Work are offering a discounted gym membership. Curious if anyone uses gym for weight training and if it has improved overall fitness riding bike?
I'm thinking of a low weights high repetitions workout.
You can get plenty of benefit out of a couple of hours a week and you don't have to be heaving weights everywhere with your eyeballs popping out. It can be quite relaxing once you are into a routine and it is great for preventing or rehabilitating injuries.
Get somebody who knows what they are doing to set up a programme and ensure that you are using the right technique.
Do free weights, much better for posture, balance, and functional strength.
Keep your reps high at first, above 12 and preferably 16-20.
Do plenty of core work.
Concentrate on form and control.
Weights will give you more overall strength and a stronger core.If you want explosive speed you need to do circuits or spinning. If you only want endurance you are better off riding your bike.
I used to but got so sick of it I ended up hating it. Now I have a pull up bar and every night do 20 odd pull ups, 50 odd press ups and about 100 sit ups.
I go every morning during the week. I think it has helped me out
Tracey
thanks, I'll look into getting someone to setup a routine. Definitely, dont want to bulk up.
Just do basic upper body stuff so you don't get out of balance, and concentrate on the legs. If you are doing high reps and still cycling plenty you won't put on excess weight on your upper body.
I think it would be hard to argue against the idea that the best training for riding a bike is riding a bike, but sometimes a gym workout is all you can get. Also I think that strengthening your upper body can have benefits. Better developed muscle mass will help protect you in a crash for example; plus on hard DH runs, upper body strength can help prevent fatigue and can improve bike control.
If you are going to do a gym session, you can consider using the 'clean and press' as a great all round exercise. Aim to use light enough weights on the bar so that you're doing upwards of 15 reps over 3 or 4 sets. I got to doing about 100 in total, mixing up the sets. If you do the exercise right, then you will work legs, abs, chest, shoulder and forearms. The movement should be slow and controlled with lighter weights, keeping the back straight while squatting and lifting with the legs and abs, then using the arms and shoulders to move the bar to the chest and then extend over the head.
I gym 2-3 times a week. As above, better upper body strength plays big benefits on long downhill runs. You'll be amazed and how much easier it is to control the bike when you have strong core muscles
Just to mention that you won't bulk up. Its so hard to build muscle with out ingesting a lot of protein. You'll get stronger.
I do 1-2 sessions in the gym a week for Euro-Enduro stuff (Riding up and riding down for a long time) and my upper body really feels the benefit from the workout.
Shandy - MemberYou can get plenty of benefit out of a couple of hours a week and you don't have to be heaving weights everywhere with your eyeballs popping out. It can be quite relaxing once you are into a routine and it is great for preventing or rehabilitating injuries.
Get somebody who knows what they are doing to set up a programme and ensure that you are using the right technique.
Do free weights, much better for posture, balance, and functional strength.
Keep your reps high at first, above 12 and preferably 16-20.
Do plenty of core work.
Concentrate on form and control.
Weights will give you more overall strength and a stronger core.If you want explosive speed you need to do circuits or spinning. If you only want endurance you are better off riding your bike.
Pretty much the same here as Shandy, but I don't go to the gym, use free weights twice a week (20-30min sessions)
Work on my core, using momentary muscular failure techniques, you will need a partner to get the most out of the session though, but its worth it.
Google "Mike Mentzer" for more info.
I also followed his food plan for 18 months lost 2 stone in weight!
brooess, care to share your routine/plan? I'd still be talking to an instructor about this, but perhaps its something I could incorporate as I get more experienced in lifting.
Kettlebell routines, blasts your cardio at the same time. Big difference to riding and running
warton:
I used to but got so sick of it I ended up hating it. Now I have a pull up bar and every night do 20 odd pull ups, 50 odd press ups and about 100 sit ups.
Same here, well without the gym part. Cheap and cheerful.