# Building Leg Strength



## Tomba (1 Dec 2011)

Whats the best way to build up leg strength during winter?

I can get to the gym probably once per week to use weights and I think they have a couple of spin bikes.


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## col (1 Dec 2011)

You have to give your legs something they are not used to. Leg press till failure will do it, do four sets of 8 to 12 reps, have enough weight on so your failing on the last couple of reps, you need to do this two or three times a week. you will almost double the weight you use in 6 months. Dont forget to warm up well . If you cant do three times a week at the gym, get a mate or family member on your back and squat.


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## Tomba (1 Dec 2011)

Cheers col


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## Blue (2 Dec 2011)

For this purpose; on the bike, I'm using HR Zone 3 rides in a big gear over my weekly 50 miler plus weekly hilly routes and, at home, I'm using squats and step-ups.

This is my first winter of trying this. I'll see if it works when the 2012 TT season starts. I found that I was dropping too much time on the hilly sections of TTs during 2011 because of weak legs, which is my reason for trying this.

One of the great things about cycling is that you can amuse yourself with such things.


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## Arsen Gere (2 Dec 2011)

What are you after, strength bulk or endurance?
Strength requires greater load fewer reps, ie less than 8, bulking up 8-12, muscular endurance 15+.
A mate of mine was a powerlifter, he used to do two sets of two-four reps and up to 90% of his max lift. With two lifts warmup of 50% and 70% max. 
He was squatting over 300Kg though. He was not that big in muscle terms he looked ordinary, not like a body builder, so I read that as not carrying useless weight.
IMHO building muscle for TT's works, because when you hit the TT season it converts readily, it increases stability around the joints. I preferreed 2 sets of 20 reps for muscular endurance, leg press and squats, plus some back work. I don't do them anymore as I can't fit them in with the other triathlon stuff.
See the table here for more details. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strength_training.
Also note that a change in diet may help too, an increase in protein.


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## Enigma2008 (2 Dec 2011)

Hi
As referred to above, the answer to your query depends on what you want to achieve. If... If you are seeking to develop leg strength for cycling then there are two contradicting schools of thought, one supports weight training in the gym, the other supports on the bike training. Evidence in support of the weight training 'school of thought' may be considered as patchy by those of the opposing view. Research using very small numbers of participants, not representative of cyclists (i.e. non cyclists) and other such weak and non-representative data. 

Over the years I've tried both systems, as a result I am of the opinion that 'on the bike' training has provided better results. I've come to this conclusion after reading many articles on the topic, some scholarly some less so and applying the recommended techniques to my training. Notwithstanding a case for using weights for remedial strength training in a gym to counter injury or weakness, the greatest influence on my opinion is the 'specificity' argument, this coupled with power to weight ratio lends credence to what I want to achieve on a bike. However, I do support my 'on the bike' strength training for legs with specific weight training for developing 'core strength'.

Without knowing what you are seeking to achieve then it's not prudent to get into specifics.


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## fossyant (2 Dec 2011)

Like this lot says - we need to know intentions.

Bike fit is bike fit -achieved by riding - if you can't do as much, then a mix of weights and spin should help - I'd say commute to work every day, then you don't have to worry too much.

Can you give us a bit more information about what you are doing normally, intentions for the winter, intentions for next year - age might help a little.


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## lukesdad (2 Dec 2011)

Get your self a decent cross trainer one where you can wind the resistance up. Or hill running.


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## Tomba (2 Dec 2011)

Thanks for the replies so far 

I just started cycling this year in July. Got a fastish hybrid (Ridgback Velocity) on the C2W scheme. Changed tyres from 37 to 28 for a bit less rolling resistance.
My aim this year was to do a 50 mile ride. I managed to do that in Oct link here with doing some 20-30 mile 'training' rides. I'm delighted with reaching that goal and have entered a sportive for next April. I've got the option to do either the 65 or 100 mile event but was put off the 100 as it had a 7 hour time limit. If I took two 15 min breaks I would have needed to keep an avg of just over 15mph for the 100 miles to complete in time and I know I'd need to up my fitness and strength to maintain a 15+mph avg.

I done a 43 mile ride last month averaging 14.6mph. This was my longest non stop ride a good few miles were on a cycle path with autumnal debris so had to ease up on those parts.

