jeffwilson
Moderator
member is offline
Joined: Mar 2008
Gender: Male 
Posts: 269
Location: New Jersey
Karma: 2 |  | The Strength to Endure part III
« Thread Started on Jun 27, 2009, 3:49pm » | |
Strength Training for Cyclists
Cyclists are just as concerned as runners are about the threat of packing on too many pounds (or "bulking up") from lifting weights for their bodies to be as efficient as possible during participation in their sport - and the fear does come with good reason. Have you ever taken a cruise up a long steep hill on a ninety degree day? Imagine not only doing it while dragging along ten to fifteen extra pounds, but after already having gone forty miles - doesn't really sound like the best way to travel does it?
Carrying extra weight for competitive and recreational cyclists can be a huge concern, especially if the weight gain is primarily in the upper body (which doesn't due as much in terms of a cyclists performance as it does a runners). Building up your chest, lats and arms like a bodybuilder's makes very little sense if your primary sport is cycling, because those muscles won't do very much to improve your performance.
In running the muscles in your upper body can be used to help propel you forward, as much efficiency in the upper body as in the lower body can help a runner reach an extra gear in a short race, or potentially finish stronger than an opponent with a weaker upper body in a longer race. This isn't necessarily the case in cycling, where the muscles of the upper body are primarily used for support rather than propulsion.
Though strength training can hold tremendous benefits for cyclists, it may be advisable for a cyclist to adopt an even less "conventional" approach to their strength training routine than a runner would.
Many cyclists spend hours and hours on their bikes each week, so it's important for a cyclist's strength training routine to be able to provide maximum benefits, without pushing the athlete into a state of over-training. People not totally familiar with the sport tend to believe that it's easier on the participant because they are sitting, but the positioning a rider must take through the duration of long races makes it an incredibly demanding activity. Focus during strength training sessions for the cyclist should be on activity specific positions as well as on a wide range of mobility and stability movements in order to be the most effective.
Bodyweight movements for the upper and lower body like push-ups, planks, pull-ups, single leg squats and lunges work particluarly well to build up the muscle's resistance to fatigue during particularly long efforts without giving any cause for worry in terms of adding too much body mass. This will be much more beneficial to a competitive cyclist than would developing the strength necessary to increase their one rep max in any particular lift.
Movements like the gymnast's bridge and work on a stability ball can also have good carry-over to cycling by strengthening the muscles of the core and increasing flexibility throughout the entire body (particularly in the hips and lower back).
Strength training sessions for cyclists can be done either two or three days a week depending upon the frequency and duration of endurance training. In season sessions should probably be held to two days a week and be brief in terms of time to allow for adequate recovery. These workouts could be done in circuit style to allow for the highest workload in the least amount of time.
Off season strength training can be be upped to three days a week and be a little more experimental in terms of duration and overall workload because it's likely that the other workouts during the week won't be as intense or physically demanding as those done as the rider is preparing for a race.
A sound and intelligent strength training program can make you a better, more efficient cylcist - regardless of whether you've been riding for ten months or ten years. The key is in picking the most appropriate exercises, performing them correctly and pushing your self hard enough to improve without going past your own bodies ability to recover.
|
No Limits blog - http://jeffbmfwilson.blogspot.com
Get Into The ACT! - http://www.drinkactweb.com/jwils1 |
|
![[Search This Thread]](http://s1.images.proboards.com/search2.gif)
![[Send Topic To Friend]](http://s1.images.proboards.com/buttons/sendtopic.gif)
![[Print]](http://s1.images.proboards.com/buttons/print.gif)
Author
Logged