I've had more than one person approach me asking about weight training. I've been giving the confused answer of "... errr, sorry I really don't know the first thing about it".   

That's kind of a legendary training doc. My favorite part:times or loads on the first effort or set, you warm down and go home. You aren't fresh
enough to train at a level that will make you improve. If you do a PB, you warm down
and go home. If you are on fire that much you can blow yourself to pieces in a couple of
sets or efforts and it will take weeks to dig you out of the hole you put yourself in, so

The issue of weight training comes up often this time of year and I think it boils down to the following:

how about 3x 60minutes in the gym without touching the bike until december. that's what I'll be doing, aspiring to look like this:

Just don't wind up like this

I've been curious about weight training for a while, and it seems like it's a good time of the year to try it out. Does anyone have any recommendations for weight lifting gyms? I'd love to find something around work (Midtown West) or near home (Cobble Hill/Carroll Gardens) and ideally somewhere where I wont be charged for all the cardio equipment and yoga classes I wont be taking advantage of. Any hidden gems that Google isn't sharing with me?

Erika Tarte said:

I've been curious about weight training for a while, and it seems like it's a good time of the year to try it out. Does anyone have any recommendations for weight lifting gyms? I'd love to find something around work (Midtown West) or near home (Cobble Hill/Carroll Gardens) and ideally somewhere where I wont be charged for all the cardio equipment and yoga classes I wont be taking advantage of. Any hidden gems that Google isn't sharing with me?

Similar to Erika, ive been interested in doing some cross training/weight lifting while away for work and off my bike for the next 7 weeks. Does anyone have any tips, exercises, or training programs they recommend?

There is a lot of discussion about winter weight training here: http://kissenacycling.vanillaforums.com/discussion/comment/39702/#Comment_39702

Jeffrey White said:

There is a lot of discussion about winter weight training here: http://kissenacycling.vanillaforums.com/discussion/comment/39702/#Comment_39702

cool. thanks jeff.

People (Adam Myerson included) seem to be very impressed by the NYT's seven minute workout.

http://mobile.nytimes.com/blogs/well/2013/05/09/the-scientific-7-minute-workout/

I personally plan to adhere to the Rocky Montage regimen this winter.

Truth be told...you are all "girly men" and the only reason you ride carbon is because none of you could lift a steel bike onto your bike racks......

Hey everyone,

Been off the forum lately due to work insanity! Nice thread, Da Silva.

I'm no expert on weight training but it's been a core part of my training from 2005-2008 and then from 2011 to the present (I wasn't training in 2008-2011, ha). Typically I do two sessions a week. Generally get out of the gym altogether six weeks before a big target race.

For those of you who don't know, gym work is where track sprinters get all that power from! That said, you have to make it bike specific too - there's plenty of guys who can lift a lot but can't transfer it to the bike, or are very strong but not very fast.

My routines are pretty basic - depending on what phase of training I'm in (typically conditioning (higher reps, lower weights); strength (lower reps, higher weights, building up to 1 rep max); strength endurance (lifting high weights and high reps - this is horrible); power (medium reps, low to medium weights, emphasis on fast movement), it's a few core exercises, then overhead squats, then back squats and/or deadlifts,  then single leg press. In a more explosive power phase of my training, I do things like jump squats (jumping with a bar and varying weights - this can get a little sketchy if you're not careful) and also things like cleans, but never done these too concertedly.

Back in the day when I had more time to train, I'd do more upper body work and take my time with everything else: a typical gym session would be 2 to 2.5hrs. Now it's more like 1 hr to 2hrs (the latter if I'm lucky and / or have the energy!). I start and end with a 10min warm up/down on a spin bike and include a couple of low resistance, rev ups (i.e. almost max sprints) for 10 secs in both - to get warmed up and to help make gains from the gym onto the bike (I'd do this on a real bike with rollers if I could). I got really into plyometrics back in the day (jumping as high as you can onto boxes / piles of mats gets quite addictive ;-) ) but haven't done them for a while now.

I don't know a lot about its benefits for endurance guys (ie. all you roadies), but I think there is some to be had if done properly and particularly as an off-season change substitute. As the guys talk about in that old thread, lower weights and higher reps are considered to be more suited for endurance benefit.

Some general advice:

If you're talking about doing actual weights (Aside from core work, push ups, pull ups etc) free weights are where its at. Weight machines, particularly for legs, aren't that great, other than a diagonal leg press, which are useful for developing seated force and power. I am a member of NYSC as they are (generally) well equipped with free weights (i.e. a squat rack, a few spare barbells, usually a diagonal leg press), but would happily join a less fancy one if it had the same equipment.

Don't try to do too much too soon - here lies the road to fcking yourself up. Build loads up slowly. And technique is everything to free weights. If you've not got the technique right, you're either won't get the right benefit and / or will injure yourself.

That AIS thread from their old S&C coach is excellent (and quite funny) - mirrors a lot of some of the core concepts I was taught back in 2005-2007.

I see your Kayak and raise you one Mohawk !!!

BEEFCAAAAKE

I can't take all the manliness

The time has come for.......THE KISSENA CALENDAR !!!!

Love the cigarette @Yacks

twoyacks said:

The time has come for.......THE KISSENA CALENDAR !!!!

Skinny fireman Mike

Any chance we can get Gillette on board as a sponsor next season??????

I'm starting my lifting regime, about 2 weeks in. I'm specifically looking to improve sprint/"pop" performance in crit and track racing. I'm doing a basic Rippetoe Starting strength regime. 3 sets of 5 reps of squats, bench/overhead press and deadlifts. I looked at PF when I changed gyms, but they don't have any true squat racks, just Smith machines. I'm leaving the more endurance based muscle stuff for on the bike. I warm up on a spin bike, and finish off with some box jumps. Twice a week right now. Eventually may start doing power cleans for explosiveness, but my form isn't there. Not even close.

Mattie -- do cleans with the bar and bumpers if they're available. Bumpers are the size/shape of plates but only weigh something like 10 pounds each. You want pop, you gotta do a power move like cleans or high box jumps.

I would just bench 90% max...get them pectorals the glory they deserve.

If you are going to thrash your muscles...feed it...FEED IT !