Off the bike winter training

[leescurtis]

I am aiming to spend more time in the gym this winter and leaving my weekends for riding. I started this Monday and have spent three sessions concentrating on legs and cardio mostly, with the odd dabble on lower back and abs/core. For legs, I have been mostly doing Squats and calf raises. Can anyone recommend any other routines that will help my bike fitness and power?

 

[brand]

Cycling.
Nothing you are doing will help your cycling fitness. No cycling, even so called sprint cycling involves large muscles. If you must go to the gym then use an exercise bike.
On the other hand there is nothing wrong with improving your overall fitness with a bit of weight training but it will do nothing whatsoever to improve your cycling performance.

 

[Hacienda71]

Unless you are Chris Hoy.......

 

[zizou]

There isnt really anything you can do to replace time spent cycling (either outside or on a stationary / spin bike) that will give you fitness gains for cycling but you can do some stuff to supplement your cycling. Work on your core and do some cardio to help overall fitness and keep the weight down etc

Cycling.
Nothing you are doing will help your cycling fitness. No cycling, even so called sprint cycling involves large muscles. If you must go to the gym then use an exercise bike.
On the other hand there is nothing wrong with improving your overall fitness with a bit of weight training but it will do nothing whatsoever to improve your cycling performance.

sprint cycling requires a huge amount of time spent in the gym!

 

[brand]

There isnt really anything you can do to replace time spent cycling (either outside or on a stationary / spin bike) that will give you fitness gains for cycling but you can do some stuff to supplement your cycling. Work on your core and do some cardio to help overall fitness and keep the weight down etc



sprint cycling requires a huge amount of time spent in the gym!

Not on weights

 

[Hacienda71]

No weights for track sprint cycling.

 

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

brand's knowledge of cycling disciplines is lacking. Better not wasting your time

 

[brand]

How would all that upper body muscle help pedal faster?

 

[brand]

Well it does appear that sprinters do use weights. I would have thought that there so called sprint would be to long for weights to make a difference (unlike 100 metres run)
I stand corrected.
The OP is not talking about sprinting so no weight training will benefit his cycling.

 

[Rykard]

the upper body and core strength help them to put their power through the pedals, if you didn't have upper/core strength you are just pushing against gravity

 

[brand]

the upper body and core strength help them to put their power through the pedals, if you didn't have upper/core strength you are just pushing against gravity

Not seen a single long/er distance cyclist with any upper body muscle. Are you only talking about sprinters?

 

[Rykard]

Not seen a single long/er distance cyclist with any upper body muscle. Are you only talking about sprinters?

mostly, but having a strong and upper body do help the day to day cycling too, every time you climb out of the saddle

 

[Tin Pot]

I am aiming to spend more time in the gym this winter and leaving my weekends for riding. I started this Monday and have spent three sessions concentrating on legs and cardio mostly, with the odd dabble on lower back and abs/core. For legs, I have been mostly doing Squats and calf raises. Can anyone recommend any other routines that will help my bike fitness and power?

The benefit will depend on your starting fitness/body fat %.

Over winter I focus on swimming and spin classes.

Tempted to try yoga!

Overall core strength and cardio fitness is good for everything...

 

[brand]

mostly, but having a strong and upper body do help the day to day cycling too, every time you climb out of the saddle

And it increase your weight significantly. So no overall benefit.

 

[leescurtis]

And it increase your weight significantly. So no overall benefit.

I am no lean mean riding machine at the moment. I used to be 17st last year but trimmed down to just under 14 st now. I could do with dropping another stone to help me glide up those hills which is probably the weakest part of my ride at the moment. I am not slow up hill but not as fast as i'd like to be.

Spin classes, core and general weight reduction is going to be the new direction then. Thanks for all your comments people.