Weight Lifting & Cycling... When You're Old!

I lift weights three times a week during the "off-season" (which since I don't compete much, really just means during the winter) to stay in shape and build a little strength when I'm not riding much. I ride on the trainer indoors on the days I don't lift.

I usually continue lifting during the cycling season at least a couple of times a week because I'm afraid I'll lose everything I gained if I quit completely. So really I lift weights year 'round, just less during the cycling season. I've been noticing the last couple of years that I don't recover from my weight-lifting workouts as quickly as I used to (I'm 40ish) and my joints get sore after "heavy" (for me) lifting days.

So I guess my questions are:

1. Would it be a bad thing to just completely stop lifting during the cycling season?

and

2. Do any of you in my age range have a routine that includes weight-lifting that works well for you?

Meehs,
At this point, I can only respond to point #1....at least for a couple more years.
Stopping your weight training program during the cycling season could be "bad" or it could be "good", depending on what you deem more important at that time of year. Yes, strength training with weights is an excellent way to maintain lean muscle tissue, overall strength and functional capacity as we age. However, weight training (for your legs) is most likely going to negatively impact your endurance cycling performance, especially if you notice an inability to fully recovery from the individual workouts.

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Smartty

My input is for question #2 and I am only providing my routine as an example and not suggesting this a good routine for others. My goals are very specific to me.

I am 41 and have been lifting for 22 years.
I currently train with weights 5 days a week and ride on the weekend.
I also do interval "type" training 3 days during the week.



I break the weight training schedule down to just working 1 bodypart per week.

Monday - chest + 20 minutes on the stepper at 80% & then 30 minutes treadmill at 60%
Tuesday - back + 20 minutes on the stepper at 80% & then 30 minutes treadmill at 60%
Wednesday - legs
Thursday - Shoulders - + 20 minutes on the stepper at 80% & then 30 minutes treadmill at 60%
Friday - Arms

Saturday or Sunday - road ride

My bodyfat has decreased and I have maintained lean mass.
My conditioning has improved, but I have lost a little strength under the weights, but I can cope with that if my conditioning improves.

I fully realize I will never be much more than a recreational level cyclist because I desire to keep my lean mass up and I consider lifting to be more important. I will vouch that to be a good cyclist weightlifting in the manner that I train will interfere with good results on the bike, but I am still happy to see that I have improved on the bike.

I'm a 32 year old female who has been working out with weights on and off for about 15 years or so. I lift weights that are somewhat heavy for me, but in no way have I bulked out or anything. Anyway, I have always learned that lifting weights or strength training in general is good for your joints and other soft tissue. Many people with arthritis and tendinitis are encouraged to lift weights to strengthen the muscles around the soft tissue and keep the soft tissue from becoming too tight or stiff, increasing the likelihood if injury.
So, I would say don't stop!

The other thing to think about is cycling works certain muscles in certain ways - a lot of repetitive movement that could cause your body to be off balance (certain muscles are strong and others are weak). I've learned (the hard way) that you don't want your muscles to be out of balance. This can cause tendinitis and injury and other not so fun things! I've been to physical therapy twice because of that, so I know!

What's worked for me is balancing out my schedule. I try to ride about 3 times a week and on the days when I am not riding, I try to get in a full-body work out with emphasis on my upper body. I'll do regular "heavy" weights for the upper body, but then for the lower, I might just do a few basic exercises for each muscle group in the legs not too much weight - just for overall strengthening. 1-2 days rest is good, too.

Spending a good amount of time stretching before and after lifting and riding are very important, too. Not just quicky stretching, but holding a stretch position for at least 30 seconds and doing this 2 or 3 times for each stretch. This alone has helped me in a big way! I don't feel as sore and the recovery is quicker.

I am no "expert", but these things have worked for me. I hope you find something that works for you!

I saw a quote from Dr. Pierfederici (sp?), Merckx' coach, that said "Italian cyclists don't lift weights". He acknowledged he was talking about pro's, who don't want to carry any extra upper body mass at all. He said for aging recreational riders, a bit of upper body weight training was OK, to help maintain strength.

