What other exercises do you do to supplement cycling?

[apartanen]

Mostly beacuse of Finnish winter, I've done some cross skiing, speed skating (my new favorite winter sport ) and running.
I've heard good things about swimming, and it would train upper body, which doesn't get that much exercise otherwise.
Yoga, pilates, stretching and weights are also in picture but I'm bit lazy to do those exercises.
Summertime I've been doing long hikes mostly weekends.

 

[Sheltowee]

I do trail running and the Olympic Lifts

 

[Tapeworm]

Best thing to improve your cycling is, well, cycling. No surprises there. If short on time then a decent home trainer can be used for short interval based training. Especially one that provides power, which can be a very useful tool indeed.

AFAIK core strength, weights, yoga will not improve cycling performance. Happy to read any studies which prove me wrong.

However I am a firm believer in a holistic view of fitness and these things should ensure you don't put your back out when lifting a pot plant.

I do running and weights aside from cycling. Advice I received means running is usually up hills and the weights in the high rep range (+15). There is a raft of information as to why weights don't really help out the endurance cyclist.

I have been steadly improving my performance especially in TTs though I am fairly certain this has been in spite of my other workouts and not because of them.

 

[Ric_Stern/RST]

It's research, but I'm not sure I'd classify it as good research (mainly due to extremely small sample size).

I'd be interested to see a large scale study involving plyometrics and road cyclists.

Irrespective of whether it's a small size or not, it's a difficult study to get anything from simply because the plyometric group did not _only_ do plyometrics, but also, intense 30-secs on the bike intervals, which prior research had shown to improve cycling performance. It would therefore be impossible to say that the *plyometrics* improved cycling performance in that group.

On the other hand there is no research using trained endurance cyclists showing an increase in cycling performance, from some sort of 'supplemental' exercise. there are however, data by Millet (and maybe others) showing that other endurance sports (e.g. running) are improved with strength type training.

Ric

 

[JoeVelo]

core muscles and weight training

I bought Joe Friel's book '' the cyclist training bible'' last year and I tried some of his advices. I did a lot of sit-ups and lower back exercises in the second part of the last season and I have seen a big difference in improvement over the previous seasons. stronger on the pedals, faster and less fatigue. This winter, I am weight training at the gym and doing some indoor cycling. I feel stronger and my weight is on par. I am eager to see the results in a couple of weeks from now (it's still winter here in Quebec).

 

[lookkg386]

I do mostly running, some weights to supplement my cycling.Interested in how many people nominate stretching and pilates, I have always felt it could help me, where is the best place to start for a complete newbie to pilates?

 

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[Quicksilver]

Hill walking and water running in a sub 1 metre pool seems to work a treat.

 

[Black Dog]

Nothing beats Cross Country Skiing for a workout.

 

[flyor64]

What is Norrdic walking.

It's cross country skiing...unless I'm completely mistaken. It is a huge winter sport in Norway, Sweden, Finland, etc...and I've heard it called "walking" in norwegian by many.

And, as the above poster states...it's a fantastic cross training sport for cyclists. I started it two winters ago, and I've noticed a much smoother spring transition back to the bike both years running.

I have no data/proof, but I've been told by most, if not all, of my Norwegian colleagues that it utilizes nearly the same leg muscles as cycling, plus you get a great core/upper body workout to boot.

20+ million Scandinavians can't be wrong

 

[therealdjamolidineabdoujaparov]

Can anybody reference a peer-reviewed article published in a reputable journal that outlines the benefits of plyometric training techniques in cycling?

Computer says no.

5 minutes on Pubmed with various combinations of "plyometric, plyometrics, cycle, cycling, bicycle, bicycling" has no relevant hits.

On the other hand, the strength and conditioning coaches of national track (sprint) teams use plyometrics.

A common story of anecdotal evidence preceding RCT's.

