Does weight training offer any tangible benefit?

[Osiris]

Over the last few months my primary focus has been on increasing my endurance, so I haven't done anything involving max. speed or power training. The results of my endurance training have been so good that I simply ignored the fact that I wasn't hitting the high power numbers I used to see on short, steep climbs. I did notice that my max power readings were about 200 watts lower than usual, but I just dismissed it as the result of fatigue.

It was only on a rainy weekend when I decided to go to the gym and do some leg work on the machines that I noticed a huge drop in my strength levels. On the leg press, where I used to do sets with the full weight stack, I had to reduce the weight by a whopping 250 lbs to perform the same number of reps and sets as before.

Now the strange thing is that despite this loss in strength, my personal bests at distances as short as .5 miles are better than ever. In fact, I recently tied the KOM on an uphill segment that I'd been trying to beat for six years, easily beating my previous record. I remember once asking a racing coach whether weight training confers any advantage in cycling. I couldn't get a clear answer, but I did get the impression that he didn't see much value in it for anything other than short sprints.

So before I spend a lot of time and effort at the gym pumping iron, I thought it worth asking others here what their experience has been. I'm only interested in cycling these days, so if I can avoid all the pain associated with weight training, I won't mind it in the least.

 

[DavidCH]

Well... good for the sprinting on an upright but perhaps not so good on a recumbent. Muscle weighs more too and it makes you less flexible. Still think squats and bicep curls would be worth doing. It's nice to tighten up the biceps on those short hills and max the power. Me... I dont go to the gym. I just go on an aggressive position on an upright... probably better than going to a gym.

 

[3bs]

Weight training is a pretty broad field of activity.
I have historically found that certain training with weights always helped me come off of dead periods from the bike. I think more complimentary group work rather than say hams and quads. Certainly on the cb’s upper body and core made me feel better in my return phase, namely rides under 30 miles

 

[ed72]

The literature is divided as is the view of different coaches.

One of the localized adaptations to endurance (aerobic) training is the conversion of so-called hybrid type muscle fibers. Training specificity takes advantage of this plasticity, which is why you are currently seeing personal bests on the bike while performing less stellar in the gym. This isn't to suggest training is entirely a zero sum game. If you were training for Battle Mountain? Surely makes sense. If you are training for a 10 mile TT PB in late Spring? This would be the time of year to hit the weight room. Would it help? ??? I suspect tabata interval training is often effect because it upregulates type 1 fibre contractile strength w/o increase type 2 mass, but that is pure speculation.

Sorry.....not much help

It (muscle type) isn't all black and white.

https://renaissanceperiodization.com/muscle-fiber-types-change-training-end-unfounded-debate/

 

[Osiris]

The literature is divided as is the view of different coaches.

One of the localized adaptations to endurance (aerobic) training is the conversion of so-called hybrid type muscle fibers. Training specificity takes advantage of this plasticity, which is why you are currently seeing personal bests on the bike while performing less stellar in the gym. This isn't to suggest training is entirely a zero sum game. If you were training for Battle Mountain? Surely makes sense. If you are training for a 10 mile TT PB in late Spring? This would be the time of year to hit the weight room. Would it help? ??? I suspect tabata interval training is often effect because it upregulates type 1 fibre contractile strength w/o increase type 2 mass, but that is pure speculation.

Sorry.....not much help

It (muscle type) isn't all black and white.

https://renaissanceperiodization.com/muscle-fiber-types-change-training-end-unfounded-debate/

When I started weight training back in the 80's, the received wisdom was that whatever distribution of fast to slow twitch muscles you were born with is what you'd be stuck with for life, and that no amount of training would change that. Since I always excelled in activities requiring bursts of strength, it therefore seemed natural to me that I did poorly in activities requiring endurance. But now that my endurance is better than ever, I'm reluctant to resume weight training for fear that I'd be losing some of that conditioning. I suppose there's only one way to know for sure, but I'm not looking forward to it.

 

[ccf]

I think strength training aimed at core strength helps in all cases. For endurance rides/races it will help with control when fatigued.

 

[ed72]

When I started weight training back in the 80's, the received wisdom was that whatever distribution of fast to slow twitch muscles you were born with is what you'd be stuck with for life, and that no amount of training would change that. Since I always excelled in activities requiring bursts of strength, it therefore seemed natural to me that I did poorly in activities requiring endurance. But now that my endurance is better than ever, I'm reluctant to resume weight training for fear that I'd be losing some of that conditioning. I suppose there's only one way to know for sure, but I'm not looking forward to it.

Just grab that KoM on Van Fleet first

 

[McWheels]

There's merit to using weights for conditioning, but I don't think you're going to get much benefit from few and heavy. In other posts Neal notes that he can max a leg press machine for fun, but his ability to propel the bike persistently quickly is only developing.

I'd suggest front-squat thrusters, box-jumps, kettelbell swings & snatches would all be valid things to do as primarily aerobic workouts rather than heavy ones. Try 5 sets of 10 front-squat thrusters with 2 12kg kettlebells with 20s rest between them. It will stop being about your static strength in a big hurry.

I recently discovered the assault bike at the work gym, and the interval buttons at the top right of the control panel. After 4 mins I was left with an enduring and profound sense of regret; but I still went back 2 days later.

 

[cranky cyclist]

There is body building and strength training. Usually strength doesn't involve max reps. Strength training is using lighter weight to increase your strength. This type of training doesn't increase body mass.Body builders eat a lot to increase their muscle size. It is important to do strength training as we tend to lose muscle mass as we age. Also strength training improves endurance.

 

[bladderhead]

Body builders eat a lot to increase their muscle size.

Belly-builders are a similar, only in their case it is beer.