# bodybuilding and cycling?



## adamangler (1 Jan 2013)

Ok so I started going to the gym this time last year with the aim of gaining muscle and looking better. Anyway last month I took to cycling and want to take it more seriously this year, increase cardio, ride further, do some sportives etc.

So I Got up this morning for a ride, its sunny, quiet on the roads and I'm gutted.
Why? Because my legs are very sore from squatting yesterday and I can't ride.

So does anyone go to the gym and cycle and make progress at both?
If so how do you balance using enough weight to shock the body for growth ans balance than with recovery for riding?

At the moment I'm starting a cut, I want to lose a stone but keep as much muscle as poss so dropping the weight lifted isn't ideal.


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## black'n'yellow (1 Jan 2013)

depends what your goals are - cycling performance or looking awesome on the beach. Alternatively, if you must go to the gym, maybe just work on upper body stuff..


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## adamangler (1 Jan 2013)

Both. I dont want to be a pro bodybuilder and be really bulky, i started going to the gym because of back problems and the muscle really helped stabilise my spine, now my backs great and i started training more like a bodybuilder.

I have put mass on but too much fat, so now want to lose weight, but i dont want to be a super skinny cyclist either.
. 
somewhere in the middle would be great, just general good health and fitness and look half decent

Upper body only is defo an option, but i dont want my legs to become out of proportion and look like one of these guys who look great in a t shirt with chicken legs at the bottom lol.

Maybe i will look into the type of training track cyclist do.


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## black'n'yellow (1 Jan 2013)

Track sprinters push a few weights - but they do that because they are track sprinters. I guess it all depends on if you want cycling performance or beach body looks - the two are not always compatible.


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## speccy1 (1 Jan 2013)

I tried to do the two together, doesn`t work, the cycling burns off and muscle increases, and any that you do make will make you heavier and slow you down on the bike. It`s frustrating but unless you are very lucky it`s one or the other


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## tadpole (1 Jan 2013)

I cycle everyday, push it really for short distances, (8 to 10 miles twice a day), ride short hills, eat a protein rich diet. Don't squat heavy, Train with ascending weight high reps mid to low weight range (50kg+). my legs are not chicken legs.
Re-arrange your leg days so they are not so close to your rides, do an upper-body work out day or arm day before a run, ride, then rest day before doing a leg day.


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## adamangler (1 Jan 2013)

Its going to be a balancing act but im going to give it a try...firstly i need to lose a stone so that should be easier than trying to gain mass.
Cut cals, lift heavy and use cycling as my cardio on the off days, concentrating more on upper body for now and go lighter on the legs, upping the weight used on legs if im recovering ok.

sound a reasonable plan?


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## ayceejay (1 Jan 2013)

Number one exercise for gaining weight = squats.


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## Tommy2 (1 Jan 2013)

Don't forget deadlift!


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## stephec (1 Jan 2013)

ayceejay said:


> Number one exercise for gaining weight = squats.


 


Tommy2 said:


> Don't forget deadlift!


 

If you want to pack on muscle then this ^, although you probably already know this by now.

You can still ride a bike for your cardio, but will need to keep an eye on your heart rate if you are really serious.

About sixteen months ago I started going to the gym after losing a lot of upper bodyweight from years of cycling. Eating and training heavy I went from 72kg to my current 83kg with not much of an increase in fat. Howerver, I didn't realisically have the time to keep up my fifty mile bike rides so I gave up the bike for a while.

A month ago I went out for a ride for the first time and found the difference in fitness and extra weight was a killer, going up a 8% hill in the middle of a fifteen mile ride almost had me screaming.

Now I'm back in the gym after a months break, and my strength has dropped off, especially on the big lifts like squats.

The phrase, 'jack of all and master of non,' springs to mind.

Pick the one you want to achieve the most with and concentrate on that, and accept you won't be able to do the other one to a similar level.


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## jim55 (1 Jan 2013)

The phrase, 'jack of all and master of non,' springs to mind

this^^^^^

i gen just commute a lot and dont cycle as much as most ,realistically im not the slimmest and my 14 st is never gona reduce to the level of some cyclists ,i train upper body and maybe a few lighter squats for a stretch ,i suppose iv got kinda chunky thighs anyway but even after a few weeks on the fixed (pushing a bigger gear )they seem to get a bit thicker and more muscley ,but its defo a balancing act ,either go for the wiggo look (and climb and ride better than most )or go for the heavier kinda bulky look and accept it as a ten st young lad whizzes by you as you puff and pant like a fat dog (i realised this a while ago and its option b for me ) iv actually heard it said that i dont look like a cyclist as proper cyclists are skinny wimps (this was from a non cycling female btw so her view not mine ,app women prefer "realmen"whatever that is


