gyming to improve power

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Swaying on the bike is definitely an disadvantage. It means energy is being wasted moving the bike laterally rather than driving it forward as roadie_scum has already pointed out. I used to climb hills like that but now I've minimized rocking by contracting my lats and traps on the side opposite to the leg extending.

I'm by no means an expert, nor have I even thought through this situation particularly thoroughly, but it seems to me that if you have to stop your bike from swaying by contracting muscle groups on the opposite side of your body you're still wasting energy, but now doubly so.

You're still creating the lateral forces that were causing your bike to sway in the first play, but now you are also creating opposing lateral forces in order to keep the bike from swaying. Seems like it would be better just to let it sway, at least until you can figure out how to avoid creating the forces that cause it to sway in the first place.

It is true that some upper body training (arms, abdominals...) improves climbing??

I'm seriously thinking about buying a home machine multi-trainer, it worths the money?

Thanks

']It is true that some upper body training (arms, abdominals...) improves climbing??

I'm seriously thinking about buying a home machine multi-trainer, it worths the money?

Thanks

No and no.

No and no.
bump and bump!

bump and bump!

Huh? ?I don't understand...

it means "I agree" and takes the thread back to the top of the forum list for more people to read.
you can bump your own thread if you don't get enough responses, too.

it means "I agree" and takes the thread back to the top of the forum list for more people to read.
you can bump your own thread if you don't get enough responses, too.

Nice one :)

it means "I agree" and takes the thread back to the top of the forum list for more people to read.
you can bump your own thread if you don't get enough responses, too.

the thread is sticky so it stays at the top!
ric

Don't know if this has been posted, but one of the best resistance exercise for better cycling is the stiff legged dead lift (http://www.menshealth.com/cda/article/0,2823,s1-1-0-0-144,00.html).

Really gets to those glutes and hams.
Quads are only part of the stroke...

PAY ATTENTION TO THIS!
Notes: Use extreme caution with this exercise! It's absolutely the best hamstring developer. It's also the trickiest.

Form over weight!

Don't know if this has been posted, but one of the best resistance exercise for better cycling is the stiff legged dead lift (http://www.menshealth.com/cda/article/0,2823,s1-1-0-0-144,00.html).

Really gets to those glutes and hams.
Quads are only part of the stroke...

PAY ATTENTION TO THIS!
Notes: Use extreme caution with this exercise! It's absolutely the best hamstring developer. It's also the trickiest.

Form over weight!


SLDL is the best hams exercise.

Don't know if this has been posted, but one of the best resistance exercise for better cycling is the stiff legged dead lift (http://www.menshealth.com/cda/article/0,2823,s1-1-0-0-144,00.html).


best resistance exercise for cycling...? Unless you happen to be a track sprinter/500-m TT/1-km TT specialist, or have some form of functional disability then weights/resistance training isn't useful for endurance cycling performance, and will likely be detrimental to performance.

ric

best resistance exercise for cycling...? Unless you happen to be a track sprinter/500-m TT/1-km TT specialist, or have some form of functional disability then weights/resistance training isn't useful for endurance cycling performance, and will likely be detrimental to performance.

ric


for cycling? No.
for muscle hypertrophy? Yes.

It's my bodybuilding side coming though...SLDL is best hamstring exercise I've come across. :)

for cycling? No.
for muscle hypertrophy? Yes.

It's my bodybuilding side coming though...SLDL is best hamstring exercise I've come across. :)

but the poster said "one of the best resistance exercise for better cycling", so as far as i'm aware we're not having a discussion on hypertrophy!!

best resistance exercise for cycling...? Unless you happen to be a track sprinter/500-m TT/1-km TT specialist, or have some form of functional disability then weights/resistance training isn't useful for endurance cycling performance, and will likely be detrimental to performance.

ric

Well Ric, Lance disagrees.

While Lance's weight training program increases his lean body mass a little bit, the benefits of the strength improvements far outweigh the very small amount of lean body mass he gains. In truth, most of the gains he makes in the gym are due to neuromuscular development, as opposed to hypertrophy. Neuromuscular development refers to the nervous system's capacity for recruiting muscle fibers for action, while hypertrophy refers to increasing the size of muscle fibers. This neuromuscular development plays a larger role than hypertrophy in Lance's weight training program because of the amount of time he spends in the gym and the types of exercises he performs.