The past few weeks i've went out on 10-15 mile rides doing some intervals and other times pushing a harder gear than needed to spin. However, with the winter here I'll be limited to getting out as much and was wondering what would be the best way to build strength in my legs to help get my average speed up.

I've read that riding in a group will increase my average?
I'm meeting up with a guy from one of the local clubs on Sunday so should be able to get out with them to see how that works out.

Oh and if funds allow it after Christmas I'm hoping to get a road bike which I was told should help get my avg up, no idea if it will or not?


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## lukesdad (3 Dec 2011)

Leg strength I took as building muscle ? Do you mean endurance rather building muscle, which would come as a side product anyway. Building muscle AKA gym and weights will add muscle but also weight on the legs. Is this what you want ? I think you may need to work on your aerobic fitness through the winter, and maybe leg speed (spinning classes may help). Once the spring comes and you can get out on the bike more, then you can work on your leg strength using hills higher gears etc. The fitness you ve built up through the winter will make this a lot easier.


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## Zoiders (3 Dec 2011)

Ride fixed.

That is all.


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## amaferanga (3 Dec 2011)

It's fitness and muscular endurance you need, not strength. You're new to cycling so all you need to do is ride a lot. Strength will not be your limiting factor.


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## Mozzy (3 Dec 2011)

Arsen Gere said:


> He was squatting over 300Kg though. He was not that big in muscle terms he looked ordinary, not like a body builder, so I read that as not carrying useless weight.


 
660lb squat. JEEZ that is big!


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## col (3 Dec 2011)

I agree with the other posters with cycling up hills and bigger gears too. But doing squats will increase strength, and you will increase muscle mass too, which transfers nicely to cycling. But when it comes down to it, just do more of what you do now, your legs will get stronger, as long as your pushing hard. But dont forget to rest well too, or you will just nacker yourself and end up in an overtraining situation.


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## amaferanga (4 Dec 2011)

col said:


> I agree with the other posters with cycling up hills and bigger gears too. *But doing squats will increase strength, and you will increase muscle mass too, which transfers nicely to cycling.* But when it comes down to it, just do more of what you do now, your legs will get stronger, as long as your pushing hard. But dont forget to rest well too, or you will just nacker yourself and end up in an overtraining situation.


 
Really? Any evidence of that? The jury is very much out on whether or not weights help endurance cycling performance. For a novice cyclist riding more will be of MUCH more benefit than pumping weights in the gym.


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## Mozzy (4 Dec 2011)

Before I lost weight, I had pumped iron for 25 plus years. I managed a few reps on 300lb press and never any more than 400lb when squatting. I did much cardio after building size on off on off and so on. I also ran quite a bit when I was lighter. None of it has helped me for cycling. I still get a burn in my thighs far too quickly. I live with it though at my age.


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## theloafer (4 Dec 2011)

what works for me is ..as my miles fall over the winter (getting soft) all i do is use my steel tourer ,put both pannier,s on and i have 2 stones from the garden ..about 1/2 stone each and they stay on till the end of april.... guys at work think i am


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## col (4 Dec 2011)

amaferanga said:


> Really? Any evidence of that? The jury is very much out on whether or not weights help endurance cycling performance. For a novice cyclist riding more will be of MUCH more benefit than pumping weights in the gym.



Read the post properly, I said increase strength of the legs, not cycling endurance


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## Tomba (4 Dec 2011)

All sounds like good stuff, thanks everyone.

I'll be using the leg press and leg curl at the gym and doing squats.

I read an article the other day that mentioned to make sure I work on leg speed along with the gym work otherwise it could be counter productive. Think it suggested increasing RPM while spinning an easy gear.

One other thing mentioned in the article was to work on hip flexion and the exercise was cycling one legged (clipped in obviously).


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## amaferanga (5 Dec 2011)

col said:


> Read the post properly, I said increase strength of the legs, not cycling endurance


 
You said:



col said:


> But doing squats will increase strength, and you will increase muscle mass too, which transfers nicely to cycling


 
So you are suggesting that doing weight will improve (endurance) cycling performance (endurance cycling is what we're talking about here). And I said that its quite likely that doing weights will have zero positive effect on endurance cycling performance. What makes you think you need stronger legs to ride your bike better?


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## col (5 Dec 2011)

Your right I did say those things, but your trying to make them mean something else( now where have I seen that before?)
Ill use your technique of questioning to clarify.
So are you implying that weaker legs are better for cycling than stronger legs?


