Gym and Cycling

[roeboy]

I'm a regular gym bunny and cyclist but have never thought about one impacting on the other until I tried doing dead lifts which aggravated my knees for a few days afterwards, so I wondered whether anybody could suggest alternative excersizes that would be beneficial to cycling and not detrimental to it.

Regards

Stephen

[Mark1978]

More cycling.

[roeboy]

yeah but no but

I bike to work and back Mark don't get out much during the week because of child care but I'm doing a nice little forty mile route on a weekend, when the mrs allows me to shirk the childcare, so on a lunch time I wanna enhance my ageing physique so that it's better prepped for going up hills and the like

on an exercise bike? never

[Mark1978]

Excercise bike is better than nowt. Good job on getting out better than I'm doing.

[honesty]

Deadlifts shouldn't be aggravating your knees... Have you checked to make sure your form is right on these? Squats are great for legs, and worked into a routine that includes cycling can really help with putting the power down. Depends though what rep and set combo your doing. As your already cycling my view would be your better doing low reps and sets at high weights over BB style sets with high levels of reps.

[mnichols]

Squats and Dead lifts are both great exercises, but Open Chain exercises such as Lunges and Step Ups may have more advantages for cyclists

Squats and Dead Lifts are closed chain - both feet are planted which is dissimilar to cycling

Lunges, Step Ups, One Leg Squats, One Leg Hops/Jumps, Farmers Walk are Open Chain - one leg is active at a time which is more similar to cycling

Whilst Squats and Dead Lifts build strength and power you may not be able to recruit these during cycling, as it's a different muscle type, you aren't training your nervous system and unless you are doing lots and lots of reps are anaerobic so unless you are training for sprints, short hills or "getting back on" the group may not have any benefit

You may find it better to consider intervals, high reps, under speed and over speed training on the bike instead - as this will train the nervous system to use the muscles

I train 3 times per week in the gym, but mostly upper body. I do do Squats, Lunges, Dead Lifts, etc but for injury prevention and muscle balance. To improve my strength and speed for cycling I do intervals, hill reps, one leg drills, under and over speed training on an indoor bike. If all this sounds a lot, then a good spin class should combine these elements for you

[bikerwaser]

i've been weight training for about 24 years now. i used to train very heavy but now a lot lighter.
i now go more for reps than weight.

warm up correctly for a start and as another poster has said , lunges are very good. i usually do these with a barbell free weight as i believe in getting the natural movement.
i start with the Olympic bar on its own (20kg) and do 20 reps( 10 for each side)
then add 5 kgs for each side on each set
i generally do 4 sets with a maximum bar weight of 60kgs

[honesty]

Sumo deadlifts may be a variation to look at as the can be better if your suffering flexibility issues.

I enjoy powerlifting style training and find it works well with cycling. I find high rep exercises cause more problems with cycling than lower rep higher weight lifts. People are different though, so find what works for you.

Farmers walk and other strongman style exercises are excellent as well.

[roeboy]

Deadlifts shouldn't be aggravating your knees... Have you checked to make sure your form is right on these?

I'm just assuming it's the dead lifts because I've only just started doing them unfortunately there's no mirror in the gym but I don't think I'm far off getting it right(if at all)

[roeboy]

thank you all for your help and for going into such detail much appreciated

[honesty]

Deadlifts shouldn't be aggravating your knees... Have you checked to make sure your form is right on these?

I'm just assuming it's the dead lifts because I've only just started doing them unfortunately there's no mirror in the gym but I don't think I'm far off getting it right(if at all)

Read up on from on exrx and have a look at videos on websites like stronglifts.com T Nation and Elitefts. You shouldn't have excess force on the knees.

[bigjim]

Deadlifts shouldn't be aggravating your knees... Have you checked to make sure your form is right on these?

I'm just assuming it's the dead lifts because I've only just started doing them unfortunately there's no mirror in the gym but I don't think I'm far off getting it right(if at all)

No mirror in a gym. How strange.
I never know what is correct excercisefor cycling. I like lifting and enjoy the gym on 'off the bike' days. I don't like squats but do them to keep my legs strong. If I don't do them and go back to them I really suffer the next day so assume they are a very good leg excercise. I do dead lifts, which I enjoy, and have no knee problems. But I do have a mirror in the gym so I can make sure I'm keeping my head and therefore my back straight. Yout thigh muscles should be taking the strain, not your knees.

[PH]

I think the daily commute and a longer ride once a week should be enough time on the bike, though of course it depends on both your objectives and how you use that time. There's plenty of training programs on the web, just find one that suites you.
In the gym, I'd concentrate on those things that can't be done on the bike, mainly core strength. Again there's loads of programs on the web, here's an example
http://www.bicycling.com/training-nutri ... tness/core

[Vorpal]

In the gym, I'd concentrate on those things that can't be done on the bike, mainly core strength.

+1

[NATURAL ANKLING]

hI,

I think the daily commute and a longer ride once a week should be enough time on the bike, though of course it depends on both your objectives and how you use that time. There's plenty of training programs on the web, just find one that suites you.
In the gym, I'd concentrate on those things that can't be done on the bike, mainly core strength. Again there's loads of programs on the web, here's an example
http://www.bicycling.com/training-nutri ... tness/core

I have been meaning to find some more hardcore core exercises for sometime.
I asked my physio (nhs) who had been excellent in sorting my weaknesses in my feet and back, for some better exercises to strengthen my back more.
I was refered to hospital to see a Prof, but left after about one hour of brainwashing and mind games which must be a cost saving exercise somehow

Forgot all that and carried on my own way, gave up all anti inflamatry meds and continued with the simple physio.
Maintains my back but need stronger core for sure.

Your link is good and tried them out I am sure they will help thanks.