Source (http://www.lancearmstrong.com/lance/online2.nsf/html/training)

I looked at my magic 8 ball and it told me: "The Correct answer lies somewhere inbetween." :eek:

Seriously tho. I hardly feel that we can argue that weight training will or will not help someones cycling without first finding out what kind of shape that person is in.
Additionally, Where does one begin to draw the line of being "fit enough?" :confused:

I bet you Lance won't tell you that he's "as fit as he needs to be." These guys are always looking for ways to improve every facet of physical fitness they can.

Well Ric, Lance disagrees.

While Lance's weight training program increases his lean body mass a little bit, the benefits of the strength improvements far outweigh the very small amount of lean body mass he gains. In truth, most of the gains he makes in the gym are due to neuromuscular development, as opposed to hypertrophy. Neuromuscular development refers to the nervous system's capacity for recruiting muscle fibers for action, while hypertrophy refers to increasing the size of muscle fibers. This neuromuscular development plays a larger role than hypertrophy in Lance's weight training program because of the amount of time he spends in the gym and the types of exercises he performs.

Source (http://www.lancearmstrong.com/lance/online2.nsf/html/training)

and, thus, as the gains are neuromuscular they don't transfer to cycling performance, irrespective of what may or may not be written on that site.

ric

Seriously tho. I hardly feel that we can argue that weight training will or will not help someones cycling without first finding out what kind of shape that person is in.
Additionally, Where does one begin to draw the line of being "fit enough?" :confused:

I bet you Lance won't tell you that he's "as fit as he needs to be." These guys are always looking for ways to improve every facet of physical fitness they can.

We don't need to "argue" (it's actually a discussion), there's just no evidence it's beneficial in trained (endurance) cyclists, and no reason to think that there would be (a benefit).

ric

I find when I climb with some riders who haven't weight-trained, they seem to slow down a lot on the very steep points of a hill. At this point I'm usually able to overtake.
I came across a rider the other day who seemed a little over confident. He overtook me and yelled "goodbye" as he rode past. It was really cool as we were approaching quite a steep hill and he must have thought he could easily maintain his lead. When he got to the hill, the steeper it got the more he slowed down. I was right behind and I realised I could probably treble his pace. So, I sprinted past him all the way to the top. He cussed at me as well - which I didn't think was the right attitude.
I defiinitely put this down to squatting in the past, plus loads of work climbing on my bike. I fear fast riders on the flat or descents but I see hills as friendly terrain - the steeper the better as for me it's an advantage.
I'm not saying squatting will make you a better cyclist but what it can do is determine what strengths and weaknesses you may have on a bike. While you gain an advantage here, you may lose an advantage there.



We don't need to "argue" (it's actually a discussion), there's just no evidence it's beneficial in trained (endurance) cyclists, and no reason to think that there would be (a benefit).

ric

I find when I climb with some riders who haven't weight-trained, they seem to slow down a lot on the very steep points of a hill. At this point I'm usually able to overtake.
I came across a rider the other day who seemed a little over confident. He overtook me and yelled "goodbye" as he rode past. It was really cool as we were approaching quite a steep hill and he must have thought he could easily maintain his lead. When he got to the hill, the steeper it got the more he slowed down. I was right behind and I realised I could probably treble his pace. So, I sprinted past him all the way to the top. He cussed at me as well - which I didn't think was the right attitude.


i'm not sure what it is you don't understand, but none of this is to do with strength. if you out rode someone on a hill and didn't start the hill ffrom stationary after resting for a good few minutes, and the hill was longer than about 30-secs then the reason you beat him was that you're more *aerobically* fit than he is. as i've mentioned on numerous occasions to you, the forces are really quite low in cycling, and way below anything you'd squat, leg press, or lift. maybe as low as ~ 250 Newtons (~ 25 kg) between both of your legs.

ric

i'm not sure what it is you don't understand, but none of this is to do with strength. if you out rode someone on a hill and didn't start the hill ffrom stationary after resting for a good few minutes, and the hill was longer than about 30-secs then the reason you beat him was that you're more *aerobically* fit than he is. as i've mentioned on numerous occasions to you, the forces are really quite low in cycling, and way below anything you'd squat, leg press, or lift. maybe as low as ~ 250 Newtons (~ 25 kg) between both of your legs.

ric

Newtons aside, I still disagree with you (respectively of course).

If nothing else, anaerobic training creates a psychological tolerance to lactic acid burn.

No hill feels worse than my last rep of my last set of squats.