Post Your Strength Training Routines

Training
206

Yes

207

there are athlethes such as Uchimura (several times gold medalist at olympics, rings) that fast through the whole day, while doing several hours of hard training. He only eats later at night for dinner when heā€™s done with everything for the day. That should pretty much destroy all those ā€˜ā€˜if you donā€™t eat within this window you wonā€™t get gainsā€™ā€™. I used to eat frequently too, then when I found out about these athletes and their dietary regimenā€¦ I figured you donā€™t need to eat as often at all to keep your gains.

208

The only thing missing from this discussion they are having is intensity. IIRC, most of the studies on minimalist training / minimum effective dose involve a significant amount of RPE 9 or RIR 0-1 work.

My personal experience is that minimum effective doses + high intensity + compound lifts leaves me with soreness that is not compatible with high intensity bike work unless I keep the exercise selection very constant e.g same exercises every week.

I have tried e.g. Week 1 Squat, Week 2 Deadlift for maintenance and the CNS load of the deadlift is just too much. Albeit Iā€™m pretty weak - and so my one set of 160*10 @ 70kg highlights my lack of experience as a lifter.

209

Iā€™m going to include my full schedule for context.

Mon 90 min Threshold TR
Tues 90 min Endurance TR
Wed 60 min Recovery TR - 20 minutes Upper Body Kettlebell
Thurs 90 min Sweet Spot TR/Outdoors
Friday 90 min Endurance TR/Outdoors
Saturday 2-3hr Free Ride
Sunday 60-90 min Recovery - 30 minute Upper Body Kettlebell.

In the offseason I will shorten my recovery rides/and lighten the intensity on days following strength training, and do full boddy Kettlebell routines.

1 Like
210

My routine at the moment doing base, mostly for maintenance 2x a week

Morning before ride 30ish pullups

4-5 hours after ride at the gym:
Warm up goblet squats
Warm up 1x5 Romanian split squat
4x4 to 6 pistols squats 4kg weight
3x10 Overhead press
2x8-12 Romanian dead lift (alternating single leg version)
2x12 kettlebell row
2x close to max incline pushups

If Iā€™m quick I get it done in an hour but usually a bit more.

211

My full winter schedule:

Mon 90 min easy
Tu Strength (squat focus) + 90 min tempo right after
Wed 90 min easy
Thu Strength (deadlift focus) + 90 min tempo right after
Fri 90 min easy
Sa 90 min upper tempo/SS
Su Strength (latt pull down focus) + 90 min easy later in the day

I work out when it fits the schedule. Which means strength training during the weekdays is just before trainer rides. Not optimal but back to some of my best numbers in the gym only 6 weeks back at it. I do only 3 sets of 4-8 reps squat, deadlift and latt pull down just switching focus (meaning what will be the heaviest relatively that day). And some random exercises (hamstring machine, hip thrust machine, facepulls).

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212

So after a pretty good 6 months in the gym following a ā€œWeight Training for Cyclistsā€ by Ken Doyle I am back to a maintenance phase.

My priority for the next 4 months is interval training on the bike and following a TR plan.

My maintenance looks something like the below 2 times per week:

15 mins stretching and core to warm up.

Benchpress 3 * 6 @ 70%
Shoulder Press 3 * 6
Dumbell Bent Over row 2 * 8

Barbell Squat 3 * 6 @ 40-50%

Appreciate some advice re the squat. At the end of the power phase (4 weeks) I was squatting 5 * 5 @80kg.
For maintenance I was planning to lift 3 * 6 @ 40 - 50KG. I find even lifting this light day before a threshold workout for example impacts my progress, I just donā€™t nail the workouts and progress is really slow.

I definitely want to keep the core and upper body stuff for well being. Considering just dumping the squat as intervals are my priority for next few months. Should I persist with squat? Any view from experienced lifters?

213

Any reason you canā€™t have at least one day between lifting and intervals? Even when in maintenance I wonā€™t lift the day before intervals.

214

My schedule is

Mon - Off
Tue - Hard Intervals
Wed - Gym
Thur - Hard Intervals
Fri - Gym
Sat - Intervals or hardish roadspin
Sun - Easy Road Spin

I was contemplating 20 min gym on Sunday evening with some stretching / warm up and then do squats only and drop Fri gym.

