Am I the only big weight trainning guy who loves cycling?? I do quite a lot of weight training but love aerobic too. I can bench press 120kg and squat about 150kg for ten reps. I am quite lean too - 35-36 inch waist and 16 stone 10 at six feet three. However, despite my leg strength I am absolutely f**king useless at climbing and seriously suffer on rides longer than three hours - irrespective of what carb drinks I carry. Sure I can get up the hills eventually, however the gains I can make whilst on the flat are decimated on the climbs. I accept that I will never excel at climbing (and if it means being a match stick like Pantani then I don't want to!!). Do any other big guys have this muscle vs aerobic quandry? There is still part of me from my rubgy playing days (I was a prop) that makes me want to hang onto the muscle. Anyone think likewise about their shape?
My idea for the New Year is to rip up a bit and drop three stone - shed some of the muscle size and most of the body fat. That should still leave me with some muscularity but a bit trimmer with it. Hopefully that should improve my endurance after a few hours and help my climbing. What do you reckon?
Am I the only big weight trainning guy who loves cycling?? I do quite a lot of weight training but love aerobic too. I can bench press 120kg and squat about 150kg for ten reps. I am quite lean too - 35-36 inch waist and 16 stone 10 at six feet three. However, despite my leg strength I am absolutely f**king useless at climbing and seriously suffer on rides longer than three hours - irrespective of what carb drinks I carry. Sure I can get up the hills eventually, however the gains I can make whilst on the flat are decimated on the climbs. I accept that I will never excel at climbing (and if it means being a match stick like Pantani then I don't want to!!). Do any other big guys have this muscle vs aerobic quandry? There is still part of me from my rubgy playing days (I was a prop) that makes me want to hang onto the muscle. Anyone think likewise about their shape?
Quoted message said:
My idea for the New Year is to rip up a bit and drop three stone - shed some of the muscle size and most of the body fat. That should still leave me with some muscularity but a bit trimmer with it. Hopefully that should improve my endurance after a few hours and help my climbing. What do you reckon?
Thanks, Bob
Happy New Year to all of you.
I am 6 feet 2 inches tall and weigh less than 11.5 stones, age 39. I am not a climber but do pretty well, better than I used to before I lost three stones. I can ride for ever in all terrain, not particularly fast though, average audax speed, but I have not trained for speed.
Losing weight will almost certainly help you ride further, longer and uphill faster. You need to build up to long rides though, learn what and when you need to eat and drink. Just ride lots.
Am I the only big weight trainning guy who loves cycling?? I do quite a lot of weight training but love aerobic too. I can bench press 120kg and squat about 150kg for ten reps. I am quite lean too - 35-36 inch waist and 16 stone 10 at six feet three.
Lean? LEAN?!
No doubt you think that Matt Pinsent is positively skinny, since he is a full stone lighter than you at the same height.
Quoted message said:
My idea for the New Year is to rip up a bit and drop three stone - shed some of the muscle size and most of the body fat. That should still leave me with some muscularity but a bit trimmer with it. Hopefully that should improve my endurance after a few hours and help my climbing. What do you reckon?
Yes, losing 3 stone would be a good start. Haven't you posted this before?
I have asked questions about "overweightness" and climbing though it's very difficult to understand cycling requirements and pyhsique types to someone less experienced at cycling like myself. I think I am starting to get the message - leaness is king!
I am much more muscular than Mathew Pinsent - much more leg mass and a lot more in the chest and arms - though I am sure that he would blow me away on a bike as well!! . I would have thought the leg strength would gave translated into cycling quite well; however, I now realise that it does nothing of the sort. Thats why I seek the wisdom of the more experienced.
Happy New Year, Bob
"James Annan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Bob the Builder said:
Guys,
Am I the only big weight trainning guy who loves cycling?? I do quite a lot of weight training but love aerobic too. I can bench press 120kg and squat about 150kg for ten reps. I am quite lean too - 35-36 inch waist and 16 stone 10 at six feet three.
Lean? LEAN?!
No doubt you think that Matt Pinsent is positively skinny, since he is a full stone lighter than you at the same height.
Quoted message said:
My idea for the New Year is to rip up a bit and drop three stone - shed some of the muscle size and most of the body fat. That should still leave me with some muscularity but a bit trimmer with it. Hopefully that should improve my endurance after a few hours and help my climbing. What do you reckon?
Yes, losing 3 stone would be a good start. Haven't you posted this before?
Hmmm, Frustration with my days performance can lead to my repetition. My apologies. So just lose some muscle mass and weight. I'll do so and report back. Best regards and happy New Year. Bob
"Tony Raven" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Bob the Builder said:
Guys,
Am I the only big weight trainning guy who loves cycling??