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## flying start (1 Jan 2013)

I'm in the same boat matey 
Started biking two years ago mtbing in the lakes (big days out) and the odd big road day out 100+miles but after my holiday in August I've done no biking I've been going to the gym for the past 8month and have seen a good bit of musclebulk up top but looking to start commuting tomorrow 5days a week (5miles each way)and gym 5nights too! I'm going to leave the legs to Friday night and mostly rest weekends or less we do a big day out in the lakes ill miss my legs out as this should keep my legs looks good! As for aching start using SIS rego will help repair your muscles and keep you going but don't take to much because it can put weight on!


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## montage (1 Jan 2013)

it is also scientific fact that bodybuilding kills braincells


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## adamangler (1 Jan 2013)

yeah. no way i can do heavy/squatts deads if i want to bike 3/4 times a week.
think i will just go steady on the legs and focus on upper body/cycling for a few months to shift a stone and re-asses it later.


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## stephec (1 Jan 2013)

montage said:


> it is also scientific fact that bodybuilding kills braincells


 
Go on then, I'm going to take the bait. 







Well you must have done a lot of it then.

Boom boom missus.


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## montage (1 Jan 2013)

stephec said:


> Well you must have done a lot of it then.
> 
> Boom boom missus.


 
SHUDDUP BEFORE I BENCH PRESS YOUR BRAINS OUT


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## fossyant (2 Jan 2013)

Gym is good for core strength for cycling, but lifting heavy weights will kill the legs on recovery days. Depends upon your goals, if wanting to be a good all round cyclist, then I'd recommend dropping weight, but upping reps. Stamina is important in cycling.


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (2 Jan 2013)

fossyant said:


> Gym is good for core strength for cycling, but lifting heavy weights will kill the legs on recovery days. Depends upon your goals, if wanting to be a good all round cyclist, then I'd recommend dropping weight, but upping reps. Stamina is important in cycling.


Do you know the difference in light weight,high reps vs heavy,low reps?


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## fossyant (2 Jan 2013)

T.M.H.N.E.T said:


> Do you know the difference in light weight,high reps vs heavy,low reps?


 
Other than I know heavy weights kill me the next couple of days, where lighter weight/higher reps don't to the same extent, and given I'm riding every day, not having dead legs after a session is best for me !


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## musa (2 Jan 2013)

depends really - i used to gym before cycling but now upon returning home Ive stopped

just aim to do core strength if your happy with size - so press ups - (there are different techniques which I found useful) situps dips

or mixture of both - 5x5 stronglifts (give that a google) theres an iPhone app for it for logging your workouts

5 set of 5 reps and if you successfully complete that particular your increase by 2.5 or 5 kg depending on what the workout is

then lastly good diet - plenty of recovery foods I think this may be your answer


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## User16625 (2 Jan 2013)

montage said:


> it is also scientific fact that bodybuilding kills braincells


 
Thats probably true actually. Brian Cox or stephen hawking for example. Also I dont think Stone Cold is a likely candidate for the first man on mars mission.


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## kayaker (3 Jan 2013)

I take it these comments regarding hypertrophy being linked to lack of intellect are in jest? Plenty of stupid skinny guys and there is nothing intelligent about being weak.


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (3 Jan 2013)

kayaker said:


> I take it these comments regarding hypertrophy being linked to lack of intellect are in jest? Plenty of stupid skinny guys and there is nothing intelligent about being weak.


Plenty of smart strong skinny guys and plenty of pigshit thick ripped guys too.

ps: have you met Drago?


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## kayaker (3 Jan 2013)

Yes so bodysize and intellect are not related. Stephen hawkings has a medical condition which probably restricts him somewhat. 
Plenty of memes regarding big guys being stupid (fat tall or muscular) and skinny guys being nerdy/geeks etc. 

We are talking bodybuilding and not powerlifting. Strongest guys in powerlifting/weightlifting are bigger. Sure you can say strength to weight but that's not the strongest. Anyway this thread was about bodybuilding and not strength per se. 

Depends what the OP is after, strength, hypertrophy a mix of both.


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## Garz (3 Jan 2013)

T.M.H.N.E.T said:


> ps: have you met Drago?


 
No. He is a fictional character out of a Rocky movie, but he did have a kick-ass physique (old Dolph)!


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## stephec (6 Jan 2013)

No he's not, he's that copper off Allo Allo!

P.S. - Drago, don't go changing your avatar anytime soon, or I'm going to look like a right knob.


