Building muscle strength?

[montage]

Well it looks like I opened up an old can of worm however, I am grateful for all the replies.
As far as a training plan to help me increase my speed and endurance it appears this the way to go. If anyone has any suggestions they will be greatly received.

The jury is still out there on this, anecdotally and scientifically.
My views are that time is better spent cycling rather than lifting weights. If you have an extra hour a day, better to spend it pedaling than squatting. Weights mess with rides the next day as you need to recover a bit. If you are going to do weights, strengthening the core has showed to be beneficial - so this should be your focus. Weights have other health benefits - injury prevention etc, so can be beneficial in that factor.

If you plan to add weight training to what you currently do, then as long as you can plan it well with rest days etc, then go for it. Can't really hurt. Much depends on your aims. If you are planning on racing, I wouldn't be near weights right now with the season soon approaching.

 

[Boyfrom64]

Montage, i have no plan to go racing, firstly because I am to old and secondly I have only been cycling for two years since I had to stop running due to problems with the knee on my left leg.
The reason I raised the question in the first instance is that I want to be able to increase my speed and overall endurance. I can comfortably ride for 40 miles but ultimately I want to do a century ride and secondly I should like to be quicker than a couple of buddies who I ride with and who are heavier than me but quicker than me.

 

[Sittingduck]

I would spend your time on the bike doing longer rides and pushing faster speeds, rather than doing weights. Are they quicker uphill too or just on the flatter stuff?

 

[Berties]

Time spent in the saddle will increase your anaerobic fitness and interval riding and hills will improve speed and fitness,I spent my earlier days in the gym in a big way,and now am happy with just riding and running,and concentrate on my flexability ,I use a biomechanics expert to coach me and keep a eye on my results,I get tight quads and load my muscles to stretch them,but it has improved my overall flexability and recovery ,just a thought to me flexability is as important as larger muscles!

 

[Ningishzidda]

There's a 100 Audax looming on March 10th from Lichfield. Its to Stonehurst Farm in Mountsorrel and back.
http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/13-965/

 

[Ningishzidda]

Or maybe this,
https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/85472/The-Rawlinson-Bracket

 

[Boyfrom64]

Hi Sittingduck, the answer is both although the hills is where they have the biggest advantage, but I need to clarify that a little further.
My two riding partners ride compact doubles and I ride a triple. One of the issues I have on hills is that I am in between gears - I will either have to drop down to the granny cog on the front chainset with the 4th cog on the rear cassette or I stay in the middle chainring on the front and the 3rd cog on the rear cassette. I have already had a chat about this with my LBS and when the bike goes in to be serviced in the next couple of weeks they are going to have a look at my set up and advise on what set up I can change to going forward to solve the problem.

 

[Boyfrom64]

Ningishzidda, thanks for the suggestions, I will take a look at the details and see if my riding buddies fancy entering as well.

 

[Sittingduck]

I see
Gear ratios and stuff like that can be a bit of a faff to get right, for your personal needs. It will require some experimentation and research but you'll get it setup just right, in the end
RE: the bigboys being even quicker on the hills - this is somewhat unusual. Typically the larger rider will suffer on the climbs but dominate on the downhills. Not always this way though and I can say with certainty that cycling fitness will make a massive difference, in particular to climbing. You will improve, as time goes on (assuming you continue to cycle and try to improve)!

 

[Hacienda71]

Re your triple, it should give you more options than their compacts. I have a triple and a compact, the triple gives you the benefit of a standard double with a granny gear to get you home if required. The compact does neither well, leaving you with a big jump down to the small ring meaning you need to double shift on the rear at the same time to compensate.
To catch them on the hills improve your aerobic fitness by riding more hills, relax riding up them and weighing less than them will mean you have an added advantage.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Time spent in the saddle will increase your anaerobic fitness and interval riding and hills will improve speed and fitness,I spent my earlier days in the gym in a big way,and now am happy with just riding and running,and concentrate on my flexability ,I use a biomechanics expert to coach me and keep a eye on my results,I get tight quads and load my muscles to stretch them,but it has improved my overall flexability and recovery ,just a thought to me flexability is as important as larger muscles!

Care to elaborate on this? Generally the exact opposite is true.

The jury is still out there on this, anecdotally and scientifically.
My views are that time is better spent cycling rather than lifting weights. If you have an extra hour a day, better to spend it pedaling than squatting. Weights mess with rides the next day as you need to recover a bit. If you are going to do weights, strengthening the core has showed to be beneficial - so this should be your focus. Weights have other health benefits - injury prevention etc, so can be beneficial in that factor.

If you plan to add weight training to what you currently do, then as long as you can plan it well with rest days etc, then go for it. Can't really hurt. Much depends on your aims. If you are planning on racing, I wouldn't be near weights right now with the season soon approaching.

The science is there, yet so is the anecdote. The latter always seems to be argued to the death more than the former though. There is no harm with weight training, but don't do it for massive cycling gains, really because there are few to be had. Heart and lungs are the important bit, those aren't stressed very much(if at all) during anaerobic weight training.

 

[Ningishzidda]

Ningishzidda, thanks for the suggestions, I will take a look at the details and see if my riding buddies fancy entering as well.

No, No, No. If your quest is to show your buddies who's fast, don't show them how you train.

 

[Arsen Gere]

Montage, i have no plan to go racing, firstly because I am to old and secondly I have only been cycling for two years since I had to stop running due to problems with the knee on my left leg.
.

Too old ? What's that. There were blokes racing in Eilat earlier last year in the 75-79 category. http://www.triathlon.org/results/event/2012_eilat_etu_triathlon_european_championships

I'm a believer in weights but I'm not willing to get involved in the debate, damn I just have.

 

[spock]

i think there a case on both fronts ,do weights or dont do weights ,,which ever helps YOU is the best answer ,,i do em and they help me end of

 

[Ningishzidda]

The big problem with doing weights for cycling, is you might become a Chris Hoy lookie-likey.

And who wants that !