Winter Training

Welcome to the world of cycling. Its good to have you. There is a really long and in depth answer to your questions. But the nutshell answer is ride a lot and enjoy the bike. Weights are very beneficial to cycling, but you have to do the right exercises in the correct amounts at the right time to get the biggest benefits. I would suggest a coach. (of course I would, I am a coach 🙂 ).
This can get you started in the right direction without spending years with trial and error. I would also suggest that you dont concentrate specifically on cycling all the time. Keep active in lots of activities like soccer or basketball or whatever you are interested in. Now is not the time to limit yourself exclusively to any one activity. Feel free to e-mail me with any specific questions I might answer for you. Dave. www.the-bike-shop.com/training

bikeshop said:

Welcome to the world of cycling. Its good to have you. There is a really long and in depth answer to your questions. But the nutshell answer is ride a lot and enjoy the bike. Weights are very beneficial to cycling,

Try reading some of the threads on site. Weights are not very beneficial to cycling unless you happend to be e.g., a track sprinter/kilo rider

ric

ric_stern/RST said:

Try reading some of the threads on site. Weights are not very beneficial to cycling unless you happend to be e.g., a track sprinter/kilo rider

ric

To be honest, I dont take all the views on an open forum over the training philosophies I study from the worlds top coaches and trainer. If the views on the forum are telling riders that weight training isnt very beneficial to cycling, then they are terribly misinformed. www.the-bike-shop.com/training

bikeshop said:

To be honest, I dont take all the views on an open forum over the training philosophies I study from the worlds top coaches and trainer. If the views on the forum are telling riders that weight training isnt very beneficial to cycling, then they are terribly misinformed. www.the-bike-shop.com/training

unfortunately, you're wrong on this. there's no evidence that in trained (ECP)cyclists that weights are beneficial. for a brief summary see http://www.cyclingnews.com/fitness/?id=strengthstern

ric

I've read in a few different books that weights are required to prevent bone loss and osteoporosis.

CannonChick said:

I've read in a few different books that weights are required to prevent bone loss and osteoporosis.

the research is (as far as i'm aware) equivocal on this, plus, the fact that when cyclists weight train -- it's generally only for 2 or 3 months a year, and that may not be enough.

it's also a different point to that which i was making (that weights don't improve performance).

additionally, the effects on bone density via weights is much less than via medical intervention (i.e., drug treatment).

ric

What causes bone loss in cyclists?

Juklano said:

What causes bone loss in cyclists?

There was a study in Trinity college Dublin which revealed that bone densities in the bones of the lower backs of cyclists were below average. The lad doing the study recommended more weight based regimes. I am trying to recall this after a number of years so dont ask me any specific questions about it I was just a guinea pig! I will ring them to see if it was published on the web. I am sure there must be a lot of info about the causes of this in cyclists on the WWW......

"weight-bearing exercise is a prevention of osteoporosis. cycling is not weight bearing. Long distance cycling is associated with a worsening of osteoporosis."

this is from Dr. Arnie Baker's book "Bicycling Medicine".

Additional Info
A lot of studies on the resistance training and the prevention of osteoporosis.

Glad my wife does both cardio (aerobics classes) and weight training.

acsm.orgpostmeno women training 011403.htmOpen ↗

sportsmedicine.about.comaa051601a.htmOpen ↗

alegent.combody.cfmOpen ↗

physsportsmed.comkatzpa.htmOpen ↗

I'm getting ready to prepare my second year of cycling 🙂
From past March to October, I have ridden 5000 (8000) + miles (Km).

I jumped on my bike about a week or two ago and started training again.
I ride about 120 miles/week outside.. and I do my interval workouts (by HR) about twice a week.

Here is the thing that got my attention. During that 5000 miles, I trained with fairly low cadence (75-95). But when I raced few times, my cadence was up above 105 the whole time.

So.. I started to focus on high cadence past 2 weeks. Honestly, high cadence slowed me down significantly and got tired quickly.

What should I do???

sooray02 said:

I'm getting ready to prepare my second year of cycling 🙂
From past March to October, I have ridden 5000 (8000) + miles (Km).

I jumped on my bike about a week or two ago and started training again.
I ride about 120 miles/week outside.. and I do my interval workouts (by HR) about twice a week.

Here is the thing that got my attention. During that 5000 miles, I trained with fairly low cadence (75-95). But when I raced few times, my cadence was up above 105 the whole time.

So.. I started to focus on high cadence past 2 weeks. Honestly, high cadence slowed me down significantly and got tired quickly.

What should I do???

unfortunately, the high cadence idea is a bit of marketing hype, there's no good reason to pedal at very high cadences (except in certain situations). A self-selected cadence between 80 and 100 revs/min will almost certainly always suffice.

i would caution *against* specific cadence training. It is true that at higher intensities cadence will increase (to minimise the forces required compared to a lower cadence), however, as any sports psychologist will tell you, motor control learning skills etc should be treated as a whole -- if you do high cadence work do it at the same time as riding at higher intensities (however, almost certainly while doing high intensity work your cadence will automatically be higher, so don't waste time on cadence skills).

in other words, the most important aspect is to train to become fitter (i.e., increase your power output). This should virtually always be your primary goal. This may question many's ethos as to performing "LSD" type work as a primary winter training goal

ric