Cyclists, Do You Weight Train?

Carrera said:

A thread that may get many of us going. We already discussed it in the training section and it became very controversial.
I myself weight-train as my own view is it helps my cycling and gives me a certain advantage. However, many cyclists believe weight-training is actually detrimental and has no place in the cycling regime.
It's commonly accepted that weights are O.K. for sprinters and track-cyclists but of no use for endurance athletes.
I do know that Lance and Jan Ullrich include leg-presses as part of their cycling training and Lance claims weights have helped him improve. Lance's coach claims he has Lance do weights in order to regain the muscle he may have lost during the season.
But some coaches claim Lance would be just as good even if he did no weights at all and that there is no proof whatsoever that weights improve your cycling performance.
As I told Don Shipman earlier on the training thread, these days I weight-train once a week. Squats are my main leg-exercise so I don't do leg-presses. However, I do fairly high reps on squats and don't go over 215 pounds.
So, guys, this is my question: Do Lim, Colorado Rider, Mountain Pro, Boogers, Wurm and the regular do any weights? Confess, please. How many folks think weights are bad for cyclists or have anything to share?

Why is this on the soapbox? Get it moved, or I will.

Carrera said:

A thread that may get many of us going. We already discussed it in the training section and it became very controversial.
I myself weight-train as my own view is it helps my cycling and gives me a certain advantage. However, many cyclists believe weight-training is actually detrimental and has no place in the cycling regime.
It's commonly accepted that weights are O.K. for sprinters and track-cyclists but of no use for endurance athletes.
I do know that Lance and Jan Ullrich include leg-presses as part of their cycling training and Lance claims weights have helped him improve. Lance's coach claims he has Lance do weights in order to regain the muscle he may have lost during the season.
But some coaches claim Lance would be just as good even if he did no weights at all and that there is no proof whatsoever that weights improve your cycling performance.
As I told Don Shipman earlier on the training thread, these days I weight-train once a week. Squats are my main leg-exercise so I don't do leg-presses. However, I do fairly high reps on squats and don't go over 215 pounds.
So, guys, this is my question: Do Lim, Colorado Rider, Mountain Pro, Boogers, Wurm and the regular do any weights? Confess, please. How many folks think weights are bad for cyclists or have anything to share?

I train with weights regularly and I cycle to get my cardio in and to enjoy the sights. I used to be a runner until the knees got the best of me. I don't think that the "left", lift weights do they?. Squats, if done properly, are a good exercise. Like swimming this exercise engages many muscles....But what good does it do you to perform this just once a week? 48hrs is enough of a rest period...Perhaps flintstone is right about you afterall???

Carrera said:

A thread that may get many of us going. We already discussed it in the training section and it became very controversial.
I myself weight-train as my own view is it helps my cycling and gives me a certain advantage. However, many cyclists believe weight-training is actually detrimental and has no place in the cycling regime.
It's commonly accepted that weights are O.K. for sprinters and track-cyclists but of no use for endurance athletes.
I do know that Lance and Jan Ullrich include leg-presses as part of their cycling training and Lance claims weights have helped him improve. Lance's coach claims he has Lance do weights in order to regain the muscle he may have lost during the season.
But some coaches claim Lance would be just as good even if he did no weights at all and that there is no proof whatsoever that weights improve your cycling performance.
As I told Don Shipman earlier on the training thread, these days I weight-train once a week. Squats are my main leg-exercise so I don't do leg-presses. However, I do fairly high reps on squats and don't go over 215 pounds.
So, guys, this is my question: Do Lim, Colorado Rider, Mountain Pro, Boogers, Wurm and the regular do any weights? Confess, please. How many folks think weights are bad for cyclists or have anything to share?

Seems like a controversial subject, but I think that the following summary sounds like reasonable advice.
an exerpt from sportsmedicine.about.comaa123098a.htmOpen ↗

"For highly-trained athletes who already posess a great deal of sport specific strength, further strength gains are less important to enhanced endurance. At the highest level of competition, increases in strength and power are not as critical as the development of correct technique. For elite athletes, the concept of specificity of training and the principles of conditioning still apply.

