Strength training: cyclists and runners

[Tapeworm]

It's interesting that the sanctity of sprinters and weight training has really never been questioned. Whilst the debate abouts the effects and benefits for enduros has been done to death it is just assumed that it is essential for sprinters. Whilst there are a few examples of very good fast twitch types not touching weights as far as I know there hasn't been much study done in this regard.

Maybe it has something to do with telling someone who lifts twice their bodyweight that they may be wasting their time

I would very keen to see data, study or anecdote in this regards.

 

[oldborn]

It's interesting that the sanctity of sprinters and weight training has really never been questioned. Whilst the debate abouts the effects and benefits for enduros has been done to death it is just assumed that it is essential for sprinters. Whilst there are a few examples of very good fast twitch types not touching weights as far as I know there hasn't been much study done in this regard.

Maybe it has something to do with telling someone who lifts twice their bodyweight that they may be wasting their time

I would very keen to see data, study or anecdote in this regards.

As I understand this issue and what I can see here (runners, triathletes, cyclist, rovers)
it will not make you faster, but it can make it easier for you to do the
workouts that will make you faster.

Some quotes. "Weight training will increase your muscular endurance, especially in your upper body. Weight training will strengthen your non-running muscles and reduce the likelihood of injury. Weight training can aid
cardiovascular fitness"

Some distance runners are going in gym as well, why? Maybe they just feel better.

 

[Alex Simmons/RST]

Cycling is not running.

 

[blutto]

Cycling is not running.

....well thanks for the update...and as long as we are going to dedicate bandwidth to stating the obvious I would add this late breaking news to the pile....the sun rises in the east and sets in the west....

...ok...so silliness aside what are you saying, or rather implying...that other physical activities and their particular training protocols have absolutely no relationship to cycling?...because I can, just drawing from my own experiential set, recall several instances where athletes from other disciplines came on rides and just ripped the legs off experienced and very high quality cyclists...

...in fact I can remember one particular occassion where a group of cyclists ( with several world ranked and medalling cyclist went out on a friendly training ride with some world ranked and medalling rowers )...long story short, in very short order it became a hammer fest of epic proportions...we, the cyclists, kind won, if the games we played that day could be termed winnable, but only because we had a better stategic sense of things cycling....

...and as long as we are on this meme, be aware that Team Sky, under the direction of the putzses that train the team, uses weight training as a key part of their training system( in much the same way that was kinda mentioned in the post you were responding to )...so maybe you send off an e-mail to those folks and tell them that cycling is not running, as they may not be aware of that fact, and are wasting valuable resources chasing delusions...

Cheers

blutto

 

[oldborn]

Rovers are Vo2 monsters
Very often I ride with them on my road bike while they just start or finished their session on lake nearby. All I can say as blutto mention before, they are damn fast and I am having trouble to pass them or even follow them sometimes, and not to mention they are riding on old MTB or whatever bikes just to warm up or cool down Running with them it is almost impossible for me

I told that Alex many times, cycling is only sport where strenght, weights or other suplement activities have no place. It is just hard to swallow IMHO.

Oh yes, i have been riding once with training partner of Lisa Stublić woman marathon runner (A London Olympic standard 2:33:42), that dude did not ride bike for centuries and I do not have to mention that he kill me, but I finished first, he had a flat.

So cycling and other activities (swiss ball for sure) should be related somehow.

For all that I do not have evidence at all, or study, but I do not care

 

[Alex Simmons/RST]

....well thanks for the update...and as long as we are going to dedicate bandwidth to stating the obvious I would add this late breaking news to the pile....the sun rises in the east and sets in the west....

...ok...so silliness aside what are you saying, or rather implying...that other physical activities and their particular training protocols have absolutely no relationship to cycling?...because I can, just drawing from my own experiential set, recall several instances where athletes from other disciplines came on rides and just ripped the legs off experienced and very high quality cyclists...

...in fact I can remember one particular occassion where a group of cyclists ( with several world ranked and medalling cyclist went out on a friendly training ride with some world ranked and medalling rowers )...long story short, in very short order it became a hammer fest of epic proportions...we, the cyclists, kind won, if the games we played that day could be termed winnable, but only because we had a better stategic sense of things cycling....

...and as long as we are on this meme, be aware that Team Sky, under the direction of the putzses that train the team, uses weight training as a key part of their training system( in much the same way that was kinda mentioned in the post you were responding to )...so maybe you send off an e-mail to those folks and tell them that cycling is not running, as they may not be aware of that fact, and are wasting valuable resources chasing delusions...

Cheers

blutto

My point is that running has demands (eccentric muscle contractions and impacts/jarring for instance) than cycling does not. So what training one might do for enhancing running performance may or may not have relevance for cycling. But even in running, there is no better training than running.

Your anecdotes really say nothing. Perhaps they might do better jumping rope instead? If the cyclists were all beaten by rowers, then why are not all elite cyclists out rowing instead, since according to you that's much better training than cycling?

There is a fair bit of cross over between the two sports (physiologically speaking) and high performing rowers have superb aerobic engines, which is exactly what you need for endurance cycling performance so it is completely unsurprising that they would ride well.

However there are very few rowers that have made the top grade on the bike. I can think of a few of course. Amber Halliday (hope she's going OK, I haven't heard on her progress lately) and Rebecca Romero come to mind. Bit closer cross over to track pursuit.


Also, weight training and strength training and not the same thing. All I point out is that cycling is not a strength sport, so strength training isn't of much value. There might a range of reasons for doing weights though.

 

[CoachFergie]

Your argument is invalid because Team Sky train with weights!

Classic

 

[blutto]

My point is that running has demands (eccentric muscle contractions and impacts/jarring for instance) than cycling does not. So what training one might do for enhancing running performance may or may not have relevance for cycling. But even in running, there is no better training than running.

Your anecdotes really say nothing. Perhaps they might do better jumping rope instead? If the cyclists were all beaten by rowers, then why are not all elite cyclists out rowing instead, since according to you that's much better training than cycling?

....no your point was that running was not cycling...full stop...

....and as for my anecdotes meaning nothing, well, they may have, if you had actually read them...to clarify, there were several rides with high quality riders, and one particular ride which was with some elite rowers and elite cyclists ( the other rides were with cross-country skiers and also with runners )...as for the cyclists all beaten by rowers????...good question...

...and while this is a study with an N of 1 and no peer review the best early seasons I ever had were after big miles cross-country skiing and weight training...oh well...whatever floats your boat....

Cheers

blutto

 

[blutto]

Your argument is invalid because Team Sky train with weights!

Classic

...what!...the ignore function busted?...maybe you should get a hold of the mods and fix that.....

Cheers

blutto

 

[oldborn]

Mellow Johny lift weights.

 

[OJ....]

...and while this is a study with an N of 1 and no peer review the best early seasons I ever had were after big miles cross-country skiing and weight training...oh well...whatever floats your boat....

I must assume that you live in a climate where you can't ride all year round and racing starts later in the spring? Assumption is because your training sounds like my training for many years with the exception that I've had my best three seasons when I didn't do weight training and got on my road bike in January. Cycling appears to be the best training, on or off-season, for a cyclist.

If you can't ride your bike for one reason or another, then you have to find something else to do and that's why I ski, skate and snow shoe. I do my medicine ball drills to keep my old body from breaking down and I guess functional core helps with sitting on my bike.