Strength Training For Cyclists
Topics: cycling, performance bike
The research done to date on the effects of weight training on cyclists has brought mixed results. The study done by Ben Hurley at the University of Maryland had 10 healthy men take up strength training (bench presses, hip flexions, knee extensions, knee flexions, press-ups, leg presses, lat pulldowns, arm curls, parallel squats, and bent-knee sit-ups) for 12 weeks, while eight other healthy men served as controls.
After 12 weeks, the strength-trained men improved their endurance while cycling at an intensity of 75 per cent V02max by 33 per cent and also lifted lactate threshold (the single best predictor of endurance performance) by 12 per cent.
However, these men were untrained prior to the study and did not carry out regular cycling workouts during the research, so the applicability of these findings to serious athletes is questionable
The study carried out by R. C. Hickson and his colleagues at the University of Illinois at Chicago was considerably more practical. In that investigation, eight experienced cyclists added three days per week of strength training to their regular endurance routines over a 10-week period.
The strength training was incredibly simple, focusing on parallel squats (five sets of five reps per workout), knee extensions (three sets of five reps), knee flexions (3 x 5), and toe raises (3 x 25), all with fairly heavy resistance. The only progression utilized in the program involved the amount of resistance, which increased steadily as strength improved.
Nonetheless, the strength training had a profoundly positive impact on cycling performance. After 10 weeks, the cyclists improved their ‘short-term endurance’ (their ability to continue working at a very high intensity) by about 11 per cent, and they also expanded the amount of time they could pedal at an intensity of 80% V02max from 71 to 85 minutes, about a 20-per cent upgrade.
On the negative side, we have research, carried out by James Home and his colleagues at the University of Cape Town in South Africa, seven endurance cyclists who averaged about 200 kilometers of cycling per week incorporated three strength training sessions into their normal routine. The strength program was relatively unsophisticated, consisting of three sets of up to eight repetitions of hamstring curls, leg presses, and quadriceps extensions using fairly heavy resistance.
After six weeks, the strength training had produced rather impressive gains in strength (the gains averaged a bit more than 20 per cent). However, actual cycling performances were not improved; in fact, they were worse than before the strength training was undertaken! 40-K race times slowed from 59 to 62 minutes, and the strength-trained cyclists complained of feeling ‘heavy’ and tired during their workouts.
Why did Hickson’s study uncover clear advantages associated with strength training for cyclists, while Home’s work revealed the reverse?
No one knows for certain, which means it’s time for a personal observation. It seems quite likely that the strength training carried out by Hickson’s charges improved fatigue resistance in their muscles, permitting them to persist longer both during high-intensity tests of endurance and prolonged efforts at a submaximal (80% V02max) intensity.
Meanwhile, it’s likely that Home’s added strength training sent his athletes into the overtrained – or at least ‘stale’ – state. The feelings of fatigue which originated shortly after the beginning of strength training suggests that the athletes were simply doing too much work.
Home’s cyclists were averaging 124 miles of weekly riding when they started their strength training, while Hickson’s athletes were logging considerably fewer miles, so one might be tempted to suggest that strength training can produce major benefits for low-mileage cyclists but does much less for experienced, higher mileage competitors who have already built up considerable strength merely by riding.
That certainly wouldn’t be an unreasonable thought, but it doesn’t explain why strength training per se would actually slow down endurance performances, as it seemed to do for Home’s performers (no other study has shown this). It seems very likely that Home’s added strength training was simply the straw that broke the camel’s back; it wasn’t the strength training which slowed the cyclists but the total amount of work they had to complete.
Another issue that was not kept controlled in the studies was nutrition and supplementation which also would have a major impact. It is my personal feeling after three decades in the physical training world that weight training is advantageous in almost all sports when done properly and paired with the correct nutrition.
Gregg Hall is a business consultant and author for many online and offline businesses and has been in the fitness industry for over 25 years. Get your cyling accessories at www.performancebikeandaccessories.com
Previous Articles Highlighter:
How To Buy A Printer (1)
If you plan to print mostly photos, look for photo printers with features such as a built-in PC Card slot, an LCD panel that allows you to view and print an image without using your PC, and bundled image-editing software.
Winter Skin Care Tips (2)
There is a chemical exfoliant or skin peel, such as the AHA skin peel, which works by killing off the top most layer of skin, to give you a radiant complexion.