Canā€™t do double days due to work.

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215

If it was me:

Make Wednesday a recovery ride. No gym.

Do all your lifting on Friday (incl squats)

Most people can maintain strength just fine 1Ɨ per week.

If you need to, swap your Saturday and Sunday rides around.

That would prioritise the bike work and add a bit of ebb and flow so you can smash those intervals.

3 Likes
216

I wonder about this. Getting closer to 50 than 40 in age I know that strength training is best to be a well rounded human. I am at the point though that I feel like strength sessions are impacting my interval sessions. I am following Dialed Health 2x a week after never really doing strength in my life - been pretty consistent now for 6 months. Overall I feel much better off the bike - so that is great.

Following Masters LV Plan with 1 more z2 ride.

M: Interval Day - 60 minutes
Tu: Strength Day
W: easier z2 - 60-75 minutes
Th: Interval Day - 90 minutes
F: Strength Day
Sa - z2 - 90 minutes
Su: rest/family day

Itā€™s getting to the time of year in MN that I want to ride 5x a week and wonder about dropping a strength day. Does it make sense to drop down to only 1x a week dedicated to strength only and maybe 10 minutes a few other days of just core and hip work?

217

Easy solution would be to just switch We and Su and do the squats on Sunday.

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218

Sounds absolutely perfect to me. Try it and see how you go. :+1:

219

Hereā€™s my routine at age 69. Mon Upper Body Pullups Currently the first set to failure is 7 reps, and additional sets are 2 to 3 reps.
Overhead Barbell Press, Currently 3 sets of 5 at 60 lbs
Seated Rowā€¦no hip hinging or back curling 3 sets of 10 at 90 lbs
Bench Press Currently 100 lbs for 3 sets of 5

Wed Leg Weights
Weeks alternate focus on Squats or Deadlifts
Week 1 Squats, currently 160 x 5 x 3 sets, have done 170
Trap Bar Deadlifts 200 x 5 x 3 sets, still going up
Split squats holding 35 lb dumbells 3 sets of 5
Ankle flexion and extension, 3 sets of 10 with light weights, focus is on joint health
Week 2
Straight Bar deadlifts 3 sets of 5 at 225
Squats 3 sets of 5 at 150 lbs
Everything else the same. Ea
Each body part gets hit once/week. I usually do a 2 hr zone 2 ride the next day

3 Likes
220

Yes, it does make sense. 1 day of lifting is far better than no days. Even if you lift 1 day a week you could still possibly progress lifting wise.
Most of the year I do 1 day of full body strength training and 1 day of core/ mobility with some deadlifts and pull ups thrown in.
If I was doing a vo2 block I would do less sets and reps on the strength day, keeping it as a maintenance session. That can sometimes be too much work for intense blocks, and if so I never take out my core/ mobility day. I will say I do a little stretching mobility almost daily for 5-10 minutes, makes me feel good after work.

221

I have been working through this one for mastersā€™ ladies. Strong

There is a barbell, dumbbell or body weight track. Iā€™ve been steadily working through the dumbbell one. I like that itā€™s really straightforward and non-gimmicky. Not only is it a program, itā€™s like, everything you need to know to craft your own program and do it for life. Well worth the one time fee.

222

Here is what Iā€™ve been doing lately. In the gym 3x a week and on the bike 3x. My strength routine is based on Dan Johnā€™s 5 fundamental movements. The idea is every routine should have a push (horizontal and vertical), a push (h+v), a hinge (deadlift, KB swings), a squat, and a carry. I double up on either a push, pull, or hinge.

I donā€™t have any cycling specific goals these days, other that to be consistent and stay healthy. I try to be on the bike 3x a week- doing 2 endurance days and one VO2 workout. Iā€™m 43 years old. This works for me- to stay balanced and healthy.

Day 1
KB Front Squats
Overhead Press
DB Rows
Lat Pulldowns
Romanian Deadlift
Farmers Carry

2
Walking Lunges
Bench Press
Thrusters
Lat Pulldown
KB Swings
Waiter Walk

3
Split Squats
Incline Press
Pullups
Hip Thrusts
Deadlifts
Suitcase Carry

1 Like
223

I have a few different structured programs depending on 1, 2, or 3 day splits. Iā€™m 36 and have been lifting regularly since I was 13. Until I turned 30, all I did was lift. Then moved to running, and cycling. I used to be a huge bodybuilder-type lifter. 5ā€™9 and 215ish pounds with single digit bodyfat. As I got into cardio activities, I slowly transitioned to 160 lbs.

