Workouts For Bikers

Force training is a standard practice in sports most athletes and their coaches know that improving strength, muscle strength and structure will lead to better performance in sports competitions. However recent studies show that, except for top cyclists, very hard training can do more harm.

Professional cyclists have provided extremely complex workouts, which include proper nutrition and strict medical supervision, both physically and psychologically speaking. Amateur cyclist training is limited to leisure made on bike or the gym (especially in season). The purpose of this article is to answer two questions: It is important for a beginner rider to strength training? How does this type of training performance in cycling?

Force training for beginner cyclist.

Ability to produce more force, to delay the appearance of fatigue and improve control of the bike are things we want when we want to improve performance on the bike and the strength training can help all the chapters above.

Training with weights for legs - ie the two days of the week with four sets of five repetitions genoflexiuni with high loading, up to 5 RM (RM = one repetition maximum, ie the weight which can make a single iteration of a given year / 5RM = maximum weight which can make five repetitions, etc.) - will help increase employment. A large number of repetitions with very short breaks between sets with 15-20 RM load will improve endurance. Using weights and stability exercises for the upper body will help improve stability and strengthen the areas required by the position of upper body static during pedaling. The question is whether all these things help an amateur cyclist. Force training will certainly lead to increased muscle strength, but it is relevant to us only if everything is reflected in better performance on a bicycle.

A study in 1995 compared the effects of the following: a) Training to isolate a single muscle (eg biceps femoris) b) Training complex using multiple muscle groups c) spinning a program for beginners. Performance was then measured using an ergometer, which measured how many watts are produced in five seconds into force on the bicycle pedal.

The three groups followed a specific program for eight weeks, followed by a specific program for six weeks (cycling). The first two groups have managed to improve by 41-44% 10RM site, with no significant difference between the two forms of training. However, all three groups were able to improve their performance on the bike, with 4-7%, with no significant difference between the three groups.

However, we must consider that those tested were unprepared in terms of sports. It is very possible that after only eight weeks of training 10RM test performances have been influenced by the fact that those who exercise power have learned to correctly perform the movement, without becoming much stronger, becoming only the most experienced in performing exercises. It would have been interesting to see if after eight weeks would still be managed the same increase in 10RM test and if it increased performance cycling.

Strength training for cyclists working in clubs.

If beginners can improve performance quite easily, what can be said about working at a club cyclists have a good physical form, but will reach a higher level?

Another study has recently compared the following: A group of cyclists completed a program of force and the second followed a resistance breeding program, three times per week for 10 weeks. Testing was then done based on four years of 1RM and measuring the level of lactic acid and VO2 during a half pedaling.

Comparing the two groups was observed an increase in the first group, who did strength training with 1RM. Neither group showed no improvement in the level of lactic acid or VO2 during the ergometer test. The authors test thus reached the conclusion that the strength training does not help very much to improve performance for club cyclists.

However, there are some things that should be said here. The test was done on an ergometer, in a fixed position. Cycling, especially mountain biking and downhill requires a good stability at the top. This, combined with the bent position to be taken by cyclists for long periods, leading to accumulation of tension in the lower back. When training with weights are not necessarily a sign of improving performance, we can say without hesitation that certain exercises, which calls the back, will allow a cyclist to spend more time in the saddle without feeling the negative effects are extremely common in this sports.

As strange it seems, a major disadvantage is the high weight exercises will result musculature. An increase muscle mass in the upper zone automatically mean a much heavier fighting air resistance. The speed is higher, the air resistance is greater.

Another problem is weight gain resulting from increased muscle mass. Build automatically mean a tougher battle with gravity when you climb a hill. If the track cyclists of all these things are not valid on any road or mountain of strength training should result in improved labor or pedaling cadence higher than the gravitational attraction or increase the wind resistance resulting from muscle growth. Currently there is no study in which these things to be analyzed.

In conclusion we can say that the strength training can improve performance by increasing the pedal, increasing resistance to fatigue and improving stability and higher resistance area. Beginner level is certainly one way to improve performance but is not recommended to assign exercises to force some of the time spent on the bike.

A very important thing to be noted is that stronger stimulation of muscles requires the body to adapt and we have a performance gain. New exercise routine should not replace existing training but need to do more choice, to improve all elements underlying the preparation.

By: Andrei Cristache

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