I’m probably goin to join a/the gym this winter as I probably wont be riding my bikes as much through the week.

A couple of my mates go so I think it would be a good craic if nowt else. But, they’re into build big muscles n that. I want to do stuff that may aid cycling.

Obviously cardio stuff is the obvious answer, but I can just ride my bike to do that. What sort of weights/exercises etc. would be worth doing? Upper body stuff? Also, diet. What should I be eating? I eat quite alot of protein anyway, just carry on with that. Or is it worth having protein shakes and all that sort of stuff?

I did this last winter & will be doing the same again this winter.

I stuck to three main activities Spin Class, Gym (with about a 60:40 split between cardio & weights) and Circuit Training

I was advised to stick to low to middle weights & aim to do build the amount of reps I was doing rather than increase the weight.

Circuit training definitely helped my core strength & I felt it did aid my biking too. Of the three main activities I did I think this was most beneficial.

Ignore the big weights they’re going for (too much muscle mass will hinder you on a bike not help) and go for lower weighs but higher reps.

Do cardio work by all means, but like you say, you could just go ride your bike!

Personally, having joined a gym 10 weeks go myself, I’ve been working hard on building core strength and toning up my upper body muscles. This has actually worked wonders for my cycling strangely, as I had no problems spinning before but I couldn’t stand up and crank hard on the pedals. Now I’ve got more core strength and stronger shoulders and arms, I’m now much more able on the bike than I was!

Ultimately just remember why you’re going though… To help maintain a fitness/strength whilst you’re riding your bike less. Too many people get too obsessed by the gym, and forget why they went in the first place. I have the occasional bad day and can’t lift much weight at all, so I just take it easy and spend more time in the steam room and jacuzzi. And when I feel fresher I push myself harder. It’s not a competition, so don’t get drawn in!

i’d heartly recommend a pair of very dark glasses, then you can check out the opposite sex without been toooo obvious..

Don’t ignore free weights and mat work as well – good for improving core and balance as well which is useful on the bike

I wouldn’t worry – it doesn’t seem to stop them in my gym… 😐

Rachel

I’ve heard it isn’t as effective training as building dry stone walls…

The best advice I have is to avoid the cost and time involved in going to a gym and exercise at home instead.

If you honestly have absolutely nowhere to exercise at home, or you genuinely need to use expensive specialist equipment, then you may of course have no choice.

Find somewhere local and non chain. Preferably run by a pleasant but giant geezer.

I liked doing spin classes and swimming and did some weights but to be honest could do most stuff at home without the expense. think you would be better off getting a turbo trainer and sone free weights personally

Save your money which you would spend on the gym, buy some good lights and go riding in the dark and the lovely ‘bike handling improving’ mud. Just an idea…

my point to you is.. it’s not bloody winter yet, I’ve only started stopping feeling the last one. forget about **** winter!!

It is still summer. yes. it is….

Kettlebells- it’s the only way 😀

Despite the massively cheesy video (and assuming your gym has something similar) body pump classes are great for building resistance:

http://www.lesmills.com/global/bodypump/bodypump-group-fitness-class.aspx

I find that cycling (whether outdoors or in spin classes) will keep my legs in shape, they are big muscle groups that are utilised all the time when upright. There are a few small muscles in your bum that can really hurt on a sprint up a short hill, or more importantly, on those long slogs uphill- it feels as if it’s really deep in your cheeks (open to ridicule) and is quite acute.
Pilates is becoming more popular with menfolk (Ive worked in a gym for 5yrs so it’s first hand experience), and I would really recommend it for targeting small muscle groups. (if your gym doesn’t offer classes let me know and I’ll tell you some moves).
Other than that I’d focus on biceps, triceps, and alot of back muscles (erector spinae, rhomboids, trapezoid etc sorry about spellings btw, I’m fairly merry from the pub). These muscles are used more than you think, and although manuals are supposedly all balance, I’ve found it much easier since my back muscles developed from nothingness. These can be done in a number of ways (rowing/ergo machines, or specific free-weight or resistance machines). I cannot stress how important it is to have someone show you how to do these exercises effectively, but again I can send some details from my course assessment if you fancy.

If in doubt do cardio!

Lastly, diet! Alot of the guys are protein mad and it makes your farts smell awful. I believe in a balanced diet and all things in moderation. BUT if you are looking for building muscle then you need to have protein within 30minutes of training. Supposedly the ‘burn’ we feel is minuscule tears in our muscles where they have been overstretched/overworked. To repair the muscles amino acids (from protein) are needed to repair the muscle.

PS don’t forget to stretch! No point getting muscles if you aren’t flexible to use them. Try developmental stretches (stretch for 10seconds and the ease into a greater stretch to increase your range of movement)

Err… Sorry about the essay. Beer makes me ramble.

Gym generation psuedo science that was actually common sense to the vast majority of people who trained heavily (cycling or otherwise) until the 90’s.

“I cannot stress how important it is to have someone show you how to do these exercises effectively,”

I am interested to hear what you believe makes a person qualified to ‘show you how to do those exercises effectively.’

This is not a doubt about your ability. For all I know you may well and truly be an expert in these areas and able to offer all the best advice.

