Weight training

[ayceejay]

and cycling shortens the hamstrings!
So does most of the leg work you do in the gym and sitting in front of a computer. What will effect your performance on the bike is flexibility and just like running the major inhibitor of flexibility is tight hamstrings. Cycling is quadriceps heavy so if you want to compensate for this with gym work then concentrate on your hamstrings.

 

[Citius]

yeah your all wrong haha

nah seriously though I do have other enjoyments regarding fitness training, playing 5aside, weight lifting, metafit etc. I just want to train the legs a little more too but just wondered if there was any specific routines people are doing.

Just to be clear, assuming your original (cycle related) question still stands - if you are looking for a cycling performance benefit from leg/strength work in the gym, then there won't be one. If you want to push leg weights for other reasons, then carry on.

 

[ayceejay]

Not true

 

[Citius]

Not true

What isn't?

 

[ayceejay]

if you are looking for a cycling performance benefit from leg/strength work in the gym, then there won't be one.

 

[Citius]

Explain how it isn't true? Leaving aside the relative minority sport of track sprinting, for which weights do seem to be favoured..

 

[robbo891]

My mate who manages a gym told me of course there is gains to be made from doing weight training and transferring this to your bike (not mega heavy lifting). Your building muscle making them stronger, fitter and this is transferred through the pedals! Your legs will be more flexible too.

 

[Andrew_P]

Core strength, http://www.coach-hughes.com/resources/corestrength1.html

 

[Drago]

There are gains to be made. Increased circulation and the muscles increased capacity to exploit oxygen bring benefits in both strength and stamina, which can be tweaked with different training regimes. The problem is, as I have found, is that the increased mass you're lugging around more or less exactly offsets the gains, although to be fair I do carry a lot of extra mass on my arms, chest and shoulders with does little on the bike except weigh a lot.

No free lunch I'm afraid, which is probably why serious weight work isn't high on the training plans of most pro riders.

 

[Citius]

My mate who manages a gym told me of course there is gains to be made from doing weight training and transferring this to your bike (not mega heavy lifting). Your building muscle making them stronger, fitter and this is transferred through the pedals! Your legs will be more flexible too.

On the issue of strength, your mate is quite simply wrong. Sorry. Endurance cycling is not limited by strength, but by aerobic and cardiovascular fitness. Anyone who tells you that stronger legs will make you a better endurance cyclist simply doesn't know what they are talking about.

 

[Andrew_P]

On the issue of strength, your mate is quite simply wrong. Sorry. Endurance cycling is not limited by strength, but by aerobic and cardiovascular fitness. Anyone who tells you that stronger legs will make you a better endurance cyclist simply doesn't know what they are talking about.

So you are saying that no amount nor style of strength training will improve someone's cycling at all?

 

[Citius]

So you are saying that no amount nor style of strength training will improve someone's cycling at all?

Yes, assuming you already have two functional legs with nominal strength.

 

[Andrew_P]

Yes, assuming you already have two functional legs with nominal strength.

Then I really do not think you know what you are talking about, or are you saying all the other articles, pro team trainers and amateur trainers are wrong? http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/fitness/training/strong-to-the-core-31235

 

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

My mate who manages a gym told me of course there is gains to be made from doing weight training and transferring this to your bike (not mega heavy lifting). Your building muscle making them stronger, fitter and this is transferred through the pedals! Your legs will be more flexible too.

He would say that wouldn't he?

 

[Citius]

Then I really do not think you know what you are talking about, or are you saying all the other articles, pro team trainers and amateur trainers are wrong? http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/fitness/training/strong-to-the-core-31235

Sorry, this discussion is about leg strength, not core strength. I'm sure core strength has its benefits, but that's not what we're talking about here.