I'm well beyond your age, but will answer anyway. 1) I'm back to one upper-body weight session a week now, with no leg work at all. 2) Believe core work on the ab and back machines has greatly reduced the back soreness I used to experience on the bike, so that's my priority. I also do some light ab and back exercise every day at home, along with morning stretching routine. (At 57, consistency is everything).

Not so long ago I used to do weights as much as 3 or 4 times a week and cycle as well. Then last Christmas I stopped weights altogether since I was getting kind of tired trying to juggle cycling, work and gym all in one.
After a lengthy 7 week break from Jan to March, I resumed weight-training on a once a week basis. And when I finally did my first work out after so much cycling, I was kind of interested in how my overall strength would be affected.
Just for curiosity's sake I can tell you my legs weren't even sore after my first weights session in 7 weeks and even my upper body wasn't as weak as I thought it might be (although even 3 sets had me sore).
But, however the case may be, I presently do one whole body workout once a week, starting with leg-presses and I make sure I do hardly any cycling the day after so I recuperate properly. My purpose here isn't so much to build muscle but maintain a percentage of muscle density.
As has been said before, muscle mass is bad news for the pro cyclists since such mass acts as a drag in the cols. But if your goal doesn't involve trying to climb the alpe d huez in 37 minutes, I guess you can cycle and carry a sensible amount of muscle mass too, by throwing in some gym work.
I have yet to see how my body will respond to this once a week routine. At present I find that even doing very mild, light weight sessions my muscles have been getting so sore, it made me feel exhausted at work. This is odd because you can do a 3 hour, hard cycle ride yet feel perfectly O.K. the morning after and ready to go again.

Carrera, you and Dr. Morbius need to come back to the dark side and be hardcore weightlifters like me.

.......and be slow on the bike like me.

Please see reply, in blue ... below:

The Cyclists Training Bible says that older cyclists(like you and me) should do some form of weight training year round. I suppose it's partly because we're loosing muscle tone as we get older so it's a protective thing. It's obviously a moot point though!
Paulo

Well, you are just a youngster,and I lift heavy weights nearly every day year round, besides the cycling and other stuff.I duno what sore joints are.

Haven't noticed that loss thing. Actually it gets better.Maybe superior genrtics?

You young guys are such a hoot.

I think Dr Morbius has encountered similar problems as myself whereby you start to get older and then your joints begin to experience significant pain. I began to ask myself whether I feel I ought to be doing 400 pound squats in my forties with the accompanying back pain. The worst pain I used to get was around the hips but that has stopped of late now I no longer strain so much.
Cycling, of course, is a good substitute when you get a little older and still want to keep in shape. Really cycling isn't much different from weight-training at all. What's the difference between cycling up the Alpe d Huez in 37 minutes and squatting a phenomenal weight? Only duration of time, I guess, but both require their own specific muscular demand.
I must confess I feel better now I don't do hard core weights as my back pain has gone, my hips feel O.K. and only my knees ache a bit depending on the weather.
Plus as a bodybuilder I always neglected cardio. At my peak I could deep squat 400 pounds and rep 300 pound bench presses at a weight of 190 pounds but I had a pot belly and couldn't cycle up a modest hill without spluttering and wheezing for breath.

Maybe you're right about the superior genetics thing. What I've been doing the last few trips to the gym is on the exercises that have been causing me some problems, the leg press (which has been giving me a sore hip), and the overhead press (which has been giving me a sore shoulder), I've cut the weight back and increased the reps. This seems to be helping! I think maybe I just was pushing too much weight on those exercises.

Thanks everyone for your replies. It's been helpful and interesting to hear what others are doing.

Plus my motivation has increased. I figure if boudreaux can do it...

Interesting Carrera. I was getting hip pain from doing 300 lb. leg presses on one of those sled type of machines. I found that cutting back to 250 lbs. and doing more reps (which I've done the last couple of workouts) has resulted in my hip pain diminishing significantly already.