Why Cyclists should do Weight Training in Winter?

Controversial issue!

Here my thoughts and believes based on science evidence

Starting 35 years old we start loosing:

• muscle mass and also
• strength. Loosing strength is the primary reason of aged-related decline in power (power=Force * velocity) rather than velocity [2]. Studies on older marathon runners state:"single muscle fiber from veteran runners are smaller, weaker, contract faster and produce less power compared with normal sedentary individuals".
• Moreover, there is some scientific evidence [1] that strength and plyometric training can improve economy (the amount of oxygen requested for producing a certain power), which means that you can still produce 300 w using less oxygen, which means you can sustain that 300 w longer and with a lower rate of perceived effort (RPE).
• number of neurons, especially those who innervate Fiber II (the fast) type muscle fibers.
• stability and balance. P lyometric training, that I always include in the first phase of my strength training for cyclists, enhances stability on the bike and prevent injuries, since enhances the strength of tendons, joints and ligaments.
  

These are all good reasons to engage a strength training program specific for cyclists.

Why specific for cyclists?

Because you want to regain that muscle mass you loose aging and with long endurance rides during the season, without adding harmful weight gain. You also want to do the weight exercises that stress muscles involved with the cycling movement, performed at the correct angle, position and velocity for a quicker transfer of the strength gained in the weight room to the cycling movement.

So, it's very important a correct balance in terms of length and number of sessions among the hypertrophy phase and the strength phase. Also this balance depends on your own cycling and training goals. A weight program for a track racer is different from the one for a climber, and it's different for a young cyclist below 23 years old versus a 40 years old cyclist.

Read more details on how a strength training works on my article :

http://www.davanticycling.com/StrengthTrainingforCyclists.pdf

or contact me: http://www.davanticycling.com/contact.html

Do you want a "12 weeks weight training" for "all around" cyclist?

email to luisa@davanticycling.com and I will email it to you for $45 (procedure to assess 1 RM included).

I also offer strength training program at the Mountain's Edge Fitness center in Boulder.

Contact me for details and registration.

Stay fit during the winter....

Ciao

Luisa

References:

1. Sports Med 2007; 37 (4-5): 316-319 CONFERENCE PAPER 0112-1642/07/0004-0316/$44.95/0
2. 
   Marathon Runners
   How Do They Age?
   Scott Trappe
   Human Performance Laboratory, Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana, USA