Got Bad Credit And Need A Car Loan? (3)
Call your local car dealers and ask as to which bureau their lenders pay more attention to (this is good to know as certain bureaus have more influence in certain areas of the country than others).
How To Get Approved For A Car Loan After Bankruptcy Or With Bad Credit (4)
The rule is that most derogatory credit and debt reporting can only stay on your credit report for 7 years (a bankruptcy is 10 years). Many collection companies and other creditors abuse this law by relisting bad credit with different loan numbers and such.
Should I Use Wax On My Car? (5)
Topics: car wax, car care products This is a question coming up more and more especially since January of 2005 when the United States and other governments announced a mandatory reduction in the use of volatile organic compounds or VOCs in manufacturing processes and consumable products.
What Is Paintless Dent Repair? (6)
Many businesses do actually pay their entire lease or rent from these add-on businesses alone. As lives become more hectic and frantic it is still a good idea to always park far away to avoid the typical shopping lot door dings and dents.
Skin Care Tips For Women (7)
The major cause of wrinkles is because your skin becomes too dry. If your skin becomes dry then small wrinkles can form and then gravity takes over and they just get bigger, more defined, and deeper, it is therefore important to ensure you keep your skin is well moisturised.
Home Remedies For Acne And Zits (8)
Most outbreaks of mild acne can be treated successfully by applying some remedies in the comfort of your own home: First you need a good Acne Cleanser, Milk of Magnesia is one such product that is available on the market.
Car Dealer Scams (9)
Lets say you only over pay by $5 a day - that doesn't sound too bad and the dealer seems like a really nice guy, right? $5 a day is $150 a month, is $1800 a year, is $9000 over 5 years too much you paid!
Sun Tan Lotions (10)
Sometimes Ultraviolet light is used to treat certain medical conditions. Ok so how do you interpret the UV index? Well it is on a scale of 10. The higher the number, the more rays that will reach earth.
Newer Articles Highlighter:
How To Make Authentic Mexican Cerviche (1)
Topics: mexican food When I mention the word "cerviche" to people I am usually questioned, "what the ___is that?" After they taste my recipe for true Mexican cerviche they are begging me to teach them how to make it.
How To Protect Your Skin (2)
Although sunlight helps the skin synthesize vitamin D (cholecalciferol), excessive and prolonged exposure to the sun causes damage and wrinkling. How does the sun cause such damage? Sunlight that passes through earth is composed of visible light and ultraviolet light (UV).
Should Your Next Sports Car Be A Convertible? (3)
One may also want to consider "middle ground solutions." Some sports cars are available with removable hard tops, which can mitigate some of the weather-related challenges a convertible owner faces.
Choose Educational Gifts For Your Kids (4)
Topics: educational gifts In this day and age of satellite TV with hundreds of channels, computers with 24/7 internet access and video games that also connect to the internet it is difficult to get out children to take the time out to do something more constructive and educational like reading a book.
6 Reasons You Need A Website (5)
Not having a website is like not bothering to get listed in the phone book. Whether it's customers or old school friends you're hoping for, very few people are going to find you if you aren't online.
Choosing The Right Mechanic For Your Sports Car (6)
Although many sports car enthusiasts are avid amateur mechanics, many are not as well versed in auto repair and will need to rely heavily upon their mechanics. Even more expert owners may need a professional mechanic's assistance for some tasks.
HDTV Makes The Home Theater Experience More Intense (7)
It is actually a combination of video and audio equipment put together in your home in such a way that you feel you are actually sitting in a movie theater as opposed to in your own living room or family room.
How Tobacco Leaves Are Harvested And Prepared For Cigar Making (8)
This primary process, called curing takes from 24-45 days depending upon the climatic conditions and the construction of the barns used to store the harvested tobacco. Some aspects of the curing process are manipulated based on the type of tobacco being cured and the desired color of the leaf.
What's The Difference Between Websites And Weblogs? (9)
In recent years, the blog format has very much taken over from the 'personal home page'. People seem to find it much easier to just put a kind of public diary online, instead of putting up a little biography of themselves and a collection of articles.
Give Yourself A Tax Break With Tax Incentives For Hybrid Owners (10)
Topics: car care products Buying a hybrid is becoming quite an investment. The hybrid, which operates on both a gasoline engine and an electric engine, is offering much more than a decrease in gasoline cost.