Comments on: 5 Mistakes In The Weight Lifting Gym

By: Ronny

Ronny — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 11:32:35 +0000

I am 23, and I really wanna increase my tt performance. Do you think squat jumps are useful for cycling? I ride in a country with a lot of mountain and I must be competitive at climbs too . Should I keep training in the gym?. I was told weight training decrease your cadence, is it true?. Thanks

By: stevenwjoe

stevenwjoe — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 03:07:32 +0000

I think you are right on with the low reps 3-5 for younger ages and 5-8 for the 40+ and not quite to fatigue, just so you are not too sore to do a bike workout the next day. Steady strong lifts. You want to build strength in the gym, the stronger you are the more power you have on the pedal stroke which you can tap for higher mph. It is like using sprints to up you mph, if you don’t develop the speed you want ever get to 30+ mph, that is you first have to be able to sprint up to 30 before you can cruise at 30, it is the same with strength, if you don’t develop strength your stroke will never have much force. For example, being able to exert a downward pedal stroke of 300lbs, makes pushing 200-250 many times over much easier, although it is never easy. I know it sound the opposite of what we have been led to believe, that is endurance racers should do every workout like it is an endurance event, but with strength you are really wasting time and energy by lifting high reps for muscular endurance, go do some long hills or 3 minute intervals which are better and more bike specific, those will give you muscular endurance. You should have mentioned deadlifts though, one of the best exercises that develops the whole chain from head to toe, and when combined with squats, and step ups, that is really all you need, but you can throw in some other exercises occasionally like leg curls, lunges, maybe leg press. Don’t forget the abs, and then bench presses and lats are about enough for the arms, those I do 8-10 reps with a good steady weight, usually 3 sets, you do need decent arm strength to come out of the saddle, but you don’t need to be the incredible hulk going down the road. The deadlifts will also develop the shoulders and chest as well, Of course, this is the perspective of a Time Trial rider where strength is everything.

By: Martin

Martin — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 16:29:07 +0000

Hi Jesper,

Great article. I just wonder what the optimal rest period is for this type of srength trianing? From what I’ve read, 36 too 48 hours rest is recommended for weight trainers – but this is typically for guys doing 3 x 15 @ 60% 1RM. If I train just 3 x 3 @ 90%, can i train every day? Would 24 hours rest be sufficient, as there is no scarring to the muscle tissue? How long does neural adapatation take? I gues it is a different process from muscle repair, but have never seen anyone discuss this.

By: mike heit

mike heit — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 06:34:58 +0000

Intuitivly, I believe it is important to bike and from the gym (or bike the same day u lift) in order to intergrate gym stregth with bike strength. It does not have to be a hard/fast ride but long enough to spin the stressed gym muscels at a reasnable cadence. I have neverread ascietic study of this.

By: Brenda

Brenda — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 18:54:05 +0000

I read the article and responses; the issues I have with those who respond are lack of reliable sources, i.e., exercise physiology/other educational sources, AND spelling.

As a new cyclist, I am in agreement that I must change how I work out in the weight room. During the past year, I’ve suffered several lower and upper body injuries simply by trying to maintain what I’d achieved with weights prior to getting into cycling. The two sports are absolutely incompatible from my personal experience. My focus must be on not tearing fibers in the weight room; I appreciate this information.