This program is intended to be for general full body strength with a focus on some injury prevention activities as well (plyoā€™s). If my goal was 100% cycling performance, itā€™d look a bit different, but I enjoy still having a good amount of upper body size. Hereā€™s a 2 day split I developed with tons of research over the years. I generally do 3-4 sets per exercise and 4-15 reps (depending on exercise, alternating high/low volume, etc.)

The exercises are also based off what I have available in my home gym. Thereā€™s certainly more/better options for people with more equipment availability (granted, my home gym is pretty elaborate lol)

Two Day Split
Warm up:
Jump rope - 150x1
Front raises - 20lbsx10
Days:

  1. Push/Pull/Calves/Rotation

    • Superset exercises below with plyo exercises
      1. Horizontal Press (Pick 1)
        1. Bench Press (DB or BB)
        2. Incline Bench (DB or BB)
      2. Vertical Press (Pick 1)
        1. (Superset with lunge jumps)
        2. Military Press (DB or BB)
        3. Landmine Press
        4. Landmine Press with Rotation (also covers Rotation exercise below) -
      3. Triceps Extensions (Pick 1)
        1. (Superset with squat jumps)
        2. Tricep Pushdown (cable or bands)
        3. OH Tricep Extension (kettlebell or bands)
        4. Lying Tricep Extension/Skull Crusher(EZ Bar or DB)
      4. Horizontal Pulling Exercises (Pick 1)
        1. (Superset with box jumps)
        2. One-arm Rows (DB or Cable)
        3. Bent-over Rows (BB or DB)
        4. Bent-over narrow handle rows (with landmine)
        5. Pull ups
      5. Calves (Pick 1)
        1. (Superset with depth jumps)
        2. Single Leg weighted calf raise
        3. Donkey calf raises with weight belt/hanging weights
      6. Rotation: (Pick 1)
        1. (Superset with single leg pogo)
        2. Russian Twists (Plate)
        3. Landmine Rotations -
        4. Rotational Punch - DB -
        5. Landmine Press with Rotation (also covers Vertical Press exercise above) -

  2. Legs/Abs/Pull/Carry

    • Warm up:
    • Jump rope - 150x1
    • Front raises - 20lbsx10
      1. Vertical Pushing (Pick 1)
        1. (Superset with banded monster walks)
        2. Barbell Back Squat
        3. Barbell Front Squat
        4. Lunges
        5. Goblet Squat (Kettlebell)
        6. Bulgarian Split Squat
        7. Step Ups
        8. Zercher Squat
      2. Vertical Pulling/Back Exercises (Pick 1)
        1. (Superset with banded side steps)
        2. Pull downs (Cable)
        3. Pull ups
        4. Pull overs (Kettlebell)
        5. Deadlift
        6. Rack Pulls
      3. Vertical Pulling/Legs (Pick 1)
        1. Stiff Leg Deadlift (BB or DB)
        2. Split Stance Stiff Deadlift (DB)
        3. Single Leg Curls (Cable/Band)
      4. Hinges (Pick 1)
        1. Good Mornings
        2. Single Leg RDL
        3. Hip Thrusts (BB)
        4. Single Legged Hip Thrusts
        5. Glute Bridges (Single Leg on Bench or Both Legs on Exercise Ball)
      5. Biceps & Forearm Curls (Pick 1)
        1. (Superset with single leg drops)
        2. Standing alternating DB Curls
        3. Barbell Curls
        4. EZ Bar Curls
        5. Hammer Curls (DB or Cable)
        6. Concentration Curls (DB)
        7. Incline DB Curls
      6. Abs (Pick 1)
        1. Weighted cable ab crunches
        2. Hanging leg raises
      7. Carry (Pick 1)
        1. (Superset with lateral bounds)
        2. Farmers Carry
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224

:exploding_head: :exploding_head:

Thatā€™s quite impressive!

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