Bicycle Racing Weight Workout

Weight Workouts

Why don't fast racers want big legs?

Answer: Big legs hurt more

Introduction

I usually lift Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays after riding so that

most of my energy goes to what is most important: riding, and
the riding provides a warm-up for lifting, which helps to prevent injuries

	The order in which the exercises are done is important. I have found that going from specific muscles to broader muscle groups works best.
	The specific exercise focuses extra work on "weaker" muscles The "broader" exercises use a wider range of muscles to overload the previously exercised muscles Machines work well for focusing work on specific muscles. A machine frees you from the need to expend energy to balance the bar as with free weights, and they allow you to "cheat" some reps, allowing you to do some extra work The muscles brought into play with the "broader" exercises should be the muscles that are already strong and/or are too big - I would say they are in maintenance mode. Cyclists tend to be just cyclists and usually do not expand their horizon to learn from other sports. Weight lifting is an excellent example. Both sports are "power" sports that depend greatly on nutrition and shifting the emphasis of the sport ( in the case of cycling - training different energy processes ) to maximize recovery. It is a good idea to become a student of weight lifting's training and nutrition, without using their drugs

	When I lift, I do legs first. If I reach a point in lifting where I need to take a break, or equipment I need is currently in use, then I shift to a set of arms. Then back to legs. Also, if I am tired and need to bag it, then the work I have done is where a cyclist needs it the most: the legs and lower back.
	Also, some people naturally bulk up from weight lifting, others tend to stay skinny. Remember, as a bike racer, you want to gain the most strength from the least amount of muscle mass. Remember our motto: BIG LEGS HURT MORE.

ARMS

Here is a brief description of the arm exercises I do:

Military Press - holding yourself onto the bike is a cross between this exercise and rowing
Rowing - keep your head up, elbows up and wrists alittle out
Curls - helps with above
Bench Press - general strength
Sit ups - I hate sit ups, so I never do them, but you should do them because they will make your breathing stronger

	Since I swam in High School and College, I have strong arms even if I do not lift arms. So (1) I only use arm exercises as filler in between leg exercises, and (2) if I did a lot of arm exercises, I would have a very big upper body - which is bad for cycling.
	My arm physiology may be different than yours so you may need more arm work, or less, than I do.

LEGS

Here is a description of the leg exercises I do, in order:

Leg Curls - 4 to 6 sets of 8 to 10 at 180 to 200 lbs.
Leg extensors - 3 sets of 8 to 10 at 315 lbs. You MUST use proper technique with this exercise, or you will injure your knees
Free Weight Squats - 1 or 2 sets of 4 to 6 at only 225lbs. I use this to "look" for potential injuries. If something feels wrong, then the workout stops at this point, and I go to the hot tub
"The Baby Machine" ( the one women use to slim their thighs ) - 4 sets of 8 outside, 4 sets of 8 inside at 165 lbs.
Dead Lifts - 1 set at 225 lbs., 1 set at 275 lbs., 1 set at 315 lbs.
"Astronaut" Squats - 4 sets of 6 with 20 to 24, 45lb. plates

	Astronaut Squats are a leg press that you do on your back and press the weight up. I like this better than free weight squats because:
	It is safer. If I need to drop the weight, I just drop the weight onto the stops. It is more comfortable. My back is against a pad which distributes the weight across my entire back, instead of a bar digging into my shoulders. With this exercise, it is easier to show off. In general, with free weights, larger people have an inherent advantage over skinny bike racers. The Astronaut Squat eliminates this advantage and everyone in the weight room knows that. The big muscle heads cannot lift this much so it really upsets them to watch me doing it. Also, you can make a lot of noise if you drop the weight onto the stops at the end of a set. Who said weight lifting is all work and no play?

NOTES

	I usually lift Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays after riding so that (1) most of my energy goes to what is most important: riding, and (2) the riding provides a warm-up for lifting, which helps to prevent injuries.
	To have effective leg workouts, you need to know what part(s) of your pedal stroke is strong, and what part(s) are weak. When you know this, then you know where to focus your efforts, and where just maintenance lifting is okay. For example, I have a very strong back, butt and quadriceps. And I tend to have weak hamstrings and abductors. And I also have a slow first couple of pedal stokes out of the blocks because I am a better road racer than sprinter. So my workouts focus on hamstrings, abductors and the last about 30 degrees to fully extended.
	The order in which the exercises are done is important. I have found that going from specific muscles to broader muscle groups works best. When I lift, I do legs first. If I reach a point in lifting where I need to take a break, or equipment I need is currently in use, then I shift to a set of arms. Then back to legs. Also, if I am tired and need to bag it, then the work I have done is where a cyclist needs it the most: the legs and lower back.
	Also:
	Your goal is to have the most strength from the least amount of muscle mass. Remember: "BIG LEGS HURT MORE" Even perfect lifting technique and all the precautions cannot protect you from injury while lifting because: - Lifting is not your primary/best sport, you are a cyclist first, weight lifter as needed - You are fatigued from riding and running, thus making yourself more susceptible to injury - You let something happen that got you injured - I cannot emphasize enough that weight lifting can cause injuries possibly faster than you can react to prevent them from happening. Using proper weight lifting techniques and knowledge will help to minimize the chance of injury.

Why Not?

You:

are injured, tired or sick
tend to get injured during weight lifting
are in the middle of the season and the extra work from lifting in season causes you to be too tired to race or train effectively

The most important things to do are the things that make you go faster. Weight lifting is not for everyone.