New guy with 140ish FTP looking to hit 225 by May 2013

[ira41]

So I figure now that several months are down an update was in order.

Current FTP sits around 260w but this is with taken most of the fall winter completely off bike. About a month into my indoor seasons temps got real low and I lost all motivation. I think my FTP was around 220 when i quit for a while.

I joined a Gym in January to try and get some upper body and core work in. I found I loved the stair climber and then decided to do the unthinkable, weight training for the legs.

I have to say I think it was the single biggest factor in my new fitness, the increase in leg strength just allows me to push a bigger gear.

While I see the debate on here about riding vs weight training I do think for untrained cyclist it can definitely help in the power department.

I got back on my bike in March and tested my FTP about mid-month @ 260w so I’m now around 3.3w/kg

So there you have it weight training and stair climber took ftp from 220wish to 260w with almost no mileage on the bike.

I worked for nearly a year for similar gains just riding.

Granted I think a lot has to do with my relatively untrained state. But now weight training will be part of my winter training for sure. My end goal was 3w/kg a now i'm shooting for 4w/kg, maybe ill never get there but it will be fun trying.


Thanks for all the help and advice everyone.

 

[danfoz]

Originally Posted by ira41

So there you have it weight training and stair climber took ftp from 220wish to 260w with almost no mileage on the bike.

I think the stair climber may have done you more good than you think as far as improving an hour long highly aerobic effort on the bike, but that's only my humble opinion after having a good portion of my younger life in the gym trying to get huge. At one point in time I had an almost unhealthy addiction to a stair climber at a local gym and I seem to remember spending a significant portion of time at elevated heart rates, and there's no doubt it's a great exercise for the bike as far as working muscular endurance for the quads and glutes, much more so than running.

Good job on the improvement though, that's pretty significant.

 

[Felt_Rider]

Originally Posted by danfoz

I think the stair climber may have done you more good than you think as far as improving an hour long highly aerobic effort on the bike, but that's only my humble opinion

Good job on the improvement though, that's pretty significant.

Mine too and my experience as well with using a Stairmaster Gauntlet (revolving staircase). That machine could easily take one into Vo2 type level of training and if you think about it the motion is not too far off from out of the saddle type of climbing.

Nice work ira on the gains