Cross Training with Weights

I am about halfway through reading Bike for Life by Roy M. Wallack and Bill Katovsky. Wallack is a world bike tourer and Katovsky is a former Ironman Triathlete. The theme of the book is about being able to ride a Century at 100 years of age. Sounds good to me.

The best advice given is that cyclists should NOT do only cycling. For longevity on the bike, they highly recommend weight training and yoga to maintain all the body's muscles and joints. To them it is not controversial, serious cyclists must weight train.....no debate. That is good enough for me, so I have started up weight training again, as cross training with cycling.

I used to be an avid strength trainer. Unfortunately, I gravitated away from weights when I became an avid recumbent cyclist. Although I have hit the gym intermittently, I have not observed any organized training program for about 2 years. That changed last week. I have committed myself to at least two sessions in the weight room per week in addition to cycling 3-4 days per week. I am aiming for 150-200 miles per week on the bike.

I did my first return to weights workout late last week and the next day I rode the Carbon Aero 47 miles. Boy, was I sore. The long steep climbs were torture because my legs were stiff and sore from the weight workout. I assume that after my legs get acclimated to the strength training I'll be okay, but I should probably avoid a session in the gym the day before important rides.

Wallack and Katovsky advise a program that concentrates on three groups of muscles: Those that are used by cycling, those that are ignored by cycling, and those that are damaged by cycling. The routine that I will follow is shown below. I have done two sessions and it feels very good. I have modified the routine a little but from the authors' recommendations, but what follows is essentially their program.


On-Bike Benefits of Strength Training

Strengthen the Core (Abs, hips, lower back)
Improve power
Maintain reaction time and balance


Off-the-Bike Benefits of Strength Training

Corrects imbalances
Adds stability
Strengthens unstressed muscles
Keeps you younger

The Program


Cycling specific exercises

Decline situp
Bench leg raises - lower abs
Stretches
Barbell dead lift
Leg curls
Calf raises
Zane squat
Single leg presses
Bench press
Single arm cable rows

Muscles that don't get worked by cycling

Leg presses with heel for Glutes
Upright rows
Pec flys
Tricepts
Seated rows
Deltoids

Exercises that undo cycling's damage

Back extension
Hip flexor lunge stretch
Row
Scorpion tail raises