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## Drago (8 Jan 2013)

adamangler said:


> So does anyone go to the gym and cycle and make progress at both?
> If so how do you balance using enough weight to shock the body for growth ans balance than with recovery for riding?
> .


i used to, though I've moved more from bloody building into lifting for sport, but I still do a little sculpting work.

There's no secret, just keep at it and you'll adapt quickly. There will be days, especially early in and especially with legs, that soreness will be your faithful companion, but these will become less frequent and less intense. The first few times you might need to give in and drive.

Without paying too much attention to diet I gained 32kg of lean mass, and 18" on my chest.

Just make sure you're eating clean and keep at it.


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## Becs (8 Jan 2013)

Does your gym have an experienced personal trainer/instructor you can talk to about structuring your weeks?


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## MrC (8 Jan 2013)

You don't have to do body building routines to become strong and have definition. Body building routines just put muscle on. There's more to being functionally strong than that. Also, they tend to concentrate on isolation exercises on certsin muscle groups, but for real life complex compound movements are far more useful.
The dragondoor.com site has a whole bunch of useful resources on this, icluding how to be skinny strong


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## stephec (9 Jan 2013)

MrC said:


> You don't have to do body building routines to become strong and have definition. Body building routines just put muscle on. There's more to being functionally strong than that. Also, they tend to concentrate on isolation exercises on certsin muscle groups, but for real life complex compound movements are far more useful.
> The dragondoor.com site has a whole bunch of useful resources on this, icluding how to be skinny strong


 

Compound movements are the basics of a good weights routine, for body building or general fitness.

Routines alone don't put muscle on either, a good routine and lots of the right food is the key.


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## stephec (9 Jan 2013)

Drago said:


> i used to, though I've moved more from bloody building into lifting for sport, but I still do a little sculpting work.
> 
> There's no secret, just keep at it and you'll adapt quickly. There will be days, especially early in and especially with legs, that soreness will be your faithful companion, but these will become less frequent and less intense. The first few times you might need to give in and drive.
> 
> ...


 

18", how long did that take?

I've put on 10kg and 2" on my chest in a year, and that was a fair bit of effort.


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## MrJamie (9 Jan 2013)

stephec said:


> 18", how long did that take?
> 
> I've put on 10kg and 2" on my chest in a year, and that was a fair bit of effort.


I heard Drago was involved in an accident and was exposed to a large dose of gamma radiation.


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## ayceejay (9 Jan 2013)

you might be interested in this fine physical specimen


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## stephec (9 Jan 2013)

MrJamie said:


> I heard Drago was involved in an accident and was exposed to a large dose of gamma radiation.


 

Be careful what you say, you don't want to make him angry, you won't like him when he's angry.


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## Drago (9 Jan 2013)

stephec said:


> 18", how long did that take?
> 
> I've put on 10kg and 2" on my chest in a year, and that was a fair bit of effort.


Took about a year to do the chest. EVERY workout included a vertical row to failure, and a bent barbell row to failure. A lot of pain. I take great delight in annoying work by keep having to order new uniform, and the £600 they had to spend having body armour custom made was especially gratifying. My back and lats are to me what Schwazeneggers calves were to him - a natural weak point in my physique.

But best of all, when you're big you get treated with a lot more in the way of manners and respect. I'm not into chucking my weight around (I actually much prefer the quiet life) but its amazing how polite people are because you look big enough to unscrew their neck.

I'm suffering a little round the middle (up to 36") because ive been very restricted on my cardio the last 2.5 months due to illness, but once I'm back in the saddle I'll diet and sweat and sacrifice until I'm back down to a 34.

My 5 top tips:

1) Don't listen to armchair experts that have never done it themselves. Most couldn't lift s pie to their faces without pulling something,.

2) Commitment is the big word. Whether you succeed or fail will be down to this one word.

3) Get to a proper gym. Not some chrome plated Virgin healt club, but a proper one with concrete floors and big lads in torn sweats. Chat to the big lads, most will only be too happy to share the knowledge. If needs be get advice from a trainer - if you cant afford ongoing one-on-one support then try and get a diet and exercise plan from one.

4) Don't go nuts on supplements. A poor diet can't be compensated for with powders.

5) Steer clear of the gear. Steroids are bad enough,but growth hormone is insane. Apart from the health dangers, (I know a chump not much older than me now on a pacemaker because it's wrecked his ticker) any 'lifter worth the title will spot it a mile off and you'll be a pariah. It might impress teenage girls, but you'll be as popular as a fart in a spacesuit down the gym.


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## CopperCyclist (9 Jan 2013)

stephec said:


> Be careful what you say, you don't want to make him angry, you won't like him when he's angry.



He's always angry...


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