So, if you are already an elite athlete, is may be more important for you to practice skills and general sport technique. If, however, you are new to a sport or still find you fatigue more easily than then your peers, you should focus on sport specific weight training routines."

there is some cycling specfic info in the article as well

Personally I quit my qym to ride more so I don't do strength training any more, but I used to have pretty weak hamstrings and found that doing light leg curls(?) (the ones where you lie on your stomach and bend your knees with the pads resting on your ankles) cleared up any lingering knee problems I was having.

I use weights about twice a week for about half an hour a time. Curling bar, bench presses and some dumbbell work and tricep work. Nothing really on the legs.

its not for cycling purposes, i like a fit and strong body. i am not that serious a cyclist, i dont compete.

Well, the reason I do weights once a week is mainly to maintain muscle. I'm not doing it to build. The focus remains on my cycling throughout the week.
I also do very few sets. I only do 2 sets of hard squats and that's it. Today my legs are sore and I skipped cycling so when I ride bike tomorrow I'll be rested and strong for my ride.
The majority of cyclists stay away from the gym so I'm aware I'm a minority. But the truth is I weigh around 190 pounds and have outclimbed guys who weight 150 pounds. On climbs you will nearly always see me in at the front of the pack and you'll hear the group audibly moan and complain the pace is too hard.
However, they keep up and sweat it out and maybe one or two of them pass me once we get over the toughest, steepest parts.
Of course, on the descents at 190 pounds I'm gone. This is my secret weapon.

Cannibal2 said:

I train with weights regularly and I cycle to get my cardio in and to enjoy the sights. I used to be a runner until the knees got the best of me. I don't think that the "left", lift weights do they?. Squats, if done properly, are a good exercise. Like swimming this exercise engages many muscles....But what good does it do you to perform this just once a week? 48hrs is enough of a rest period...Perhaps flintstone is right about you afterall???

Carrera said:

Well, the reason I do weights once a week is mainly to maintain muscle. I'm not doing it to build. The focus remains on my cycling throughout the week.
...

Carrera, do you race...?

Negative Mountain Pro. I bump heads with other riders or on group rides but I don't compete. Really I'm too old at 42, I guess.
However, my cycling performance has improved a great deal and I train very hard. Most of my cycling centres around climbing which is kind of typical of the Spanish riders these days (I lived close to Pamplona and the Basque country).
My hero is Miguel Indurain in the same way you admire Marco.
I'm a big gear man and love to mesh huge gears even on the climbs. While other cyclists use the middle ring you'll see me climbing on the big ring with my butt on the seat mostly. So, the weights kind of compound my style.

MountainPro said:

Carrera, do you race...?

Just wondering, you seem to train a lot. Even if i had the time i dont think i would train as much as you. cycling is more of a hobby these days. when i was younger i would cycle 7 days a week come rain or shine.

Carrera said:

Negative Mountain Pro. I bump heads with other riders or on group rides but I don't compete. Really I'm too old at 42, I guess.
However, my cycling performance has improved a great deal and I train very hard. Most of my cycling centres around climbing which is kind of typical of the Spanish riders these days (I lived close to Pamplona and the Basque country).
My hero is Miguel Indurain in the same way you admire Marco.
I'm a big gear man and love to mesh huge gears even on the climbs. While other cyclists use the middle ring you'll see me climbing on the big ring with my butt on the seat mostly. So, the weights kind of compound my style.

Actually I train far less than most cyclists. As you know, the main difficulty is the dark nights during winter.
I suppose the fact I don't drive a car helps me since I tend to cycle to work and back. On top of that, I will do a typical session of maybe 2 hours on the bike but with lots and lots of climbing.
If I'm really pushed for time I do what I call the "killer hour".
This involves a ten minute ride to a very steep and long hill. I change into a fairly small gear and hammer my way uphill cycling flat out against the gradient for some 15 minutes. The hill is a real killer so when you get to the top you're breathing like crazy and sweating.
I then pick up the pace and keep my eyes fixed on the bike computer so my speed stays at a set limit on the rest of the mild inclines and flat. After one hour I'm pancaked but that kind of training is no good unless you throw in the longer endurance rides as well.
During winter you can bet I'll be training hard. There will hardly be any other cyclists out there when the weather gets cold and rainy.

MountainPro said:

Just wondering, you seem to train a lot. Even if i had the time i dont think i would train as much as you. cycling is more of a hobby these days. when i was younger i would cycle 7 days a week come rain or shine.