Building Leg Strength

[Mozzy]

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.

 

[theloafer]

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

 

[col]

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

 

[Tomba]

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).

 

[amaferanga]

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

You 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?

 

[col]

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?

 

[briantrumpet]

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.

 

[col]

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.

 

[Dan_h]

Ride fixed.

That is all.

'nuff said

 

[lukesdad]

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 ?

 

[Enigma2008]

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.

 

[amaferanga]

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

 

[Zoiders]

Is his last name realy Mirkin?

 

[cyberknight]

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 "