I have asked questions about "overweightness" and climbing though it's very difficult to understand cycling requirements and pyhsique types to someone less experienced at cycling like myself. I think I am starting to get the message - leaness is king!
I am much more muscular than Mathew Pinsent - much more leg mass and a lot more in the chest and arms - though I am sure that he would blow me away on a bike as well!! . I would have thought the leg strength would gave translated into cycling quite well; however, I now realise that it does nothing of the sort. Thats why I seek the wisdom of the more experienced.
Some strength is necessary, but (sustained NOT peak) power to weight ratio is what really counts. If you are already quite fit, you will find it hard to improve the numerator, so work on the demonimator!
"Bob the Builder" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Am I the only big weight trainning guy who loves cycling??
Compare, if you will, the difference in build between Chris Hoy and Marco Pantani. The former is built like a brick fecal depository and holds the 1km time trial Olympic gold, the latter was subject to food donations from starving Somalis and could climb after riding 100's and 1000's of miles.
My idea for the New Year is to rip up a bit and drop three stone - shed some of the muscle size and most of the body fat. That should still leave me with some muscularity but a bit trimmer with it. Hopefully that should improve my endurance after a few hours and help my climbing. What do you reckon?
Thanks, Bob
Happy New Year to all of you.
I should have thought if you were truly into weights you would know that the two systems are incompatible. To build muscle in the manner you are describing you over stress the muscle for a short period causing fatigue and hence promoting growth. To ride long distance you would need to alter your program to a 'maintanance' routine I.E. more reps with less weight. If you are proportionate to your size I think 'ripping' would not benefit you in these circumstances I.E. as a lifestyle choice over a long period, you are not competing I assume, and the body will need that energy store to use during your rides otherwise you will start burning the muscle you are preserving/training. When I left 42RMC I was 15 stone and had far more muscle than I do now, I look normal now. Whilst the type of muscle I had enabled me to exercise for long periods the upper body muscle was of no use in cycling, also the leg muscle was developed in the wrong places so I could run for ages but cycling would make my legs hurt. You have to make a choice between, serious cycling or serious weights,*or* enjoying yourself and not worrying about the performance. I still run every day, cycle every other day and do gym weights for fun but I don't get hung up on it any more. Sniper8052
I weighed myself last night and I've dropped below 12st to 11st 10 lbs (6ft 2ins) . This has been solely due to the strong headwinds on my commute home this week. I've not cut back on the beer, so I reckon it was these winds, some of up to 50 mph that has done it. -- Simon M.
My idea for the New Year is to rip up a bit and drop three stone - shed some of the muscle size and most of the body fat. That should still leave me with some muscularity but a bit trimmer with it. Hopefully that should improve my endurance after a few hours and help my climbing. What do you reckon?
With your build you are always going to find climbing difficult but you should be able to develop a powerful finishing sprint and possibly make yourself into a useful time triallist. Do you live within striking distance of a velodrome? You might find the shorter distance track events, including sprinting, are more attractive to you. There's a huge amount of craft to learn in sprinting which may make the proposition even more appealing to you. The shorter distance events hurt like you would not believe, but at least it's all over in a few minutes.
-- Dave...
Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the future of the human race. - H. G. Wells
Am I the only big weight trainning guy who loves cycling?? I do quite a lot of weight training but love aerobic too. I can bench press 120kg and squat about 150kg for ten reps. I am quite lean too - 35-36 inch waist and 16 stone 10 at six feet three. However, despite my leg strength I am absolutely f**king useless at climbing and seriously suffer on rides longer than three hours - irrespective of what carb drinks I carry. Sure I can get up the hills eventually, however the gains I can make whilst on the flat are decimated on the climbs. I accept that I will never excel at climbing (and if it means being a match stick like Pantani then I don't want to!!). Do any other big guys have this muscle vs aerobic quandry? There is still part of me from my rubgy playing days (I was a prop) that makes me want to hang onto the muscle. Anyone think likewise about their shape?
My idea for the New Year is to rip up a bit and drop three stone - shed some of the muscle size and most of the body fat. That should still leave me with some muscularity but a bit trimmer with it. Hopefully that should improve my endurance after a few hours and help my climbing. What do you reckon?
If you enjoy cycling for recreation, then there's really no problem being that kind of weight.
You're never going to kepp up with light, fit guys on the hills, but unless you're planning to compete it kind of doesn't matter.
If you want to lose weight to do better on the hills (or for distance running for example) then that will no doubt help. But if you lose much muscle you might find you can't lift the kinds of weights you're used to in the gym.
Of course if you are carrying a little more fat than is ideal then it's a good idea to lose that.