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## briantrumpet (5 Dec 2011)

col said:


> So are you implying that weaker legs are better for cycling than stronger legs?


Read this over on BR, and you'll learn a lot, including the benefit of agreeing on terminology first. There's a crucial difference between strength and power.


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## col (6 Dec 2011)

briantrumpet said:


> Read this over on BR, and you'll learn a lot, including the benefit of agreeing on terminology first. There's a crucial difference between strength and power.


Try reading my posts properly too. I answered a question asked about what would make legs stronger. I also agreed with all saying do more cycling. Also Its a simple enough question Iv asked too.


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## Dan_h (6 Dec 2011)

Zoiders said:


> Ride fixed.
> 
> That is all.


 
'nuff said


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## lukesdad (6 Dec 2011)

briantrumpet said:


> Read this over on BR, and you'll learn a lot, including the benefit of agreeing on terminology first. There's a crucial difference between strength and power.


Go on then Albert ?


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## Enigma2008 (15 Dec 2011)

Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health E-Zine
December 18, 2011

Should Cyclists Use Strength Training Machines?

A new study from Denmark shows that adding the use of 
special strength training machines to bicycle racers' cycling 
training can help them ride faster in races (Scandinavian Journal 
of Medicine & Science in Sports, December, 2011; 21(6):e298-307).
Previous studies have shown conflicting results on 
whether strength training helps cyclists to ride faster in races. 
This is one of the best studies because the researchers compared 
cyclists who added strength and endurance training to their 
programs for 16 weeks to those doing only the cycling training. 
Those who added strength training were stronger, as shown by 
their improvement in scientific measures of strength. Their 
maximal muscle capacity (MMC) and contractile rate of force 
development (CRFD), were up to 20 percent greater than the 
cycle-only group. Their 45-minute time trials were eight percent 
faster than the cycle-only group. They also had an increase in 
their proportion of fast twitch strength (type IIA) fibers in 
muscles. (Fast twitch type IIA fibers are the strength and 
speed fibers that also have great endurance. In contrast, fast 
twitch Type IIB are pure strength fibers with minimal endurance.)
Both groups had the same short-term, five-minute 
endurance performance increase of three to four percent.
EXPLANATION: Cycling is a power sport. The stronger you 
are, the faster you can ride over long distances. This study 
shows that adding weight lifting to a cycling program makes you 
stronger. 
CAVEATS: 1) All athletes should train by some form of 
stress and recovery program. They take a hard workout on one or 
more days, feel sore on the next day, and take easier workouts 
for as many days as it takes for the soreness to go away.
2) A typical cycling training program includes very fast 
days on Tuesdays and Thursdays that usually include some form of 
interval training; race days of sustained effort on Saturdays or 
Sundays or both; and much slower recovery days on Mondays, 
Wednesdays, and Fridays.
3) Do not use the strength machines on the days that you 
are recovering from hard cycling and your muscles feel sore. 
Recovery days are to keep your muscles moving, but not to put so 
much pressure on them that you delay healing. Remember, you are 
only as fast as your fastest training days. Riding too fast on 
recovery days delays muscle healing and can leave you sore on the 
next day when you had planned to ride fast. Anything that 
interferes with your intense fast training days will also 
interfere with your race times. 
4) Never use strength training machines when your muscles 
feel particularly tired or you feel localized pain in your leg 
muscles. These are the warning signs that you are likely to injure 
yourself if you put too much pressure on your muscles at that 
time.


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## amaferanga (15 Dec 2011)

^^^
One study reviewed by someone who clearly wants to advocate strength training.


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## Zoiders (15 Dec 2011)

Is his last name realy Mirkin?


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## cyberknight (16 Dec 2011)

Mozzy said:


> 660lb squat. JEEZ that is big!


 
Sweet , i was into endurance strength when i was a gym instructor and i used to do a set of 20 with 300 llbs on a leg press.

This makes interesting reading for strength training for cycling ...


http://www.bicycling.com/training-nutrition/training-fitness/core

Currently i hardly do any weights , maybe 2-3 quick circuits on my multi gym a week but i find my weak area for cycling is leg strength on hills to power up them when i ride with the chain gang so i have been doing specific training to build power as suggested by the club president of sprint intervals for street lights and giving hills the beans in a bigger gear rather than spinning an easy gear all the time.
This has certainly benefited my leg power.

As mercxx said
"Don`t buy upgrades ride up grades "


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