I do however believe that there are a lot of people employed in gyms up and down the country who know no more than you could read on the back of a commercial health leaflet in five minutes. 🙂

I’ve heard it isn’t as effective training as building dry stone walls…

Never a truer word spoken.

These can be done in a number of ways (rowing/ergo machines, or specific free-weight or resistance machines)

Rowing machines are something I’d forgotten about. I imagine they give you a good cardio workout aswell as building strength?

This is the look I want to achieve

Read Weight Training for Cyclist’s…..most good riders are in the gym over the winter. I go twice a week and it helped me get a bronze in a BC Nat Championship…but there is more to fitness than just weights…

I’ve been working in a gym for 5 years, albeit in the sales side of things, but I’ve taken a few basic gym courses which took several weeks, these are taken by an outside company where an instructor shows you the proper way to do the exercises. It includes tests taken in the gym and written tests about anatomy and physiology. I do not have exhaustive knowledge by any means, and am dubious about some explanations given by trainers (hence the supposedly in my previous post) as I am going into my 4th year studying biology at uni and it doesn’t quite match up….
The ‘proper’ way is always safe to avoid injury but can also mean slightly different postures to target different muscles, such as different grips on weights. Most good gyms require their employees to provide certification to show they have passed at least basic training, but their personality and ability to communicate how to do things is key.
I work with great trainers who really motivate their clients and produce good results and those that don’t.

Right, Spartans didn’t get their physique through faffing around in gymnasiums. You need to take a more holisitic approach with a life of hard graft and fighting.

The bad weather provided by the British winter would undoubtedly helped to make the Spartans even stronger. You should be chopping down trees for fire wood. Do this on the opposite side of the mountain to your home and drag them over the mountain. If you can find an expanse of water to swim them across, all the better.

Diet wise, you need the desperation of relying solely on hunting and foraging.

Failing this, do what the guy in the picture has done and paint your abs on?

Heart monitor. Spin classes. Turbo trainer and programme and stick to it. Polar have oine training diary good for keeping you honest.

If you want to look like the guy in he pic I suggest eating a lot of pies as he fat fat fat! I have been around gyms long enough to know he has had a bit of Deca or a few Dianabol pills! Basically like lots of people in gyms now a days they all take a few steroids train only a little and not too hard eat too much protein and they become fat with a bit of muscle!

I do a little gym work… To everyone who says “Just ride your bike”, it doesn’t really work like that, I can fit in a fairly shattering workout into under an hour, and it doesn’t cut into my riding time at all, you can fit it into slots where you wouldn’t be riding- 30 minutes on lunchtimes, etc, assuming it’s somewhere you can get to easily (mine is 2 minutes from my office and 10 minutes from my house 😉 )

Most people looking to do gym stuff aren’t looking for a replacement for cycling, it’s on top of the cycling they want to do.

i’d personally get a few hours per week on the bike, then spend 30 mins a day on flexibility and core muscles. Most of these can be done at home without any specialist equipment.

I think other non-cycling exercises can complement and help improve your cycling, and are especially useful if you have limited time to get out on your bike.

I go to my local gym and have found classes to be a more structured way in getting results that doing my own thing with weights and machines. Try Body Pump and circuits classes for toning, core strength and stability, and stamina. I also enjoy Body Attack (helped by some young ladies in lycra) and Spin classes for improved cardio.

As above rowing machines give a great all round work-out (but I find them a bit boring after about 15 minutes).

Also don’t forget to stretch after exercise.

Gyms can also be quite sociable places – I have developed a reasonable social life with fellow gym goers.

a lot of folk have recommended just exercising at home..

personally speaking I would rather have some-one qualified on hand to give advice and more importantly perhaps.. to be honest If I can find enough physical and mental space at home to be doing some kind of work-out.. the chances of my will-power co-ordinating with my motivation and triumphing over my desire to just lie still in a cool dark room are about.. a gazillion to one on a good day..

I find that getting out to a class or to the gym or the pool is the only way that I can focus..

Failing this, do what the guy in the picture has done and paint your abs on?

OR….

Go to the gym, watch a friend or secretly spy on someone else who looks like they know what they are doing and pay then the £30-45 for a one-off PT session with someone who can come up with a programme for you to follow. Many gyms will offer one free when you join or at least an induction to make sure you do it safely.

Start with a warm up (5 min v easy on a crosstrainer/treadmill etc), then pre-stretches, then 20min cardio (such as the rowing machine) before going on to resistance machines and weights and finish with stretches at the end.

Reps are good for toning and increasing endurance whereas bigger weights are for strength.

THIS IS SPARTA!
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RtNNWwuIKw[/video]

This is the look I want to achieve

think you’ll find that was airbrushed on to “enchance” the look for most of the cast of 300

I’d ignore the vast majority of info on this site regarding weight training and nutrition. Some of the stuff I have heard is laughable.

Instead forcus on the basics: Good form, Compound lifts, eating enough quality food and getting enough rest.

Here is a basic site to get you started: http://stronglifts.com/

A 5×5 rountine will enable you to get stronger and also bigger (assuming you are eating enough) and is a good base to build from if you find that you enjoy the gym.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDawlrIeaVM