Does Weight Lifting Improve Cycling? (The For & Against Debate)
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- Опубликовано: 9 сен 2024
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Does gym work / weight training improve your cycling speed and strength? That is the argument we will cover today in this video with the cycling strength coach from ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast, Aaron Turner.
#cycling #weight #lifting
Please see article links for video below.
Evidence highlighting strength training does NOT improve cycling performance, which was due to the research design simply increasing load (via gym strength training) in one group of cyclists for 6-weeks, then being surprised that performance did not improve (i.e. the initial response to any sustained training load increase, is typically a performance decrement):
journals.lww.c...
Evidence using a longer gym strength training block (12 weeks), which allowed for greater adaptation and load normalisation, highlighting cycling performance does in fact improve from gym strength training:
onlinelibrary....
Evidence highlighting that gym strength training (8 weeks) does NOT improve VO2max, but improves cycling efficiency (mechanical work divided by metabolic work), economy (watts relative to oxygen consumption), and time to exhaustion (how long one can maintain their maximal aerobic power output):
journals.lww.c...
Ability to maintain pre-season gym strength training benefits by completing one gym strength session per week for several months in the competition season:
link.springer....
Anyone who thinks some strength training is not helpful is either just trolling or doesn't know any better. If you are a regular joe like most of us are, it is helpful on and off the bike. Injury prevention, learning kinesthetic awareness, carrying more groceries, whatever it is. Being stronger is always better than not being stronger. If you are starting to actually lose bike gains, it's all about volume management and recovery.
If you are a professional cyclist, it is absolutely necessary to do strength training if you want to improve.
Basically if you are a living being, some sort of strength training will always be beneficial.
I work as a personal trainer, strength swim coach, and a group fitness instructor. I have never seen any true athlete that did not benefit and to become better at their sport by strength training. Can you do to much absolutely yes, bodybuilders would not make a great cyclist BUT a cyclist that has never done any form of strength training would become a better cyclist and a better athlete by incorporating strength training. I have seen it time and time again with swimmers and cross country runners. I am an avid cyclist and I can absolutely say I am a much better cyclist due to my strength training. Less muscle fatigue is what all swimmers and runners have told me that they noticed after a few months of strength training. It also helps with rehabilitation after an injury and it will help prevent injuries Bering much worse in the event something happens.
I also love incorporating different sports into training for better all round fitness/ strength/coordination. But I swim like a clam!
Speed skater and olympic gold medalist Chad Hedrick didn't lift weights. He tried a few cycles and he wound up doing worse. I can imagine there are many more anecdotes we don't know about
Body building and strength training are two different disciplines, it is useless to mention here.
I am 57 and been cycling seriously for decades. This year, I went back to the gym as well as all sorts of core exercises at home. I just feel better, stronger and have far fewer aches and pains than I have in years past. Just my two cents.
Hey David! Thanks for the comment.
It's great to see you are getting great benefits from the gym, keep up the great work!
-RCA Team
"I'd have ridden that faster if only I were weaker and more fragile" - a sentiment so rarely felt or expressed.
Aaron is right on the money about the initial benefit...you get more power for 'free' (no muscle mass/weight gain) due to better muscle recruitment from the neurotransmitters being trained.
I think the dark art that coaches really try and master is figuring out when to stop/limit weights so it doesn't start having a reverse effect on the bike.
I love that Factor rim brake bike in the background!! "Make Rim Brakes Great Again!"
Such a nice bike there hey!
-RCA Team
There's a reason the factor is on the nice display frame and the disc bike is slapped against the wall; one is definitely ridden more than the other...
Been an amateur racer since the mid-80s. Started really hitting the gym in a structured way in the mid 90s with a 90 day strength plan- hypertrophic, strength, and power phases. By spring, I really noticed being able to produce much more power seated on climbs, and doing surges over the top of climbs. In the seasons where I have returned to this, the results have always supported it's efficacy. Of course, it was a lot easier to balance the extra work when I was a college student.
It’s rare that I’ve included gym work in my base periods but when I do I always have a strong year. Less niggles with pain, more muscular endurance and comfort on the bike etc. I’m including it this year so watch out next year everyone! 😅
What a great way to summarize that, I really like the way he explains and delivers this information.
Strength training certainly boosts Bone density. Tough on the inside, tough on the outside !
Yep, we’ll said 👊
Yes it does
How much strength is beneficial and when does it go beyond what provides a benefit?
As some one coming from strength sports, it could be argued that you/one is strong enough. Let’s say 1.5-2x bodyweight squat
How is lifting approached for a person like that?
For me the problem is when I stack strength training on top of my regular training load without considering recovery. Off-season seems like the best time to replace something with extra strength work but again something I struggle to adjust to despite the research backing up the long term benifits.
Thanks for the comment Jonathan,
incorporating a gym program into your training routine slowly is it doesn't impact your cycling performance would be key until you body adapts and can handle both loads.
-RCA Team
It would be interesting to have a study looking at traditional strength training for cyclist against some of the alternatives such as kettlebells & heavy clubs. Obviously a huge crossover in some exercises but often a bit more engagement of stabilising muscles, but more on the higher rep lighter weight so possibly not the same gains as doing the 5rep heavy weights on deadlifts or squats.
Basics win the day, although I would put the Olympic lifts, as being extremely beneficial for sprint performance.
I don’t disagree with anything that’s been said here, but a have a problem with strength training as someone who cycles for enjoyment rather than a job. Giving up two cycling sessions a week to do strength training means taking away something that I enjoy in order to do something I really dislike. For that to be worth it, the gains would have to be more than “marginal”.
It’s also relates to diet. I could be slightly faster on the bike if I cut out beers and unhealthy food, but is the performance increase worth the decrease in quality of life?
Personally, the only way I could do regular strength training is if I could do it on top of a bike session - maybe bike in the morning, arms, core and chest in the evening.
Beer and unhealthy food is not a quality of life, it's sheyt.
@@steelmacecontinuum8696 granted, but a quality night out with mates is - and beer/unhealthy food is often a part of that.
I added strength training on top of riding and have really started to enjoy it and look forward to it as much as I do riding the bike. Perhaps you should research some cycling specific weight training sessions. I've found myself thinking about cycling benefits while doing my strength training which keeps my motivation high. Even if you are a casual cyclist, at some point you'll probably want to do more than just cruise around the regular 20-mile loop all the time.
@@tccycling I do around 10-15 hours per week with 3 structured training sessions and 2 outdoor group rides. I find that if I try add strength training, I really struggle to get through the structured training sessions. I could cut the group sessions, but those are what keeps cycling so fun.
The tangible benefits of strength training are undeniable, but they’re marginal. I would notice a minor increase in endurance and sprint strength at the cost of the cycling that I actually enjoy.
I guess my issue is with all the recommendations for improving cycling (structured interval training, bike handling drills, base miles, carb loading, strength training, mobility work), for someone who has a job outside of cycling, when does it leave time for actual cycling.
@@JonReid I'm with you Jon, love riding and looks like I do similar hours to you, do not enjoy gym work at all, and I have done it in the past when I was racing MX, but these days just some general calisthenics on a cold winters morning is enough for me, if the weather is good I'm going riding.
Developing a better mind/muscle connection with my glutes from weight training definitely improved my pedalling together with all the other benefits listed.
Great to hear you noticed your benefits and improving your cycling!
-RCA Team
Great interview - new subscriber here.
Great to have you!
-RCA Team
I've been saying the future to cycling training is weightlifting and intervals 20 years ago .... im am the future of cycling training! i was using structured training with intervals since the 1990s ... i was the only one training this way... my Strava is the proof
What about if you come from a weight training background? I've been involved with Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting, and bodybuilding before beginning cycling. I really don't think I get a lot out of weight training sessions. It just makes me more tired on the bike. I don't understand how adding 2 hours of weight training a week could be more beneficial than adding 2 hours of bike training a week.
It isnt bro. This guy doesnt race. He looks swol. Has no idea what it is like to be a 17 BMI road racer with a hemoglobin of 190.
For you it would make sense to spend as much time as possible riding and doing sprints on the bike. You have already reaped most of the strength training benefits that you could. Your time is better spent improving endurance and possibly losing some of the unnecessary muscle mass
It works , if you do it correctly, the majority of people who try to lift are just terrible at understanding what it means relative to their sport...it's not complicated...you improve neuromuscular power, without increasing weight...so when you go to push hard, you use less effort, and can sustain this for longer...I put out 1100 watts for 25 second intervals, and more I gain strength, more this goes up...it works
That's some big power! This is very true and we're glad you are using this to gain more power and improve your performance!
-RCA Team
@@roadcyclingacademy There are many ways to achieve power in the gym, from squats, to leg press, to lunges, snatches, deadlifts, I use squats, leg press, and lunges as my main source...but it can all be customized
Strength training builds stronger muscles, stronger muscles produce more power. Complementary strength training works, Dylan Johnson got videos on it with research citations.
Interesting observation about injuries from crashes. It seems to be well-established that weight training helps avoid repetitive stress injuries suffered by endurance athletes, but I hadn't considered the effects of weight training on other types of injuries until now.
Improving you strength and movement patterns will greatly reduce the chances of 'overuse' injuries due to misalignment etc.
-RCA Team
Really great content! Thanks
Thanks for the comment!
We're glad you are getting great value out of these!
-RCA Team
Sorry, not quite buying it. I don't think Egan Bernal could crush a grape in the weight room. I guess my thoughts are with him due to his crash and hoping he recovers fast.
Same with swimmers. Some of the fastest swimmers I swam with growing up had bodies like girls. They couldn't bench press or squat any weight. What they all had in common was superior cardio fitness which allowed them to stay fresher longer. Possible that muscle mass decreases the ability to stay stronger longer into a race. Short races, sprints go to the guy with bigger muscles. Longer rides all go to the skinnier guys with less overall body strength. Same with running.
I introduced simple gym training (weights) and I see an increase in power and speed on my rides..
This opinion certainly reflects the outcomes from our facility. The negatives we hear and sort out, come from cycling coaches being under educated in strength training technique and protocols. Interference effect needs consideration, and reps and sets need to be closely monitored to avoid hypertrophy. I did a little video on benchmarks How Strong should a Cyclist be?
ruclips.net/video/OLhjDyicH4I/видео.html
Love it!
I’m holding off strength training until winter because I don’t want it to interfere with my current high intensity training and racing - is this strategy correct or will I still benefit without compromising performance if I start mid season?
No mention of ageing and the absolute need to incorporate strength training into routine to try and limit the muscle mass loss?
hormones do that. You can literally use anabolics and sit on the sofa and grow MORE muscle than your twin who is natty and training the house down. Ive seen it myself on my self and they have done studies proving what Ive been saying all along - hormones determine anabolism more than gym work does. Gym helps but not if you dont have enough testosterone, estrogen, IGF1 etc
@@DurianriderCyclingTipswow. No just having muscle while you can get it helps too. Of course just taking a gram of testosterone works. Might as well say why train cycling, just take cardarine, test, epo and meth.
It works for me.. 2019-20 winter/spring I was doing legwork, helped me get back into cycling.
2020-21 no gym work so all bike, end of 2021 I felt drained, could do no more than about 31 indoor miles with copious stops. 3 weeks into 2022 with alternate days legwork and cycling with one rest day and I feel the benefit from legwork when getting on the bike.. less fatigue and ability to go further and blocking out the pain… is it just a new mindset? I’m using weights to get to using fast twitch muscles as I’m not aiming to put weight on, especially at my age (61) but look to get back into tt’s
Interesting to hear Stan, thanks for sharing on the thread.
@@roadcyclingacademy great video guys, all positive and definitely a win win for me. Let’s see how long I can keep it up 🥵
No way you would put on muscle weight. Wouldn't worry about that.
I just found this!! ha ha ha why did you hid it from me!!! Merry Christmas!!!
Yes.
We agree.
-RCA Team
YES!!! My fellow cyclist's... Heavy squats and deadlifts are a huge waste of time for getting stronger on the bike, anyone that says otherwise is FOS... Sarcasm 😊😊😊
Yes. In other words, it's simply to be strong as a normal human being. I don't see a reason not to if you are not getting paid 60 million a year to be skinny as if I can throw you around like a ragdoll. I mean ffs, Chris Froome went out for a quick run and needed knee surgery, so much for bone density.
Just one thing , Chris Froome does do weight training mostly in the offseason , so I think he probably got a knee injury for other reasons
How about those muscular boxers who get fatigued so much sooner than a natural looking fighter. Or a muscular runner who can't hang with the slim runners on a long run.
exactly. This dude never ran a fast 5k or raced A grade you can tell. He looks strong not fit.
The medical fraternity now accepts that resistance training offsets muscle atrophy especially as we age and atrophy as we age is detrimental to health
So I have always moved fast can throw a ball and jump high and sprint on my bike better than 95% with littel training But I have never been able to move allot of weight in the weight room and even with years of biking endurance I still struggle and Cramp up faster han all my friends that are slower and weeker .. If I understand is he telling me to focus in Heavy lifts ? soo mutch talking I got confused .
A world champion cyclist once said she had won all of her championships with no strength training at all. I would agree it would probably make her even better with strength training but didn't need strength training to be the best in the world.
more muscle up top or on the legs than needed to steer the bike or hold 400w is just dead weight.
That's as likely to be indicative of the limited depth of the field in women's sport as anything else.
Is it ok to do strength training during a season time or should I wait and do it offseason ?
During season should be once per week for maintenance. See this video: ruclips.net/video/ThDnA-Ct2DE/видео.html
Wouldn't mind seeing evidence / science of strength "storage," theory. My theory: stronger rider recovers better from efforts during the ride / race (not that they have more to "spend").
Observation / question: athletes in the video do very limited range of motion when doing squats and leg press- why?
Hey Gabrielle!
The athletes are under very close guidance and are doing cycling specific workouts. So Aaron has got them doing exactly the right range of motion he deems necessary!
-RCA Team
@@roadcyclingacademy there's evidence in literature that doing full ROM is more effective (beyond "cycling angles") though there are of course others that say mimic the exact angle of the activity (cycling) - wouldn't mind hearing his experience with that.
I also hadn't heard of this strength banking before, so I'd like to read more about that too
Sounds silly but I just like not being able to raise my hands above my head after a workout or contemplating whether it is really worth the pain of getting off the toilet.
Man goes deep! love to see it!
-RCA Team
Is there some sort of strength training routine especially for cyclist/running that someone can follow? Looking to incorporate strength training but I’ve never hit the gym.
We are currently working with Aaron a High Performance Strength and conditioning coach for our RCA members so stay tuned for that!
-RCA Team
I would recommend looking up Natasha Oceane’s hybrid program.
people who doubt strength training basically dont know how power lifting works.
Tell me how much Egan can deadlift? Bro at his peak it MIGHT be a sack of potatoes. How about Kipchoge? He looks like he would struggle to peel a banana!
I watched an ARA rider win Willunga stage yesterday. I felt so sorry for him that he was mandated to ride such a heavy bike. Why not give him a proper race bike? What if he lost because of the extra weight? If a team is so focused on performance why do they ride such heavy bikes and wheels? I heard so many rubbing rotors yesterday. Expanding master cylinders singing their way up the climb in protest.
Do more gym, dont eat sugar and ride 1750g wheelsets with brakes that rub and so many spokes you feel the drag at almost every speed or head wind gust...
Thanks for the comment DurianriderCyclingTips!
Angus must be real strong from all the gym work he has done to drag that bike up the hill!
-RCA Team
@@roadcyclingacademy if he lost 5-7kg he could probably go for GC. 💯
0:30 why was this person telling that woman to not allow her knees to go in front of her toes? Thats a false way to teach. If you have a long femur, your knees will move in front of your toes.
Duh!
I disagree. Ive worked as a PT since 1999 in the gym. All the people who smoked me are the ones who I can out bench, out squat etc. Im the strongest of my life. Setting PR's in the gym. When I kick a car door now my cleat punctures it. My running and cycling times have suffered though from all the excess muscle my body now carries around.
You want to be as skinny and weak looking as possible BUT have a MUTANT hemoglobin, vo2max and glycogen partitioning.
Look at how pro runners/riders use cortisone etc to cut muscle off the body. Look how low the dosages of anabolics are used and mostly just used for recovery and to offset the negative effects on bone health of longterm cortisone abuse. Look at the gun distance runners/GC riders - they look so weak you would laugh at them in a street fight.
Weights are a waste of time for road, xc and or running performance where WKG matters. Creates stiff muscles. Creates bulk that doesnt help.
Do weights for aesthetics, bone density etc but not because it will make you run a 5k or smash a col faster because it wont.
Train specific to your sport. Do sprints on your race bike etc. Gym is a waste of gym if your fastest self is the goal.
This guy is biased because he is paid for gym work.
Fatigue comes down to managing water, sleep, sugar and specific conditioning. Not how much muscle you carry lol. My gf's are all skinny twigs yet drop girls/guys every ride who have way more muscle than them but have a poor w/kg.
Everyone in this video would ride faster if they shed some pounds. They would look worse but perform MUCH better.
This video should be censored because it is not friendly for vegan puny bodies, lmao
Wrong
Which part? Context is good when you make a statement like that.
I guess this is why we go to school, so we don't put up comments like this.