 

[LugHugger]

It's cross country skiing...unless I'm completely mistaken. It is a huge winter sport in Norway, Sweden, Finland, etc...and I've heard it called "walking" in norwegian by many.

And, as the above poster states...it's a fantastic cross training sport for cyclists. I started it two winters ago, and I've noticed a much smoother spring transition back to the bike both years running.

I have no data/proof, but I've been told by most, if not all, of my Norwegian colleagues that it utilizes nearly the same leg muscles as cycling, plus you get a great core/upper body workout to boot.

20+ million Scandinavians can't be wrong

sorry, nordic walking is effectively power walking using walking poles per http://www.nordicwalking.co.uk/

 

[flyor64]

sorry, nordic walking is effectively power walking using walking poles per http://www.nordicwalking.co.uk/

Fair enough

But I was close...we do say we're "going for a walk" on our skis in the winter

 

[waynet]

Yoga has been extremly helpful for my balance on the road bike & overall condition.

 

[mr. tibbs]

I feel like I'm doin it wrong, now. I only ride my bike. That's it. I don't do it for any real results (I'm the guy that enjoys racing b/c he likes to ride with lots of other people and test his own limits but is always happy with the results).

My cycling is usually only suplemented by 12 ounce curl repeats. But I have started doing sit-ups recently, since my 12 ounce curl regimen is starting to outrun my metabolism.

I admire all the other posters' dedication, though: keep it up, peeps!

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Nothing beats Cross Country Skiing for a workout.

+1

On it's own. Greater fitness than any other sport. Want to turn into superman? Take up XC skiing. You'll end up fitter than you do cycling. Over 15 years ago I set a VO2 Max record at a local clinic for that year (beaten by others in other years). It was because I race a bike all summer, though I was only a Cat 3. I ran a little, swam a little, lifted a little, but did a LOT of XC skiing. Many, many days in the winter into spring, over 60km plus at a time.

Keep in mind, I'm talking about pushing it. Not just going out with your family and looking at snowflakes.

Take an HRM with you, the results may alarm you. Your HR will hover in and out of lactate threshold constantly. It will be startlingly easy to go into O2 debt and reach your max HR. Your recovery times will be surprisingly slow compared to cycling.

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

Yes, XC skiing, especially skate skiing, enhances your performance on the bike 10 fold. Living on the frozen tundra, winters can turn awfully grim if you don't keep the body moving. Yoga, and/or learning some martial arts is also great for flexibility. I was in Taekwondo for 4 years, which actually incorporated some Yoga techniques for the 30 min. warm up. I think Max Van Heeswijk is a 3rd Dan TKD black belt.

 

[shawnrohrbach]

Yes, XC skiing, especially skate skiing, enhances your performance on the bike 10 fold. Living on the frozen tundra, winters can turn awfully grim if you don't keep the body moving. Yoga, and/or learning some martial arts is also great for flexibility. I was in Taekwondo for 4 years, which actually incorporated some Yoga techniques for the 30 min. warm up. I think Max Van Heeswijk is a 3rd Dan TKD black belt.

Yup, skate skiing does it. Try it at altitude off season; like the Engadine Valley (St. Mortiz) and you will notice the benefits come spring time when the ice melts at home.

 

[BroDeal]

I do a lot of trail running at altitude. With four or five thousand vertical feet of climbing that stuff will rip you up. I have done some ultra trail running races, including hundred mile events.

For some reason I seem to drop weight easier with running than cycling.

 

[elapid]

I do a lot of trail running at altitude. With four or five thousand vertical feet of climbing that stuff will rip you up. I have done some ultra trail running races, including hundred mile events.

For some reason I seem to drop weight easier with running than cycling.

I think I would drop weight if I ran 100 miles. I think my legs would fall off. One of my work mates runs ultramarathons for fun. Not sure I would call it fun, but you guys are impressive nonetheless.

So, if you are able to run for so long and far, what do you consider a long bike ride? How do you balance running and cycling?