Strength is lile sprints. For maximum sprint power, you have to be fresh. If you want to improve your maximum power, you’ll have to set a very high stimulus. If you only ever sprint when you’re fatigued, your sprint isn’t going to improve much. It’s the same for strength - to get stronger, you need to be near your max, and you only get there when recovered.
Complement but not replicate, right? Otherwise you’d just cycle.
I’d say two things can be of benefit, strengthening your overall musculature and posture, and developing your fast twitch muscle fibres. Both beneficial to your riding, and both of which are done with heavy weights and low reps.
To do this you need to let the ATP stores refresh before the next set, which means resting upto three minutes.
If I wanted to develop slow twitch, mitochondria, etc, I’d do aerobic exercise.
I am 64, strength trainer for ~20 years and a very average cyclist.
I’m wondering if others here are squeezing in strength right before or right after your cycling workouts.
I found this comment interesting as well, but it makes sense in the context of someone who is struggling to find time. I do a little arm circuit after rides but I mostly do my strength training on different days than I ride. I have a small home gym so there is very little friction for me to get my arm circuit in.
also, wondering, especially for master’s athletes how much strength work are you doing each week. I’m trying to fit in 2 strength workouts a week of at least 45 minutes.
I do 2 strength workouts a week, 3 about once a month.
I am wondering if any master’s athletes do something similar as below. I’ve thought about pushing the thursday strength to Saturday evening but feel like I might wear myself out with longer weekend rides AND strength training
my schedule is similar but with less intervals:
Monday: Walking
Tuesday: Strength training
Wednesday: TR indoor ride (1 hour)
Thursday: Walking
Friday: Strength
Saturday: Unstructured ride (but usually 2 hours or less)
Sunday: Unstructured ride (but usually 2 hours or less)
This is what I did yesterday and took a solid 45 minutes. But I do think I need to add an additional leg exercise and shoulder press isn’t so critical. these are all with dumbbells. feel free to share any useful exercises routines you have.
Bulgarian split squats
Chest press
dumbbell rows
single leg RDLs
shoulder press
Core work at the end
These are great exercise choices, the only thing you are missing is a more strengthy hinge movement than SL RDL like a KB swing or a barbell or trap bar DL. What I think is missing from most strength programs for endurance athletes is that athletes are not working towards adding weight, i.e. work towards sets of 3 - 5 reps rather than sets of 10. Sets of 10 are great in the beginning to get your connective tissue stronger and ready to train heavier (this could take 12 - 24 weeks depending) but the goal is to get stronger, and to, especially for us older athletes, “counter-act” the time we spend in a flexed position, but that is a different subject. One last thing, I would include core exercises in your workout, not have them in the end. Your core exercises should improve (or help maintain) your technique. For instance, pair hovering shoulder taps with squat pattern, in your case Bulgarian Split Squats. The pairing allows you to check that your core exercise is creating a functional change, not just giving you “a burn.” Here is how I would tweek your workouts:
Workout 1:
Circuit A: 3 - 5 Rounds on 2:00 or 3:00 minute interval (you need to rest to lift heavier weights, each circuit should take :45 - 1:00)
3 - 5 reps Core in flexed hip position, e.g. hovering shoulder taps
3 - 5 reps Squat, e.g. Bulgarian SS or a walking backward and/or forward lunge
Circuit B: 3 - 5 Rounds on 2:00 or 3:00 minute interval
5 - 7 Reps Upper body push e.g. DB chest press
5 - 7 Reps Upper body pull with hips in flexed position e.g. DB rows
Workout 2:
Circuit A: 3 - 5 Rounds on 2:00 or 3:00 minute interval (you need to rest to lift heavier weights)
3 - 5 reps Core in hip extended position, e.g. hollow rock or dead bug variations
2 - 4 reps Hinge, e.g. SL RDL
Circuit B: 3 - 5 Rounds on 2:00 or 3:00 minute interval
3 - 5 Reps Upper body push e.g. Dumbbell reverse lunge to shoulder press
5 - 7 Reps Hinge e.g. DB Swing or DB DL if you have heavier DBs
OR
1 - 3 Get-Up Progression practice (start with the arm bar then research “Mark Wildman get-up” or “Mark WIldman getup”). It is fine to stay on the ground with this one for 6 months or even longer.
I would do these two workouts for at least a month or until you feel like you have good technique and you can move weight that is challenging, i.e. you need to rest a little before your next set but you also have nearly the same rate of speed on the exercise for all reps. The first thing to change is duration, add reps then add sets, then add weight after you are able to do 5 x 5 or 5 x 7.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Hi
An I ask how you split down the 45 mins with these sets? I feel 45 minutes is long but I fully appreciate 30 minutes also feels too short. A dilemma indeed.
Thank you
David
I agree. I’m very much believe in “perfect is the any of the good”. I do what I can but I’d go crazy attempting to have “perfect” training all the time.
When I had a coach she would progress me from 10-12reps to 8 reps to 5 reps. Recovery weeks she would put me back at 10-12 at lighter weight.