vs Texas vs Starting Strength etc... I'm not that into it.

Go to Loprinzi's and tell the guy or lady at the desk that you want a few squat lessons and you have a few bucks to tip someone. It will be totally worth it. I wouldn't be surprised if someone showed you for free.

Starting Strength is a thick book, but 90% of it is Rippetoe defending his methodology against haters. Which is cool. But, if you want, skip over that and just read the instructions and the workout plans. I've read that book and the more advanced one in the series, Practical Programming for Strength Training. Also a good read if you are serious about being a power athlete or coach.

misterwaterfall

Good point about reading the complete SS book. You can find templates online with instructions that will get you going. The book is great to understand the methodologies, but a template will get you lifting without confusion. Knowing the background is great when yous tart programming for yourself, but as you will be sticking to the program in the short term it doesn't matter as much.

To your other point about the differences: SS is just a variation of the "Texas Method". The Texas method is basically just the idea of a linear progressive template with three basic days per week. Where you get into the other labels(stronglifts, SS, ect.) is just their spin. Like saying you lift a Westside template, but your ME lifts are different than someone else's ME lifts.