weight training

should I train with weights to improve my cycling performance?

IMO No

Read through this sticky thread for arguments for and against weight training for cycling peformance: gyming to improve power

Only if you want to be a match sprinter or keirin specialist, and maybe a kilo guy.

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-Meek
"Some people train to look pretty. I just train so I can be the strongest man there is. And then again, I'm already pretty." -Magnus Samuelsson

I was wondering how some cyclist get these huge legs, I didn't know if riding was enough. Does this come from hill climbing?

No, it's probably genetic more than anything else. Look at Andy Schleck's legs. In addition to your heart's stroke volume, climbing ability is in the "quality" of leg muscle not size.

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Weight training may play a role in injury prevention (may), injury rehab, general fitness or a bit of variety in the depths of winter. Although as Meek mentioned it's only really beneficial for sprinters on the track. And even then I would ask questions in terms of beneficial for performance over sprinters just wanting to look big and intimidating or to win the inevitable gun show that occurs at most sprint meets.

In terms of general fitness I would ager that you get more than enough strength and also flexibility for endurance cycling from doing Yoga. The women you meet there are nicer as well

While endurance training will lead to a little hypertrophy in slow twitch fibres it is minimal and hypertrophy of fast twitch fibres is only going to slow you down when you hit the hills or even in a crit when you have to accelerate more mass.

Upper body muscle is a complete waste. Even the AIS sprinters do very little upper body work and have no problems with starting, accelerating and displaying awesome handling skills. Track endurance and road riders have hideously underdeveloped upper body. Again just enough to steer the bike and hold the head up Anymore is muscle that has to be carted uphill.

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Hamish Ferguson: Cycling Coach
http://hamishferguson.blogspot.com/

I do not cut out my weight training. Weather it improves your cycling or not its good for your overall general health and fitness.

Why are you asking yourself this question? Have you reached a plateau maybe? Are you trying to overcome some difficulties in trying to do something?

I mean, during the course of a season, normally, improvement usually takes place. Do you have a problem improving?

Are you currently following a weight training plan? Have you done it in the past or would this be new for you?

Are you in the middle of the cycling season or completely off season?

What are your goals in cycling?

IMO if your goal is to be the best cyclist you can be, then dedicated weight or strength training is probably best left behind or at most done during an off-season cycling respite.
If, OTOH, you use cycling as an aerobic fitness regime and there isn't the need to be the best cyclist you can be, then weight/strength training can be included. There are days when my cycling is noticeably affected by the prior day's strength routine. Yet, my weekly routine blends both pursuits while fully accepting that I will not be my best at either (nor do I need to be). Personal goals are really the key.

~Rick

I'm trying to get better at hill climbing.

Then forget weight training.

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OP, as others have stated the immediate answer to your question is "no".

To illustrate - and the timing of this question couldn't have been better - I just got home from 5 days of riding in the Gulf Islands off the coast of NW Washington state (USA) and SW British Columbia (Canadian province). According to my PT, approx. 70% of my riding time was spent in quadrant II - high force, low rpm pedaling. The particular island I was on, Pender Island, has a rolling terrain consisting of short (<100 meters) and steep (~10-15%) hills. My low gear was 39/27 and still I had to hold north of 400w just to maintain forward momentum at ~60rpm on some of the hills.

Needless to say, today my legs feel like I've been through a month-long block of intensive weight training (squats/dead lifts). Subjectively, I feel much stronger than before and my quads have gained about 3/8" in circumference. I will be doing more high rpm work in the immediate future in order to convert this strength into power, but I feel the hill work will be of great benefit when sprinting out of corners during my upcoming "A" crits.

without completely ruling out weight training, I'd say it wouldn't be my number one choice.

Reason for this is because you'll probably improve your climbing abilities by climbing more often than by getting bigger legs (if it's what you had in mind).

Look at Tour de France these days, you'll probably notice that the bigger legs are not necessarily the best climbers.

And if you absolutely want to give this training means a try, then wait at the end of the cycling season, get to the gym and lift as much weights as you wish for say... 3 to 4 months.

You should avoid non specific training doses during the specific training season.

Sorry, no Silver bullet hidden behind weights.

That's a bit general expression. Do you want to be better at climbing long sustained climbs or short, steep "classic" climbs? I really wouldn't recommend weight training for neither but clearly the training and requirements are very different for different type of climbs due to different energy production. (think about Tom Boonen/Stijn Devolder/Fabian Cancellara vs. Alberto Contador/Carlos Sastre/Andy Schleck etc).

Anyway climbing is not very much different from riding fast on flat (besides body size considerations, weight vs. aerodynamics). So what ever training makes you good on a certain length flat run will also make you better at similar lenght run when the road goes up.

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"It takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place."

Thanks for all the replies,I think I will stick with just cycling