Training Question - Muscles

bailey^ said:

I ride for two hours a day. I want to increase my muscle mass, just not in my legs. If I started to work out my chest/arms, not really extensivley, would this have any effects on my response to my bike training? Would I have to eat more protein, or would doing this (the chest/arm workouts) decrease my cycling gains?

Thanks

Depending on how much muscle mass you gain in your chest, would determine whether it had an affect on your cycling. Obviously, muscle weighs more than fat, therefore increasing your overall weight. When you weigh more and have the same output (in your legs), then you will go slower. Also, if you add a considerable amount of chest mass, this would increase your overall chest size, along with shoulder and arm size(same muscles worked during chest workout), therefore increasing your overall thickness, resulting in you being more susceptible to wind, decreasing your speed. It really depends on how serious you are about cycling. I can't think of one guy on the tour that has an overly-muscular chest.

cdaleguy said:

Depending on how much muscle mass you gain in your chest, would determine whether it had an affect on your cycling. Obviously, muscle weighs more than fat, therefore increasing your overall weight. When you weigh more and have the same output (in your legs), then you will go slower. Also, if you add a considerable amount of chest mass, this would increase your overall chest size, along with shoulder and arm size(same muscles worked during chest workout), therefore increasing your overall thickness, resulting in you being more susceptible to wind, decreasing your speed. It really depends on how serious you are about cycling. I can't think of one guy on the tour that has an overly-muscular chest.

Agree 100%; pro cyclists don't want or need heavy upper body muscles since it's just more mass to carry uphills. Of course, if a recreational rider doesn't mind carrying a few extra pounds in favor of more upper body strength or a balanced look, that's a different story.

I'm like 5'10", 125-130 pounds. I'm underweight according to the scale (BMI Index?). All I'm looking to do is actually create a pectoral muscle, the two I have now are rather inexsistent.

bailey^ said:

I'm like 5'10", 125-130 pounds. I'm underweight according to the scale (BMI Index?). All I'm looking to do is actually create a pectoral muscle, the two I have now are rather inexsistent.

If you are athletically active, then BMI is bogus. Don't worry about it, just ride!