Upper Body and Power

acoggan

The first two claims are supportable based on the scientific literature, but the latter is not, at least in competitive cyclists (see below).

This study did not involve cyclists, nor did it assess endurance performance.


This is a review article containing no original data, and which does not cite any studies showing improvements in endurance performance in competitive cyclists as a result of weight training (because there really aren't any).


Again, this study did not used competitive cyclists as research subjects, only completely untrained men.


This study examined the effects of upper body strength training on the performance of cross-country skiers while double-poling at a supramaximal intensity, i.e., one requiring >100% of VO2max. The results are therefore not directly applicable to endurance exercise performed with the legs, i.e., cycling.


Actually, there aren't, at least not directly supporting the conclusions you wish to draw.


Given that there is no logical reason to expect that an increase in strength elicited via weight training would improve endurance performance in trained cyclists, I'd say that the onus is on those who argue so strongly in favor of a beneficial effect, not the other way around. But be that as it may, to date the study that most directly addresses the question at hand is that of Bastiaans et al.:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/...0327&query_hl=7

These authors attempted to show that strength training improved performance in competitive cyclists. However, they were unable to do so, despite the fact an "explosive" strength training program was used (thus taking into account the specificity principle) and performance was tested in an unusual manner (i.e., via a Wingate test performed at only 50 rpm) that would tend to favor finding a positive effect.

Another recent study with rather striking results is this one:

Stone, M.H., W.A. Sands, J. Carlock, S. Callan, D.
Dickie, K. Daigle, J. Cotton, S.L. Smith, and M. Hartman. The
importance of isometric maximum strength and peak rate-offorce
development in sprint cycling. J. Strength Cond. Res. 18(4):
000–000. 2004. (http://nsca.allenpress.com/pdfserv/10.1519%2F14874.1)

As indicated by the title, these authors assessed the importance of strength during sprint cycling, in particular, on the time required to travel the first 25 m during an all-out standing start. This is the situation in competitive cycling in which you would expect strength to be most important, since the velocity of muscle contraction is low (initially zero), and performance is directly related to force (since force = mass x acceleration, acceleration = mass/force). However, despite measuring strength a variety of ways, the correlation between strength and actual performance was relatively low, accounting for only 25-30% of the variation between individuals. IOW, even during a standing start, factors other than strength - such as the rate of force increase/actual power, technique, etc. - are the primary determinants of performance.

acoggan

I was afraid that he'd ask that.

n crowley

So you don't believe such a technique could exist even though Anquetil used it throughout all his years of cycling, and you an expert in the use of body muscles?

Don Shipp

I believe you. I am hoping that you will provide bozy with an answer.

RapDaddyo

Is it possible that each cyclist has a different "optimal" pedaling technique (optimal defined as the technique that produces the maximum average power over a specific duration)? Or is Anquetil's technique "perfect" and all other cyclists exhibit various flaws as compared to this perfect technique? Is LA just lucky nobody has perfected Anquetil's technique yet. Good thing he is retiring.

acoggan

Another saying you apparently haven't heard: the devil is in the details (for example, see below).



Actually, it would be relatively easy for me to make that argument based on the literature, if the issue at hand were running performance. Specifically, the most economical runners tend to be those with the stiffest legs, and resistance training, especially something like plyometrics, is likely to enhance leg stiffness, as a result of changes in connective tissue. Ergo, it makes sense that the right type of resistance training would improve running economy, and there are several studies showing this to be true. However, running is not cycling, and in particular the factors that determine running economy and cycling efficiency are different, so it is a mistake to extrapolate from studies of runners to the issue of the effect of resistance training on cycling performance.

As for the results of Hoff et al., the most plausible explanation for their findings is an increase in anaerobic capacity, not in aerobic function, as a result of resistance training (especially in the subjects' inherently more fatigable upper body muscles). However, the effects of resistance training on ANaerobic performance is a somewhat different question, and in addressing it you'd need to consider the potentially detrimental effects of additional muscle mass (which would be the primary mechanism) on performance in gravity- or inertia-resisted sports, the efficacy of resistance training vs. more sports-specific training (e.g., intervals on the bike), and even the importance of anaerobic metabolism in performance in general (with road cycling being a predominantly aerobic sport).



And yet, it wasn't that long ago that the "common sense" argument was that resistance/weight training was detrimental to endurance performance, because it made you "muscle bound". So much for "common sense", eh?

acoggan

You might - but at the same time you should also note that due to the "interference effect", adding resistance training to endurance training doesn't really provide a way of counteracting this effect, as you wish to imply:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/...304&query_hl=31

acoggan

You have not cited a single study showing that resistance training can increase endurance performance in competitive cyclists.



So you consider yourself an annoying little bug that needs to be swatted down? Well, if you say so...



You're right, I don't think I have "fooled" anyone. I may, however, have convinced a few people by demonstrating to them that the scientific literature does not really support your claims.



Not in individuals already training for competitive cycling.

RapDaddyo

True that.

Don Shipp

This is the first time that you have placed any value on the common sense observations of cyclists, up to now it has only been facts supported by research in published literature that have carried any weight with you.
This argument has changed from the original query about the role of upper body strength in cycling, but let us now be sure what we are debating.
I see three questions here:-
Can resistance training of the upper body improve cycling performance?
Can resistance training of the lower body improve cycling performance?
Might the time and effort spent resistance training be better spent on the bike?

Don Shipp

I've never heard this one either (and I still don't know what linear pedalling is) but I think that Lance must be doing something right. Does he do weights?